Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I would say that the anger that Jesus experienced in the cited passage would have been at the sin (and consequent mortality) into which Satan had led humanity, resulting in the kind of intense grief and mourning that people undergo when a loved one dies, and that He was witnessing all around Him (as well as experiencing Himself).

(The Greek word translated as "anger" or "angry" (anglicized as "embrimaomai") occurs five times in the gospels (Matthew 9:30; Mark 1:43; Mark 14:5; John 11:33; and John 11:38). It generally is used to characterize a mood of emphatic seriousness, sternness, or chastisement.)

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John Appelt Supporter

At the death of Lazarus, Jesus “groaned in the spirit and was troubled.” John 11:33. A few versions, such as the New Living Translation, mention Jesus being angry. But this is a doubtful translation.

The Greek word is “embrimaomai” which literally means “snort,” as used to describe snorting of horses. This led to thinking it meant hot anger as commentators have assumed it to be, but it instead it has a different meaning, not at all related to any anger issue. Animal experts say that snorting is not what a horse does when it is angry. It snorts when it is content, excited, or in some way anxious.

The word means some kind of a deeply inward feeling bubbling up into some manner of expression. The word is found five times in the New Testament.

In John 11 the death of Lazarus was the situation which affected everyone who had been close to him. Even the Lord was touched with grief as He groaned in the spirit (“embrimaomai”) and was troubled. This is verified by verse 35 which says, “Jesus wept.” The Jews understood this was intense grief when they remarked how Jesus must have loved Lazarus.

The same word is in John 11:38, when Jesus, again deeply moved, approached the tomb. No hint of anger is there (except as indicated in those few translations).

If it were a case of anger, no satisfactory explanation is given in the text or by commentators as to why He was angry. Some suggest Jesus directed His anger at sin, unbelief, or death, but that is reading more into it than the context says. Furthermore, it would have been most strange to be angry and weeping at the same time, as if the Lord was having a mood swing disorder. Instead, He was truly troubled, overwhelmed and emotionally distressed with grief. It was heard as groaning and seen as weeping, expressions of what He felt inside.

Three other times, the Greek word “embrimaomai” is used. In Matthew 9:30 and Mark 1:43, Jesus “sternly warned” the healed to not let anyone know about what He had done. He was seriously restraining them from doing so, as it would harm His ministry by bringing about unnecessary publicity.

One other time, Mark 14:5, it was the disgust of onlookers criticizing Mary for her wasting precious ointment. It bothered and agitated them that she did this, and they let her know that.

In all of these instances, it was not anger but expressions from very strong feelings that welled up from deep within and bubbled up to the surface. Thus, one would hear a sigh, a groan, or some kind of emotional response as in how Jesus spoke to the healed men.

When Lazarus died, Jesus fully felt the grief intensely. In fact, He felt it in the depth of His being, even the spirit, so that He groaned and also wept. As fully human, He shared in the grief of His friends, Isaiah 53:3.

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