Study on the Gospel of John Chapter 5

Jesus healed an invalid man and Jews persecuted him because he didn’t keep the Sabbath law. And Jesus taught them who He is and what they should do.

• (24) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.

Outline and Exposition

The Healing at the Pool (1-18)

(1) a feast of the Jews: probably Passover, Pentecost or Tabernacles

(6) “Do you want to be healed?”: the man had not asked Jesus for help

(7) “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when: the man did not see Jesus as a healer

(9) And at once the man was healed: ordinarily, faith in Jesus was essential to the cure (e.g., Mark 5:34), but here the man did not even know who Jesus was (v. 13). So while Jesus usually healed in response to faith, he was not limited by a person’s lack of it.

(10) it is not lawful for you to take up your bed: it was not the law of Moses itself but their traditional interpretation of it that had very strict regulations on keeping the Sabbath, but also had many curious loopholes that their lawyers made full use of (cf. Matthew 23:4).

the Jews: The Greek word Ioudaioirefers specifically here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed Jesus in that time. Also in 15, 16, 18.

(14) Sin no more: implies that the man’s sins had caused his blindness. In 9:1 Jesus repudiates the idea that disasters like blindness are inevitably caused by sin, but he does not say they are never caused by sin. worse may happen: the eternal consequences of sin are more serious than any physical ailment.

(16) the Jews were persecuting Jesus: John does not tell us what form the persecution took

(17) My Father: The jews did not refer to God as “My Father,” regarding the term as too intimate - though they might have used “Our Father” or, “in prayer, “My Father in heaven.”

Jesus, Equal with God (19-30)

(19) the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing: because of who and what he was, it was not possible for Jesus to act except in dependence on the Father. (4:34) My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

(20) greater works: The Son’s activities in raising the dead and judging (v. 21-29).

(21) raises the dead: A firm belief among the Jews (except the Sadducees). They also held that he did not give this privilege to anyone else. Jesus claimed a prerogative that, according to this opponents, belonged only to God.

(22) has given all judgment to the Son: The Jews believed that the Father is Judge of the world, so this teaching seemed heretical to them. For other NT assertions that Jesus will be the eschatological Judge. (Matthew 25:31-32; Acts 10:42; 17:31; 2Corinthians 5:10; 2Timothy 4:1; 1Peter 4:5)

(24) has eternal life: percent possession

(25) an hour is coming, and is now here: A reference not only to the future resurrection but also to the fact that Christ gives life now. The spiritually dead who hear him receive life from him.

(26) has life in himself: Life is belonging to God and is his gift. (Deuteronomy 30:20; Job 10:12; 33:4; Psalm 16:11; 27:1; 36:9). The Son has been given the same kind of life the Father possesses.

(27) Son of Man, Jesus’ favorite self designation. In (Daniel 7:13,14), pictured as a heavenly figure who in the end times is entrusted by God with authority, glory ad sovereign power.

(28-29) (Daniel 12:2) And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 

(30) I can do nothing on my own: Jesus stresses his dependence on the Father (v. 19). He judges only as he hears from the Father, which makes his judgment fair.

Testimonies (31-47)

This section stresses the testimonies of John the Baptist (v. 33; 1:7), of the works of Jesus (v. 36), of God the Father (v. 37), of the Scriptures (v. 39) and of Moses (v. 46). So (20:31) “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

(31) Jesus’ testimony about himself required the support of all God’s revelation. Otherwise, it would have been unacceptable.

(32) another: The Father testifies concerning the Son through John the baptist (v. 33), Jesus’ miracles (v. 36), Himself (v. 37), and the Bible (v. 39). The Jews might not accept this testimony, but it was the testimony that mattered most.

(33) You sent to John: See 1:19

he has borne witness to the truth: If the Jews had believed John, they would have believed Christ and would have been saved.

(34) Not that the testimony that I receive is from man: Probably meaning that he does not rely on human testimony - which is always fallible and often fickly

• (1John 5:9) “If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.”

(35) you were willing to rejoice for a while: The Jewish leaders never came to grips with John’s message, and their responses to him were always at best tentative and superficial.

(36) works: Greek: ἔργα (erga) - From a primary “ergo”; toil; by implication, an act. the "works" are not limited to the miraculous healings, to multiplication of breed and wine, and resurrection from the dead. The whole of his work, from his baptism and temptation to his own resurrection from the dead, was his ἔργον. This was made up of all the self-revelation of his life, of all his consecration and sympathy, of all his character, of all the resuscitation of dead souls, of all the joy he was pouring into broken hearts, and all the life he was evoking in moribund humanity.

(37) the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me.

• (Matthew 3:17) “and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
• Also see Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22, and Mark 9:7 (the Transfiguration)

(43, 44): The Jews whom Jesus was addressing had their attention firmly fixed on people. Their emphasis on self-seeking and on human praise showed that they did not accept the one who came from God, and therefore they missed the praise that comes from God.

If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

• (Zechariah 11:17) “Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!”

(45-47): The revelation God gave Moses is inseparable from the revelation God was giving through Jesus:

• (Luke 16:31) He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
• (Romans 10:4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Those who refused to believe the witness to Jesus in the earlier revelation would also reject the later revelation coming through Jesus. To their surprise, he declared that his listeners had refused to believe both and should therefore be accused before God by Moses.

he wrote of me: OT, rightly read, pervasively points to Christ

• (Luke 24:27) And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
• (Luke 24:44) Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

He may have had Dt 18:15,18 in mind:

• (Deuteronomy 18:15)“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—

but probably was thinking more broadly of the whole scope of what the Pentateuch disclosed concerning God’s saving program in history, which Jesus the Messiah came to complete.

Topical Study

Work in Sabbath, the Law

It is always lawful to do good and to save life - including on the Sabbath (see v. 17; 7:23; Luke 6:9; 13:15; 14:5). Jesus also exemplified the way the Sabbath should be observed (v. 17). God does not stop his deeds of compassion on that day and neither did Jesus.

The law was for protecting people, so they could love God and neighbors, and enjoy God's holiness and glory. But for Jews, the law itself was more important than true meaning of the law; they even added more regulations to the law. They didn't care about the men's true well-being. This because they didn't love God (v. 42) and, eventually, the law (Moses) would accuse them(v. 45).

Jews’ Unbelief, Damning power of Religious System

Because Jews didn't love God, they could not see and believe Jesus, the Son of God. So they hated Jesus and persecuted Him.

Here we can observe how Jews, the religious system, were so powerful. The man healed by Jesus immediately went back to religious leaders and reported (v. 15). He had been invalid for 38 years and he just got healed. Imagine how happy he would be, but still he went to Jews (who would persecute Jesus) and reported. Apostle John had another example that parents who feared the Jews (John 9:20-23). They feared the religious system and feared being isolated from it. Not only Israel people but also the leaders didn’t believe Jesus even there were testimonies from God (v. 31-47). They couldn’t deny the testimonies (see Luke 20:3-6, John 3:2) but still didn’t believe because they didn’t want to lose their power and pride, the religious system. And eventually they killed Jesus, their Savor.

Same thing we can observe today; churches teach wrong gospels and many religious people follow. People fear religious systems and the systems abuse their power. What a tragedy, sad and pity; as Jesus wept looking over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41).

Jesus, God, Love

The Jews did not object to the idea that God is the Father of all, but they strongly objected to Jesus’ claim that he stood in a special relationship to the Father; (v. 18) God his own Father. A relationship so close as to make himself equal with God. Jesus didn’t rebuke/correct about their saying of “equal with God” but even confirm his deity and relationship to his Father. (v. 19-47)

Witnesses; the testimony of the Father has come through John the Baptist, through the miracles of Jesus, and through the Scripture.  So we and they can believe and have eternal life.

• (24) believes him who sent me has eternal life
• (34) I say these things so that you may be saved. 

• (Philippians 2:6-7) "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."

Jesus loves even those were persecuting, even sinners like you and me. And the whole bible is testifying God's love, Christ Jesus (47). If one can’t find Him from the bible then it is just a history, literature, and law book; has no love in God.

Salvation by Works?

(29) those who have done good to the resurrection of life: As always in Scripture, judgment is based on what people have done in their lives,

• (Romans 2:6-8) He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 
• (Revelation 20:12) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 

Salvation, of course, is a gift from God in response of faith (v. 24) but true faith in Christ results in changed live, lived in obedience to Christ as Lord,

• (James 2:26) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. 

And Paul beautifully states inspired by the Spirit,

• (Ephesians 2:8-10) "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We are saved by grace through faith to do good works.

Truly, truly, I say to you

Let’s find important points in this chapter by looking at the phrase “truly, truly” which Jesus uses to draw audiences’ attention. Jesus was teaching to the Jews but still those points are important to us to meditate and keep them in our heart.

• Jesus is the Son of God: (v. 19) the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing
• Jesus is the Savior: (v. 24) whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.
• Today is the day of salvation; respond to Jesus' calling and surrender your life to Him: (v. 25) an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

References

• 2002 NIV Study Bible (Zondervan)
• John MacArthur Study Bible
• https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+5&version=ESV
• https://biblehub.com/john/5-36.htm
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tunz-cna9Qo

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