John 5

John 5:1

As Moses lifted up the serpent, etc. The reference is to Numbers 21:4-9. As the bitten Israelites were healed by looking upon the brazen serpent lifted on high, so the world in sin, is saved by looking to Jesus lifted up upon the cross.

John 5:3

For God so loved the world, etc. There is no sweeter verse in the Bible. It declares: (1) That God is love. (2) That he loved the world instead of hating it. (3) That he “so” loved that he gave his Son. The Son did not come to appease the Father’s wrath, but the Father sent him because he loved so well. (4) That he came to keep men from perishing.

John 5:5

He that believeth on him is not condemned. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mr 16:16). Faith in Christ is essential to salvation, because it is the power that leads to obedience to him. He that believeth not is condemned already. “Shall be damned” (Mr 16:16). The unbeliever condemns himself. He is lost and refuses to be saved by Christ.

John 5:6

This is the condemnation. That men refuse the light. Usually it is not evidence, but an honest heart and a sincere desire for truth, that are needed in order to have faith. All kinds of evil doers hate the light.

John 5:8

He that doeth truth. Truth has to be lived. He who lives it, lives an honest life sincerely desiring light, will come to the light.

John 5:9

Came into the land of Judaea. Left Jerusalem and went into the country districts. Tarried . . . and baptized. The first intimation that Jesus administered the baptismal rite. He did it through his disciples (John 4:2).

John 5:10

And John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim. The site was first identified by Lt. Conder, of the British Palestine Exploration. He found a village of Ainun near another named Salim, not far from the Jordan, northeast of Samaria, with, as he says (“Tent Work”, p. 92): the two requisites for the scene of baptism of a large multitude;--an open space and abundance of water.'' Prof. McGarvey, who visited it, says, Pools, well suited for baptizing are abundant.’' Because there was much water there. This explains, not why John preached at Aenon, but why he baptized there. “Much water” was essential to baptism in New Testament times.

John 5:12

There arose a question, etc. The Revised Version says “with a Jew”, probably a Pharisee who associated baptism with ceremonial purification.

John 5:13

He that was with thee beyond Jordan. From the fact that John’s disciples mention Jesus, it is evident that his name came up in the discussion.

John 5:15

Ye yourselves bear me witness. They complain of the fact that Jesus baptized and was very popular at this time, but John refers to the witness he had borne (John 1:20,29), and affirms that each is fulfilling the work “given him of heaven” (John 3:27).

John 5:16

The bride. The Church. The bridegroom. Christ. The friend of the bridegroom . . . rejoiceth. John already rejoices in the prospect of the union of the Bridegroom and Bride.

John 5:18

He that cometh from above. Christ, who is, therefore, above and over John.

John 5:19

No man receiveth his testimony. So few at that time that those who received were as nothing in contrast with the others.

John 5:23

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. Eternal life and eternal death turn upon trust in Christ. He who believes on the Son with a heartfelt, obedient faith, a faith that trusts all and surrenders all to the will of Christ, is born again and “hath eternal life” (John 6:54). The faith that saves is a faith that moves us to come to Christ.

John 5:25

Jesus at Sychar SUMMARY OF JOHN 4: At Jacob’s Well. The Woman of Samaria. The Question of Scared Places. God to Be Worshiped in Spirit. The Samaritans Hear the Lord. Jesus Departs to Galilee. The Nobleman’s Son Healed. When therefore the Lord knew, etc. These verses tell why Jesus ended his ministry in Judea, for the present, and departed into Galilee. The Pharisees were becoming jealous of his increasing influence and the time had not come for an open conflict.

John 5:28

He must needs go through Samaria. Because it lay right between Judea and Galilee.

John 5:29

Samaria. The district, embracing the ancient city of Samaria, which lay between Judea and Galilee. The district of Samaria comprised the country formerly occupied by the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh. When the Ten Tribes were carried to Babylon, the Assyrian king sent in other tribes to occupy the country. These mingled with the Jews left in the country, partly adopted the Jewish worship, but were contemptuously rejected by the Jews when the latter returned from the Captivity. From this time the enmity between the two races was almost bitter, and they had no dealings (see John 4:9). Sychar. This place was the ancient Shechem, so famous in the early history. It was forty miles north of Jerusalem, and was situated between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, the Mounts of Blessing and Cursing (Joshua 8:30-35). Here Jacob built his first altar (Genesis 33:18); here Joseph was buried in the land given him by his father (Joshua 24:32); and here also the covenant of Israel was renewed with amens to the blessings and curses, after Joshua had conquered Canaan (Joshua 24:1). It was afterwards called Neapolis, and at present a village called Nablous exists with a population of two thousand, about two hundred of whom are Samaritans and preserve their ancient worship. Near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. In this parcel Joseph was buried when Israel came up out of Egypt, his bones having been carried with them in accordance with his dying wish. His tomb is still shown and it can hardly be doubted that his bones really rest in the place pointed out.

John 5:30

Now Jacob’s well was there. It is still seen by the traveler, cut through the solid rock, between eight and nine feet in diameter, and about seventy-five feet deep, though partly filled with rubbish. Jesus . . . being wearied . . . sat thus on the well. The wells were usually curbed around with stone and covered. On this curb the Savior sat sheltered from the sun at noon, the sixth hour being twelve o’clock.

John 5:31

There cometh a woman of Samaria. A Samaritan woman of the city of Sychar. Why she should come so far from the city for water is a matter of conjecture.

John 5:33

How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me? She saw by his dress, appearance, and the direction whence he came that he was of the Jewish race. The antipathy between the Jews and Samaritans was so bitter that they were never wont to ask any hospitable right. The woman’s reply is not a refusal of the Lord’s request, but an expression of astonishment that a Jew should ask a favor of a Samaritan.

John 5:34

If thou knewest the gift of God, etc. The great gift of God is not water, not even peace of soul, but Christ himself, God’s “unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15), “God gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). Had she known, the Savior declares, “Thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water”. Observe: (1) That Christ asks a favor in order to confer a greater one. (2) The well and the water suggest the thirst of the soul and the waters of life. Living water. Water of life. The woman thought he meant running water.

John 5:35

Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, etc. She was deeply impressed by his manner and his words, but she falls to rise above the material meaning of his words.

John 5:36

Art thou greater than our father Jacob? The question indicates still further her dawning conviction of the greatness of the stranger. It was from Joseph, the son of Jacob, that the Samaritans claimed descent. Jesus spoke of giving living water; Jacob, their great ancestor, had given this well.

John 5:37

Whoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. Her own experience would confirm his words. Nothing earthly satisfies long.

John 5:38

Whosoever drinketh of the water I shall give him shall never thirst. The water of which he speaks is a gift which he gives to humanity. It is not given to him, but is his own gift. His language is always that of the Son of God. He says, “I am the life” (John 11:25 14:6); “Come to me, ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28); “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35,48); “He that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

John 5:39

Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst. The mysterious words of the Jewish stranger she cannot yet understand, but she is deeply stirred, and one thing seemed plain–if she could have this water she would thirst no more.

John 5:40

Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman has asked for the water; before she can receive it she must be fully conscious of her sinfulness. Hence Jesus makes a demand that will recall her past life.

John 5:41

I have no husband. The words have their designed effect. She has a man, but not a husband.

John 5:42

Thou hast had five husbands, etc. She had been married five times; the easy divorce laws of the age, permitting a “divorce for any cause” (see PNT Matthew 19:3), would allow many changes without the death of either party. Some of her husbands may have died; a part were almost certainly divorced. Her sixth alliance did not have even the apology of such a marriage.

John 5:43

Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Every word that Jesus had uttered had excited her wonder more and more, and when he lifted the curtain off her life, she was convinced at once of his superhuman knowledge.

John 5:44

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, etc. Partly to turn attention from her sinful life, and partly to have him settle a great controversy, she appeals to him to say where men ought to worship God. The Jews went up to Jerusalem to the temple. The Samaritans built their temples on “this mountain”, Mt. Gerizim. Note that the woman worshiped there because “our fathers” did. The “fathers” were wrong. Many now keep up infant sprinkling and other corruptions because their “fathers” practiced them.

John 5:45

Neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem. Now comes the announcement of one of the grandest truths revealed by Christ, that the place is immaterial, that true, spiritual worship is essential.

John 5:46

Salvation is of the Jews. In the controversy between the Jews and Samaritans, the former was right on the great issue. The Samaritans worshiped, but knew not what they worshiped, because they rejected the prophets who would have directed them.

John 5:47

The hour cometh, etc. The time is at hand, says the Lord, when a worship of forms, or at holy places, will not meet the demands of the Father. “He must be worshiped” with the heart, in spirit and in truth. Spiritual worship can be offered in any land, wherever the soul can humble itself before God.