Daily Devotions
My Song In The Night (Gospel of John)
我夜间的歌曲 (约翰福音）
A Figure of Speech
Text: John 11: 11-13
A FIGURE OF SPEECH
Jesus used a figure of speech to describe death. To Him, death was not to be feared. Death was only sleep!
“These things He said, and after that He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’ Then His disciples said, ‘Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.’ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.”
John 11:11-13
1. “These things He said”
a. To announce His plans to go to Judea.
b. To teach them how He came to the decisions He makes.
i. Employing the principle of light.
ii. No fear of stumbling when one walks in the light.
2. “And after that He said to them”
a. Our friend Lazarus sleeps.
b. This a figure of speech.
c. It is what is called: “euphemism”.
3. Misunderstanding of this figure of speech
a. His disciple thought that Jesus was speaking about “literal sleep”.
b. They felt that if Lazarus sleeps he would recover from his sickness.
4. “However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep”
a. Jesus had said earlier:
i. Lazarus’ sickness was not unto death.
ii. But in fact, Lazarus had died.
b. How do we reconcile these two statements?
i. Death to many was final.
ii. But to Jesus, death was only sleep.
c. Sickness not unto death simply because it was just sleeping.
d. Death was nothing more than sleep and He would go and awaken him from the sleep of death.
Jesus would be glorified shortly in Bethany when He raised Lazarus from the dead.
经文：约翰福音 11：11-13
比喻手法
耶稣运用比喻来形像化地形容死亡。对祂而言，死亡并不可怕。死好如睡觉！
“耶稣说了这话，随后对他们说：‘我们的朋友拉撒路睡了，我去叫醒他。’ 门徒说：‘主啊，他若睡了，就必好了。’耶稣这话是指着他死说的，他们却以为是说照常睡了。”
《约翰福音 11：11-13》