JOHN 5

Survey of the chapter
John chapter five records three important matters. First, in verses 1-15, the healing of an impotent man at the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem; second, in verses 16-29, the Lord’s discourse explaining the issues which come out of that miracle; third, in verses 30-47, the vital matter of witnesses to the truth.

Structure of the chapter

Section 1	5:1-16	Work by the Son and the Father
Section 2	5:17-30	Word about the Son and the Father
Section 3	5:31-47	Witness to the Son by the Father

Section 1    5:1-16
Work by the Son and the Father

5:1
After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem- when the religious feasts were detailed in Leviticus 23, they were called the Feasts of the Lord. Here, however, John can speak only of a feast of the Jews. It is as if the Lord has been sidelined, and the Jews have come to the fore. God has been removed from the centre of the life of the nation, and man is now prominent. This situation is about to be challenged, for God manifest in flesh is about to move in the very centre of the religion of the Jews, and set out His claim to be in control, on behalf of His Father.

John records more of the Lord’s ministry in Jerusalem than any of the other gospel writers. He tells of one who has come to His own things, 1:11, and this includes the capital city of His own country, and the temple, which was the focal point of the religious life of the nation. It is also important for the Lord to be found in Jerusalem, for that is where, in the Old Testament, God had placed His name, Deuteronomy 12:11; 1 Kings 8:29. Now the one who comes in that name is present personally.

The repeated mention of Jerusalem in John’s gospel is in striking contrast to the lack of mention in Matthew’s gospel, which is the gospel of the king. The Lord Jesus is not found in Jerusalem, (which He Himself described as the “city of the great king”, Matthew5:35), until He goes there to die. It is true that the Devil took Him to the pinnacle of the temple during the temptation, but that can hardly be called a visit.

Returning to John chapter 5, we notice that John does not tell us what feast it was. This might puzzle us, until we remember that the list of seven feasts in Leviticus 23 is preceded by the mention of the sabbath, which is classed as a holy convocation, just as the other seven feasts are. The healing of the impotent man was done on the sabbath, and provoked the hostility of the Jews, and provided the starting-point for the Lord’s discourse about His work and the Father’s work, which continued even on the sabbath, the day of rest for Israel.

As believers, we are happy to not keep the feasts of Leviticus 23, since we have come into the good of their spiritual counterpart. So Christ our passover is sacrificed for us, 1 Corinthians 5:7; and He is the firstfruits in resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:23; and will come with the sound of a trumpet to call us to heaven, 1 Thessalonians 4:16. And all this on the basis of the fact that His atoning work avails to cleanse us from our sins. This being the case, it is easy to see that we have come into the good of the sabbath in a spiritual way also, for we have gone to Him for rest, Matthew 11::28.

5:2
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches- as he builds up a picture of the scene for us, John is using Old Testament ideas to help us understand the significance of the miracle he is about to relate. Thus he speaks of Jerusalem, the capital city established under David and Solomon; the sheep market, where animals would be bought to be used as sacrifices; and even the name of the pool in the Hebrew tongue, the language of the Old Testament. Later he will mention the period of thirty-eight years, the period of time that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness after they refused to go into the land.

John describes Christ’s miracles as signs, for they had deep spiritual significance, and they demonstrated that the historical Jesus was the Christ or Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, and that He was indeed the Son of God, as expounded in the New Testament; see John 20:30,31. The miracle after Christ’s resurrection was to demonstrate His Lordship, which is referred to eight times in John chapter 21.

These miracles were not only performed so that unbelievers might learn from them and believe. They were done “in the presence of his disciples”, John 20:30, which assures us not only that they were witnessed at first hand, but also that the miracles have a lesson for believers as well as unbelievers. As the Lord said to His disciples, “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” John 14:11.

So it is that in the city of Jerusalem, near to where the sheep would be brought from the market to be sacrificed, the Lord finds a sorry collection of infirm folk. And all this at a pool called Bethesda, a name which means loving-kindness.

Notice that John writes “there is in Jerusalem”, and not “there was in Jerusalem”. So it seems that Jerusalem was still standing when the gospel of John was written. There is no reason to think that it was written when John was very old, but this verse gives reason to think it was before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. It is very probable that Matthew, Mark and Luke were written before this, (which John himself implies with the words, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book”, John 20:30, implying they were written in other books), so the gospel accounts were circulated within a few years of the events they record. A fragment of Mark’s gospel has been found in a cave at Qumran in the style of handwriting current in the decade beginning 50 AD.

5:3
In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water- impotent folk are people who have no strength, and the way in which this lack of strength manifested itself is told us, for some were blind, some were unable to walk properly, and the energy of some had completely sapped away. How like Israel under the law this was. For Romans 8:3 speaks of the inability of the law to enable men to walk in obedience to God, and the cause of that inability was not a fault in the law, but rather the weakness of the flesh. The word the apostle used for “weak” is the same as is here translated impotent. Man, weakened by sin, is unable to deliver himself from his condition. As we shall see, the three particular infirmities mentioned here have special significance in connection with the thirty-eight year period.

5:4
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.

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- there are those who suggest that this verse should be omitted. It is not thought to be “scientific”, and some think it to be the stuff of legend and superstition. But it is not up to us to decide what should be in the word of God and what should not. The last chapter of the Bible warns us against tampering with the words, with a fearful curse pronounced on those who do so. The context of those verses at the end of the Book of Revelation is the coming of Christ, so it is strongly implied that it will be possible to know exactly what the word of God is even until the end of the age. If it is not possible to know what the word of God is, it would not be right for those to be judged who in fact deviated.

Moreover, if the apostle John did not write these words, how is it that four of the “church fathers” quoted them? No church father who lived before 400 AD and who quoted the passage omitted this verse, showing that before the time when the corrupt text on which modern translations are based was produced, believers were familiar with these words.

Those who reject this verse must explain why the multitude of sick folk are at the pool at all. (We learn they were there from verses that are not disputed). What maintained their hopes? If nothing ever happened and it was all a superstition, there is no explanation as to why they were present.

If the pool was simply a spa, and the water contained some minerals that imparted some good, then why did people with major handicaps go there? How could minerals cure blindness and lameness? And why should it be only the first one to step into the water who gained the healing if the water was the same for everyone?

Furthermore the impotent man, in a verse that is not disputed, testifies that the water was troubled sometimes, and others had stepped down before him, with the implication that they were healed.

Special note on the angel
We read in Revelation 16:4 of “the angel of the waters”, who had control over the rivers and fountains of waters, verse 3. It is no surprise then to find an angel influencing the water of this pool. But there is a greater significance to the angel that his physical control of water. Given the factors that combine together in this incident, we could see in this angel a representative of the law, (remembering that the law was “ordained by angels”, Galatians 3:19, and was received by Israel “by the disposition of angels”, Acts 7:53). There were five instances in the journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan involving angelic intervention, as follows:

1. At the commissioning of Moses to be their leader. “And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina and angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in the bush”, Acts 7:30. By this the people learned the name of the Lord, Exodus 3:14.

2. At the time of the Exodus. “This Moses…did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush”, Acts 7:35. By this the people learned the power of God.

3. At the crossing of the Red Sea. “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them”, Exodus 14:19. By this the people learned the protection of God.

4. At Sinai when the law was given. “The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them”, Deuteronomy 33:2. By this they learned the righteousness of God.

5. During the wilderness journey. “Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared”, Exodus 23:20. They learned the faithfulness of God.

What Israel learned through the ministry of an angel, was learned in a fuller way by the impotent man, but not through the angel, who did nothing to help him, by the Lord of angels Himself. By His actions that day, the Lord Jesus displayed to the full the attributes of God, which are summed up in His name. And He did it in Jerusalem, where God’s name should have been honoured, but where, in fact, it was shamed. The man felt the power of God in that he was healed, and enabled to walk. He knew the protection of God, for the Lord diverted the hostility of the authorities against the man for carrying his bed on the sabbath day onto Himself, so that they sought to kill Him. He learned the righteousness of God, for the word came to him. “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee”. He was in the presence of one who knew his heart and his record, and could rebuke him for his sin. Finally, he knew the faithfulness of God, for the man was made “every whit whole”, John 7:23. In other words, he would never be found as a lame man at the pool again, for his entire being was fitted to live to the glory of God.

5:5
And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years- this is the man that the Lord singles out. But why? Because of the time he had been infirm. Thirty-eight years was the period of time that the nation of Israel of Israel had wandered in the wilderness after they had refused to go into the land because of unbelief. That land represented the rest that God had planned for them from the foundation of the world. In fact He called it His rest, but the people refused it. So the Lord chose the man, (at first at least, for He may have healed many more at the pool afterwards), because of the time he had been infirm, and He chose the day, because it suggested the idea of rest. It will be the same later in the Gospel, when the Lord times His invitation to those who were thirsty to come to Him, just as the priest returned from the Pool of Siloam with a golden churn of water, for He is the counterpart of the rock that yielded water for the thirsty Israelites in the desert. Or when He presented Himself as the light of the world, the day after the lampstands in the temple courts had been extinguished and dismantled, for He is the fulfilment of the pillar of fire that led Israel through the wilderness.

Special note on the thirty and eight years
It would be helpful to set out the time-line of the movements of Israel prior to arriving at the brook Zered, which marked the close of a thirty-eight year period.

Having been delivered from Egypt, the children of Israel arrived at Sinai, or Horeb, in the third month of the first year of their journeyings, Exodus 19:1.

They journeyed from Sinai, and arrived at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Paran, on the south border of the land of Canaan, in the second year, Numbers 10:12. At this point Moses sent the spies into Canaan to see the land, but the people refused to enter in.

In His wrath God determined that all those who had come out of Egypt when they were at least twenty years old, and who were men of war, would not enter the land, but would die in the wilderness. The only exceptions being Joshua and Caleb, the faithful spies, Numbers 14:22,23.

Then began a long period of wandering in the desert, until they arrived back at Kadesh in the fortieth year.

We know the length of time this took from the words of Moses, when he recalled the movements of the camp of Israel in the wilderness, “And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the Lord sware unto them. For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.” Deuteronomy 2:14,15.

So the period of thirty and eight years had great significance, for it was the period during which those who had refused the land died because of unbelief. They had refused to enter into God’s rest. And even when the next generation entered under Joshua, that was not the rest under the Messiah, but only a foretaste of it.

Now in the Epistle to the Hebrews a connection would be made between God resting on the seventh day after His work of creation, and the rest of the Messiah’s rule. This is the rest that Israel will enjoy when they eventually receive their Messiah and enter the land under His benevolent rule. They will then enter into the kingdom-rest that God had prepared for them from the beginning of the world.

The sabbath day, therefore, was a reminder that God had rested, but also that “There remaineth now a rest for the people of God.” Hebrews 4:9, where the particular word for rest means “a keeping of sabbath”. The Lord Jesus is working to bring them into that rest. Hence the discussion a few verses later in the chapter about the sabbath, and work, for He must work so that His people may enter into rest.

Man is infirm, like the man at the pool of Bethesda and unable to earn that rest. Only God sending His own Son can remedy the powerlessness of man, Romans 8:3. Man is lame, and cannot enter the kingdom. It is striking that the starting and finishing point of the thirty-eight years wandering was the same, Kadesh Barnea, Deuteronomy 1:19; Numbers 33:36. In other words, they made no progress at all, just like the lame man laying by the pool.

5:6
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?

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? Joshua said that the people had “dwelt in the wilderness a long season”, Joshua 24:7. Similarly, this man has been unable to enjoy the rest of the sabbath because of his disability; he is still “in the wilderness”. It is strongly implied in the words the Lord spoke to him afterwards that his infirmity was the result of some particular sin, which he is commanded to forsake, verse 14. So, too, the people of Israel had, by their own confession, sinned by not entering the land when God commanded, Deuteronomy 1:41, and as a result wandered outside of the land, (the “rest”), for thirty eight years.

The Lord’s words to the man served to introduce the subject of being made whole, and caused him to review his options, either self-help to get into the pool, or the help of another. As yet, he does not realise there is a third option, which will enable him to be healed without recourse to the pool. In the Old Testament angelic interventions had occurred fairly frequently, but now the Lord of the Hosts of angels is present in loving-kindness, and makes Bethesda live up to its name, “the House of Lovingkindness”. The words of the apostle Paul are appropriate, “the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared”, Titus 3:4.

5:7
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.

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- what a sad commentary on the men of religious Jerusalem! Obsessed with their rituals, they forgot the weightier matters such as mercy, Matthew 23:23. What better way to remember the sabbath day and sanctify it to sacred uses, than to lower the man into the pool, if the waters moved that day. He would then have been able to keep sabbath, and worship God in an undistracted way. On two occasions the Lord found it necessary to quote the words of Hosea 6:6 to the people, “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice”. By which is meant not that there was a choice between bringing sacrifice or showing mercy, but rather, that sacrifice without mercy was not pleasurable to God. The people should have reflected on that as they passed the impotent folk as they went to the sheep market to buy their lamb for sacrifice.

What the people were not prepared to do, that is, help the man, Christ was prepared to do. He was not bound by the petty regulations of men, but had come to magnify the law of God and make it honourable, as the prophet said He would, Isaiah 42:21. The sabbath was God’s provision for Israel so that they would have rest from their daily toil, and have opportunity to come before Him in synagogue and temple. This impotent man could not do this until the Lord of the sabbath dealt with his case, and he was afterwards found in the temple, able to sanctify the sabbath to holy purposes. It is noticeable that the angel that came down to trouble the pool did nothing to help the poor unfortunates laying around it.

5:8
Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk- the three things the man is commanded to do have special significance, since the Lord refers to greater works in verse 20, implying that there is a contrast. He who can cause a man to rise from his bed, can also raise men from the dead. He who can give a man strength to carry his bed in ordinary life, can also quicken with eternal life. He who can warn the man that if he sins further a worse thing will come upon him, verse 14, will bring worse things by way of judgment on all unbelievers at the Great White Throne, verse 29.

These three things also have significance when we link them to what the Lord Jesus said about this miracle months afterwards, in John 7:19-24. The Jews were angry about what He had done. The Lord, however, exposed their inconsistency, for they were fully prepared to circumcise a male child on the sabbath day if he was born on a Friday, in order that Moses’ eighth-day rule be not broken. But that work of circumcision only gave the boy nominal entrance into the nation of Israel under the Old Covenant, whereas the truth expressed by Christ’s healing of the impotent man makes “every whit whole”, and gives entrance into the rest of God. Moreover, circumcision is a wounding, and partial, and physical, whereas Christ’s work is restorative, and complete, and spiritual.

Pursuing this line a little further, we may compare the three commands to the man with the three aspects of circumcision presented to us in Scripture, seeing that the Lord will connect this miracle with the idea of circumcision in John 7:21-24. The first command was “Rise”, and we may link this with the circumcision of Joshua, to whom the word came, “Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan”, Joshua 1:2. Having done this, the people were circumcised at Gilgal, on the further bank of the river. The circumcision of Christ brings into the reality of this, as Colossians 2:11,12 indicates, for the believer is associated with a risen Man, and as such is spiritually circumcised, being cut off from his former life. This is better even than entering an earthly Canaan.

The second command was “Take up thy bed”. By saying these words, the Lord Jesus deliberately set His authority against that of the Jews. They had hedged the sabbath about with their regulations, which they had elevated almost to the level of the law itself. The man, as he obeyed Him, becomes a living example not only of the superior authority of Christ over the leaders in Israel, but also of the superiority of grace over law. The circumcision of Christ not only frees us from our past, but also from the traditions of men, and even the law of Moses itself, which the circumcision of Moses placed men under. See Galatians 5:1-6; 6:12-16.

The third command was “Walk”. This would remind us of the circumcision of Abraham, for the apostle Paul speaks of him as “the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised”, Romans 4:12. The walk of a believer should be a separated one, following in the footsteps of a man committed to walking by faith in the path marked out for him by God. Taking all these things together, we see what the Lord means when He speaks of making the man every whit whole.

There is yet another way we may look at this three-fold command, bearing in mind that the man is now able to advance into new life. God said to Abraham, in relation to the land of Canaan, God’s rest, “Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever…Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee”, Genesis 13:14,15,17. So he was to look, arise, and walk. Some of the men and women at the pool were blind, so could not look; some were halt, so could not arise; some were withered, and so could not walk. Now that he has come into contact with Christ, the once-impotent man will be able to see spiritual things, and advance into the enjoyment of them. He will be a true son of Abraham, able to look, arise and walk.

5:9
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath- instead of waiting for intermittent angel-ministry, or the help of men who are largely indifferent to his plight, the man finds someone who shows him kindness, so that Bethesda truly was the House of Loving-kindness that day. He is now in a position to enjoy the sabbath. Truly the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, as the apostle wrote, Titus 3:4. At last Bethesda has lived up to its name, but it was not because of the worshippers helping the man, or the angel assisting him into the pool, but the very Son of God, sent forth into the world to do for men what they could not do for themselves.

Special note on miracles on the sabbath day
The gospel records tell us of seven occasions when the Lord Jesus worked a miracle on the sabbath day. They are as follows, with the principles behind what He did:

1. Man with unclean spirit delivered, Mark 1:21-28

Christ’s authority over the powers of evil was total.

He was not limited in His actions by the fact it was the sabbath day.

The people said, “with authority commandeth he the evil spirits, and they do obey him”, verse 27.

2. Healing of Peter’s wife’s mother, Mark 1:29-31

Spiritual exercises must be foremost. The afflicted woman was not able to sanctify the sabbath day to holy uses if she was sick of a fever, and could not go to the synagogue as others in the family had.

3. Man with withered hand healed, Mark 3:1-6

It is a moral imperative to do good, and to save life. On this basis the Lord was at liberty to deliver this man, and to do him good.

4. The impotent man at Bethesda is healed, John 5:1-9

The Son and the Father are equal, and work regardless of the day. God is not bound by the regulations of the sabbath. Since He is equal with God, the Son is not bound by them either.

5.  The blind man has his sight restored, John 9:1-41.

As the Lord said at the end of the incident, “For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind”, verse 39.  The blind man went from blindness to sight physically, but also spiritually.  The Pharisees, claiming to see spiritually, are shewn to be blind spiritually, for they did not recognise and honour the one who could give sight to the blind.

6. The woman with the spirit of infirmity loosed, Luke 13:11-17

If a man looses his ox so as to lead him to drink, should not a woman be loosed from her tie, even if it is the sabbath day, especially if it is Satan that has bound her?

7. The man with dropsy, Luke 14:1-6

A man pulls a sheep out of a pit, even if it is a sabbath day, because it is required by the law of Moses to do so, Deuteronomy 22:4. The question the Lord asked settles the matter, “How much then is a man better than a sheep?” The sheep is but a beast, whereas the man is in the image of God, so that is the measure of how much a man is better than a sheep. By the application of simple logic, the Lord rebukes the wickedness of the ruler of the synagogue.

5:10
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed- note that the Jews are not overjoyed that the man has been made whole at last, and is strong enough now to walk and carry his bed. They are only concerned with the fact that he is carrying his bed on the sabbath day. In fact to carry one’s bed on the Sabbath day carried the death penalty according to their regulations. There is a conflict here between the laws of men and law of God, and it one of the purposes of the miracle to highlight this.

5:11
He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk- though the Jews ignore the fact that the man is now whole, the man himself cannot, so connects the healing with the command. If his benefactor had power to make whole on the sabbath, He must have power to command to take up a bed on the sabbath, so he reasons, and rightly. It is a question of authority that is developed in the next section. The Jews feel that their authority is being questioned and overturned, and that at feast time, when Jerusalem is crowded with people.

5:12
Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? The healed man would realise that his benefactor was in danger of His life, for the authorities would try to impose the death penalty on those who broke the sabbath. To relieve him of the dilemma, the Lord had deliberately moved away, so that the man genuinely did not know His identity. The man was now protected. The good shepherd has put Himself in danger to protect the sheep.

5:13
And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place- taking advantage of the crowds, the Lord had conveyed Himself away, no doubt in order that the questioning of the man might take place, and the issues involved might become clear. He is not interested in the praise of men for what He had done, but rather that they see the significance of what He had done, and, believing, come into the good of the rest of heart and conscience He bestows. Only in this way could they know true “sabbath”. No doubt this was also a test, to see what the man would do with his new-found strength and ability.

5:14
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.

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple- this shows that the miracle has achieved its object, for the man is now able, after thirty eight years, to enter into the blessing of a sabbath in the temple at feast time. This is the true purpose of the sabbath, to enable men to serve God without distraction. The man was hindered before, and those who were going in and out of the sheep market to buy lambs for sacrifice showed no pity on him, showing they had not learned the lesson, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice”.

And said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee- not only does the Lord identify Himself as the man’s healer, but also as his judge if he should return to his sin. And this is very relevant, for in His subsequent discourse, He shows that He not only has power to give life, but also to judge as well. Grace heals him physically, and truth adjusts him spiritually.

5:15
The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole- perhaps it is understandable that the man should have a certain amount of fear for the authorities, given that, as already mentioned, they demanded the death penalty for sabbath breaking. And not just sabbath breaking in the sense of breaking God’s law, but also for breaking their additions to the law. We know from the healing of the blind man in chapter nine that the penalty for belief in Christ was very severe. Perhaps the authorities had threatened him if he did not tell them who had healed him. This verse serves to introduce the next section, with its teaching as to who Jesus really is. The Lord has ordered events so that His discourse on His Sonship is spoken to the authorities, and not just to the man.

5:16
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the sabbath day.

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the sabbath day- if the man was in danger of the death penalty, so was the Lord Jesus, in their view. They thought they had the precedent of the man who had gathered sticks on the sabbath day, and was stoned for it, Numbers 15:32-36. But that sin was an example of the sort spoken of in the previous verses of that chapter, the act of one who despised the word of the Lord and broke His commandment, verse 31. The Lord Jesus had done neither of these things. He had loved God’s law, for it said, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”, Leviticus 19:18, and this is what He had done by healing the man. This is one of the two great commands of the law, which over-ride lesser laws, Matthew 22:34-40. Nor had He broken the sabbath commandment, but had enabled the man to be free to keep the sabbath day without his handicap. That He had the authority to work on the sabbath day is established by the discourse which follows.

Section 2    5:17-30
Word about the Son and the Father

Survey of the section
Because He did the miracle on the Sabbath day, and also because He commanded the healed man to carry his bed, the Lord Jesus was met by the hostility of the Jews, which in John’s gospel means the Jewish authorities. Compare John 7:11 and 12, where the Jews are distinguished from the people. They had added to God’s simple command to “remember the sabbath day to keep it holy”, and by so doing had made the word of God of no effect by their tradition, as they had done in other connections, Mark 7:13. They failed to realise that God desires “mercy and not sacrifice”, Matthew 12:7, and if they had gone to the Pool of Bethesda and carried the sick folk from that place to the feet of the Lord Jesus they would have sanctified the sabbath day to sacred uses, and thus have obeyed God’s command.

So the discourse of the Lord Jesus revolves around the matter of working, and is given, significantly, on the day of rest. Notice the words for working and doing in verses 16,17,19,20, and also the reference to this miracle as a work in John 7:21.

That God is not indifferent to the breaking of the Sabbath is seen in the stoning of the sabbath-breaker in Numbers 15:32-36, and the carrying away of the Jews so that the land could enjoy seventy years of sabbath after four hundred and ninety years of neglect of the sabbath, 2 Chronicles 36:21. In no way, however, were the works done by Christ on the sabbath a transgression of the sabbath law, but were rather the exercise by Christ of His Divine rights.

The discourse which follows is the first public one in John’s gospel, and is entirely in keeping with the general theme of the gospel as a whole. It is interesting to notice the first discourses in the other gospels, and to notice how they fit the scheme of the writers also. In Matthew, the first discourse is the address in Matthew chapters 5 to 7 on the mountain, (itself a symbol of His kingdom), in which He sets out the terms of citizenship in His kingdom. In Mark’s servant gospel the first discourse, (as opposed to responses to objections), is in connection with two parables on the subject of the sowing of seed, Mark 4. In Luke the first recorded discourse is in the synagogue of Nazareth, in which the Lord claims to be the one of whom Isaiah spoke, that He would be a sympathetic Saviour, the theme of Luke’s gospel, Luke 4:16-30.

In the first public discourse that John records, Christ made a eight-fold claim to Deity. The whole discourse is in the third person, as if He stands back from His relationship with the Father to view it in its entirety in the same way as believers may. We may summarise His claims as follows:

First claim: Equality of action
He said, “The Son can do nothing of himself”, John 5:19. God is one, and the persons of the Godhead do not, and indeed cannot, act independently of one another. The act of one can be said to be the act of the other.

Second claim: Equality of affection
“The Father loveth the Son”, verse 20. God is love, 1 John 4:8, but love must have an object. The Son has been the object of His Father’s love for all eternity.

Third claim: Equality of perception
The Father “sheweth him all things that himself doeth”, verse 20. The Son of God has the ability to comprehend all the things that God does.

Fourth claim: Equality in resurrection
“For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will”, verse 21. Since when a man dies his spirit returns to God, then the one who retrieves that spirit and gives it back to the dead man must Himself be God. Of course, prophets in the Old Testament and apostles in the New Testament raised the dead, but only with delegated authority. That Christ’s authority is not delegated is seen in the phrase “even so”, meaning He acted in exactly the same way as His Father. And also in the phrase “whom he will”, for His will is to raise from the dead, in harmony with the Father. This is why Christ’s works were “works none other man did”, John 15:24.

Fifth claim: Equality in jurisdiction
“The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son…and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man”, verses 22 and 27. Abraham described God as the judge of all the earth, Genesis 18:25, so He that judges all the earth must be God.

Sixth claim: Equality of recognition
He has been given judgment over all men “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”, verse 23. One day every knee shall bow to Christ, and confess that He is Lord, Philippians 2:10,11. But God has said that He is the one to whom every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear, Isaiah 45:23, so Christ must be equal with God.

Seventh claim: Equality in communication
He said, “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”, verse 24. To hear the word of the Son is to hear the word of the Father. To believe the Son is to believe the Father.

Eighth claim: Equality in administration
The Father has “given to the Son to have life in himself”, verse 26. He has also “given him authority to execute judgement also”, verse 27. As God’s Firstborn Son, the Lord Jesus has been given things to do. First, He has been given life for others, those who believe. Of course He has life in Himself, as the verse says, but He has it for others too. He also has been given the task of judging.

Structure of Section 2

(i)	Verses 17-19	Equality of action
(ii)	Verse 20(a)	Equality of affection
(iii)	Verse 20(b)	Equality of perception
(iv)	Verse 21	Equality in resurrection
(v)	Verse 22	Equality in jurisdiction
(vi)	Verse 23	Equality in recognition
(vii)	Verse 24	Equality in communication
(viii)	Verses 25-30	Equality in administration

(i) Verses 17-19
First claim: Equality of action

5:17
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work- the Jews persecuted the Lord for His miracle, for they believed He had broken the sabbath, or in other words, was loosing the binding force of the commandment. This statement is Christ’s answer to this persecution. Far from admitting a transgression of the law, He asserts that what He had done was but a sample of the ongoing work which He and the Father performed constantly, even on the sabbath day. The tense of the word “worketh” is present indicative, meaning continuous action, and even on the sabbath day. The original sabbath after the six days of creation was not the rest of exhaustion, but of enjoyment, as the Creator contemplated the work of His hands. Despite this resting, however, creation was still maintained and preserved by Him, whether it was the sabbath day or not.

What the Lord states here is that this is His work, too. God also worked in other ways, as He intervened in the affairs of men, whether restraining, judging, blessing, forming and preserving the nation of Israel, entering into covenants, or preparing the way for the coming of Christ. The Son claims here to be involved in this work on an equal basis. As John has already told us, the Word was in the world in a very real sense before He became incarnate, John 1:10.

5:18
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.

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- Christ’s statement was clearly understood by the Jews, even though they did not believe it, for they correctly deduced from the words “My Father” that He was claiming a unique relationship with God the Father. (They had heard Him call the temple His Father’s house, 2:16). They immediately realised that He was saying God was His Father in a unique and special sense, for such is the force of the word “his”, meaning “his privately, exclusively”. The Jews felt bound under the terms of the law of Moses to kill such a blasphemer, for this they mistakenly thought Him to be since they refused His claims. That He is in fact “equal with God”, the Lord Jesus goes on to prove.

5:19
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.

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you- note the double use of the word verily. This phrase, unique to John’s gospel, has a five-fold significance. First, it introduces doctrine that is a development, different to all that had gone before. Second, it assures us of the definiteness of the truth made known, that there is no doubt about it. Third, it prepares the way for something difficult, and beyond the mind of mere man to conceive. Fourth, it pre-empts denial, the “Nay, nay” of any who refuse to believe what is taught. Fifthly, it denotes that what follows is Divine truth.

The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do- having thus assured His hearers of the truth of what He was about to say, the Lord Jesus first of all makes clear that as the Son of the Father, He cannot act “of himself”, that is, independently. So when He made the man whole on the sabbath day, He was not acting in independence of God, much less at variance with Him and contrary to His law. It is impossible for Divine Persons to act independently of one another, or else they would not be “one Lord”, Deuteronomy 6:4.

That this “cannot” is not specifically because He has come into manhood is shown by two things. First, it is as Son that He cannot do anything of Himself. When the word Son is used on its own, it means Son of God, not Son of man. The Lord speaks of Himself here in the third person, thus emphasising the abstract character of what He is saying, and separated from other considerations such as that He has become man.

Second, it is said of the Spirit that He does not speak “of himself”, John 16:13, (and the same preposition is used there, meaning sourced in himself), but the Spirit obviously has not become man. Hence the emphasis in the phrase “of himself”, is on the character of Divine persons as such.

So the Son does nothing except what He sees the Father do, and by seeing is meant spiritual, Divine insight, which involves knowledge of the reason for what is done, as well as the action itself. Only a Divine person has full insight into the purpose of God. The Son has this insight, for He is in the bosom of the Father. Furthermore, “doeth” is in the present tense in each case, and therefore at any given moment the Father and the Son are both at work. The Son does not begin after the Father has started, nor when the Father has finished.

For what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise- the work of the Son is not additional to the work of the Father, but He acts together with the Father, and acts in the same way identically, this being the force of the word likewise. It is not mere imitation, nor is it a modification. This is seen, for example, in the way Scripture speaks of the creation and preservation of the world. Compare Romans 11:36 with John 1:3, and also Psalm 104:30, Nehemiah 9:6, with Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:17.

Note it is “whatsoever” the Father doeth, for there is no limit to the work that the Son is able to do in harmony with His Father, for their powers are co-extensive. In the context of the miracle just performed, the Lord is saying that the God whose honour they claimed to be defending by seeking to stone Him, was in fact fully in harmony with His Son. The miracle was the outward evidence of the Father working.

(ii)   Verse 20(a)
Second claim: Equality of affection

5:20
For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth:

For the Father loveth the Son- the word for love here is phileo, which is love where there is a correspondence and likeness between those loving. The other major word for love in the New Testament is agape, which speaks of love because the object is valued. Both words are used of the love of the Father and the Son, so we should beware of thinking of one as being a lesser sort of love than the other. Such is the love between the persons of the Godhead that they withhold nothing from each other. Love may be defined as “The expression of an attraction”.

Note the occurrence of the word “for” in verses 20-22, giving proofs of His equality with the Father:
“For the Father loveth the Son”, verse 20.
“For as the Father raiseth the dead”, verse 21.
“For the Father judgeth no man”, verse 22.

(iii)   Verse 20(b)
Third claim: Equality in perception

And showeth him all things that himself doeth– the word “showeth” is the same as in John 14:8, “show us the Father”. Note the reply, “He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father”. Clearly the Father cannot be physically seen, (so neither the physical appearance of the Father nor of the Lord Jesus is in view), but He can be discerned spiritually as a result of knowing and understanding the person and ministry of the Lord Jesus. So here, the Father shows the Son what He is doing in the sense that He hides nothing of the purpose of His acting from Him. Because He is the Son, and therefore shares the nature of Deity, the Lord Jesus has infinite capacity to understand the Father’s purpose and actions. The work He performed on the impotent man was a very wonderful thing, therefore, for it was the reproduction of what the Father was showing the Son, and therefore was a perfect expression of Divine communications, and an evidence of the Father’s love for the Son, and His total confidence in Him.

(iv)   Verse 21
Fourth claim: Equality in resurrection

5:21
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them- we should not deduce from these words the idea that the Father raised and quickened in Old Testament times, and the Son does it in New Testament times. Rather, two statements are made, one about the Father and one about the Son, and both are true at all times. The point is they do the raising according to their Divine will.

Even so the Son quickeneth whom he will- in verses 21 and 22 there is a two-fold justification for the claim to be able to do greater works, each prefaced by the word “for”. Of Nebuchadnezzar it was said, “Whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive”, Daniel 5:19, but God declares “I kill, and I make alive”, Deuteronomy 32:39. The Egyptian magicians had to admit that to bring life out of the dust was a work of God, Exodus 8:16-19. See also 1 Samuel 2:6.

When a man dies, his spirit leaves his body, James 2:26, and returns to God, Ecclesiastes 12:7, and hence is in the control of God. One who can cause that spirit to return to the body must therefore have Divine authority. Of course prophets in the Old Testament and apostles in the New Testament raised the dead, but they did so only because it was the will of God to use them in this work. Here the Lord Jesus claims to quicken “whom He will”; it is His decision and action, but in harmony with the Father, as ever.

The word quicken has altered in meaning; it means to make alive. Raising the dead has to do with the body as it is caused to stand up again, having fallen in death, whereas making alive has more to do with the return of the spirit into the body. If the departure of the spirit means death, its return must mean life.

(v)   Verse 22
Fifth claim: Equality in jurisdiction

5:22
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son- this is the second example of greater works which the Son performs. His work of quickening is illustrated by the restoration of the impotent man; His work of judgment is hinted at by the words “sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee”, verse 14. The Father is still the judge of all, Hebrews 12:23, and He still judges His children, 1 Peter 1:17, but He does it in and through the Son. The reason for this will be seen in verse 27. That the Son is entrusted with the entire work of Divine judgment in all its aspects shows that the Father is confident of His ability, and this in turn shows His Deity. Only one who is God can judge infallibly, as He must do if He is to have the Father’s confidence. Joseph was able to make predictions about life and judgment, but he was not able to bring them to pass, Genesis chapter 40.

The fact that the Son knows what these works are beforehand, (and it is clear from the next verse that He does), and knows, too, that the Father will show them to Him at the appropriate moment, is further testimony to His Deity.

(vi)   Verse 23
Sixth claim: Equality in recognition

5:23
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.

That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father- the ultimate purpose for which quickening and judging is done is here disclosed by the Lord. If He quickens as God does, and has all judgment entrusted to Him, He must be due Divine honours. All men shall have to acknowledge God eventually, and here they are said to honour the Son “even as” they honour the Father; in other words with the same kind of honour; not simply the honour of respect, but of the recognition of Deity.

So the Son is given the authority to judge those who do not honour Him in their lifetime. At the great white throne judgment every knee shall bow to Christ, and this will happen to the glory of God the Father, Philippians 2:10. To honour Him then will be to honour the Father. So men either honour the Son by believing on Him during their lifetime, or by bowing the knee to Him on the day of judgment.

He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him- the Father regards the withholding of honour from the Son as a withholding of honour from Him, since there is unity between them. This honour may be withheld at the present time, but God will see to it that that will not happen in a time to come, for He said, “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear”, Isaiah 45:23. The apostle clearly had that verse in mind as he penned the words of Philippians 2. So the word that decrees all men shall bow is the word of an oath, (“by myself have I sworn”), it is a word in righteousness, (“out of my mouth in righteousness”), and it is irrevocable, (“shall not return”).

(vii)   Verse 24
Seventh claim: Equality in communication

5:24
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.

Verily, verily, I say unto you- the phrase “Verily, verily” marks a development in the teaching, which reveals how a person may be quickened or made alive. In this verse, with spiritual life, then in verse 25, (with its further “Verily, verily”), with resurrection life.

He that heareth my word- to hear His word displays a different sort of attitude to the “marvel” of verse 20, for it means to receive the truth of the doctrine He makes known. By “word” the Lord means theme, topic, or subject. The theme in this passage is the equality of the Son with the Father. It is vitally important that those engaged in evangelising the lost should make it abundantly clear who the Lord Jesus is, in order that they may then exhort sinners to believe on Him as one who is utterly dependable, being equal with God. The apostles “ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ”, Acts 5:42. They taught who He was, then preached that men should believe. Their preaching was not sinner-centred, but Christ-centred, in accordance with Romans 1:1,3, “the gospel of God…concerning his Son”. Sinners should also be warned of the consequences of refusing one who is thus equal, for the Lord will say later on that “if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins”, John 8:24.

And believeth on him that sent me- the seriousness of the matter is heightened when we consider that to not hear Christ with the hearing of faith, is to disbelieve God, for their testimony is one. Thus by believing the Father when the Son speaks, a person assents to the truth of their equality. On the other hand, to not believe is to deny their equality.

Hath everlasting life- there are few references to everlasting life in the Old Testament, and they refer to life in the Messianic kingdom of the future, Psalm 133:3; Daniel 12:2. Here the Lord is announcing that everlasting life is the present possession of those who believe His word. This fits them to be in the kingdom of God, irrespective of whether that kingdom has been manifested on the earth or not, see John 3:3. This life enables a person to know, initially and progressively, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, John 17:3.

And shall not come into condemnation- those who know Christ as the Life-giver, as He exercises His Divine right to quicken, shall never know Him as the Judge, nor will they be tried for their sins. Those who remain dead in trespasses and sins, however, rejecting eternal life from Christ, are in grave danger of both the process and carrying out of judgment.

But is passed from death unto life- this is not a passing away from death and towards life, but a passing out of death into life. There are two states in view here. There is the state of being in death, the spiritual death that Adam brought upon us when he sinned; the believer is taken out of that state. There is the state of being in life, for the believer is in the family of God, sharing His life. This is a present reality, and will also be apparent at the judgment day, for when others are condemned, believers will be safe. As the apostle Paul put it, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Romans 5:9.

(viii)   Verses 25-30
Eighth claim: Equality of administration

5:25
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.

Verily, verily, I say unto you- the repetition of “Verily, verily” so soon after its previous use in verse 24 signals a fresh revelation. Having spoken of the present availability of eternal life, the Lord now enlarges on the future availability of life in resurrection conditions. The expression “the dead” is the usual one for those who are in the grave, and is not a description, as in “dead in trespasses and sins”. Verses 25-30 expand on truths previously given in verses 21 and 22.

The hour is coming, and now is- that He is able to raise the bodies of dead saints in a future day is shown by His raising of Lazarus during His ministry, for the hour “now is”. The power is vested in Himself, so if He is present, so is the power. Compare John 11:23-27, where Martha learns that far from needing to wait for the resurrection at the last day, He who is the “I am”, and therefore unaffected by time, can do the work immediately if He so chooses.

When the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God- note that just as to receive eternal life we must hear His word, which involves faith, so also at the resurrection, for the voice of the Lord Jesus will call to His own in the graves to summon them out. This is illustrated by the raising of Lazarus in John 11:43,44, for Jesus “cried with a loud voice…and he that was dead came forth”.

And they that hear shall live- all the dead that hear the voice of the Son of God when He comes for His own will be given resurrection life. Having recognised Him to be the Son whilst they were on earth, they respond to Him in that capacity again. This is why the Lord said “Lazarus, come forth”, for He was making a selection that day, and only one man came forth. At the rapture He will select again, although this time it will be the selection of all who believe in Him of this age. Every believer of this church age who has died shall be raised from the dead when Christ comes into the air with a shout, I Thessalonians 4:16. If the Son of God was glorified by the raising of Lazarus alone, how He will be glorified when He raises all His own at His coming! This subject is further developed in I Corinthians 15:35-58, where the mystery is explained as to how living saints will partake in the resurrection even though they have not died.

5:26
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

For as the Father hath life in himself- the life needed to quicken those dead in trespasses and sins, and to quicken their mortal bodies at the resurrection, is sourced in God the Father.

So hath he given to the Son to have life in himself- not only does the Son have life in Himself just as the Father does, as John 1:4 indicates, (“in him was life”), but in addition it is given to Him to have this life in Himself for others. As the apostle John wrote later, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:11,12. He is the vessel full of the water of life, and men are invited to go to Him and drink, John 7:37; Revelation 22:17.

5:27
And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man- in verse 22 the right to judge men is vested in Christ’s Deity, for one of the results of that judgment will be that He is recognised as equal with God. Here His right to judge is vested in His manhood, for He is Son of man. But He assures us, nonetheless, that His judgment is perfectly in line with the will of God His Father, verse 30.

As a real man amongst men, Christ has given them the opportunity to react to Him, for He has been on earth to make Himself available, and the record of His life and teaching is available also, now that He is no longer on earth. When He was here, He lived a blameless life, and this condemned the lives of other men, and should have made them abhor themselves, and want to be like Him. As Son of man, Christ is relevant to all men, and has universal rights over them.

5:28
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice- that one who possesses Deity shall judge men should not be a cause of marvelling, for God is the Judge of all the earth, Genesis 18:25, and the Judge of all, Hebrews 12:23. The hour mentioned here is not a period of sixty minutes, but a time marked by a certain character. (The word was used by the Greeks for the seasons of the year). Since the theme of verses 27 to 29 is Christ’s authority to execute judgment, the reference is to the Day of the Lord, a period extending from the time when Christ comes in glory to destroy His enemies at the end of the Great Tribulation, until the Great White Throne judgment. Compare Isaiah 2:10-22 with Revelation 6:12-17 for the commencement of the Day, and 2 Peter 3:10 for its end, for the passing away of the heavens takes place during the Day of the Lord, showing that it extends to the end of the millenial reign of Christ, Revelation 20:1-11.

Old Testament saints will be raised when Christ comes to the earth to reign, near the beginning of the Day, (see Revelation 11:18, and also Job 14:13), whilst at the end of Christ’s reign of one thousand years all the unsaved dead of every age will be raised, Job 14:12; Daniel 12:2. Thus they all will be raised in their respective “day”, and “hour”, or season of judgment.

5:29
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.

And shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life- those who believed during Old Testament times are described by Paul as “them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality”, who will receive “eternal life”, Romans 2:7.

For Old Testament saints there will be the announcement of Christ’s verdict on their lives, so it is fitting this should be mentioned in the section that deals with judgment, for all judgment has been committed to Christ, see Revelation 11:15-18. It will not be the sort of judgment, however, which sinners will know when they are raised.

That Old Testament saints will be raised when Christ comes to earth to reign, (an event totally distinct from His coming for the church), is seen from a consideration of such scriptures as Job 14:13-15; Job 19:25-27; Isaiah 26:16-21; Daniel 12:1,2, and Revelation 11:15-18.

Ephesians chapter 3 makes clear the absolute distinction between things revealed by prophecy in Old Testament times, and the mysteries relative to this present church age. Martha expected her brother to be raised along with Old Testament saints when the Messiah came to reign, John 11:24, but she learns there is to be a resurrection before this, John 11:25,26. Note how John 5:29, with its reference to saints and sinners being raised, (albeit at different times), parallels Daniel 12:3.

And they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation- the unsaved dead will be reunited with their bodies and stand before the Great White Throne. For these, there will be nothing but damnation, their last opportunity for salvation having gone when they died, as Hebrews 9:27 makes clear. So the dead are not raised to find out later whether they will receive life or damnation. The matter was settled on earth, for they reacted to Christ with unbelief.

Note that the matter which divides the two companies in this verse is whether they were characterised by good or evil in their lives, for this is an infallible indicator as to whether they had faith, which, if genuine, is always followed by good works; see James 2:21-26, 1 John 3:7,10.

Thus when the righteous and the wicked have been raised, both rights conferred on the Son will have been fully exercised, namely the granting of life to those who believe, and the judgment of sinners. Before believers enter into an eternity of bliss, however, and the unrepentant are banished for ever to the lake of fire, a further thing happens. As the solemn procedures of the “judgment of the great day” come to an end, a name is uttered, even the name JESUS. At the mention of this name, every knee will immediately bow, whether of beings celestial, terrestrial or infernal, Philippians 2:10. At last Christ will be honoured universally as being equal with the Father, for men will realise that when He was called Jesus, (which means “Jehovah the Saviour), it was because that was who He is.

5:30
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.

I can of mine own self do nothing- this verse links sections 2 and 3 together, for what the Lord Jesus had said about not being able to do anything of Himself in verse 19, is repeated here in connection with judgment.

As I hear, I judge- nothing the Son does is in independence of His Father, but in this verse what He does is judge, but only as He hears His Father judging; their verdict is identical and simultaneous.

And my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me- He singles out the speaking that causes most animosity, that of judging, and assures His hostile listeners that when He judges He does so perfectly fairly and truly, since His will is in harmony with that of God the Father. They would readily admit that Jehovah’s judgment was right, for Abraham had said “Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” Genesis 18:25. So if He is equal with God, His judgment is right, too. The reference to being sent indicates that He has in mind His present words of judgment, spoken on earth, not just the future ones.

Section 3   5:31-47
Witness to the Son by the Father

Survey of Section 3
In a court of law, statements that are made must be supported by the witness or testimony of others. In Jewish law, a man’s own testimony was not allowed, unless accompanied by the witness of others. This explains the apparent discrepancy between verse 31, and 8:14. The testimony of Christ, if it were unsupported by others, would not be valid, but since it is supported, then it is allowable. And since it is the Father who witnesses in various ways, then the evidence could not be stronger. The case for Christ’s claim to Deity is undeniable.

In verses 30-39 there is the appeal to witnesses, while in verses 40-47 there is the analysis of unbelief. It seems that the Lord anticipates an objection to His teaching with regard to the rules of evidence, and the fact that a witness was not allowed to testify about himself unless there was another to support his testimony. He shows by this that He knows the thoughts of men.

5:31
If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true- the first witness is Himself, although this verse seems to deny it. The sense however, is “If I bear witness of Myself without any support from anyone or anything else, My witness is not allowable as evidence in My case”. Jewish law would not allow a man to testify for himself, unless there was at least one other to support him. That the Son has Another, is seen in the next verse.

5:32
There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

There is another that beareth witness of me- so the requirement of the law is met which said, “at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established”, Deuteronomy 19:15. The Lord will say later on. “Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” John 8:15-18. So Christ claims to not be alone in the witness box, but to have Another standing alongside of Him. It might be objected that the law said “two men”, and the Lord is bringing forward a Divine Person, His Father. However, the apostle John will later write, “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater”, 1 John 5:9. So the witness of one man and God is a greater witness than that of two men.

And I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true- because He is conscious of His relationship with the Father, as set out in verses 17-30, He knows that what He witnesses about Him is true to fact. Those who deny His relationship deprive themselves of the benefit of the proof they give. When he was told that scientists had proved that it was possible for the Red Sea to be parted, a Rabbi said, “To the believer no proof is necessary; to the unbeliever no proof will ever be enough”. Those who doubt the word of Christ ought to provide evidence for their doubt. The fact is they cannot produce that evidence. Those who refuse the testimony of Christ have reasons for doing so, but those reasons have nothing to do with His truthfulness, but everything to do with their sinfulness, and the guilty conscience that goes with it.

5:33
Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth- John the apostle never writes of John the Baptist under that title, but always as a testimony bearer. See, for instance, how he introduces him to us in 1:6-8. The words “witness”, “testimony”, and “record”, mean the same. John is a secondary witness, in that he simply passes on what he has been told, either from the Old Testament, (for he knew he was making straight the way of “the Lord”, 1:23, Isaiah 40:3), or through the voice from heaven at Christ’s baptism, Matthew 3:17, and the descending dove, John 1:32-34. They could not say they did not know these things, for they had sent unto John to find them out, 1:19-28. Whichever way John heard the truth, it was from God, and he passed it on faithfully.

5:34
But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

But I receive not testimony from man- being only a man, (albeit “a man sent from God”), John’s testimony was valuable, but received from another. As such, in important matters such as the truth as to the person of Christ, his testimony is not the first line of argument.

But these things I say, that ye might be saved- even though John’s testimony was secondary, the Lord advances it if by any means He may bring them to salvation.

5:35
He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

He was a burning and a shining light- in support of this appeal to John, He reminds them that John was a burning and shining light, bearing testimony with enthusiasm (burning), and effect, (shining). But he was only a lamp, as the word light means; for just as a lamp only burns because it has been supplied with oil from another vessel, so John only bore testimony because of what he had been told.

And ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light- they were prepared to rejoice in what John had to say for a time, all the while he raised expectations about a coming King. But when he bore faithful testimony to the people’s sin, and also the kind of person the King was, his message was rejected by the authorities. They wondered whether he himself was the Messiah, Luke 3:15; Matthew 16:14, which shows what a low view of Messiahship they had, for even though John was a great man, Christ was vastly superior in every way. Notice the past tense “was”, for by now John is in prison, his time of testimony over.

5:36
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.

But I have greater witness than that of John- there is now an appeal to the works that the Lord Jesus had done. They were not the testimony of fallible men, but the undisputed actions of one who must be God. After all, only the Creator can turn water into wine by His own power.

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- the works He was doing were what the Father had given Him to do, they were not independent actions. He was given works to finish, or “that He might perfect them”. It is significant that the last miracle the Lord performed was to heal the ear of Malchus, Luke 22:50,51. So work and hearing are brought together at the close of His ministry, just as works with significance, and the teaching of that significance for men to hear, were brought together during His ministry. (Note, however, that John does not record the healing of Malchus’ ear, lest the impact of the climax-miracle, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, should be lessened).

John the apostle makes it clear that “many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:30,31. John is satisfied that the miracles, when the truth behind them was taken in, were enough to bring men to faith in the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. The fact that they were written down means that those who did not physically see the miracles done, may have opportunity to believe also.

5:37
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.

And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me- the direct word, (the Father himself, not the voice of an angel), had come from heaven at His baptism, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17.

Ye have neither heard his voice at any time- this is a rebuke for their lack of response to John’s preaching of repentance, so they had missed the voice from heaven when He was baptized by John. But they had not heard the voice of God through John’s preaching, and they had not heard the voice of God through Christ’s preaching either. They heard the sounds but discerned not the meaning through unbelief.

Nor seen his shape- when Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, and said, “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.” Numbers 12:2. His response was to say this, “Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” verses 6-8.

So Moses heard the voice of God directly, and beheld the similitude of the Lord as He spoke with him. The Pharisees had done neither; yet they did not hesitate to criticise Christ, just as Miriam and Aaron had done when they criticized Moses. God had borne witness to Moses, and the Pharisees were willing to respect him because of that. But they were not ready to respect Christ, nor respond to His teaching, even though God had borne witness to Him in a far higher sense.

5:38
And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

And ye have not his word abiding in you- the implications of the word of commendation that came from the Father to the Son at His baptism had not found a welcome in their hearts. The same one that had spoken to Moses had spoken from heaven, commending His Son.

For whom he hath sent, him ye believe not- the proof that they had not received the truth conveyed by the word of the Father at Christ’s baptism is that they did not believe He was sent of God and worthy of their trust. They did not think that Jesus of Nazareth was the one foretold in the Old Testament.

5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life- they thought that the more detailed their knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures was, the more correctly they could obey God, and thus earn eternal life for themselves by keeping the law. The Lord does not discourage the search of the scriptures when He implies they searched for the wrong reason. They must continue searching, but with a different object, which He now tells them about.

And they are they which testify of me– they had been searching with the wrong aim, so the Lord commands them to begin to search with the right aim, which was to find Him there. Note the word “testify” is now used of the Old Testament scriptures; they are Divinely-given words that cannot be argued against. As the Lord walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we read “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27. Even if they do not see the point of the voice from heaven at Christ’s baptism, let them at least hear the voice of God in the Old Testament scriptures, as they speak of Christ.

5:40
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life- they were prepared to go to the Old Testament scriptures, to learn how to gain life by trying to keep the law, but they were not prepared to go to Him, to gain eternal life as a free gift. Such is the pride and perversity of the human heart. The clue is in the word “will”. The sense is, “You are not willing to come to me”, so they were too proud to bend their will to His.

5:41
I receive not honour from men.

I receive not honour from men- He makes it clear that He did not invite them to come to Him so that He could gain prestige, but rather so that they might gain life and salvation. This is another instance where He shows He knows what they are thinking. By claiming that the Old Testament spoke of Him, they think He is trying to gain a reputation by false means, for they reject those claims. It is clear that He did not seek honour from men, for when they offered Him fame He turned it away, as will be seen in 6:15, when they wanted to make Him king. John tells us that on that occasion “He departed again into a mountain himself alone”, and this was not the only occasion when He withdrew when it looked as though the crowds were becoming enthusiastic for the wrong reasons.

5:42
But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you- because He is the Son of God, He is fully aware of man’s attitude to God His Father. He knew perfectly well that the love of God was not in their hearts, even though they avidly studied the scriptures. This in itself is an indication of His Deity, for only God knows the heart, Jeremiah 17:9,10.

He said later on, “If God were your Father ye would love me”, John 8:42. John would afterwards write, “everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love”, 1 John 4:7,8. Since God is love, those who have life from God will love the Son He loves. The fact that they did not love Christ was evidence that they were in unbelief.

5:43
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.

I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not- to come in another’s name is to fully represent that person and his authority. The refusal of Christ is serious, since the person the Son represents is God the Father. The solemn truth is that the very Son of God has come amongst men, manifesting God His Father to them so perfectly that we learn the following things:

To know Him is to know the Father, John 8:19.

To believe Him is to believe the Father, 12:44.

To hear Him is to hear the Father, 12:50.

To receive Him is to receive the Father, 13:20.

To see Him is to see the Father, 14:9.

To hate Him is to hate the Father, 15:23.

To be shewn His things is to be shewn the things of the Father, 16:15.

If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive- the human heart, perverted by sin, inclines always to error, and is ready to believe a lie before it will believe the truth. (Jacob believed his sons when they told him a lie about Joseph, but when those same sons told him the truth about Joseph, he did not believe them, Genesis 37:31-33; 45:26). As the Lord will say later on, “And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” 8:45. The heart of a man is conditioned to receive error and reject truth, for he is of his father the devil, and of him the Lord said “there is no truth in him”, John 8:44.

There will come one in the future who will present himself to the nation of Israel as their Messiah, and the majority of them will believe him. However, he will be, not Christ, but Antichrist, Matthew 24:24, and he will certainly not come in the name of the Father, but will seek to elevate himself. Perhaps there is a suggestion here that the Antichrist will, by coming in his own name, withhold from men the fact that he really comes in the Devil’s name, and all the while honours Satan in secret, see Daniel 11:38,39.

When Antichrist presents himself to the nation he will claim to be able to bring in the kingdom rest, but it will be a false claim, even though he will seek to support it by the working of miracles through his accomplice the false prophet, Revelation 13:14. The Lord is warning the rulers that the attitude they are displaying to Him personally is the attitude the nation will adopt in the future when the Antichrist presents himself. Their present disbelief in Christ, and their future belief in Antichrist, are both testimony to the fact that they do not have the love of God in their hearts.

5:44
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another- their mindset was only to accept and give honour to one another on a carnal level. So entrenched was this attitude that until they turned from it they could not believe in Him. They “loved the praise of men more than the praise of God”, John 12:43. The praise of God only comes to those who believe His Son.

And seek not the honour that cometh from God only? The honour which only comes from God is the honour of possessing eternal life, and of sharing Christ’s glory. This is the portion of those who believe, John 17:22.

5:45
Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father- He had not come to condemn the world, for God was intent on their salvation, not their condemnation.

There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust- having spoken of the witness that there is to His person, the Lord now shows that they are the accused, and the stronger the testimony to His person, the stronger the case against them. They trusted in the writings of Moses to give them light on the subject of being right with God, but those very scriptures accused and condemned them as sinners.

5:46
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me- the testimony of Moses was to one who would come and unfold the truth to them. The rulers wondered if John was this Prophet, 1:21, but it was Christ, as Acts 3:22 and Acts 7:37 show. This is why Moses accuses them, because the one who did not receive the words of the Prophet whom God would send, was to be cut off from the people, Deuteronomy 18:18,19.

5:47
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?

But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? Because the testimony of Moses and Christ is identical in this matter, to believe the one is to believe the other. So since they did not believe Moses, but preferred to strive for their own salvation through law-works, they did not rely in faith on what he said about the coming Messiah. And when that Messiah arrived, they still preferred to work rather than believe Him. It is not now simply believing Moses when he wrote of a coming Prophet, but the whole of his writings, which, in different ways led them to expect Christ. The law was their schoolmaster to bring them unto Christ. That is, it was God’s interim word to them until such times as Christ came. Sadly, after He had come, they preferred the schoolmaster of the law, not realising that grace had come, and the law was no longer needed for that purpose, Galatians 3:22-26.