E X1 5.1-47. In Jerusalem. X2 6:1-71. In Galilee.
X1 Y1 1-15. The 3rd sign. Impotent Man. Y2 16-47. Consequent Conspiracy of, and Colloquy with, the Jews.
Y1 Z1 1-7. The occasion. Z2 8-15. The sign.
Z1 e1 1. The time. e2 2. The place. e3 3,4. The people. e4 5-7. The man.
27 A.D.
John 5)
1 After these things there was a feast (perhaps Purim, but uncertain. Feast was man made - not ordained by God) of the Jews (Judeans includes Kenites); and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem at the sheep market a pool, (which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda (Aramaic = the house of mercy. Cp. Siloam in the 6th sign), having five arches).
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. (the stream was intermittent.)
4 For (it was said) an angel went down from time to time into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made well of whatsoever disease held him fast. (This was a man made saying - not Biblical.)
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. (slavery, the period of wanderings. Cp. "from birth", 9:1)
6 When Jesus seeing (the Lord, in this and the 6th sign, takes the initiative) him lie, and knowing that he had been now a long time in that case, He said to him, "Desire you to be made whole?" (A lot of people sick here. Why did He only heal him?)
7 The impotent man answered him, "Sir (I am indeed willing, but) I have no man, when the water is troubled, in order that he may put me into the pool: but in the time when I am coming, another steps down before me."
Z2 A 8-11. The Lord. seeking, and healing. B 12,13. The Jews. Question asked. A 14. The Lord: finding, and saving. B 15. The Jews. Question answered.
A f 8. "Take up your bed and walk" (says). g 9-. "The man was made whole." h -9-. "And took up his bed and walked." i -9. "On the same day was the sabbath." i 10-. "It is the sabbath day." h -10. "Not lawful to carry your bed." g 11-. "He that made me whole" (said). f -11. "Take up you bed and walk."
In both cases, Messiah is the Seeker (5:6; 9:1), and takes the initiative; while in both the preceding pairs He was the One Who was sought.
Both "signs" were manifested in Jerusalem (5:1 and 8:50 with 9:1), and thus have special reference to Government and its seat.
Both are associated with a pool (5:2 and 9:7, 11), and may signify that Pool of spiritual cleansing which in a future day is yet to be "opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness" (Zech. 13:1). In connection with this it is significant that these two "signs" are the only two out of all the eight that have any reference to sin (5:14 and 9:2, 24, 25, 34), as the second and seventh are the only two connected with death.
Sin had been the cause, in the case of Israel, both of impotence and the blindness.
It was the cause of Israel's thirty-eight years' typical and helpless wandering before the nation entered into rest; as it was the cause of the suffering of this impotent man, before he met with the great and only Giver of Rest.
This rest is emphasized by the reference to a "Sabbath-Day" (5:9 and 9:14) and by the "sign" that Messiah (the true Joshua) can alone lead them into that true rest and sabbath-keeping that yet remains for Yahaveh's People (Heb. 4:4-10).
Messiah is Himself not only the Seeker (5:6; and 9:1), but He is also the Finder (5:14 and 9:35).
The double reference to Moses' words (5:45, 46 and 9:28, 29), and to the Father's works (5:17 and 9:4), are both "signs" also, full of the utmost significance as deepening the sin of Israel, and enhancing the grace of God Who had raised up Messiah as the Prophet, like unto Moses (Deut. 18:15-19), and sent His Son to seek and to find and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:9, 10).
9 And immediately the man was made whole, (He obeyed and was healed. When an order comes from God you had better answer it.)
and took up his bed, and walked:
and on that day a Sabbath. (This seems to imply that it was not the weekly sabbath, but the same as in 19:14.)
10 The Judeans therefore said to him that had been healed, "It is the sabbath day:
it is not lawful for you to take up your bed." (They are stretching the point. A forced interpretation of Jer. 17:21, &c., by the Rabbis, made the carrying of anything from a public place into a private place, or visa versa, unlawful.)
11 He answered them, "He that made me whole, that One there said to me,
'Take up thy bed, and walk.'"
12 Then asked they him, "Who is the man that Which said to you, 'Take up thy bed, and walk?'"
13 But he that had been healed knew not who it was: for Jesus had turned aside, as if to avoid a blow, a crowd being in the place. (He healed the man and got out of there to avoid the crush.)
14 After these things Jesus finds him in the temple courts, and said to him, "Behold, you have become whole: continue no longer to sin, in order that a worse thing not happen to you." (When you sweep the house clean, put something in it, Christ. or demonic's will enter.)
15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
Y2 C 16. Conspiracy. Made. D 17. Defense. The Father and the Son. C 18. Conspiracy. Increased. D 19-47. Defense. The Father and the Son.
16 And on account of this begin the Jews to persecute Jesus (these were Kenites - sons of Cain - sons of Satan, that lived in Judea. They play church. Beginning of open hostility), and were seeking to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father works until now (Constantly, referring to the O.T. Dispensation. Now Yahaveh was speaking "by His Son" [Heb. 1:2]), I also am working [now]."
18 Therefore the Jews (= 1. From the tribe of Judah; 2. Resident of Judea, not necessarily of the tribe of Judah. Here, Kenites) sought the more to kill Him (note the 3 attempts on the Lord's life, all connected with His claim to Deity, here; 8:58,59: 10:30,31), not only because He was breaking the sabbath, but also called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
D E 19,20. The Son's works are the Father's. F 21-29. Proof. Communication. E 30. The Son's works are the Father's. F 31-47. Proof. Witnesses.19 Therefore answered Jesus and said to them, "Verily, verily, I say to you, The Son can do nothing from Himself, if not what He sees the Father doing: for what things soever He does, does the Son also in like manner. (Does it the same way because they are the same)
F G 21. Concerning giving life and resurrection. H 22,23. Concerning judgment. G 24. Concerning judgment. H 25-29. Concerning giving life and resurrection.21 For as the Father awakes up the corpses, and gives life to whom He will; so the Son also awakens the corpses, and gives life to whom He will. (He's going to raise a man from the dead.)
22 For not even the Father judges any one, but has given all judgment to the Son also:
23 That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which hath sent him.(Anybody not accepting will be judged.)
24 Verily, verily, I say to you, He that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment; but has passed out of death into life. (You won't see death spiritually.)
G j 25,26. Resurrection. k 27. Judgment. j 28,29-. Resurrection. k -29. Judgment.25 Verily, verily, I say to you, An hour is coming, and now is (because, had the nation repented, "all that the prophets had spoken" would have been fulfilled according to Acts 3:21, including the resurrection foretold in Ezek. 37, and Isa. 26:19 &c.), when the corpses shall hear the voice of the Son of God, (this title is associated with resurrection, as in v. 27 judgment is with the Son of man): and they that hear shall live.
27 And has 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 tombs shall hear His voice, (Therefore they are not in heaven or hell.)
29 And shall come forth; they that have accomplished good things, into the resurrection of life;
and they that have practiced evil things (see Matt. 16:27. Luke 23:51. Acts 18:18. Rom. 8:13; 12:12. Col. 3:9), into the resurrection of judgment.
30 I can of My own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not My own will, but the will of Him which has sent Me. (See 2 Pet. 2:9)
F J 31-35. The witness of John. K 36-38. The Father's witness. L 39,40. The testimony of Scripture. K 41-44. The Fathers witness. J 45-47. The witness of Moses.31 If (assuming the condition, where experience will decide) I alone bear witness concerning myself, My witness is not true. (referring to Deut. 19:15. Cp. 8:14)
36 But I have the witness, greater than that of John: for the works which the Father has given Me in order that I should complete them, the same works that I do (i.e. the miracles), bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent me. (Please God and He will bless you. Please men and they will use and abuse you.)
37 And the Father Himself, which sent Me [at a definite time], has borne (and still bears) witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. (The works that Christ had done before men were prophesied many, many times. The problem was that they hadn't read the Word. Father's Word was His witness.)
38 And you have not His word abiding in you: for whom He sent, Him you believe not. (If you cannot accept the living Word, how can you accept Christ? God's Word foretold of the coming of Messiah. They didn't believe Jesus, and they didn't believe the Word.)
39 Search (Gr. ereunao = to search as a lion or hound tracks by the scent) the sacred [writings]; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. (Deut. 18:15.)
40 And you do not will to come come to Me, that you may have life. (Who is He talking too?)
41 I receive not approval from men. (He is not a man pleaser. The word is the witness of Jesus. Anyone who thinks he has eternal life without the Savior is mistaken.)
42 But I know you (see 8:42-8. Jer. 35), that you have not the love toward God in yourselves.
43 I am come in My Father's name, and you receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. (Cp. 2 Thess. 2:4. Jesus was talking to the Kenites. He identified them in John 8:44 where He tells them, "Ye are of your father the devil". They will certainly receive the antichrist.)
44 How can you believe, which receive honor from one another, and seek not the honor that comes from the only God? (Cp. 1 Tim. 1:17. Men pleasers are difficult to tolerate. They will answer the same question differently depending on what they think the person, or persons, they are talking with want to hear. They worry more about pleasing men than God. Beware of men pleasers. You can't count on them.)
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. (Deut. 18:15)
46 For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me; for He wrote of Me. (See Luke 24:27)
47 But if you believe not his letters (Gr. Pl. gramma. Hence the Scribes were called grammmateis.), how shall you believe My words?" (He was the Word. The words of Moses were the same as the words of Christ. They were both the Word of God. They were claiming to be believers in Moses, but they were denying He Whom Moses wrote of. See Deut. 18:14)