Confusing verses in John, Pt.II

Chapter 11:

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazaruswas ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died,15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16  So Thomas, called the Twin,said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

One of my favorite narrative passages from the gospels. The climactic miracle before Jesus’ death and resurrection:

• The ESV uses the word “so” to begin verse 6. Less literal translations will have something misleading. Therefore, we see him quite explicitly “permitting” an “evil” because he loves his children, and what’s best for them is more of him and his power. God will use what seem to be defects in the world to accomplish his mission of bringing people to belief. God is not a God that he is man-centered but God-centered. We see the same principle in John 9:3 with the blind man and finally culminating to greatest evil of Jesus’ death sentence.
• I once went to a Charismatic conference where the speaker took a question of God permitting suffering and he (immaturely) replied, “That’s bullsh—. God is good and his will is always to heal people.” Let me point out that this statement is - lightly put - extremely unhelpful and completely unbiblical. We see that God’s concern is not solely our worldly prosperity (healing and physical life can indeed be counted in that category). We need more reformed churches down south and out west, that is all.
• Verse 9: Jesus uses the analogy of limited time left in the day to his waning time left on earth before he was to be crucified - simultaneously referring himself to the light of the world like the literal sun. Compare with the “stumbling” Judas who departed during the darkness of night to betray Jesus (John 13:30).
• Thomas is a cynical troll.