The Bible Echo, vol. 13
June 13, 1898
“The Sleep of Death” The Bible Echo 13, 24, p. 188.
TO HIS disciples, Jesus said: “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.” BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.1
Lazarus had been sick; and the disciples, thinking that now he was “taking rest in sleep,” answered, “Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.” BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.2
“Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.” BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.3
First Jesus said, “Lazarus sleepeth.” Then He said, “Lazarus is dead.” BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.4
When He said, “Lazarus sleepeth,” Lazarus was dead; and it was with direct reference to Lazarus dead that Jesus said, “Lazarus sleepeth.” BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.5
It is, therefore, perfectly plain that the direct teaching of the Lord Jesus is that when a man is dead, he is asleep. BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.6
When Jesus said, “Lazarus sleepeth,” Lazarus was dead. In saying to His disciples, “Lazarus sleepeth,” He was informing them that Lazarus was dead. In so saying, He meant that Lazarus was dead; for He so explained His word. BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.7
It was only the misconception of His meaning by His disciples that caused Jesus to say anything further than that Lazarus was asleep. But seeing this misconception, He said, further, “Lazarus is dead.” BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.8
It is, therefore, perfectly plain not only that Jesus definitely taught, and intended definitely to teach, that the dead are asleep; but that He taught, and intended to teach, His disciples to think and speak of the dead as being asleep. BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.9
It is, therefore, perfectly plain that, upon the authority of Christian truth, the dead are asleep, and that the sleep of the dead is distinctively a Christian conception. BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.10
That many people—even professed Christians—do not believe this does not in the slightest affect the truth of it. Jesus taught it, and it is the truth. He taught it that men, and of all people His own disciples, should believe it. Those who do not believe it simply rob themselves of a great Christian truth. BEST June 13, 1898, page 188.11
A. T. JONES.