Thomas Aquinas
Catholic
1225–1274
“Above, the Lord foretold his intention of going to the place of the dead man; here he makes known his intention of raising the dead man, and first he foretells the intention itself; second, the disciples' feeling, where it says "Thomas said to him," and so on. Now he foretells the intention, first as it were implicitly and obscurely; second, the Evangelist shows the slowness of the disciples' understanding, where it says "The disciples therefore said"; third, the Lord announces the intention itself openly, where it says "Then therefore Jesus said to them." He says therefore "these things he said, and after this he says to them," as if to say: after saying the things set down above, he afterward says to his disciples, "Lazarus our friend sleeps." This, indeed, according to Chrysostom, seems to serve as a second reason excluding the fear of the disciples: for the first proceeded from the disciples' innocence, since "he who walks in the day does not stumble"; this one is taken from an imminent necessity, as though it were now necessary to go. Hence concerning this he does three things. First he recalls the former friendship of the dead man, saying "Lazarus our friend"—a friend, namely, on account of the many kindnesses and services he showed us; and therefore we ought not to fail him in necessity; Proverbs 12:26: "He who neglects a loss for the sake of a faithful friend." Second, he sets forth the pressing necessity; hence he says "sleeps"—whence it is necessary that he be helped; Proverbs 17:17: "A brother is proved in troubles." He "sleeps," I say, as Augustine says, to the Lord; but he was dead to men, who could not raise him up. For it must be known that sleep is taken in many ways. Sometimes for the sleep of nature; 1 Kings 3:9: "Samuel slept until morning." And Job 11:18: "You shall sleep secure," and so on. Sometimes for the sleep of death; 1 Thessalonians 4:12 (v. 13): "We do not want you to be ignorant concerning those who sleep, that you not be sorrowful, as also the rest who have no hope." Sometimes for negligence; Psalm 120:4: "Behold, he shall not slumber nor sleep, who keeps Israel." Sometimes, indeed, for the sleep of sin; Ephesians 5:14: "Arise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead." Sometimes for the repose of contemplation; Song of Songs 5:2: "I sleep, and my heart watches." Sometimes for the repose of future glory; Psalm 4:9: "In peace, in the very same, I will sleep and I will rest." Now death is called sleep on account of the hope of resurrection; and therefore death has been accustomed to be called a "falling asleep" from that time when Christ died and rose again; Psalm 3:6: "I have slept, and have been in a deep sleep." Third, he shows his own efficacy for raising him up, when he says "but I go that I may awaken him from sleep." In this he gives us to understand that he was going to raise him up out of the tomb with as much ease as you would awaken a sleeper from his bed. Nor is this to be wondered at, since he himself is the one who raises the dead and gives life, as above, chapter 5; hence he himself says there: "The hour comes in which all who are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of God." Now the Evangelist sets down the slowness of the disciples' understanding when he says "His disciples therefore said: Lord, if he sleeps, he shall be safe." And first he sets down the sign of their slowness, namely that they did not answer according to the Lord's intention; second, their slowness is shown openly, where it says "But Jesus had spoken of his death." Concerning the first, it must be known that what the Lord had said of the sleep of death, these men understood of the sleep of nature. And because sleep is usually a sign of health in the sick, therefore the disciples said "if he sleeps, he shall be safe"—as if they were saying: this is clearly a sign of health, so that from this they might further conclude: Lord, if he sleeps, it does not seem useful for you to go to awaken him. But their slowness he adds when he says "But Jesus had spoken of his death," because they were untutored. Hence the Lord says to them, Matthew 15:16: "Are you also even yet without understanding?" But of the wise man it is said, Proverbs 1:6: "He will pay attention to the parable and its interpretation, the words of the wise and their riddles." Now the Lord makes known explicitly his intention of raising him up, when he adds "Lazarus is dead; and I am glad, for your sakes." And first he announces to them the death of Lazarus, which pertains to his knowledge; second he intimates his feeling concerning his death, which pertains to his providence; third he hints at his intention of going to the place where the dead man was, which pertains to his mercy. He foretells the death, indeed, saying openly "Lazarus is dead," that is, he has undergone the common law of death, which no man can escape; Psalm 88:49: "Who is the man that lives and shall not see death?" But he shows his own feeling concerning this death, saying "and I am glad, for your sakes, that you may believe, because I was not there." This can be expounded in two ways. In one way thus: we have heard of Lazarus's illness, but I, though absent, announce his death, "and I am glad for your sakes," that is, for your benefit, so that from this you may take proof of my divinity, because I see even in absence; Hebrews 4:13: "All things are naked and open to his eyes." Nor is this to be wondered at, since he himself is present to all things; Jeremiah 23:24: "I fill heaven and earth." "That you may believe": not that they should begin anew to believe, but that they might believe more firmly and more robustly; according to that word of Mark 9:23: "I believe, Lord, help my unbelief." In another way thus: "I am glad," namely that he has died; and this "for your sakes," that is, for your benefit, namely "that you may believe." Therefore, I say, "I am glad… because I was not there": for if I had been there, he would not have died; but because he has died, a greater miracle will appear when I raise up the dead man now putrefying; and from this you will be more strengthened in faith. For it is a greater thing to raise up one who is dead than to preserve a living man from death. From which it is given to understand that evils are sometimes a reason for joy, insofar as they are ordered to a good; Romans 8:28: "To those who love God, all things work together unto good." But he hints at his intention of going when he says "but let us go to him": in which the mercy of God is shown, inasmuch as he mercifully draws to himself, by anticipating them, men who exist in sins and are, as it were, dead and unable of themselves to approach him; according to that word of Jeremiah 31:3: "With an everlasting love I have loved you, therefore have I drawn you, taking pity on you." Here is set down the feeling of the disciples, which indeed can be expounded in two ways. In one way, so that it conveys the feeling of one who doubts; in another way, so that it conveys the feeling of one who loves. And in the first way it is expounded by Chrysostom. For, as was said above, all the disciples feared the Jews, and Thomas more than the others. For before the Passion he was weaker than the others, and less faithful; who nevertheless was afterward made stronger, and beyond reproach, he who alone traveled through the whole world. Hence out of this doubt he says to his fellow disciples "Let us also go, and die with him," as if he were saying: this man does not fear death, he wants utterly to go, willing to hand over himself and us to death. In the second way it is expounded by Augustine. For Thomas and the other disciples so loved Christ that they wished either to live with him present, or to die with him, lest after his death, left behind, they should remain again inconsolable. Hence out of this feeling Thomas says to his fellow disciples "Let us also go, and die with him," as if he were saying: he wishes to go, the danger of death hangs over him: shall we then remain behind, so as to live? Far from it. But "let us go, and die with him"; Romans 8:17: "If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him"; 2 Corinthians 5:14: "If one died for all, then all died."”