Why did Jesus cry even though he knew that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead and that he was going to meet him alive shortly thereafter?

The simplest answer is that death is still a sad thing.

Jesus already knew that he would raise Lazarus, and he even tells the disciples that it’s his reason for going to see him and his family (John 11:11-15). In fact, Jesus is even glad he was not there when Lazarus died because he knew he would raise him and so bring many people to belief.

…But that doesn’t mean death isn’t sad. Jesus wasn’t happy Lazarus died–he was only happy that his miraculous resurrection would bring a great good. So, like any human being, Jesus cried for his friend. In fact, the original wording implies that Jesus didn’t just cry, but he wailed. It wasn’t one little tear escaping Jesus’ eye; he sobbed and cried loudly… just like any of us would do for someone we love dearly who dies a sudden death. The bystanders even noticed: “See how he loved him” (John 11:36).

Jesus weeping for his friend can also show us something about dealing with death. We should rejoice in heaven and our future resurrection, but that doesn’t mean we cannot be sad at death as well. Even though Jesus knew the happy ending of the story, he still felt the impact of losing his friend. There is room for both joy and sadness in death–they are both expressions of love.

Like Jesus, we know the happy ending of the story when a person dies and goes to heaven, but we may have to pass through grief to reach that joy. That is why hope is such an important and powerful virtue! Otherwise, what joy would there be in death? But since Jesus has overcome death and we know the resurrection awaits us, death has lost its sting!