One of the greatest things that I have learned from looking at the life and work of Dr. F.W. Boreham is that life’s greatest treasures are often obscured by the veil of familiarity. It often takes an outsider to see plainly what most locals do not. This sometimes sad fact was highlighted in some recent release movies such as “Spotlight” and “Concussion” where it was some outsiders who helped the locals see the gross injustices happening right under their noses. FWB occasionally referred to the English poet, Blake, to reveal his method for seeing what most miss. He noted that Blake tried to see the world through his eyes rather than with his eyes. After all, our eyes often betray us. Magicians have learned to leverage this. Boreham had a knack of helping his readers and hearers see from a different perspective. Take his treatment of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead as an exhibit.

Read a Boreham essay and you are frequently introduced to a new perspective on a Scripture passage that is like meeting an old family friend for the first time whom you instantly warm to. This was my experience when I first read what FWB said about the shortest verse in the Bible – Jesus wept – and it has had a profound influence on how I pastor those who are grieving.

The reader is left in no doubt that Boreham was familiar with the commonly held perspectives of this passage – how Jesus regretted not getting there any earlier to save Lazarus, or that Jesus now expressed sorrow at the passing of His friend, or some variation of the two interpretations. Building on the truism that what is new is probably not true and what is true is probably not true, FWB delves into the ancient correspondence of the church Fathers and found one of the earliest understandings of this verse. In this ancient commentary on this verse, the fourth century Exegete, Theodosius, dismisses both possible interpretations and offers the following insight. The reason why Jesus wept just before raising Lazarus was that He alone knew where Lazarus truly was, and the thought of bringing him back from bliss to here brought Him to tears! You can read a little more about this insight here.

Over the years I have shared this insight with many grieving family members who were struggling to come to terms with the death of a loved one. There is something beautifully comforting in these tears of John 11:35 in times such struggling. These tears cause us to wonder what Paradise must really be like if the thought of leaving there to come back to this life would cause Jesus to weep.

This is but one exhibit of how Pastors and Preachers benefit today from reading the works of Dr. F.W. Boreham – a benefit which pays a double dividend – because it is not just the preacher who is enriched, but also those whom God has placed in their charge. 

Andrew Corbett