John 11:14-15

11:14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 11:15 and I am glad ¹  for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. ²  But let us go to him.”

[11:15]  ¹ tn Grk “and I rejoice.”

[11:15]  ² sn So that you may believe. Why does Jesus make this statement? It seems necessary to understand the disciples’ belief here in a developmental sense, because there are numerous references to the disciples’ faith previous to this in John’s Gospel, notably 2:11. Their concept of who Jesus really was is continually being expanded and challenged; they are undergoing spiritual growth; the climax is reached in the confession of Thomas in John 20:28.