John 11:5

Key Reflection

In first-century Judea, illnesses were often seen as divine punishments for sin. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, his response—“This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God’s Son may be glorified by it”—challenged this common belief, highlighting a different purpose behind suffering. For the original audience, Jesus' statement would have been profound, suggesting that even illness and death could serve a divine plan, leading to the manifestation of God's power and the exaltation of his son.