John 11:13
“Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →John explicitly tells us that Jesus was speaking of Lazarus' death, not literal sleep, and that the disciples' misunderstanding was complete.
Context
John provides this narrative clarification to prevent us from sharing the disciples' confusion. We are meant to understand that Jesus knows Lazarus is dead and is going to raise him.
What Does John 11:13 Mean?
John steps out of the narrative here to correct the record. This is a mercy to us as readers. We are told plainly that Jesus spoke of death, that Lazarus is dead, and that the disciples understood nothing of this. The gap between what Jesus meant and what the disciples heard could not be wider. Yet this is the gap that characterizes every step of the disciples' journey in John's gospel. Jesus must speak, and they must misunderstand, and only gradually must they learn to hear him.
This pattern reflects something deep about faith. We cannot be taught the truth about Jesus secondhand. We must come to know him, and that knowing is often a slow process of misunderstanding, correction, and gradual enlightenment. The disciples here are not stupid. They are simply unprepared for the magnitude of what Jesus is claiming about himself.
Application
Do not be discouraged if your understanding of Jesus has been partial or mistaken. The disciples walked with him daily and still misunderstood. We grow in understanding over a lifetime of encounter with him.