John 11

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

Jesus wept.

Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

What does John 11:13 mean?

Explanation

John 11:13 states, "Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep." In this verse, Jesus has been talking about Lazarus's condition after having been told that Lazarus was sick.

Jesus imparts to his disciples that Lazarus is "asleep," but he is referring to Lazarus having died.

In the ancient Jewish context, sleep was often used as a euphemism for death.

The disciples misunderstand Jesus, thinking that Lazarus is literally sleeping, not grasping that Jesus is speaking metaphorically about Lazarus's death.

This verse illustrates a communication gap where Jesus speaks on a spiritual level, and the disciples interpret him on a literal level.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, death was a frequent occurrence due to the lack of advanced medical knowledge and practices and the various diseases and injuries that were difficult to treat.

The use of sleep as a metaphor for death was a common linguistic device, both as a means of softening the harsh reality of death and because sleep was seen as a temporary state from which one could awake, much as resurrection is a return from the state of death.

Theological Insights

Different theological interpretations view this passage through various lenses. A traditional Christian reading sees this as a foreshadowing of the power and intent of Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead, as well as a reflection on the Christian belief in the resurrection of the dead.

Some theologians may see this as a reflection of the human inability to comprehend divine truths without direct teaching or revelation from Jesus. Others may use this verse to discuss the nature of misinterpretation of spiritual teachings and the importance of spiritual discernment.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied practically in daily life as a lesson in communication and understanding. It teaches the value of seeking clarity rather than assuming one's own perspective is correct.

Additionally, it encourages believers to seek a deeper, more spiritual understanding of life's events, rather than just a superficial or literal interpretation.

Furthermore, it serves as a reminder of the Christian hope in eternal life and the resurrection.

Cross-References

John 11:11: "These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."

Language Study

The key word in the original Greek in this verse is "κοιμᾶσθαι" (koimasthai) which is translated as "sleep." Koimasthai has a dual meaning, referring to both natural sleep and the sleep of death.

Additionally, exploring other Greek words such as "λέγω" (lego, "I speak") and "θάνατος" (thanatos, "death") could deepen the understanding of how Jesus' words were intended versus how they were interpreted.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Ancient cultures and religions often used sleep as a metaphor for death.

In Greek mythology, for example, Hypnos is the personification of sleep and his twin brother Thanatos is the personification of death, highlighting the closeness of these two concepts.

Several other cultural customs and religious beliefs view death as a form of sleep, with the expectation of an awakening, either literally, as in the form of resurrection or reincarnation, or metaphorically, as in the transcendence of the soul to an afterlife.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the concepts of sleep and death are distinct, with sleep being a reversible, unconscious state necessary for the health of living organisms, and death being an irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism.

However, the state of being brain-dead is sometimes compared culturally to sleep, even though scientifically, it is more related to the permanent loss of consciousness associated with death.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer various interpretations of John 11:13.

Many agree that this verse demonstrates the disciples' misunderstanding of Jesus' metaphorical language.

Some commentaries focus on the depth of Jesus' teachings and his use of common cultural expressions to convey spiritual truths.

Others reflect on how this misunderstanding by the disciples provides an occasion for Jesus to clarify and teach a profound lesson about life, death, and resurrection.

Still, others highlight the human propensity to interpret words only within their own frame of reference, missing out on the fuller, intended meaning.

John 11

John 11

What does John 11:13 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 11:13 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?