John 11 36

John 11:36 kjv

Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

John 11:36 nkjv

Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"

John 11:36 niv

Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

John 11:36 esv

So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

John 11:36 nlt

The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much he loved him!"

John 11 verses

John 11 36 Meaning

John 11:36 concisely captures the spontaneous reaction of some onlookers to Jesus' profound display of emotion, specifically his weeping. It means that the Jewish people present, observing Jesus' deep sorrow and tears over Lazarus' death, understood it as a clear testament to the intense personal affection He had for Lazarus. Their statement acts as an interpretation of Jesus' outward grief, pointing to the depth of His bond with the deceased.

John 11 36 Context

This verse is situated at a pivotal moment in the Gospel of John, occurring immediately after Jesus' brief but profound act of weeping (Jn 11:35) at the tomb of Lazarus. Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, had died, and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were deep in mourning. Jesus had come to Bethany four days after Lazarus' death. Upon arriving and encountering Mary's and the surrounding Jews' intense grief, Jesus himself was "deeply moved in his spirit and troubled" (Jn 11:33) before openly weeping.

Historically and culturally, public mourning was an expected and intense custom in Judea, involving professional mourners and outward expressions of sorrow. Jesus' tears would have resonated with this cultural expectation but were understood by the observers as more than just a customary response; they were seen as a genuine expression of personal attachment. The setting is charged with emotion and anticipation, as the crowd is aware of Jesus' reputation for miracles, yet they witness His undeniable grief, paving the way for the greater revelation of His power over death.

John 11 36 Word analysis

• So (οὖν, oun): A conjunction that functions as a logical connector, indicating that what follows is a consequence or a direct observation in light of Jesus' weeping and deep emotional distress (Jn 11:33, 35). It establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship between Jesus' actions and the observers' conclusion.
• the Jews (οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, hoi Ioudaioi): In John's Gospel, "the Jews" is a nuanced term. Here, it refers specifically to some of the people present who had come to mourn with Mary and Martha. Their response reflects an unantagonistic, observant assessment rather than a hostile one, distinguishing them from those who later scoffed (Jn 11:37). This group includes a mix of those who believed and those who doubted or simply observed.
• said (ἔλεγον, elegon): Imperfect tense of legō, suggesting either a continuous, repeated saying or simply the immediate report of their words. It captures their reaction as it happened.
• See (Ἴδε, Ide): An imperative verb, meaning "Look!", "Behold!". It functions as an exclamation drawing attention to the observation, indicating the immediacy and striking nature of Jesus' display of affection. It invites others to acknowledge the evident truth.
• how (πῶς, pōs): An interrogative or exclamatory adverb, meaning "how" or "to what extent." It emphasizes the degree or intensity of Jesus' love, not just the fact that he loved, but how deeply he loved Lazarus.
• he loved (ἐφίλει, ephilei): Imperfect tense of the verb phileō. Phileō refers to a tender, affectionate, often brotherly or friendly love, deeply rooted in human affection. The imperfect tense indicates an ongoing or habitual love, suggesting that this strong affection for Lazarus was not new but a consistent aspect of their relationship. This contrasts with agapaō, which often denotes a more sacrificial, volitional, and divine love, though the terms can sometimes be used interchangeably. The choice of phileō here emphasizes Jesus' genuine human attachment, making his grief intensely relatable.
• him (αὐτόν, auton): Referring specifically to Lazarus, the object of Jesus' demonstrated affection and grief.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• So the Jews said: This phrase introduces the spontaneous reaction of the specific group of onlookers present. Their statement is presented as an immediate, collective conclusion based on what they observed.
• 'See how he loved him!': This is a direct quote of their observation, an exclamation that captures the core meaning they extracted from Jesus' tears and emotional distress. It’s an interpretation of external signs leading to an understanding of internal affection. The phrase highlights the evident nature of Jesus' love, striking enough to be immediately recognized by external observers. It implicitly validates Jesus' genuine humanity and capacity for personal, intimate affection, bridging the divine and the human.

John 11 36 Bonus section

The specific choice of the Greek verb phileō ("loved") in John 11:36, as opposed to agapaō, emphasizes a profound human affection. While both words signify love and are sometimes used interchangeably in the New Testament, phileō particularly conveys warmth, tenderness, and personal attachment—a love of friendship and deep fondness. This choice highlights Jesus' authentic human bond with Lazarus, rather than an exclusively divine or self-sacrificial love.

Furthermore, Jesus' groaning in the spirit and being troubled (Jn 11:33, 38) immediately before and after his weeping is often understood by scholars not only as an expression of profound sorrow but also as an intense wrestling with the power of death and the destructive consequences of sin. The onlookers, however, could only perceive the most outward, relatable manifestation of this inner turmoil: the tears of phileō love. This provides a multi-layered insight: the human observers only grasped the emotional side, while the full divine significance of Jesus confronting death was not immediately apparent to them.

John 11 36 Commentary

John 11:36 is a profoundly significant verse because it captures the authentic, raw human response to Jesus' grief from an external perspective. The onlookers, seeing Jesus weep so intensely, could not interpret it as anything other than deep, personal love for Lazarus. This simple, two-word statement ("Jesus wept") followed by the crowd's insight underscores the Savior's full humanity. He wasn't a detached, impassive deity; He was deeply invested in human relationships and profoundly affected by human suffering and death. This observation helps ground Jesus' divinity in relatable human experience, demonstrating that His compassion was not abstract but a real, emotional engagement. It sets the stage for the coming miracle, making the raising of Lazarus an act born out of profound love, not merely a display of power. This capacity for empathy makes Him a high priest who truly sympathizes with our weaknesses, bridging the gap between God and humanity.

For instance, consider someone seeing a stoic leader suddenly weep openly at a funeral. Their reaction would likely be "He really loved that person." This highlights a similar immediate human recognition of genuine affection. In a spiritual context, believers are called to empathy (Rom 12:15), a trait Jesus perfectly exemplified here, making His command to "love one another" (Jn 13:34) not just a moral imperative but an expression of His own heart.