John
© copyright 2008 Darroll
Evans, all rights reserved
Chapter 5
John
5:1-16
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up
to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a
pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of
impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool,
and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water
stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty
and eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a
long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir,
I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I
am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his
bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not
lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said
unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
12 Then asked they him, What man is
that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13 And he that was healed wist not
who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that
place.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in
the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made
whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus,
which had made him whole.
16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to
slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
Afterward
there was a Jewish national feast of the Jews, and Jesus went to Jerusalem.
We
are not told which Feast this was.
There
are seven national feast days in Judaism, three in the spring, Pentecost in the
summer, and three in the fall.
In
Jerusalem, there was a Mikvah pool near the sheep
gate!
In
Hebrew, the name of the pool was Bethesda (from the Aramaic word bayit-בַּיִת) which may be interpreted house of
mercy.
In
those days, a crowd of diseased, blind, crippled, and withered people gathered
by the pool waiting for the moving of the water.
The
rumor was that at times an angel would come and disturb the water, and whoever
jumped into the water first would be healed.
One of the men there had suffered an infirmity for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him there and knew that he had been there a long time, He
inquired, Do you want to be made whole (Gr. hugiēs-ὑγιής)?
Now, think about it.
Does
that seem to be a logical question?
Actually
it is!
Christ
came to seek and to save the lost, but many of the lost do not want to be
saved! They are enjoying their sins!
Christ
was asking if that man wanted to be made completely whole in body, soul, and
spirit.
During
trials, all lawyers are taught never to ask a question until they know the
answer!
Here,
we are dealing with God the Son!
He
knew the answer to His question before he asked!
The
impotent man quickly answered, Sir, there is none to put me into the water
when the water is disturbed. And while I am coming to the water, another steps
in before me.
So,
Jesus commanded him, Rise, take up your bed, and walk!
Immediately
the man was made whole!
He
picked up his bed, and walked!
The
religious problem was that it all took place on the Sabbath.
So, the Jews confronted the man who was healed him, This is the Sabbath! It is
not lawful for you to carry your bed on the Sabbath.
There are some today who pray for
healing within their churches (lower case c) and yet call healings demonic!
That
man told them that the One who healed him told him, Pick
up your bed, and walk!
So, they asked him who told him to do it.
At point, he did not know who Jesus was and he had left the immediate area due
to the crowd!
But, later Jesus found him in the temple, and told him, Look, you have been made whole! Dont sin any more lest a
worse thing come upon you.
At that the man left, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who made him whole.
Because of that violation of the Sabbath rules the Jewish radicals persecuted
Jesus, and sought to slay Him.
John
5:17-47
17 But
Jesus answered them, My Father worketh
hitherto, and I work.
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he
not only had broken the sabbath,
but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of
himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what
things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son
likewise.
20 For the Father loveth
the Son, and sheweth him all
things that himself doeth: and he will shew him
greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth
whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the
Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour
the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent
me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the
voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26 For as the
Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in
himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because
he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour
is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that
have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing:
as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will,
but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
31 If I bear witness of myself, my
witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare
witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say,
that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining
light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that
of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works
that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself, which hath
sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time,
nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding
in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them
ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that
ye might have life.
41 I receive not honour
from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and
ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour
that cometh from God only?
45 Do not think that I will accuse
you to the Father: there is one that accuseth
you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he
wrote of me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my
words?
Jesus answered His critics, My
Father works, and I [then] work!
Therefore, the Jews sought with more urgency to kill him, because he not only
had broken (Gr. luō-λύω) the Sabbath, but said also that
God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
The translation broken is valid as
a translation but poor as pertains to the intent!
Christ Jesus fulfilled the Law!
Matt 5:17 Think not that I am come to
destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
It is impossible to break the Law
while at the same time fulfilling the Law!
That Greek word means freed, as in
breaking out of a prison!
Christ freed the Sabbath from the
prison of mandatory rules of Spiritual ignorance that imprisoned it under
Jewish law!
Mandatory begins with man!
However, the Jewish leaders while
being spiritually ignorant were not stupid!
They understood that Christ Jesus
had made Himself equal (Gr. isos-ἴσος) with God!
In fact, He is God the Son!
In freeing the Sabbath, Christ
proclaimed the truth, because He is the Truth!
John 14:6b I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me!
Then, He said, Truthfully I say, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but
whatever he sees the Father do He does!
That is the key to total success!
Do what the Father does!
Be led by the Holy Spirit in all
things!
Christ continued, Because the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things
that He does, and will show Him greater works than these, so that you may be
amazed.
Because, as the Father raises the dead, and gives them
life, in like manner the Son gives life to whom He will.
The Father judges nobody, but has committed all
judgment to the Son so that all should honor the Son as they honor the Father.
He who does
not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Truthfully I tell you, He that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me has everlasting
life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall
hear the voice of the Son of God. They that hear shall live!
As the Father has life in Himself, in like manner the
Son has life in Himself!
And, the Father has given him authority to execute
judgment, because He is the Son of man!
Dont be amazed at this! Because, the hour is coming
when all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of
damnation.
In verse 29, we find that in the general resurrection some shall be resurrected
to a negative judgment called damnation (Gr. krisis-κρίσις).
However, that judgment must be put
in context.
James
2:13b mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Mercy rejoiceth
against or supersedes judgment!
Jesus continues, On My own I can do nothing!
As I hear,
I judge: and My judgment is just, because I do not
seek to do My own will, but the will of the Father who sent Me.
In that Christ Jesus did not deny the fact of free
will, but He did tell us not do attempt to follow our free will.
Human free will leads to human ways!
Human ways lead to spiritual
destruction!
Jesus then said, If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true!
There is another that bears witness of me, and I know
that the witness that He brings is true!
You all sent to John, and he bore witness to the
Truth!
However, I do not accept testimony from man!
But I tell
you these things so that you all may be saved.
John was a burning and a shining light, and you all
were willing, for a season, to rejoice in his light.
But I have greater witness than John!
The works
the Father has given Me to finish I accomplish!
They bear
witness of me, and that the Father sent Me.
And, the Father Himself sent Me,
and has borne witness of me!
None of you
have heard his voice, nor have you seen His shape!
Neither do you have His word living in you, because
you did not believe the One He sent!
You all search the Scriptures, because you think that
in their studies you will find eternal life instead speak about Me.
The Scriptures that speak of God the
Father also speak of God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!
Then Jesus admonished His listeners, And you will not
come to me, so that you may have life!
That verse sounds as if will come is
one word, but the Greek text does not have that.
The Greek text is ou thelete elthein/ou qelete elqein. That phrase says that you do not
exercise your will to be coming to Christ Jesus!
The Jews of that day could not do it
and the Gentiles of today cannot do it!
We are led to Christ by the Holy Spirit
(Romans 8:14)!
That is why Christ told them, I do not receive honor
from men! I know you, that you all do not have
the love of God in you.
I have come in my Father's name, and you did not
receive me!
If another
shall come in his own name, you will receive!
How can you all believe those who receive honor from
one another, and yet not seek the honor that comes from God?
Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father.
There is one
that accuses you, Moses, in whom you all trust.
Had you all believed Moses, you would have believed Me, because he wrote about Me.
But, if you dont believe his writings, how shall you
believe My words?