John 11:7–16

Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 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.

Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

This passage contains two puzzles. First, when the disciples express concern about returning to Judea (for good reason), Jesus replies with an analogy about twelve hours in a day. What does that mean?

Second, what does Jesus mean when He says, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”?

The second question is easier. This ties back to Jesus’s decision to wait two days to go to Lazarus. It’s harsh, but makes the lesson Jesus is teaching crystal clear. He is the resurrection and the life. Lazarus must be definitely dead so that there can be no doubt when he is raised. That’s why Jesus waited two days, and that’s why He’s now “glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe.” But what are we to make of His explanation about day and night and the twelve hours in a day?

We know that Jesus is explaining why He’s still going. And we know that He is the light of the world. So, the general sense of, “Make hay while the sun shines,” is obviously there. He’s saying, “Carpe diem.” But why the reference to twelve hours?

Ancient Christian commentators (e.g., Origin and Augustine) have connected this to the twelve apostles and the twelve patriarchs, but that’s not about time. Jesus could be quantifying the daylight hours to emphasize that they are limited—as in, “Are there not just twelve hours in the day?”

The disciples’ limited time with Him is a point Jesus will make repeatedly.

Curiously, this convinces them that He’s determined to go but doesn’t convince them that it’ll be safe.

That’s why Thomas says, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Saturday DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.