Albert Barnes Commentary John 11:4

"But when Jesus heard it, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby." — John 11:4 (ASV)

This sickness is not unto death. The word death here is equivalent to remaining in death, as in Romans 6:23: The wages of sin is death—permanent or unchanging death, opposed to eternal life. Jesus evidently did not intend to deny that Lazarus would die. The words which he immediately adds show that Lazarus would expire, and that Jesus would raise him up to display the power and glory of God.

Compare John 11:11. Those words cannot be understood on any other supposition than that he expected to raise him up. The Savior often used expressions similar to this to fix the attention on what he was about to say in explanation. The sense may be expressed as follows: "His sickness is not fatal. It is not designed for his death, but to provide an opportunity for a significant display of the glory of God, and to furnish a lasting proof of the truth of religion. It is intended to exhibit the power of the Son of God, and to be a proof at once of the truth of his mission; of his friendship for this family; of his mild, tender, unique love as a man; of his power and glory as the Messiah; and of the great doctrine that the dead will rise."

For the glory of God; that is, so that God may be honored .

That the Son of God, etc. The glory of God and of his Son is the same. That which promotes the one promotes also the other. Few things could do this more than the miracle that follows, demonstrating at once the lovely and tender character of Jesus as a man and a friend, and his power as equal with God.