The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, which simply states “Jesus wept.” However, despite being only two words in English, this verse conveys a profound message about Christ’s humanity and compassion.
In the passages leading up to John 11:35, Jesus’ friend Lazarus has died and been in the tomb for four days. When Jesus arrives in Bethany and sees the grief of Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, he is deeply moved. Although Jesus knows he will raise Lazarus from the dead, he still grieves with those who are mourning.
John 11:35 reminds us that Jesus was fully human and experienced the full range of human emotions – including sadness and tears. Although He was the Son of God, He mourned when confronted with the pain of death and the sorrow of those He loved. This verse gives us a glimpse into Christ’s tender heart.
While the words “Jesus wept” are few, the meaning behind them is profound. This verse shows us:
– Jesus’ love and care for people. He formed close friendships during His earthly life. The death of His friend brought Jesus to tears.
– Jesus’ empathy and compassion. Despite knowing He would raise Lazarus, Jesus still hurt alongside those who grieved. He entered into their sadness.
– Jesus’ humanity. The Son of God was moved to weep openly, revealing His human vulnerability and emotion.
– Jesus’ reassurance in our own times of mourning. We worship a Savior who understands human pain and weeping. He promises to be near to us in our sorrow.
Throughout church history, preachers, theologians, and writers have shared insights into this powerful verse:
Augustine stated: “The Lord could not have wept for Lazarus, who was to be raised again, were it not that, since He was man, the very human affection of friendship and tenderness caused tears to flow.”
Matthew Henry commented: “Christ’s tender sympathy with these afflicted friends appeared by the troubles of his spirit. The Jews understood weeping for the dead as a sign of sorrow for them. But Jesus wept for the living, the mourners, to whom death is a loss.”
Charles Spurgeon said: “Even the Son of God, when He saw the grief of those whom He loved, could not restrain His tears…He is not ashamed of tears, because He knows their meaning and result.”
While Jesus likely shed many tears that are not recorded in Scripture, John purposefully includes this shortest verse. These two words powerfully convey Jesus’ humanity alongside His divinity as the eternal Son of God.
Here are some key points about the meaning behind this concise but important verse:
– Jesus wept because He was human – He experienced the full range of human emotion. His deity did not negate His humanity.
– Jesus wept because He loved – He formed close human friendships and bonds during His earthly life. The sorrow of others moved Him.
– Jesus wept because He empathized – He entered into the grief of others and hurt alongside them, even knowing the outcome.
– Jesus wept to point us to His care – He reassures us that He understands our human pain and sorrow as well.
– Jesus wept briefly – But His tears led straight to action, power, and victory over death itself. His weeping was a temporary path to hope.
So in just two words, John 11:35 teaches us much about our Savior’s compassion, humanity, and tender care for His people in all our varied seasons of life. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us – the Word who became flesh, dwelt among us, and wept with us. What a blessing that the shortest verse is perhaps one of the deepest.
Here are some additional key Bible passages that provide context and meaning for John 11:35 “Jesus wept”:
John 11:1-44 – The full account of Lazarus’ death and Jesus raising him to life again after four days. This provides the setting and events leading to verse 35.
John 11:33 – “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.” Jesus was deeply moved by the grief around Lazarus’ death.
John 11:36 – “So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” Jesus’ love for Lazarus and his sisters resulted in weeping.
Isaiah 53:3 – A messianic prophecy of Christ that says “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Jesus was well acquainted with human sorrow.
Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus sympathizes in our human weakness.
Psalm 56:8 – “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” God treasures the tears of His people, even under the Old Covenant.
In addition to John 11:35, the Bible records other instances of Jesus weeping and being deeply moved. For example:
Luke 19:41 – As Jesus approached Jerusalem before His crucifixion, “when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it.” He wept over the unrepentant city.
Matthew 23:37 – Jesus laments “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”
Mark 10:21 – When the rich young ruler walked away from Christ, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” His love led to sorrow as the man rejected Him.
So the two-word verse of John 11:35 captures a profound truth about Christ – that He was the all-powerful, miracle-working Son of God who wept human tears and felt deep human emotion. Jesus understands our pain and cares about our hurtings. What a blessing that we can cast all our cares on a Savior who weeps with us! This shortest verse contains a bottomless well of comfort, empathy, compassion, and reassurance from our Lord.
