John 11:11-16 (WEL) He said these things, and then said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go, so I can wake him up from sleep.” 12 Then his disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get well.” 13 Jesus, however, spoke of his death, but they thought he spoke about restful sleep. 14 So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 “For your benefit, I’m glad I wasn’t there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas (called the twin) said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too, so we can die with him.”
V11 He said these things, and then said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go, so I can wake him up from sleep.”
Sleep is a polite term meaning death, just as people might say today like “passed away, passed on, kicked the bucket, breathed his last,” etc. We even say, “It’s just like she is sleeping.”
The disciples, just as I would have, thought Jesus was speaking of physical sleep that Jesus was going to awaken Lazarus from. Compare 1 Thessalonians 4:13.
V12 Then his disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get well.”
They responded just like I would have.
V13 Jesus, however, spoke of his death, but they thought he spoke about restful sleep.
John, the writer and eyewitness, clarifies that Jesus is dead.
Principle: When you teach, make sure others understand what you are teaching. John, the Apostle, teaches what verses 12 and 13 mean.
V14 So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.
Principle: Tell the truth even if it might hurt.
V15 “For your benefit, I’m glad I wasn’t there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him.”
Jesus explains why He was glad that He wasn’t present. Jesus wants to teach Israel, the Jewish leaders, Mary and Martha, the disciples and Apostles, and us. His purpose is to encourage and build up faith. The Holy Spirit is our teacher today. Compare John 20:31 and John 14:26.
The Holy Spirit knows our exact need for education and develops a personalized plan of education to transform us into the people God wants us to be.
V16 Then Thomas (called the twin) said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too, so we can die with him.”
Practical Thomas, but Thomas, like all of us, needs to learn. He needed to learn that it was not time for Jesus to be arrested and killed. He needed to learn that these Apostles had a ministry and could not die until it was completed.
Church tradition says that Thomas, a missionary to India, died by being speared to death in Mylapore (modern-day Tamil Nadu).
We learn:
- Jesus has many teaching methods and tailors them to His disciples.
- Sometimes there is a purpose in delayed answers to pray and/or not answered the way we asked.
Questions:
- How do you teach?
- Are you willing to accept God’s will regarding His answering your prayers?