John 5

1. After this. Rather, “After these things,” John appears to use the singular—after this—only when he wishes to mark the sequence as immediate (cp. iii. 22; v. 14; vi. 1, etc., with ii. 12; xi. 7, 11, etc.). There was a considerable interval between iv. 54 and v. 1.

a feast. It is quite uncertain what festival it was. Almost every feast has been proposed by various expositors; but the weight of opinion is for Purim, the “Feast of Lots” (Esther ix.).

2 the sheep [market]. Rather, the “sheep-gate,” as R.V.: see Neh. iii. 1, 32; xii. 39. No doubt near the Temple, and so called from the sheep for sacrifice; but the precise situation, both of the gate and of the pool, is uncertain. Dr. Robinson identifies the latter with the Pool of the Virgin, the upper fountain of Siloam, intermittent to this day (Biblical Researches, i. 433, 508). This view is also taken by Macalister (Century of Excavation in Palestine, 1926, pp. 137-142).

Bethesda. Signifying in Aramaic, House (or place) of mercy. Westcott and others, however, think that the true reading is Bethastha, “house of the olive.”

3 impotent folk. Infirm, diseased people.

waiting, etc. From the word “witheard” to the end of ver. 4 is wanting in some ancient manuscripts (so R.V.). The passage is probably a very ancient interpolation. Ver. 7 implies that the spring was intermittent; and the intervening words express the early belief as to the cause.

6. Will thou be, etc.? “Do you want to be?”

7 while I am coming. This implies that he could move, though very slowly.

8 take up thy bed. See note on Luke v. 24.

10. The Jews. See note on i. 19.

It is not lawful, etc. See Matt. xii. 1-7, and notes.

11 the same, etc. He who can control the laws of Nature may suspend an outward religious ordinance.

12. What man is that, etc.? The form of the question (not, Who healed thee? but, Who told thee to carry thy bed?) shows how the bigoted can shut their eyes even to a Divine work, looking only at some supposed irregularity attending it.

13 had conveyed Himself away. Had retired or got out of the way. Lit., “to bend the head aside, to avoid a blow” (Westcott).

14. Jesus findeth him. “Though Jesus had withdrawn from the multitude, He sought the object of His mercy” (Westcott).

sin no more. These words seem to imply that the malady was either the effect or the punishment of sin (a different case from that in ix. 3). They are a solemn warning that sin repeated after Divine chastisement and deliverance, will incur “a worse thing”—some more signal and terrible punishment.

15 told the Jews. Partly, perhaps, to justify himself, partly to make known his benefactor.

17. My Father worketh, etc. My Father, who instituted the sabbath, is always (“even until now,” R.V.) putting forth His power, on the sabbath as well as on other days; I, His Son, do the same. In accusing me, therefore, you accuse the Father, the Lawgiver Himself, as though He transgressed His own law. The ground which our Lord here takes is peculiar to Himself, and therefore different from that on which He vindicates His disciples in Matt. xii. 3-8.

18 had broken. Literally, “was loosing,” or “relaxing.”

His Father. Rather, “His own Father,” in a peculiar sense: cp. Rom. viii. 32. So in ver. 19.

20 that ye may marvel. That ye (emphatic) who reject me may yet wonder (see Acts iv. 13), and so, in some instances at least, be led to faith.

22. For the Father, etc. Rather, “For not even doth the Father judge any man”; i.e., directly.

but hath committed (“given”), etc. Our Lord is showing His equality with the Father. And He is to be honoured, even as the Father; who, indeed, is not truly honoured, unless the Son is honoured too (23).

24. Him that sent me. That is, “who believeth Him as having sent me”; cp. xii. 44; xvii. 3; 1 John v. 9-12.

hath everlasting life. This life eternal is a present possession.

shall not come into condemnation. Rather, as R.V., “cometh not into judgement.” Already he has “passed over” out of the sphere of “death” into that of “life.” The life and death are spiritual.

25 and now is. Referring still to the spiritual resurrection, more fully to be accomplished by the gifts of Pentecost, for which “the hour cometh”; but also, in a measure, a present reality (Eph. v. 14).

26 in Himself. In Himself as its fountain.

27 and hath given Him authority, etc. “The Judge, even as the Advocate (Heb. ii. 18) must share the nature of those who are brought before Him” (Westcott). The rendering in R.V. marg. is literally correct: “because He is a son of man.”

30 as I hear. My decisions are in perfect accord with what I know the Father’s to be: see ver. 19. “These decisions are His acts of absolution or of condemnation, saying to one, ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee,’ and to another, ‘Thy deeds are evil’” (Godet).

31 if I bear witness of myself, etc. That is. If my testimony were unsupported, you might reject it as untrue: cp. viii. 14, and see note there.

32. There is another, etc. Or, “It is another that beareth witness,” so that my statements are confirmed.

33. Ye sent unto John.** Our Lord’s hearers might think, when He spoke of testimony, that He meant that of the Baptist; this He corrects; although He might indeed have referred to the forerunner.

34. I receive not testimony from man.** Rather, as R.V., “The testimony which I receive is not from man.”

that ye might be saved. Yet I appeal even to this imperfect witness, in order that you, who professed to rejoice in his light, may attain salvation by believing in me through his testimony.

35 a burning and a shining light. Rather, “The lamp that is kindled and shineth”: French version: “allumée et vivante,” “lighted and burning”: R.V., “the burning and shining lamp”: the great religious luminary of his day, in whom you took a kind of pleasure (Mark vi. 20); yet, after all, he was not “the Light”; see i. 9, and note. He shines only because “kindled”; i.e., his light is derived. The word was shows that the day of his shining was past.

36. I have greater witness.** Better, “The witness which I have is greater” (R.V.).

the same works that I do. The very miracles which I am now doing, and one of which occasioned this discourse. To His miracles our Lord often appealed (x. 25, 37; xiv. 10, 11; xv. 24).

37 the Father. In the law and the prophets, and at the baptism of Christ. But this was only a part of the testimony. He who cannot be discerned by human sense, reveals His truth to prepared souls. This inward revelation is the “abiding word.”

39. Search the Scriptures.** Or, as R.V., “Ye search the Scriptures.” The whole argument of our Lord is to show that while they have the witness, they reject it. So their scrupulous examination of Scripture itself comes to nothing, for they reject Him whom it reveals. “No doubt you search the Scriptures with care, supposing that eternal life is to be found in this kind of study, and yet (40) you will not come unto me that you may have this life.” So Godet.

44 from God only. Rather, as R.V., “from the only God”; the only source of true honour.

45. Do not think, etc.** It is no part of my work to accuse you (iii. 17). Nor is this necessary; your own Moses is your accuser. Disbelieving me, you do in fact disbelieve him who “wrote of me.”

in whom ye trust. Lit., as R.V., “on whom ye have set your hope.” Vulgate: “in quo vos speratis” (“in whom ye hope”).

46 for he wrote of me. This is an important testimony to the author of the Pentateuch, and to the correctness of that interpretation of its promises, types, and prophecies which applies them to Christ.