John 11:12

Then said his disciples Better, Therefore said the disciples to Him. They catch at any chance of escape from the dreaded journey.

if he sleeps he shall do well Better, if he be fallen asleep, he shall be saved, will be cured. Probably they thought that Christ meant to go and cure Lazarus (John 11:37, comp. John 9:3); and here they infer from his sleeping that he will recover without Christ's aid: consequently Christ need not go. They are too full of anxiety to notice Christ's significant words -I go, that I may awake him," whereas the rendering in our Bible reads like an expostulation against waking him, as if it meant -a sick man should not be disturbed." For other instances in which the disciples grossly misunderstand Christ, see John 4:33; John 14:5; John 14:8; John 14:22; Matthew 16:7; and comp. John 3:4; John 3:9; John 4:11; John 4:15; John 6:34; John 6:52; John 7:35; John 8:22; John 8:33; John 8:52. This candour in declaring their own failings adds to our confidence in the veracity of the Evangelists. It is urged that the misunderstanding here is too gross to be probable: but they had not unnaturally understood Christ Himself to nave declared that Lazarus would not die (John 11:4); this being so, they could not easily suppose that by sleep He meant death. Moreover, when men's minds are on the stretch the strangest misapprehensions become possible.