_JESUS, ON THE SABBATH-DAY, CURETH HIM THAT WAS DISEASED EIGHT AND THIRTY YEARS, THE JEWS THEREFORE CAVIL AND PERSECUTE HIM FOR IT: HE ANSWERETH FOR HIMSELF, AND REPROVETH THEM; SHEWING BY THE TESTIMONY OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER, OF JOHN, OF HIS WORKS, AND OF THE SCRIPTURES, WHO HE IS._ _Anno Domini... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A FEAST OF THE JEWS,— This, in all probability, was the feast of the _passover,_ called _the feast,_ by way of eminence; and therefore it might be rendered, _was the feast of the Jews._ See Matthew 27:15.Mark 15:6. A further proof that this was the feast of the passover, arises hence, that... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THERE IS AT JERUSALEM, &C.— Some are of opinion from this passage, that Jerusalem was standing when St. John wrote his gospel; but others, on the strength of a different reading, controvert that opinion, rendering the verse,_Now there was,_ or _There stood at Jerusalem._ But see the _Introductio... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AN ANGEL WENT DOWN, &C.— Some imagine that this was a proper officer or _messenger,_ as the word αγγελος primarily signifies; yet as it is most commonly used by the inspired writers to signify a _celestial being,_ employed by God, either for the service or punishment of men, and as the circumsta... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A CERTAIN MAN WAS THERE,— Among the crowds who lay in the porticos of Bethesda, there was one, who had _an infirmity,_— ασθενεια,— most probably a paralytic disorder, which hardly ever gives way to medicine, though recently contracted: how much less curable must it have been, after having contin... [ Continue Reading ]
WILT THOU BE MADE WHOLE?— Our Lord proposed this question, that the man might have an opportunity of declaring his case in the hearing of the multitude; (see John 5:13.) because such a declaration tended to make the miracle more conspicuous. It seems he designed to arouse the attention of the inhabi... [ Continue Reading ]
SIR, I HAVE NO MAN, &C.— He complains for want of friends to help him in: "I have no man, no friend to do me that kindness." One would think some of those who had been themselves healed; would have lent him a hand: but it is common for the poor to be destitute of friends; _no man careth for their so... [ Continue Reading ]
RISE, TAKE UP THY BED, AND WALK, &C.— Though it was the sabbath-day, and the doctors affirmed that the bearing of any burden was a profanation of the holy rest, Jesus ordered the man to carry his bed away, because it was fit that the miracle should be rendered indubitable by the suddenness and perfe... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWS THEREFORE SAID UNTO HIM THAT WAS CURED, &C.— It is remarkable, that the Jews who met the man, did not converse with him upon his cure,—though in all probability many of them knew he had been long infirm; but upon the unlawfulness of carrying his bed. Such is the force of bigotry and superst... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT MADE ME WHOLE, &C.— "He that with a word restored my strength in an instant, the same said unto me, _Take up thy bed and walk;_ and his injunctions certainly could not be sinful, as he must have been both a prophet, and a worker of miracles." Instead of _the same said unto me,_ it would be m... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT MAN IS THAT WHICH SAID, &C.— The malignity of the Jews appears most flagrantly in this question. They take no notice of the miracle, which demanded their most serious examination; they do not ask him who it was that _healed him;_ but they ask him with a malicious sneer, _who bade him take up hi... [ Continue Reading ]
HAD CONVEYED HIMSELF AWAY,— Casaubon observes, that the wind εξενευσεν, by which the evangelist expresses Christ's escape, being a metaphor borrowed from swimming, signifies, that he glided through the multitude, leaving no trace behind him of the way that he had taken.... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS FINDETH HIM IN THE TEMPLE,— Jesus found the man in the temple, whither probably he repaired, to return thanks to God for his signal recovery; when, to render the mercy that he had bestowed upon him complete, our Lord took that opportunityto put him in mindof his having brought the distemper up... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MAN DEPARTED, &C.— Overjoyed to have discovered the author of his cure, the man went away, and innocently informed the Jews of it; perhaps because he thought it his duty to give his benefactor the honour of the miracle, and believed that the Jews would have been glad to see so great a prophet: b... [ Continue Reading ]
MY FATHER WORKETH HITHERTO,— Jesus began his defence with shewing the rulers the unreasonableness of their displeasurewith him, because he had restored the infirm man to health on the sabbath-day. He told them, that, in performing cures on the sabbath-day, he only imitated his Father, who wrought ev... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD WAS HIS FATHER,— Our Lord's vindication offended the Jews exceedingly, as he claimed a peculiar, proper, and most high relation to God the Father, and, by asserting that he acted like God, set himself on a level with God. The original πατερα ιδιον, is emphatical, and should be rendered _his own... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ANSWERED JESUS,— Jesus did not deny the conclusion in John 5:18 but shewed that, in all things, he acted agreeably to the will of God the Father, and that he was equal in power to God, doing whatever he saw the Father do; an honour which flowed to him from the immense and eternal love of the Fa... [ Continue Reading ]
SHEWETH HIM— The word δεικνυσιν, rendered _sheweth,_ has a reference here to the ample, comprehensive, and infinite knowledge which the Son has of the whole plan of the Father's counsels in all their mutual relations and dependencies. _He will shew him greater works than these,_ "Will enable him as... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AS THE FATHER RAISETH UP THE DEAD,— "You have now seen the cure of one who had been long disabled by a disease; but I have not yet raised any from the dead: however, you shall quickly see that it is not for want of power; for, as the Father, whenever he pleases, raises up and animates the dead,... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH EVERLASTING LIFE,— "He is already entitled to it; yea, it is already begun in his soul; and he, if he be faithful unto death, shall shortly possess it in its full perfection, and shall not come into condemnation for any former offences; but he hath passed from that state of death in which men n... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU,— These repetitions of this solemn asseveration are by no means vain, considering the vast importance of the truth, and how incredible it would appear to the natural mind, that he, who stood before them in so humble a form, was in reality _the Lord of life,_ and univer... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AS THE FATHER HATH LIFE, &C.— "For as the Father is the Fountain of life, who has it necessarily and in the most perfect manner in himself, and communicates it to all the living; so in the dispensation, whereby he has constituted his own essentially living Son to be the Messiah, he has granted t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HATH GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY, &C.— This may refer not only to the future and final judgment upon the sons of men, but also to the inflicting of temporal judgments; and possibly our Lord had the destruction of Jerusalem more particularly in his eye,—an exercise of judgment which he constantly ascribe... [ Continue Reading ]
MARVEL NOT AT THIS;— "Be not surprised at my saying that the Son has power to raise a few particular persons from the dead, and authority to inflict judgment on some particular offenders: a far greater power is committedto him, even that of raising all men at the last day, and of judging and rewardi... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I BEAR WITNESS OF MYSELF, &C.— These certainly were very grand assertions, which our Lord made of his own dignity. But he did not require his hearers to believe them merely on the authority of his own testimony; a circumstance by which the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, isdistinguished f... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS ANOTHER THAT BEARETH WITNESS, &C.— This proof, taken from the testimony of John the Baptist, though our Lord seems to speak slightingly of it, when he compares it with the proof drawn from his own miracles, yet was an argument of particular force to the Jews, and could not fail to convince... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I RECEIVE NOT TESTIMONY FROM MAN:— "I stand in no need of the testimony of John, or of any other man; nor do I _seek after_ such kind of evidence _with any anxiety. But I say these things to you,_ on your own principles, out of a tender and passionate concern for your conviction; that you who ar... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS A BURNING AND A SHINING LIGHT:— This is the character given of Elias, Sir 48:1 and is properly applied by our Lord to John, who _came in the spirit and power of Elias,_ being both a _shining light,_ as he revealed the mysteries of heaven, and a _burning light,_ as he reproved the vices of the... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I HAVE GREATER WITNESS— Our Lord told them that he had the testimony of one infinitely greater than John: even the testimony of the Father, who was continually bearing witness to him by the miracles which he empowered him to perform, and who had given him a peculiar and direct testimony at his b... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE NEITHER HEARD HIS VOICE AT ANY TIME, &C.— "Nor have you any reason to dispute the testimony which the Father hath thus given me, though _you have never heard his voice, nor seen his form;_ as being one whom no man hath seen or can see. For he has testified the same concerning me in his word,... [ Continue Reading ]
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES;— Because the Jews were exceedingly averse to acknowledge the Lord Jesus for their Messiah, not withstanding that the evidences of his divine mission were so unexceptionable; he desired them, for further proof, _to search_ their own _scriptures,_ and particularly the writings o... [ Continue Reading ]
I RECEIVE NOT HONOUR FROM MEN, &C.— "Though I speak of your coming to me, let me remind you that it is not out of an ambition of drawing multitudes about me, to follow and applaud my teaching; for the whole of my conduct proves, that I receive not glory from men." Our Lord insinuated, that the proof... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM COME IN MY FATHER'S NAME,— He came with a commission from his heavenly Father, to promote his glory, and a spiritual salvation from sin and wrath; and produced several unexceptionable witnesses to establish his divine character and offices; and yet, because he opposed their vices, and did not a... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW CAN YE BELIEVE, &C.— Our Lord observes, that this infidelity of the Jewish rulers (see on John 5:15.) was owing in a great measure to their pride. They who had all along preached glorious things concerning the empire and grandeur of the Messiah, would not ascribe that august character to one of... [ Continue Reading ]
DO NOT THINK, THAT I WILL ACCUSE YOU, &C.— _Do you think,_ &c.? Syriac. Our Lord told them in conclusion, that they were not to imagine that in rejecting _him,_ they sinned against no person but him, and that he alone would accuse them to the Father for their infidelity. Moses, through whose law the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE WROTE OF ME.— _"Had you believed_ the writings of _Moses,_ which are daily read in your synagogues, _you would have believed me;_ for these writings describe me, as by a variety of striking types and figures, so likewise by many strong and direct prophesies: see the last note: _But if ye beli... [ Continue Reading ]