What is the meaning of John 11:11? After He had said this Jesus had just finished teaching the disciples that walking in the light of God’s will keeps a person from stumbling (John 11:9-10). His words about daylight and purpose anchor everything that follows. The Lord acts with precision, never rushed or late—an echo of Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for every purpose under heaven.” What He is about to do with Lazarus flows straight out of that unbroken divine timetable. He told them • Jesus draws His followers into His plans, just as He later promises, “I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). • He speaks plainly, reinforcing the pattern seen in Mark 4:34 where He explains all things privately to the disciples. The clarity underscores His authority and their need to trust Him even when details stretch their understanding. Our friend Lazarus • By saying “our friend,” the Lord identifies with Lazarus and with the disciples at the same time. Friendship with Christ is covenantal, illustrated again in John 15:13-14 where He lays down His life for His friends. • This relationship is personal and literal; Bethany’s household is not a parable but a historical family beloved by Jesus (John 11:5). The warmth points to Proverbs 18:24, “There is a friend who stays closer than a brother.” Has fallen asleep • Scripture often describes death for believers as sleep—a temporary state before bodily resurrection. Stephen “fell asleep” in Acts 7:60; Paul writes, “God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). • Jesus is not using euphemism to soften reality; He is revealing heaven’s perspective. Physical death is real yet impermanent, anticipating Daniel 12:2: “Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake.” But I am going there • The trip to Bethany is deliberate. Earlier He said, “Let us go back to Judea” (John 11:7), despite threats against His life. Courage and compassion intertwine, fulfilling the mission statement of Luke 19:10, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” • His movement also builds the disciples’ faith: “For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe” (John 11:15). Every step is calculated for God’s glory and their growth. To wake him up • Jesus means literal resurrection. He will soon declare, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43). Earlier miracles preview this power: Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:41-42) and the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:14-15). • Raising Lazarus prefigures the universal promise, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25). It also foreshadows His own empty tomb and the future awakening of all who belong to Him (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). summary Jesus’ statement in John 11:11 threads together timing, revelation, friendship, the true nature of death, purposeful mission, and resurrection power. He speaks out of perfect knowledge and unwavering love, turning a grave into a staging ground for glory and demonstrating that, in His hands, death is only sleep awaiting His waking voice. |
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