The present chapter contains the first of those wonderful discourses of our Lord recorded by John, in which he sets forth his divine nature and office in his twofold relation to God and man. For the clearer understanding of his words, the reader should notice the following things: First, God is his... [ Continue Reading ]
MARKED; this word, as shown by the italics, is not in the original. It probably should have been, as in the margin, gate. Nehemiah 3:1; Nehemiah 3:32; Nehemiah 12:39. BETHESDA; "house of mercy." Many at that pool had been mercifully healed of their diseases.... [ Continue Reading ]
THY BED; which was a simple mat.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO CARRY THY BED; which they reckoned among the servile labor forbidden by the law. See Jeremiah 17:21-22; NEHEMIAH 13:15-20; where, however, the burdens borne were in the way of traffic and ordinary labor.... [ Continue Reading ]
A WORSE THING; a worse evil than that from which Jesus had delivered him. All diseases are consequences of sin. Both the sufferings resulting from them, and the experience of relief, should therefore lead us to abhor and forsake it, that we may thus, through faith in the Redeemer, escape its endless... [ Continue Reading ]
WORKETH HITHERTO; worketh without intermission in upholding and quickening creation, ever since the day when he finished it. I WORK; he claimed to be the Son of God in such a sense that he had the power and right of working as God works. This they thought was blasphemy; and had he been only a man,... [ Continue Reading ]
OF HIMSELF; in opposition to, or without the concurrence of the Father, which was the crime with which they charged him. He denied the charge, and asserted, that instead of opposition, as they contended, there was between him and the Father the most perfect agreement in plan, will, and operation. T... [ Continue Reading ]
SHOWETH HIM ALL THINGS; makes him partaker of all his counsels, as well as acts with him in all his works. GREATER WORKS THAN THESE; the works referred to in the following verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON QUICKENETH; giveth life, natural and spiritual, to whom he will-thus doing the work of God, and showing that he is God. This is one of the greater things referred to. The other was the judging of all men at the last day, and awarding to them the retributions of eternity.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FATHER JUDGETH NO MAN; in the scheme of redemption, the Son was to be the final judge of men, the author of their resurrection from the dead, and of their eternal life in heaven. This was, "that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." He that thus honoreth not the Son, hono... [ Continue Reading ]
As Jesus Christ the Son of God was appointed of the Father to be the dispenser of life to men-not only to heal the sick, but to raise the dead, and judge the world, "that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father," those who do not thus honor him, but continue to neglect the object... [ Continue Reading ]
HEARETH MY WORD; receiveth my instructions, and treateth them as true. HATH EVERLASTING LIFE; the beginning of that spiritual life which shall continue and increase for ever. FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE; from a state of sin and guilt to a state of holiness and bliss.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DEAD SHALL HEAR-SHALL LIVE; the dead here include both the spiritually and the naturally dead. Christ gave life to the souls of men, and also to their bodies, when he chose to do so. Jairus' daughter, the widow's son, and Lazarus were all by Jesus raised to life, and many who were dead in sin we... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVEN TO THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF; here the Saviour brings to view both his oneness with the Father in nature, and his subordination to him in office. To have life in himself, with the power of giving life at will, is to be proper God. But the office of quickening whom he will he has received... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF MAN; it is the appointment of the Father that he who redeems and judges men should himself be the Son of man; that is, the Word made flesh. In this character God has appointed him to be Mediator, to open the way for, and give eternal life to all who should believe in him, an... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOUR IS COMING-ALL THAT ARE IN THE GRAVES SHALL HEAR HIS VOICE; he passes to the greatest and most astonishing manifestation which he is to make of the truth that he has life in himself; namely, the final resurrection by his word of the just and the unjust, and the decision of their destiny for... [ Continue Reading ]
OF MINE OWN SELF; in opposition to, and without the concurrence of the Father. I HEAR; from my Father. The idea is, that he dwells in the Father's bosom, and hears and knows all his counsels. NOT MINE OWN WILL; not to exalt myself, or build up a separate interest, but to honor the Father by doing... [ Continue Reading ]
OF MYSELF; concerning myself, without any accompanying testimony from God. NOT TRUE; not to be received as valid.... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOTHER; God, who testified of him by John the Baptist, by the descent upon him of the Holy Ghost, by miracles, and by a voice from heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT TESTIMONY FROM MAN; not from man only; yet Christ appealed to the testimony of John, as what ought to convince them.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORKS WHICH THE FATHER HATH GIVEN ME; the whole course of his teachings and miracles.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FATHER HIMSELF-HATH BORNE WITNESS OF ME; in addition to the testimony furnished by my works. He seems to refer to the testimony of the Father through the Scriptures, which he immediately afterwards urges. Some think that he also includes the voice from heaven upon his baptism. NEITHER HEARD HIS... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE NOT HIS WORD; they did not receive the testimony of God, and they showed this by rejecting that of his Son.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SCRIPTURES; the Old Testament, by following which they hoped for heaven; and yet those scriptures showed that he was the Messiah, and that they must believe in him, or perish.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE WILL NOT COME TO ME; notwithstanding this evidence that he was the Messiah, they would not receive him.... [ Continue Reading ]
I RECEIVE NOT HONOR; it was not his object to obtain human applause, but to honor God and save men.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE NOT THE LOVE OF GOD; this was the reason why they would not embrace him as the Messiah. Compare chap John 8:42. The reason why men do not receive the words of Christ and treat them as true, is, that they do not love God. As God manifest in the flesh, they do not love him, and choose not to have... [ Continue Reading ]
IN MY FATHER'S NAME; by his appointment, and with conclusive evidence of being sent of him. IN HIS OWN NAME; without being sent of God; actuated by a worldly spirit, and promising them temporal dominion and honor. Such were the false Christs who afterwards appeared, and whom the Jews followed to th... [ Continue Reading ]
RECEIVE HONOR; seek supremely human applause. Men cannot seek supremely human applause, and at the same time seek that honor which comes from God by believing on his Son. They should therefore, without hesitation and without delay, renounce the one, that they may secure the other.... [ Continue Reading ]
DO NOT THINK THAT I; he did not come to condemn them, nor was there any occasion that he should do so. MOSES; he had foretold, Deuteronomy 18:15-19, the coming of the Messiah, and the condemnation of those who should reject him. His writings therefore, which they professed to follow, condemned them... [ Continue Reading ]