John 11:35

Jesus wept

(εδακρυσεν ο Ιησους). Ingressive first aorist active indicative of δακρυω, old verb from δακρυ or δακρυον, a tear (Acts 20:19), only here in N.T. It never means to wail, as κλαιω sometimes does. "Jesus burst into tears." Κλαιω is used of Jesus in Luke 19:41. See Hebrews 5:7 "with strong crying and tears" (μετα κραυγης κα δακρυων). Apparently this was as Jesus started towards (see verse John 11:38) the tomb. In a sense it was a reaction from the severe strain in verse John 11:33, but chiefly it was the sheer human sympathy of his heart with Martha and Mary touched with the feeling of our common weakness (Hebrews 4:15). Often all that we can do is to shed tears in grief too deep for words. Jesus understood and understands. This is the shortest verse in the Bible, but no verse carries more meaning in it.