READ: JOHN 11:28-36, HEBREWS 4:14-16

Composed of just two little words, John 11:35 is recognized as the shortest verse in the entire Bible; John simply wrote, “Jesus wept.” Because of how short it is, this verse is quite well known among Christians, but have you ever given much thought to its implications?

The verses surrounding John 11:35 tell us that Jesus’s friend, Lazarus, had died. Now, if you’re familiar with this story, you know that Lazarus didn’t stay dead. Jesus knew this too. But still, the Bible tells us that “Jesus wept.” In this moment, we see that both His compassion for the people around Him and the tenderness of His humanity brought Jesus Himself, the Savior of the world, to tears.

Besides making for a touching scene, why does this verse matter?

Another passage, Hebrews 4:14-15, tells us about a Great High Priest, the Son of God Himself, who can empathize with our weaknesses. Jesus came to earth to save sinners, being both fully God and fully man (Colossians 2:9). Jesus knows what it’s like to be human. He knows what it’s like to be tempted (although, unlike us, He never once gave in). He knows what it’s like to experience pain. He knows what it’s like to cry.

And this same Jesus is now our Great High Priest, the One who intercedes for us (Romans 8:34). Jesus is sinless, but because God loves us, He took all our sins upon Himself on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). He died for us, and then He rose again, making the way for us to be forgiven and brought near to God. Because of Jesus’s sacrifice, we can “approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

We don’t have to be ashamed to ask Jesus for help and admit our weakness because He understands. In fact, we can approach Him confidently! Whenever we find ourselves on our knees before God, pleading for grace, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus can truly empathize with our weakness. He, too, wept. • Katherine Billingsley

• We can come to Jesus with all our sins and all our struggles because, being human, He fully understands our pain, and being God, He is the only one who can do something about it. What might God be inviting you to bring to His throne of grace today? How could the truth that Jesus empathizes with you give you boldness to approach Him?

Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (CSB)