Verse 2. Bethesda—House of Mercy—for it was a mark still of Jehovah’s mercy in Israel; yet inadequate to meet the need that was there, but suggesting how Israel had turned from “The Fountain of Living Waters”. And even this mercy of occasional relief to one who had strength to use it, did not suggest to them to turn back to Jehovah, the true and great Physician, (Ex. 15:2626And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. (Exodus 15:26),) who could heal them all.
Verses 3-4 Bethesda’s five porches contain a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, and withered, waiting for the moving of the water. What a weary wait; almost hopeless, yet each hoping he would be cured next. What a picture of wretchedness, while men observed their Sabbath as if all was right with them before God.
Verse 5. A certain man was there which had an infirmity thirty-eight years—the same length of time as Israel wandered in the desert. This is the one the Lord selects in whom to display His power, and to witness that Jehovah was now visiting His people, and the only One who could meet their need.
Verses 6-7. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew how long he had been in that case, He saith unto him, “Wilt thou be made whole?” But the man has no hope outside the pool. How often during these years he had tried, and he had no one to help him to reach the pool first. How little he thought that this was the Great Physician who was now speaking to him, a picture of Israel dwelling upon the ordinances and outward observances of Jehovah’s law, and forgetting Jehovah’s mercy and power.
Verse 8. Now he is to know this mercy and power which was present in Jesus, the Son of God, come in grace to needy man. Jesus saith unto him, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”
Verse 9. What a surprise to the man who was immediately made whole and took up his bed and walked. And on the same day was the Sabbath.
Verse 10. What an offense to their religion for a man to carry his bed on the Sabbath. Had Israel been right with God such a thing would have been wrong.
Verse 11. But the One that healed was his authority for doing it, and if there is blame, it must rest on Him.
Verses 12-13 The man cannot tell who it was that had healed him, till Jesus afterward came to him in the temple,
Verse 14. And said unto him, “Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” It is not faith in Jesus that is seen here in the man, but the exercise of power in government as flowing from Himself, therefore Jesus treats him as still under the discipline of government in Israel. We are not told if, or what, the man learned through his cure.
Verse 15. The man departed, and told the Jews it was Jesus, who had made him whole.
Verse 17. And Jesus’ answer tells it is broken, and that God His Father cannot have a Sabbath while His people are sunk in sin and wretchedness. So He answered them, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” And this is to them a fresh assault on their religion, for now He not only had broken the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. In the other gospels He speaks of the demand of need, the cause for setting the Sabbath aside, as an ox, or an ass, fallen into a pit, or an animal needing water, or the priests in the temple working that day. But here, the reason is the highest, and He is in company with the Father, working in the midst of a fallen creation to deliver man from sin and its penalty and results, to set up a new sinless creation. The Father and the Son, in divine love, could not rest in a scene where everything was ruined by sin, and where man was under the power of Satan. God’s Sabbath could only be in love and holiness. Man’s sin had broken God’s rest, and He must needs begin a new creation united to His own character as light and love. Jehovah had given the Sabbath in Israel as an obligation by the law, a token of the precious truth that His people should enter into the rest of God. They forfeited their claim to it by their disobedience. God will give it to them by grace, but this is still future, (Heb. 4,) and will be through redemption which unfolds God’s glory. This is seen in type in Adam and Eve’s coats of skin, clothing the naked sinner with the righteousness of God through the death of Christ. (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)).
Verse 18. The Jews sought the more to kill Him, treating Him as a blasphemer, and if it was not true that He was equal with God, He was a blasphemer, and this should shut the mouths of those who speak of Him as being only a man. To all such God says, “Woe unto them.” (Jude 1111Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 11)).
Verse 19. Had they the heart and mind to understand, His explanations should have satisfied them. He answered 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.” His perfect submission to His Father’s will in the place He has taken is seen here. He acts as in dependence on the Father, and shows thus His oneness of mind and purpose in all His actions.
Verse 20. “For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will show Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” What love! What intimacy! What confidence is here expressed in His perfect dependence.
Verse 21. As the Father raises the dead and gives life; so the Son gives life to whom He will. He is the life giver.
Verses 22-23. “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. The One slighted, despised and dishonored by men, is the One to be their Judge. Men must give account to Him, that all should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him. If men refuse His grace, they shall be compelled to bow before Him in judgment. All we can do to honor the Son is also honoring the Father. And a slight put upon the Son is slighting the Father. As believers we have communion now, by the Spirit with the Father and the Son. Unbelievers will have to answer for their sins and unbelief before the Man, Christ Jesus, whom they have rejected. Believers are quickened and saved and love to honor the Lord Jesus.
Verse 24. Full assurance of this is given by His own words, “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My words, and believeth Him that sent Me, (believes the Father by hearing the Lord’s words,) hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment; but is passed from death into life.” How simple and full this verse is! His word to the believer is, “Hath everlasting life.” It is the present portion of every true believer. The Lord declares it with, “Truly, truly,” attached, to give emphasis to this truth, and of such He further declares, they cannot come into judgment. He Himself has borne their judgment. No judgment remains for the believer, and he is passed from death into life. Out of the state of death and judgment, into the state of life eternal, to which nothing but blessing attaches.
Verse 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. The dead here are those who are not born again. They are spiritually dead, though alive on earth, dead in trespasses and sins. The present time is the hour the Lord referred to which was begun when He spoke. and is still going on. All who believe the voice of the Son of God now receive life and are put into the blessings of the 24th verse.
Verses 28-29 This is a future hour and a display of the power committed to the Lord to raise the dead out of their graves. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.” Here are two resurrections; the resurrection of the just, those who are quickened, do good and are justified by faith; and the resurrection of the unjust, those who have died in their sins. (Acts 24:1515And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. (Acts 24:15)). who will be judged according to their works. (Rev. 20:12, 1312And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20:12‑13)).
Verse 30. All this showed His divine person, yet again He says, “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.” Having taken the subject place, He is perfect in it, and so learns obedience in this, to Him, new way.
Verse 31. And His testimony did not depend on His own words.
Verses 32-35. John bore witness of Him, and they were willing for a season to rejoice in his light, and John bore witness to the truth, and the Lord told them these things that they might be saved.
Verse 36. Then the works the Father gave Him to do, bore witness that the Father had sent Him.
Verses 37-38. And the Father Himself bore witness of Him, but the Father they did not know, and did not receive the message, nor the Messenger that He had sent. Him ye believe not.
Verse 39. Then they searched the Scriptures, for in them they thought they had eternal life, yet they did not see that “They are they which testify of Me,” but with all these to witness to Him they did not see because their wills were wrong.
Verse 40. “Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.”
Verses 41-44. “I receive not honor from men, but I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. 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.” (This is referring to the false king, the antichrist, yet to come. 1 John 2:1818Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1 John 2:18)). Such was the condition of the leaders of the Jews, their hearts were away from God; honor from men they sought and not the honor which cometh from God only.
Verses 45-47. He would not be their accuser, but that very law in which they trusted, “even Moses, in whom ye trust,” but Moses condemned them. “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?”
How fully such words answer the irreverent and blasphemous criticisms of modern teaching. If Moses’ teaching were not true, the Lord Jesus and His teachings are not true, for He declared that Moses’ writings were true.