John Gill, on John 11:11

These things said he,.... In answer to his disciples, and made a pause. And after that he saith unto them, our friend Lazarus sleepeth; meaning, that he was dead; in which sense the word is often used in the Old Testament, and in the common dialect of the Jews, and frequently in their writings; and especially it is so used of good men: and it is an observation of theirs (b), that "it is usual to say of the righteous, that there is no death in them, , "but sleep";'' See Gill on Mat 9:24, See Gill on Co1 15:18, See Gill on Co1 15:20, See Gill on Th1 4:13, See Gill on Th1 4:14; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep; that is, to raise him from the dead, for, the resurrection of the dead is expressed by awaking; see Psa 17:15; which for Christ to do, was as easy as to awake a man out of natural sleep: these words respecting Lazarus's sleeping and awaking, express both the omniscience and omnipotence of Christ; his omniscience, that he should know that Lazarus was dead; when at such a distance from him; and his omnipotence, that he could raise him from the dead; and yet his great modesty to signify it in, such covert language, though not difficult to be understood. (b) Gloss in T. Hieros. Celaim in En Yaacob, fol. 4. 4.