Bible Commentaries

There was a Jewish religions feast. Probably the second Passover Jesus attended since his public ministry began. The feast is mentioned as the reason for Jesus going to Jerusalem.

A pool with five porches. The porches were shelters for the sick, who lay jammed together on them.

A large crowd of sick people. Hoping for a miracle. The part in brackets John 5:7 seems to imply it, and it is in harmony with the Jewish understanding of the work of angels.

A man was there. He probably was paralyzed, and had been for thirty-eight years!

Do you want to get well? He asks this to get the man's attention, and to arouse him to hope.

Jeremiah 17:21). The Tradition made it even stronger.

The man who made me well told me. This is the man's defence. He thinks anyone who can heal his sickness ought to be obeyed.

Who is this man? But the man did not know who Jesus was.

Quit your sins. This implies the man's sickness was caused by his own sins (compare Mark 2:5-10). (1) Jesus sets men free from the wrath of the Law; (2) being set free is a command to repudiate sin.

And told the Jewish authorities. He knows who Jesus is now, but probably does not think he is doing the wrong thing by telling the authorities who had done this miracle to him.

For this reason. Jesus had "kicked" their Tradition by healing the man on the Sabbath day.

17. My Father works always, and I too must work. The basis of the Sabbath recess, was that God had recessed his work of creation on the seventh day. But God had not quit, but continued to do his works of love and mercy. The Sabbath does not suspend benevolence and mercy. The Father's example is our pattern.

This saying made the Jewish authorities. They are horrified! Not only has he "kicked" their Tradition by healing on the Sabbath, but he said God was his own Father! This was blasphemy to them!

So Jesus answered them. He answers their charge of blasphemy by showing there is the closest cooperation between the Father and the Son. The Son does nothing on his own. This is said directly about Jesus himself. So close is the Son and the Father, that the Son does only what the Father authorizes him to do. See Colossians 1:20 and note. Even as the Father raises the dead. Jesus had just given life to one who was as good as dead for thirty-eight years.

So that all will honor the Son. God has placed "judgment" in the hands of Christ. The Son who speaks and acts by the Father's authority is to be honored. Whoever does not honor the Son. To reject Jesus the Son is to reject God the Father! Jesus is the ONLY "means of access" to the Father!

Has eternal life. Hearing Jesus and believing in God through what he says, brings eternal life. Faith is "obediential." See note on James 2:19.

When the dead will hear the voice. The spiritually dead, such as the man in John 5:5. But this means the resurrection as well, as Jesus says in John 5:28. Because he is the Son of Man. Jesus is THE Son of Hebrews 4:15-16). (2) He is the "go-between," God in human form, Job complained: "But there is no one to step between us no one to judge both God and me" Job 9:33). THERE IS NOW!

Do not be surprised at this. That 1 Corinthians 15:35-58).

I can do nothing on my own. Jesus makes it clear that both he and the Father are one in intent. His relationship to mankind (Hebrews 2:14-18) grows out of the intent and plan of the Father. If I testify on my own behalf. That John 8:14).

But there is someone else. McGarvey says this is the Father, and cites John 8:50-54 as a similar section.

You sent your messengers to John. John 1:19. They evidently believed what John said. And he spoke on behalf of the truth. John the Baptist had clearly identified Jesus as the Messiah (John 1:29-36).

It is not that I must have a man's witness. John the Baptist was a reliable witness. Yet, as the scripture says: "God must be true, even though every man is a liar" (Romans 3:4). The important witness is the Father. That you may be saved. He points them to the testimony of John [and of the Father]. If they will believe, they may be saved.

John was like a lamp. John the Baptist led a great spiritual renewal among the Jewish people, But like children, they listened for a while, but had not taken him seriously.

Even greater than. The miracles which Jesus did through the Father's power [and his other works]; the Father's voice at his baptism; the Father's testimony through the prophets. You have never heard his voice. That Romans 9:30-33. And they themselves speak about me! The Scriptures gave their witness to Christ, The entire Old Testament pointed forward to "Someone is coming!" I am not looking for praise from men. He has scolded them, but not because of pride or ambition. He came to be the world's Savior!

But I know you. This is fact! He could look deep down inside them to see what they really were. With my Father's authority. If they had really loved God, they would have believed in Jesus. When someone comes with his own authority. They rejected Jesus, who was their only hope. But when fake messiahs would come, they would believe them (Matthew 24:5).

How, then, can you believe? Their unbelief grew out of their greed for glory and fame! They wanted a "messiah" who would give them important positions in a political kingdom. Compare Luke 17:20-21 and notes there.

Moses is the one who will accuse you. They thought they believed Moses, but they didn't! If they disbelieve Moses, whom they honored, how could they believe Christ whom they did not honor? In rejecting Christ, they were also rejecting Moses, since he wrote about Christ.