The Jews observe that Jesus loved Lazarus but they fail to recognize the greater truth. The basis for their observation is the tears of Jesus; they think that they are tears of grief over the eternal loss of a friend and perhaps the frustration of not having been there when He could have healed Lazarus, but they fail to understand the power that Jesus has to call upon or His reasons for crying.

They err also in their opinion of how Jesus loved Lazarus. The word for “love” they use here is “phileo” which is a love that is based on who the other person is and what they have done for you. Agape type of love, on the other hand,  is based upon who you are; you love because you just can’t help but love. An example  of agape love  would be the love a mother has for her child. The truth of the matter is that Jesus loved Lazarus with an agape love as is shown by the use of the word “agape” in (John 11:5).

John 11:5  Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.