• Download Video
• Download Audio
• Print
• Email
• Save As PDF

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》

1. “耶稣说了这话”

a. 耶稣宣布祂要往犹太去的计划

b. 祂要教导门徒祂是如何做出这个决定

i. 采用光的原则

ii. 在光明中行走，就不致跌倒

2. “随后对他们说”

a. “我们的朋友拉撒路睡了”

b. 这是比喻的说法

c. 也是所谓的 “婉词”（“婉词”指的是婉转地用其他形式说出）

3. 对此比喻的误解

a. 门徒以为耶稣指的是 “睡” 的原义，也就是实在的睡眠

b. 他们认为拉撒路睡后会复原

4. “耶稣这话是指着他死说的，他们却以为是说照常睡了”

a. 耶稣早些时候说过

i. 拉撒路的病不至于死

ii. 但事实上，拉撒路已经死了

b. 我们应该如何调和这两个句子呢？

i. 对许多人来说，死是终结

ii. 但对耶稣来说，死亡只是在睡觉

c. 病不至于死，因为这指的是睡觉

d. 死只不过是在睡觉，而耶稣会从死亡的睡眠中唤醒他

不久后，当耶稣在伯大尼使拉撒路死而复活时，祂将得到荣耀。