John 11:14-15

John 11:14-15. Then therefore Jesus said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes, to the intent ye may believe, that I was not there; nevertheless let us go unto him. The words ‘for your sakes' are explained by the clause which follows, ‘that ye may believe.' Already they believed in Him; but ‘every new flight of faith is in its degree a new beginning of faith, comp. chap. John 2:11 ' (Meyer). Had he come to Bethany while Lazarus lay sick, He would have healed his sickness; but great as might have been the miracle if He had done so, or if, arriving when Lazarus had just breathed his last, He had called back the departing spirit, in neither case would the disciples have seen the crowning ‘manifestation' of their Lord, or have believed in Him as ‘the Resurrection and the Life.' The disciples are now awakened to the fact that they are moving into the presence of death.