John 5:13

John 5:13. But he that was healed wist not who it was. We need not wonder that this man, unable to move from place to place, perhaps only recently come to Jerusalem, had no previous knowledge of Jesus.

For Jesus withdrew himself, a multitude being in that place. After his cure, too, he could hear nothing of his benefactor, for, to avoid the recognition and enthusiasm of the multitude (comp. chap. John 6:15), Jesus withdrew, literally ‘slipped aside,' became suddenly lost to sight. Here, as always, the ‘multitude' or mass of the people is to be carefully distinguished from ‘the Jews.' The conflict between Jesus and the Jews has begun: all His actions deepen their hatred against Him. The ‘multitude,' on the other hand, is the object of His compassion: from time to time they follow Him eagerly, however slight may be their knowledge of His true teaching and aims (John 6:2; John 6:15). In subsequent Chapter s we shall often have to call attention to the contrast between ‘the Jews' and the ‘multitude;' and it will be seen that some passages are almost inexplicable unless this most important distinction is kept clearly in view.