ACC ~ John 11 v12 - 13

SLEEP EXISTS FOR ONE’S SAFETY

ROMANUS MELODUS:

The Creator of all spoke on behalf of the disciples, saying: “Friends and companions, our friend has fallen asleep.”

He was secretly teaching them in advance, because he knows and cares for all things—

“Let us go, then, let us advance and see the unusual tomb,[1]

And let us cause the mourning of Mary and Martha to cease

As I raise up Lazarus from the tomb,

and as the Merciful One take pity on The tears of Mary and Martha.”

When they heard these words, the apostles as with one voice cried out to the Lord,

“Sleep exists for man for his safety and not at all for his destruction.”[2]

And so He spoke to them openly: “He is dead.

As mortal I am away from him; but as God, I know all things.

If we truly arrive in time,

I shall resurrect the dead, and cause to cease

The tears of Mary and Martha.”

KONTAKION ON THE RAISING OF LAZARUS 15.4-5.[3]

Jn

[1]Unusual because neither the son of the widow of Nain or Jairus’s daughter, whom Jesus had also raised, had been buried as Lazarus had.

[2]Sleep, as Chrysostom notes, was a good sign when someone was sick (Homilies on the Gospel of John 62.1).

[3]KRBM 1:152.