Good question. I've heard David Wilkerson preach that He wept because of their unbelief. Here's the text on it from one of his newsletters...
This encounter wasn’t so much about Lazarus’ death as it was about Christ’s own death. Think about it: when the time came for Jesus to face the cross, how would his followers ever believe he could be raised up? There was only one way they would believe it. And that was for Jesus — there, in Bethany, with his beloved friends — to enter the most hopeless situation and work his purposes in the face of the humanly impossible.
I’m convinced Jesus would not have entrusted this experience to anyone outside his inner circle. Such things were reserved for those who were intimate with him, who didn’t think as the world thinks. You see, it is only in such friends — people who know Christ’s heart and trust him fully — that he can produce a faith which can’t be shaken.
The fact is, Jesus knew all the future hardships that would take place in these dear ones’ lives. He knew every illness and tragedy they would face. He also knew the destruction that was to come upon Jerusalem. And he wanted to see in them now a faith that would believe in his care no matter what calamity they faced. He knew this was the only thing that could get them through what was to come.
When Jesus finally arrived, Martha’s first words to him were, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.” These words may sound full of faith on Martha’s part. But when Jesus responded, “Thy brother shall rise again,” Martha’s answer was revealing: “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” In other words: “It’s all over for now, Jesus. You’re too late.”
Jesus replied: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (11:21–22, 23–24, 25–26).
Christ was telling her, in other words, “No, Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. Believe in me, and you’ll never die.” Again, he wasn’t just talking about Lazarus, but about his own death and resurrection. To him, Lazarus’ raising was already a settled matter: “Martha, don’t you believe I can go even into the grave and do the impossible for you and Mary, all of your days?”
At that point, Martha “went her way” (11:28). And that’s what most of us do in such situations. We don’t settle the issue with Jesus, seeking him in faith, “Oh, Lord, help my unbelief.” Instead, we simply walk away, back to our doubts and fears. And that wounds the Lord. Evidently, Martha didn’t understand that Jesus wanted more from her than faith for just this one crisis. Christ wanted her to stop all her unbelieving tendencies, and to begin a lifelong trust in him that would see her through every trial.
Jesus then called for Mary. “When Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” Even devout Mary said the same thing to Jesus that her sister did. What was his reaction? “He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled” (11: 32, 33).
Martha’s unbelief must have been wounding enough to him. I’m convinced Jesus expected more from Mary. But as he watched her weeping pitifully, with no hope, he “groaned” — a word that means “indignation.” Likewise, the word for “troubled” means “displeased.”
It was then Jesus said, “Where have ye laid him?” (11:34). As Martha heard him command the stone to be rolled away, she protested, “But, Lord, all you’ll get is a stench. Our brother has been dead for four days.” Here was yet more unbelief. That’s when we read: “Jesus wept” (11:35).
for the full text search for David Wilkerson's newsletter titled Forgive Me Lord for Making You Weep.
In Christ,
Ron
