John 5 John 5:1–9 Christ cures an impotent man at the pool of Bethesda on the sabbath day. John 5:10–16 The Jews cavil, and persecute him for it. John 5:17–18 He justifieth himself by the example of God his Father, John 5:19–30 and asserts the power and judgment committed unto him by the Father,…

Though there are some that think the feast mentioned here was that of Pentecost, and others that it was the feast of tabernacles, yet the most and best interpreters judge it was the feast of the passover that is here mentioned; and that this was the second passover which happened after our Saviour…

We read in Scripture of the sheep gate in Jerusalem, Neh. 3:1. There was also a market for sheep and other cattle, Deut. 14:26. Some therefore add market, others add gate, to the word in the Greek signifying sheep.

In these apartments (called here porches) there were a great number of sick persons, some labouring under one infirmity, some under another, some blind, some lame, waiting for the time the water should be troubled.

This water had not always in it this healing virtue, but only when it was troubled, and this was at a certain season, how often the Scripture hath not determined; some will have it to be only at their great feasts, of the passover, and Pentecost, &c., but the Scripture saith no such thing.

What this man’s name was, or what his circumstances in the world, or what his particular disease, we are not told; nor is it said that he had lain there thirty-eight years, but that he had so long laboured under his weakness: which, whether it was the palsy or no, is uncertain: probably it was a…

Christ, as God, knew the particular time when this infirmity seized him, which was eight years or upward before our Saviour’s birth, and about the time when the temple was re-edified, or rather enlarged and further adorned, by Herod.

What his particular impotency was the Scripture doth not tell us. Some have (not improbably) judged it the palsy, which deprives the person of motion, by the stoppage of the animal spirits, so that without help he cannot move from one place to another, which it is manifest this poor man could not;…

Our Lord will let this poor man know, that the waters and the angel derived their power from him; and that he with a word could do as much for him, as the waters troubled by the angel could effect: he therefore bids him arise, and take up his bed and walk, that others might see and be assured that…

The man’s strength returneth immediately; he is able immediately to arise, take up his bed, and to walk. All this was done on the sabbath day; on which day it was unlawful to carry any burdens, Jer. 17:21, Jer. 17:24; and by the Jewish canons it was punishable by death, or scourging.

That is, according to the letter of the law: they understood not that Christ was the Lord of the sabbath; their cavil argued their want both of faith in Christ, and charity also toward their neighbour.

He makes them as good an answer as could well be imagined; the sum of which was, he believed that he that had thus healed him was a prophet, and so did what he did by a Divine authority, which it was lawful for him to obey, contrary to their traditions: though who this particular person was, or…

The impotent man that was healed seemed to oppose the authority of God (by virtue of which he believed himself healed) to the authority of man, which made it unlawful for him on the sabbath day to take up his bed and walk.

Christ came as a stranger to the pool, and only wrought this miracle, so as the impotent man that was healed had no time to inquire who he was: and there being there a crowd of people, Christ had through the people conveyed himself away; so as the man could not find him, to show them the man who…

Jesus findeth him in the temple; walking in the outward court of the temple, or some part of it, where people ordinarily walked. He charges him to sin no more, lest a worse thing betided him; hereby letting him and us know that sin is the usual cause of diseases, and a holy walking the best…

It were very uncharitable to judge that this poor man went to the Jewish magistrates to inform against Christ, who had been so kind to him; and much more probable that he went in the simplicity of his heart, desirous both to publish what Christ had done to his honour, and also to do good to others,…

But the Jews made another use of it, seeking from hence an advantage against him, because he had violated the sabbath, which they often made a capital crime.

We read of no objection they made to Christ, as to what he had done, only that they persecuted him, which they might do without speaking to him: but it should seem by what we read in this verse, that some of the Jews had objected to him his violation of the sabbath (as they thought); yet, as we…

This yet enraged the Jews more: they had before against him a charge of breaking the sabbath, or, at least, teaching another to break it (in their opinion); but now he had (as they judged) spoken blasphemy, calling God Father; not in the sense the Jews so called him, and all good Christians are…

Consider Christ as God, so he can do nothing but what the Father doth, that is, nothing that respected created beings: for it is a known rule, That the works of the Trinity out of itself are not divided; whatsoever one person doth, the others do; though, to denote the order of the Trinity’s…

For the Father loveth the Son; both as his Son by eternal generation, Matt. 3:17, and also as the Messiah sent by him into the world, to finish the work the Father had given him to do: and look, as a father will make his son acquainted with all that he doth; and not only so, but communicates all…

He seemeth not to speak of what God will do in the general resurrection, but of those whom the Lord raised up from the dead in the Old Testament, by Elijah and Elisha. The giving of and restoring unto life, are things proper unto God, Deut. 32:39, 1 Sam. 2:6.

Alone he judgeth no man, he judgeth no man but by the Son, no man without the Son; but committed all judgment in the administration of the mediatory kingdom in the church to his Son, and by his Son will judge the world at the last day.

That his Son might be honoured by all men, Ps. 2:11–12, Phil. 2:10, with the same honour which is given to the Father; for the Son is sent by the Father, not as one inferior to him, as a servant is sent by his master, but as an equal is sent by his friend, John 4:34, John 6:38, John 7:28.

He that so heareth my words, that they are not a mere sound in his ears, nor affect his heart with some mere sudden and vanishing passion, but so that he gives an assent to them upon my authority; and that firmly and steadily believeth him that sent me, (the particle on seemeth not well put in by…

The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: some understand this concerning the special resurrection of such bodies as Christ raised while he was upon the earth from death to life, of which number was Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus, &c.

How the eternal Father hath life in himself, is obvious to every capacity; for he is the First Mover, and therefore must have his life in and from himself, and not from any other; and he is the First Cause, and therefore that life which floweth from him to all created beings, must first be in him,…

To execute judgment also; to have the power of life and death, the keys of both; to rule and govern the world, and to judge it at the last day. Because he is the Son of man: Acts 17:31, He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained,…

Do not marvel at this power which I tell you the Father hath given me, to execute in the world justice and judgment; to raise some particular persons from a natural death, and whom he pleaseth from the spiritual death of sin: for the hour is coming, when all those who are in the graves, shall, by…

And come forth; not all to be made partakers of eternal life and glory; there shall be a resurrection unto life, which only they shall obtain who have done good, walking in the commandments of God; not because they have done good, as if their goodness had merited any such thing, for eternal life is…

I can of mine own self do nothing; neither considered as God, nor as Mediator. As God, the Father and Christ were one, and what one Person in the Holy Trinity doth, all do; so that has did nothing in that capacity separately from his Father.

This seemeth to contradict what he saith, John 8:14, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: but our Saviour here speaketh according to the common opinion of the Jews, or indeed of men, who are ready to suspect any one’s testimony who testifieth of himself.

The Father by a voice from heaven testified of Christ, that he was his well beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased, Matt. 3:17. Some understand it of John the Baptist, of whom he speaketh, John 5:33.

Ye sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to John, John 1:29; he was a man of reputation among you, for all the people judged him a prophet; and he had an interest in Herod’s court: he bare witness (he doth not say to me, but) to the truth.

I receive not testimony from man, that is, not for my own sake; for otherwise he did receive testimony from man, John 15:27, Acts 1:8. That must be truth, to which any one can give a true testimony. John by his testimony added nothing to me. I was what I am before John testified concerning me.

I do not speak this to lessen John in any of your thoughts; he was a famous light, burning in the knowledge and love of the truth; shining both in his doctrine, in publishing the truth, and also in holiness of life and conversation.

But I have greater witness than that of John; not than that of my Father, mentioned John 5:31–32, but than that of John, last mentioned; nor doth he say a truer, but a greater witness.

Hath borne witness of me; not only in my baptism, and at my transfiguration by an audible voice from heaven, but by the voice of his prophets, by whom he spoke to your fathers.

Though they had heard the word of the Lord, their forefathers by the prophets, and in that generation by John the Baptist, (the messenger sent before Christ’s face), and now by Christ himself, whom the Father had sent; yet the word of the Lord had no place in their hearts, John 8:37; it was unto…

Search the Scriptures; the words may be read either imperatively (as our translation readeth them) or indicatively, You do search the Scriptures; that is, of the Old Testament, for the books of the New Testament were not at that time written; but as they had the books of the Old Testament, so they…

You will not own, embrace, and receive me as the true Messiah and Saviour of the world, though that be the only means by which you can obtain that eternal life which you pretend to be seeking after, and rightly think that the Scripture alone can show you the way to. These two verses teach us, 1.

I depend not upon the single testimony of men; or, I seek not, nor hunt after, the honour of men, nor regard what they think or say of me.

You pretend a great deal of religion, and to do many things out of love to God, and a zeal for the glory of God; but though you can cheat others, yet you cannot deceive me: I, that search the heart, and try the reins, and am a witness to your actions, know that, whatsoever you pretend, the true…

I am come clothed with an authority from my Father, sent by him for this very purpose, to reveal his will to men for their salvation; I speak, I do nothing but by the authority of my Father which sent me; nor do I aim at my own glory, but the glory of him that sent me: yet you give no credit to my…

It is evident that by receiving honour from one another, is here to be understood the seeking and pursuing of honour and applause from men, without regard to the praise of God: so also John 12:43.

There will be no need of my accusing you, you will need no other accuser than that Moses for whom you have so great a reverence, and for whose sake you contemn me. John 9:28–29, they said, We are Moses’s disciples.

Had you given a hearty credit and understanding assent to Moses, that is, to the writings of Moses, for so the term is oft taken, Luke 16:31, Luke 24:27, you would have received me: as all the law of Moses pointed to and prefigured me, so he in particular wrote of me, Gen. 3:15, Deut. 18:15.

But if you believe not his writings, who so plainly wrote of me, and whose writings you own, and have so great a veneration for, how can I expect that you should believe the words of one whom you so vilify and condemn? For though my words be in themselves of greater authority, yet I have not so…