Jesus wept.
John 11:35 NET
This verse is probably best known as the shortest verse in the English Bible. But it is significant in another more important way. It tells us something about Jesus. That he experienced emotions like we do.
When Jesus wept, he was on his way to the grave of Lazarus, a friend. His sisters were still mourning their loss. And they questioned why Jesus had not come and healed him.
It was an emotional time. Jesus was described as “intensely moved in spirit and greatly distressed” when he saw Mary and others weeping (John 11:33). And when he arrived at the tomb, he was intensely moved (John 11:38).
All of this is a natural human reaction to the death of a loved one. However, knowing the outcome of Jesus’ visit to Lazarus’ tomb, it would not seem like Jesus would be weeping because Lazarus had died. His life was going to be restored in just a few moments.
It could be that Jesus wept with the sisters in their pain and loss. They were hurting. And he could well have been hurting for them. He loved them, and it surely hurt to see them suffering.
But he could also have been weeping for Lazarus. While Lazarus’ body lay in a tomb, his spirit was with God. And Jesus was going to call him back to this life. He was not doing Lazarus a favor by restoring him.
But this verse also helps us to see that Jesus was fully human, experiencing the same range of emotions that we do. He wept, experienced anger (John 2:14-16), and knew frustration (Matt. 17:17).
Jesus took on humanity to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 2:17). But in becoming human and experiencing all we go through, he can also empathize with us in all we go through (Heb. 4:15-16). He understands us.
