The Shortest Verse in the Bible

For whatever reason, little facts about the Bible seem to stick with people: The longest chapter, the shortest book, the shortest verse. I always wondered who first realized John 11:35 was the shortest verse in the Bible. Maybe it was a child looking for a quick verse to memorize for a contest, or perhaps a procrastinating theologian off on a researching rabbit trail.

Regardless of who first discovered it, the fact of John 11:35 being the shortest verse in the Bible has made the verse itself one of the best-known in Christianity. But have you ever stopped to actually think about the verse? It’s just two words, but it holds a powerful truth.

“Jesus wept.”

The context is the illness and death of Jesus’ friend, Lazarus. Jesus had purposely delayed coming to His sick friend, much to the surprise of the disciples and Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. Jesus went to His friend only after hearing of his death. When He arrived, Mary and Martha each told Him that if He had just been there, Lazarus would not have died. Their grief was profound.

In response to Martha, Jesus gave that great truth:

“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?” (vv.25-26)

Martha responds with words of faith, then goes to find her sister Mary, who fell at Jesus’ feet weeping.

As Jesus saw the grief of the two sisters and the rest of the mourners, we are told that He “groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.” (v.33) He asked where they had laid Lazarus, and they told Him to come and see. Then,

“Jesus wept.”

It is a simple statement of fact. Whether moved by the sorrow of those around Him, or grief over the very existence of sin and death, or some other sorrow we know nothing of, Jesus wept.

The God of creation, who spoke the world into being, now stood and shed real tears from His heart at the grave of a friend.

We know the end of the story, and Jesus did, too. He had already indicated to Martha that Lazarus would be raised to life, but still Jesus wept. And in His weeping we see a visible picture of the heart of God that has mourned over His beloved children throughout history.

It is the same heart that plead with His people through the prophets, that earnestly called them to repentance, giving them time to return to Him before bringing the judgment His righteous justice required. It is the same heart of God that chose to forgive His people time and time again, and still offers forgiveness to you and me today.

The tears shed by Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus put on display the love of God, a God who is not impersonal and far away, but actively involved in the lives of His people. They show the unchanging heart of God and serve as a shadow of things to come.

Jesus would weep again, over Jerusalem at His triumphal entry, and again in the garden of Gethsemane. The tears of Christ at Lazarus’ tomb are a reminder to us that God does care, His heart is moved on our behalf. As Isaiah 53:4-5 says,

“Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of His peace was upon us, and with His stripes we are healed.”

As we enter into the joy of Christ’s resurrection, let us remember also His tears at the tomb of Lazarus. Let us remember the heart of our God who knows and cares.

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched by the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly into the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” 

Hebrews 4:15-16