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The Shortest Verse in the Bible

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 14, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 37.

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The Shortest Verse in the Bible

By May Lambert

MAY LAMBERT
As we read God's Book, our attention is suddenly arrested by seeing a verse containing only two short words, “Jesus wept.” Can we do aught else but stop in wonder as we read them? “Jesus wept”! Why was this? What reason could there be that Jesus, the Lord of glory, the Creator of the universe, the Son of the everlasting Father, should weep?
Ah, I have not far to look for the answer. As the mirror is a reflector of the object which stands before it, so as I stand before my Lord, there is reflected to me the exceeding sinfulness of my heart, and I know why Jesus wept. As he, the Lord of glory, saw with his infinite eye the sinfulness of the human heart, its hypocrisy and deceit; as he looked at Israel, his chosen people, whom often he would have gathered as a hen gathers her brood, rejecting the One who longed to save them, can we any longer wonder why “Jesus wept”?
Those tears were shed in sympathy and pity for every human wo that you and I have suffered, for every pain we have ever had to bear. O, what wondrous love must have prompted such an act!
We can never fathom such love; but as we behold it, does not that love create a new current of love in our hearts for the Master? Does it not stimulate us to endure unto the end?
Did Jesus weep in vain?—Nay; for our hearts can not but respond to such a manifestation of his love. As we gaze upon those tears, our faith grows brighter; and we gladly place our hands in his, to follow willingly wherever he may lead, to bear joyfully whatever he may send.
Then as our Saviour looks down the ages, and beholds the transforming result of those tears upon the human family, “he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” And beholding those tears, our longing grows stronger to gaze on the face of the “chiefest among ten thousand,” the One “altogether lovely.”
Then, although literally “Jesus wept” is the shortest verse in the Bible, can we any more call it the least in importance?—Nay, rather it has an infinitude of meaning and import.