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JOHN CHAPTER 5
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand in
accordance with the framework in which it was written: a framework which
is defined by the normative rules of language, context and logic. Rules
which do not impose undue, unintended meanings to the text
,
and which largely limit the observer to the content offered by the Gospel
of John. In order for any passage from elsewhere to be considered, it must
have a relationship with the context at hand, such as a Scriptural
quotation or a specific cross reference in the passage at hand by the
author. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere;
and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and
objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
(Jn 5:1 NAS) '''After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
(Jn 5:2 YLT) and there is in Jerusalem by the sheep-[gate] a pool that is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches,
(Jn 5:3 YLT) in these were lying a great multitude of the ailing, blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
(Jn 5:5 NKJV) Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity [for] thirty-eight years.
(Jn 5:6 NKJV) When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"
(Jn 5:7 NKJV) The sick man answered Him, "Sir, ["Kurie"], I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
(Jn 5:8 NKJV) Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."
(Jn 5:9 NAS) Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet [lit., bed] and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.
(Jn 5:10 NAS) So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured [lit., had been healed], "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet [lit., bed]."
(Jn 5:11 NKJV) He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk, [be walking].' "
(Jn 5:12 NKJV) Then they asked him, "Who is the Man Who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'? "
(Jn 5:13 YLT) But he that was healed had not known who he is, for Jesus did move away, a multitude being in the place.
(Jn 5:14 NKJV) [After these things] Afterward Jesus found [lit., finds] him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made [lit., have become] well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." '''
(Jn 5:1 NAS) '''After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (Jn 5:2 YLT) and there is in Jerusalem by the sheep-[gate] a pool that is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches, (Jn 5:3 YLT) in these were lying a great multitude of the ailing, blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. (Jn 5:5 NKJV) Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity [for] thirty-eight years. (Jn 5:6 NKJV) When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" (Jn 5:7 NKJV) The sick man answered Him, "Sir, ["Kurie"], I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." (Jn 5:8 NKJV) Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." (Jn 5:9 NAS) Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet [lit., bed] and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. (Jn 5:10 NAS) So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured [lit., had been healed], "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet [lit., bed]." (Jn 5:11 NKJV) He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk, [be walking].' " (Jn 5:12 NKJV) Then they asked him, "Who is the Man Who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'? " (Jn 5:13 YLT) But he that was healed had not known who he is, for Jesus did move away, a multitude being in the place. (Jn 5:14 NKJV) [After these things] Afterward Jesus found [lit., finds] him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made [lit., have become] well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." =
The verse rendered "After these things there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem," indicates that a significant passage of time had occurred since Jesus came to Galilee shortly after a previous Passover, (Jn 5:1; cf. Jn 2:23). The Sinaiticus manuscript has the word "the feast" with the definite article to signify another Passover - the key Jewish feast. Since Jesus kept the three major annual feasts: the Feast of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Exodus 34:22-23); and since He celebrated three Passovers which marked the passage of His earthly ministry, (2:13; 6:4; 11:55); then it is likely that the feast in view in Jn 5:1 was another Passover which Jesus celebrated in Jerusalem. The passage goes on to say that in Jerusalem by the sheep gate there was a pool, in actuality a double pool called "Bethesda." It was surrounded by colonnades on four sides and a fifth colonnade standing on the dividing walk that separated the northern and southern pools. It had five porches with two on each end and one in the middle. And within these five porches were lying a great number of the ailing, blind, lame and withered; waiting for the moving of the water which they evidently believed was a signal of availability of supernatural healing in the waters for the first person that entered the pool, (Jn 5:2-3).
Manuscripts 02A-corr, (5th century), 04C-corr, (5th), 017K, (9th), 032, (5th), 036, (10th), 037, (9th), 038, (9th), 1, (4th), 13, (9th), [byz. Lach], each of which was from the 4th century or later, contain the following verse:
(Jn 5:4 NAS) "For an angel [of the Lord] went down at certain seasons [lit., throughout (certain) times) into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted."
But many earlier manuscripts do not have Jn 5:4, such as p66, 075, 01A, (4th), 02A-org, (5th), 03B, (4th), 04C-corr, (5th), 019L, (8th), [also sa. Treg, Alf Tisc, We/Ho, Wis, Sod, UBS] . Although verse 7 corroborates that there was a superstition amongst those who went to the pool that the first one to enter the pool when the water appeared agitated would be healed; the truth of the matter is that verse 4 neither fits the context of the gospel of John nor the character of God. There is no corroboration that the Angel of the LORD periodically agitated the water in the Bethesda pool and healed only the person who managed to enter the pool first, contradicting God's healing by grace. Nevertheless many individuals who came to the Bethesda pool believing in this myth did so with an unscriptural, blind, irrational and desperate hope.
The invalid man had been confined to a bed for 38 years which made it nearly impossible for him to be the first one to get into the 'healing' waters of the pool before anyone else when the waters appeared agitated. Jesus, with a supernatural knowledge of the invalid man's long term condition, approached the man as he was lying on the ground at one of the porches of the pool. He asked him if he wanted to be healed, (Jn 5:5-6). The man answered, ("Sir, ["Kurie" = Master, Lord, Sir] I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me"). The man evidently did not look to Jesus for healing. Instead, the invalid explained to Jesus the hopelessness of his getting healed because he had no one to help him into the pool ahead of everyone else, (Jn 5:7). He did not recognize Who Jesus was nor the possibility with Jesus' question, "Do you want to be made well?" that Jesus might be offering to help him be cured in some manner.
Then Jesus said, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." The man was immediately made well, evidently recognized that he was healed, stood up, picked up his pallet and began to walk as Jesus had told him to do. Note that there is no indication that the invalid man was required by Jesus to believe in Him to be healed before he was made well. Author John interjected that all of this had occurred on the Sabbath, (Jn 5:8-9). When the Jews approached the healed man, they said, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet." In their view this was a stoning offense. Instead of showing compassion for him being healed they tried to convict him of violating the Law and have him stoned to death, (Jn 5:10). The man said to the Jews, "He Who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk,' putting the blame squarely on Jesus, (Jn 5:11). The Jews interrogated the man further, "Who is the Man Who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk?' " In their view, this was a capital offense by Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, (Jn 5:12). The healed man answered that he did not know who it was who healed him. Author John stipulated that Jesus had already disappeared in the crowd of people in the area, (Jn 5:13). Jesus could have avoided the Jews yet another time; but the cured man had such a problem with sin, that it motivated Jesus to come back and speak to him. He said to the man, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." At that time, Jesus permitted the Jewish authorities to encounter Him. Note that there is no implication being made by Jesus that sin brought upon the healed man his lengthy disease; nor did his cure occur as a result of his repentance or faith. There is nothing stipulated to that end either. Jesus indicated that such sin could cause an even worse condition than his being crippled: his unconscionable ingratitude toward the Son of God for healing the man, as exemplified by the man pointing Jesus out to the Jews to curry favor with them. Jesus' command to the once crippled man to "Sin no more," is emphatic and points to his ingratitude as well as the direction his life should take: one of endeavoring to walk in a manner pleasing to God. Sinless perfection may be an unrealistic goal for flawed mankind, but this is not to say that one should not make an effort not to sin. So what is implied is that sin can cause temporal consequences in an individual, especially his inconscionable lack of gratitude; which consequences for continued sin may be even worse than the man's longterm illness, (Jn 5:14).
Note that neither Jesus nor the healed man were breaking any regulation in the Law of Moses. The Jewish leaders fabricated self-serving regulations and strictly enforced them as if they were a part of the Law. They took Scripture out of context, redefined and added to it for their own purposes. Although, the Mosaic Law required that work cease on the seventh day, (cf Ex 20:10; 31:15; Num 15:32-36); there is no statute that prohibits acts of mercy or acts vital to the preservation of [eternal] life - animal or human, i.e., acts of good on the Sabbath. For prohibition of good would be evil! Just as the Mosaic Law permits an animal which is in a life threatening situation to be rescued on the Sabbath; (cf. Lk 14:5); and just as untying ones own animal and leading it to water is permitted on the Sabbath, [which people including Pharisees did regularly, (Lk 13:15)]; so the Law permits a man to be healed, pick up his pallet and go home a whole man on the Sabbath. Furthermore, if the actions of the healed man were actually a violation of the Mosaic Law, then it would also have been a violation for all the others who brought their pallets, mats, etc. with them to the pool on the Sabbath. But there is no evidence that the Pharisees pursued them also.
(Jn 5:15 NAS) "The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had made him well.
(Jn 5:16 YLT) and because of this were the Jews persecuting Jesus, and seeking to kill Him, because these things He was doing on a sabbath.
(Jn 5:17 NKJV) But Jesus answered them [the Jews, (Jn 5:16)], 'My Father has been working [lit., works, present tense] until and now and I have been working [lit., work, present tense].
(Jn 5:18 NAS) For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God."
(Jn 5:1 NAS) '''After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (Jn 5:2 YLT) and there is in Jerusalem by the sheep-[gate] a pool that is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches, (Jn 5:3 YLT) in these were lying a great multitude of the ailing, blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. (Jn 5:5 NKJV) Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity [for] thirty-eight years. (Jn 5:6 NKJV) When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" (Jn 5:7 NKJV) The sick man answered Him, "Sir, ["Kurie"], I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." (Jn 5:8 NKJV) Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." (Jn 5:9 NAS) Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet [lit., bed] and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. (Jn 5:10 NAS) So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured [lit., had been healed], "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet [lit., bed]." (Jn 5:11 NKJV) He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk, [be walking].' " (Jn 5:12 NKJV) Then they asked him, "Who is the Man Who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'? " (Jn 5:13 YLT) But he that was healed had not known who he is, for Jesus did move away, a multitude being in the place. (Jn 5:14 NKJV) [After these things] Afterward Jesus found [lit., finds] him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made [lit., have become] well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." (Jn 5:15 NAS)The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had made him well. (Jn 5:16 YLT) and because of this were the Jews persecuting Jesus, and seeking to kill Him, because these things He was doing on a sabbath. (Jn 5:17 NKJV) But Jesus answered them [the Jews, (Jn 5:16)], 'My Father has been working [lit., works, present tense] until now and I have been working [lit., work, present tense]. (Jn 5:18 NAS) For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." =
When the ungrateful man who was healed at the Bethesda pool left the temple, he voluntarily pointed Jesus out to the Jews as the One who made him well, evidently to curry favor with them. He had previously claimed that he was only following Jesus' orders, (Jn 5:11, 15). Yet it was he who picked up his pallet and walked away with it, and then volunteered to point Jesus out to the Jews. Although there was no real violation of the Law, the Jewish leaders thought otherwise, hence the cured man was trying to curry favor with them to avoid being punished, even stoned to death by the Jews by putting all the blame on Jesus.
The Jews
persisted in trying persecute and kill Jesus because He had healed a man
on the Sabbath, (totally ignoring the fact that He had performed a
supernatural miracle from God - a good work that was not forbidden by the
Sabbath Law). In their view, this was a stoning offense, (Jn 5:16).
Although Jesus had disappeared through the crowds to avoid the Jews
before, (cf. Jn 5:13); when the cured man pointed Jesus out, He permitted
an encounter with them. They confronted Him about healing the invalid man
on the Sabbath. Jesus' answer referred to God as His Father in a uniquely
intimate way on the same plane with God, making Himself equal with God,
(cf. Jn 1:1 ).
He then equated the work of God, His Father, with His own work in kind,
quality and duration: God's work has never ceased from the beginning - not
even on the Sabbath; and it consists of works of grace and mercy, of
judgment, of maintaining the universe. The Jews understood that what Jesus
said implied that He was equal with God, and that they sought all the more
to kill Him, (Jn 5:17-18). In the same way that the Pharisees, priests and
Levites performed their duties on the Sabbath, so Jesus was carrying out
His ministry which included healing and preaching the Word. Since the
ceremonial law was kept on the Sabbath Day, why not an act of mercy?
Neither activity was a violation of the Sabbath Law.
For example, if the day of a
Jewish child's birth necessitated circumcision on the Sabbath, the Law
permitted the work to be done (cf. Jn 7:22). The Jewish authorities did
not question the authenticity of Jesus' miraculous healing of the invalid
man, nor did they consider that it came from God, (Jn 3:1).
(Jn 5:19 NKJV) "Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
(Jn 5:20 NKJV) For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
(Jn 5:21 NKJV) For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will."
(Jn 5:15 NAS) "The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had made him well. (Jn 5:16 YLT) and because of this were the Jews persecuting Jesus, and seeking to kill Him, because these things He was doing on a sabbath. (Jn 5:17 NKJV) But Jesus answered them [the Jews, (Jn 5:16)], 'My Father has been working [lit., works, present tense] until now and I have been working [lit., work, present tense]. (Jn 5:18 NAS) For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. (Jn 5:19 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (Jn 5:20 NKJV) For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. (Jn 5:21 NKJV) For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will." =
At first the
Jews sought to kill Jesus because He had allegedly broken the Law by
healing a man on the Sabbath, [totally ignoring the fact that He had
performed a supernatural miracle from God - a good work that was not
forbidden by the Sabbath Law, (Jn 5:16; cf. Jn 3:1)]. They sought all the
more to kill Him when He referred to God as His Father in a uniquely
intimate way on the same plane with God, making Himself equal with God,
(cf. Jn 1:1 ).
Jesus then equated the work of God, His Father, with His own work in kind,
quality and duration: God's work was a work of grace, of judgment, of
maintaining the universe, etc., which never ceases, not even on the
Sabbath, (Jn 5:17-18). In the next three verses, Jesus confirmed to the
Jews that He was claiming equality with God when He stated to them that
He, the Son of God, can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father
do; for whatever the Father does, the Son also does in like manner. So the
works that the Father does defines Who and what He, Jesus does.
Furthermore, He stated that the Father loves the Son and shows Him all
things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than
these, such as the miraculous healing of the invalid] that the Jews may
marvel. For as the Father raises the dead, so the Son gives life to whom
He will, (Jn 5:19-21).
So the relationship between God the Father and His Son, Jesus, is so intimate and supernaturally harmonious that Jesus sees all that the Father does and emulates Him in everything that He does, including raising from the dead whomever He will. Such a capacity which Jesus exemplified was exclusive to God, confirming His claim to be equal with God. It is interesting to note that the Jews never marveled about Jesus' healing of the man at the pool. Instead, they pursued Him in order to kill Him because they falsely viewed His healing as a violation of the Sabbath Law. They totally ignored the fact that He had performed a supernatural miracle from God - a good work that was not forbidden by the Sabbath Law at all.
(Jn 5:22 NKJV) "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,
(Jn 5:23 NKJV) that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him."
(Jn 5:19 NKJV) "Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (Jn 5:20 NKJV) For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. (Jn 5:21 NKJV) For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. (Jn 5:22 NKJV) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, (Jn 5:23 NKJV) that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him." =
Jesus goes on to explain further to the Jewish authorities, who were seeking to kill Him for allegedly breaking the Sabbath, that the Father judges no one; for He has committed all judgment to the Son, meaning Jesus Himself; that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father Who sent Him. Jesus goes on to say, evidently as a warning to the Jews, "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him." This implies, especially with Jesus' possession of the honor of God and of His authority to judge all men, that He is equal with God, (Jn 5:22-23).
(Jn 5:24 NKJV) "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him Who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."
(Jn 5:24 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him Who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
(Jn 5:24 Greek) "AmEn amEn.legO humin .hoti .ho ..ton logon .mou .agouOn
............................"Truly .truly ..I say to you, that .the the .word .my ....hearing
kai pisteuOn [nom sing pres part].....tO pempsanti ....me ..echei zOEn .aiOnion
and believing [lit., the believing one] the having sent .me, .has ...life ....eternal,
kai .eis ..krisin ......ouk erchetai alla metabebEken ek ......tou thanatou eis ..tEn zOEn."
and into .judgment not .comes ...but .has passed .....out of the death ......into the life" =
Jesus then says, emphatically, to the Jews, "He who hears My word...
[in the sense of the message He has repeatedly given on how to have eternal life]
and believes in Him Who sent Me...
[i.e., believes in Jesus' messsage that God will provide eternal life through the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ Whom He sent into the world, (cf. Jn 1:12-13; 3:16)]
has [immediate possession of] everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed out of [eternal] death into [eternal] life."
The Greek phrase "ho... pisteuOn," literally "the... believing [one]," rendered "he who... believes" in the NKJV, is a nominative participle, a noun with the definite article, signifying the one who is the believer in the Father Who sent Him, in the sense of the one who believes in Jesus' message that the Father sent His Son to be an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, (cf. Jn 3:14-16). It has a moment of faith in view. So whoever becomes the believing one in a moment's time has immediate possession of eternal life, for the Greek word "echei," rendered "has" is in the present tense giving one a present tense possession of eternal life once one becomes the believer, which duration is forever. The verse goes on to say, and [the believing one] will not be condemned, he has passed from [eternal] death to [eternal] life. The verb in the phrase "has passed from [eternal] death to [eternal] life" which is rendered from the Greek verb "metabebeken," is in the perfect tense, which portrays an action that has been completed in the past with continuing results in the present, i.e., an everlasting concept which signifies that one has permanently passed from eternal death to eternal life. Physical death and physical life are not in view because the phrase cannot be referring to an individual who is physically dead, believing in the gospel and then as a result becoming physically alive. Furthermore, no deeds are in view in order to receive eternal life, only a moment of faith alone in Christ alone. Finally, eternal life once received because of the lasting quality of eternal means forever. Note that the phrase rendered "believes in Him [meaning God] Who sent Me [meaning Jesus Christ]" is unique in an eternal life passage; nevertheless it is the same in content as those passages which refer to believing in Jesus Christ unto eternal life, (cf. Jn 1:12-13; 3:14-16).
(Jn 5:25 NKJV) "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
(Jn 5:26 NAS) For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself.
(Jn 5:27 NAS) and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man."
(Jn 5:19 NKJV) "Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (Jn 5:20 NKJV) For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. (Jn 5:21 NKJV) "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. (Jn 5:22 NKJV) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, (Jn 5:23 NKJV) that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him. (Jn 5:24 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him Who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (Jn 5:25 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. (Jn 5:26 NAS) For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself. (Jn 5:27 NAS) and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. =
After having declared that those who believe in Jesus' message that God has sent His Son to be an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world should have eternal life, (Jn 5:24); Jesus emphatically declared "the hour is coming, and now is" [in the sense of it being imminent], when those of the dead who hear the voice of the Son of God, Jesus, [which implies God's enabling of the dead to hear His voice - all those who were believers] will live [evidently will be resurrected by Jesus from the dead to eternal life all those who believed in Jesus unto eternal life], (Jn 5:25, cf. 5:24). The power behind this, Jesus stipulated was Himself: "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself," [in the sense of Jesus, the Son of God in His Humanity being able to create life and raise the dead, giving physical and eternal life to whomever He chooses, (Jn 5:26; cf. Jn 5:21). Note that Jesus in His Diety already has life in Himself, because being God He has always had all the powers of God.
(Jn 1:1 YLT) "In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(Jn 1:3 NAS) All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
(Jn 1:4 NAS)
In Him was life, and the Life was the Light of men.
]"
Furthermore, Jesus stated that God gave His Son authority to execute judgment because He, Jesus, is the Son of Man," (cf. Jn 1:51) - judgment in the sense of having the complete and full authority of God to judge all mankind, all creation, (Jn 5:27).
*** EXCERPT FROM JOHN CHAPTER ONE RE: JESUS AS THE SON OF MAN ***
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(Jn 1:29 NKJV) '''The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:30 YLT) This is He concerning Whom I said, 'After me doth come a man, Who hath come before me, because He was before me:' (Jn 1:31 NKJV) I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." (Jn 1:32 NKJV) And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. (Jn 1:33 NKJV) I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' (Jn 1:34 NKJV) And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." (Jn 1:35 YLT) On the morrow, again, John was standing, and two of his disciples, (Jn 1:36 NKJV) And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" (Jn 1:37 YLT) and the two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus. (Jn 1:38 NKJV) [But] Jesus [having] turned, and [having seen] them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to Him, "Rabbi, (which is to say, [being interpreted] Teacher), "Where [do you reside]?" (Jn 1:39 NKJV) He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). (Jn 1:40 NKJV) One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. (Jn 1:41 NKJV) He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated the Christ). (Jn 1:42 NKJV) And he brought him to Jesus. [And] when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, ... stone). (Jn 1:43 NKJV) The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." (Jn 1:44 NKJV) Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. (Jn 1:45 NKJV) Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (Jn 1:46 NKJV) And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." (Jn 1:47 NKJV) Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" (Jn 1:48 NKJV) Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." (Jn 1:49 NKJV) Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (Jn 1:50 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." (Jn 1:51 NKJV) And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." ''' =
The day after John the Baptist recognized Jesus for the first time as "the Christ;" John who was again standing with two of his disciples, once more looking at Jesus as He walked, said, "Behold the Lamb of God." The previous day, John, when he first recognized Jesus as "the Christ" declared "Behold the Lamb of God," and at that time added, "Who takes away the sin of the world," (Jn 1:29). Note that both declarations refer to the key to the fulfillment of our LORD's mission to bring His righteous kingdom rule into the world: His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, offering Himself as the perfect sacrificial "Lamb of God."
So when John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God" on the next day, his two disciples, who heard John announcing the arrival of Jesus with, "Behold the Lamb of God," followed Jesus. But Jesus having turned and having seen them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to Him, "Rabbi" meaning Teacher, "Where do you reside?"
"Strapheis .........de ho IEsous kai theasamenos autous akolouthountas .legei autois
"Having turned .but ....Jesus, and .beheld ..........them ...following, ..........says .to them,
Ti ......zEteite .....Hoi .de .eipon autO ...Rhabbi ho ......legetai .....hermEneuomenon .Didaskale, pou ....meneis"
What seek you? The and said ..to him .Rabbi ..which .is to say ..being interpreted ...Teacher, ...where do you reside?"
Jesus responded to Andrew's "Where do you reside?" with "Come and see." So the two disciples of John came and saw where Jesus was staying, and remained with Him that day. And then it was about the tenth hour, (Jn 1:39), which most likely was 4 PM, since Jewish time was customarily reckoned from sunrise.
Since John the Baptist's purpose was to announce the coming of the Christ to establish His righteousness and His eternal kingdom through His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, so that men might choose to believe in Him to enter that kingdom and follow Him as disciples; then when the Christ came, that was the beginning of the culmination of John the Baptist's ministry. Hence Scripture reports that on the day after John first announced the presence of the Messiah, two of his disciples began to follow Jesus and became His disciples. Note that the two disciples' following Jesus was a signal that they had moved from being disciples of John the Baptist to disciples of Jesus the Christ, the Lamb of God. When the two men asked Jesus, "Where do you reside," they called Him "Rabbi, literally Master or Teacher. And Jesus' answer was "Come and see," which implies for them to follow Him.
One of the two disciples of
John who heard John speak and followed Jesus, was named Andrew, brother of
Simon Peter, (Jn 1:40). The next verse, (Jn 1:41), indicates with the
beginning phrase, "He [Andrew] first found his own brother Simon"
that the first thing Andrew did after visiting with Jesus was to find his
brother, Simon. Andrew said to Simon, " 'We have found the Messiah,'
(which is translated the Christ, [Jn 1:41].)" This corroborates that "the
Christ," the annointed One of God is the Messiah
So Andrew brought Simon to Jesus, and when Jesus looked at him, He said "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (rendered Stone, in the NKJV, (Jn 1:42). The Aramaic word "Cephas" (KEphas), meaning "rock" is the name Jesus gave to Simon. Author John translated the aramaic word into the Greek word Petros, for his readers. "Petros"refers to a throwing sized rock as opposed to Petra, a boulder or foundational stone.
The following day, (notice that this is a sequential historical narrative), Jesus made it known that He wanted to go to Galilee. He found Philip, and He said to Philip, "Follow Me, (Jn 1:43)." Note that Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, (Jn 1:44). Later, Philip found Nathanael and said to him: "We [evidently referring to other disciples of John the Baptist] have found Him of Whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote [OT Scripture, (Jn 1:45)]." Philip was speaking of OT Scripture passages which referred to the Messiah / Savior / Ruler coming to bring in His righteous Kingdom of God through Israel. And then Philip says, [The One Moses and the Prophets refers to is] "Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph," Whom he evidently knew as a man of his generation from the local town of Nazareth, a son of a local man named Joseph. Nathanael responded negatively with, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nathanael reflected upon the negative character of the village of Nazareth. Andrew did not debate this with Nathanael, but simply said, "Come and see," (Jn 1:46). And Nathanael did come and see. When Jesus saw Nathanael, He said, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit," (Jn 1:47). Evidently, Nathanael's character included being forthright and honest in a finite human sense. This is not to say that Nathanael was absolutely guileless as God is without guile. And Nathanael responded as if Jesus had a specially informed insight into his character with, "How do you know me?" Jesus' answer to Nathanael's question "How do you know me?" was "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you," (Jn 1:48). Jesus' answer implies a supernatural knowing of Nathanael; for walking by where Nathanael was sitting under a fig tree would not have provided insight into Nathanael's character being without guile. Nathanael's response affirms that he understood that Jesus had a supernatural knowledge of his nature: "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
So Nathanael's understanding was that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. And Nathanael's key focus was that Jesus was coming to be King of Israel. Note that author John did not indicate that Nathanael understood that the Christ was to be, as John the Baptist said, "the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world" so as to bring in His Kingdom of Righteousness not just to Israel but to the whole world. Jesus then answered Nathanael, "Because I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these. Most assuredly [Jesus said to Nathanael] hereafter you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." So Nathanael will be given spiritual vision of heaven opening and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, Jesus Christ.
Jn 1:48-51 implies that Nathanael was knowledgable of passages in Scripture which related to the coming Messiah / Savior / Ruler as the Son of God and King of Israel. When Jesus referred to Nathanael seeing angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, (Jn 1:51); this was similar to when John the Baptist saw the Spirit of God descending from heaven like a dove upon Jesus, (Jn 1:32); and the time when Jacob saw in a dream, the angels going up and down a ladder into the world:
(Gen 28:10 NKJV) "Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.
(Gen 28:11 NKJV) So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.
(Gen 28:12 NKJV) Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it."
Jesus' statement to Nathanael in Jn 1:51, "Hereafter you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man" has Jesus in view as the Son of Man. With the definite article, "the," a specific Son of Man is in view, a unique Human Being - a representative of Mankind, as the phrase "Son of" means having the characteristics of. The phrase "Son of Man" comes from a number of passages in the Old Testament:
(Dan 7:9 NKJV) "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days [God the Father] was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
(Dan 7:10 NKJV) A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.
(Dan 7:11 NKJV) I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.
(Dan 7:12 NKJV) As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
(Dan 7:13 NKJV) I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds [angels] of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days [God the Father], And they brought Him near before Him.
(Dan 7:14 NKJV) Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed."
The phrase, "Ancient of Days," in Dan 7:9-14 refers to God the Father. And the phrase "Son of Man" in Dan 7:13, where "Son of" means to have the characteristics of; in the case of Dan chapter 7, a representative of Man, i.e., Humanity Who at the same time is God.
With the definite article, "the" a specific Son of Man is in view, a unique Human Being Who Daniel saw in a vision "coming with the clouds of heaven" [Angels, (cf. Ps 104:1-4)] toward the Ancient of Days, [God the Father], (Dan 7:9). Note that heaven does not characteristically have clouds; nor does the Son of Man come with the clouds of heaven unless those clouds were other than literal clouds, i.e., angelic beings. Hence those clouds, it can be concluded are angelic beings, who characteristically would accompany the Son of Man, (cf. Ps 104:1-4), and lead Him into the presence of the Ancient of Days, a term used to describe God, (Dan 7:9-10). So God the Son, Who is God and Man at the same time, appears in heaven in Daniel's vision of the future in His glorified human body. So the Son of Man is led by angels into the throne room and the presence of God the Father before hosts of angelic beings and believers of ages past, (vv. 9-12). Such a unique "Son of Man," who can approach the Ancient of Days, God the Father, must also be more than a man, for verse 7:14 declares that "He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away; and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed;" for only God is to be worshipped, (Dt 6:13), and has an everlasting dominion and absolute sovereign power. Hence "the Son of Man" is God and Man. So it is in the name of the Son of Man in which universal judgment is committed to Him. And in the Son of Man is fulfilled blessing and salvation through a coming Man. All of this is a function of God and God alone. So He Who bears the title of the Son of Man is God Himself.
(Ps 80:14 NKJV) "Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; Look down from heaven and see, And visit this vine,
(Ps 80:15 NKJV) And the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, And the branch that You made strong for Yourself.
(PS 80:16 NKJV) It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
(PS 80:17 NKJV) Let Your hand be upon the Man of Your right hand, Upon the Son of Man Whom You made strong for Yourself."
*** END OF EXCERPT FROM JOHN CHAPTER ONE ***
(Jn 5:28 NAS) "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice,
(Jn 5:29 NAS) and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
(Jn 5:30 YLT) I am not able of Myself to do anything; according as I hear I judge, and My judgment is righteous, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father Who sent Me."
(Jn 1:12 YLT) "But as many [of His own, (Jn 1:11a)] as did receive Him to them He gave authority to become sons [lit., children] of God - to those believing in His name: (Jn 1:13 YLT) who - not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but - of God were begotten [born]... (Jn 3:14 NIV) [And] just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, (Jn 3:15 NKJV) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but [should] have eternal life... (Jn 3:18 NKJV) He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the [one and only] Son of God... (Jn 3:36 NAS) He who believes in the Son has eternal life: [but] he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him... (Jn 5:17 NKJV) But Jesus answered them [the Jews, (Jn 5:16)], 'My Father has been working [lit., works, present tense] until and now and I have been working [lit., work, present tense]. (Jn 5:18 NAS) For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. (Jn 5:19 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (Jn 5:20 NKJV) For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. (Jn 5:21 NKJV) For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. (Jn 5:22 NKJV) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, (Jn 5:23 NKJV) that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him. (Jn 5:24 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him Who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (Jn 5:25 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. (Jn 5:26 NAS) For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself. (Jn 5:27 NAS) and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. (Jn 5:28 NAS) Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, (Jn 5:29 NAS) and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. (Jn 5:30 YLT) I am not able of Myself to do anything; according as I hear I judge, and My judgment is righteous, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father Who sent Me." =
Since eternal
life comes exclusively through a moment of faith alone in Christ alone and
no other way, (Jn 1:12-13; 3:14-18, 36 and 5:24); then the resurrection /
judgment by works of Jn 5:28-29, (which has in view all who remain in the
grave after the first resurrection of all who trusted alone in Jesus
Christ), cannot include individuals who have believed in Jesus Christ unto
eternal life and received forgiveness of all of their sins. Believers must
have been resurrected prior to the judgment in Jn 5:28-29 because they
will not have to undergo judgment as to whether or not by their works they
will receive eternal life or eternal condemnation. Scripture has declared
that believers shall not come into judgment but have passed from eternal
death to eternal life, (Jn 5:24, cf. 1:12-13; 3:14-18, 36). Other passages
in Scripture corroborate that all believers will be raised in a First
Resurrection prior to the one in view in Jn 5:28-29
.
This is not to say that when an individual becomes a believer he will perform nothing but good deeds and on that basis must continue to keep or verify possession of eternal life. For no man can lead a life of perfection, not even after he becomes a believer.
On the other hand, since it is true that all those who have not believed in Christ's atoning sacrifice for them stand condemned already, (Jn 3:18, 36), indicating that all men have an internal sin nature problem that contaminates every action; then no one can ever be given eternal life on the basis of what they do. So the Second Resurrection will be comprised of all individuals who have never accepted the free gift of the righteousness of Christ by a moment of faith alone in Christ alone. They will be judged by their deeds to determine their eternal destiny.
So, to review:
after Jesus declared that the dead who hear the voice of the Son of God will be raised to eternal life, (Jn 5:25-26; cf. Jn 5:24);
and after He indicated that God gave Him authority to execute judgment, (Jn 5:22, 27);
Jesus tells the Jews not to marvel (not to question) that the Father has given the Son - Himself - all authority to execute judgment upon all mankind for He said that an hour was coming when all who remain in the grave, [every unbeliever, cf. Jn 5:24-25], will hear His voice and come forth; i.e., will be resurrected from the dead, to receive His judgment. The parameters given in Jn 5:28-29 for judging those in this Second Resurrection are two in number: (1) Those who have done nothing but good deeds will go to a resurrection of eternal life - which will be none of them, (cf. Jn 3:18, 36). (2) Those who have committed any evil deed will go to a resurrection of eternal judgment / condemnation - which will be all of them, (cf. Jn 3:18, 36).
And the One Who will judge the eternal outcome of all men will be Jesus Christ Himself Whom God gave authority to execute such judgment because He is the Son of Man, (Jn 5:22, 27; cf. Jn 3:15).
His judgment will not be of His own accord, for He is not able of Himself to do anything but that which is according to the will of the Father Who sent Him. As He hears the will of God, He judges accordingly. His judgment is absolutely righteous, because it is the judgment of God, (Jn 5:30).
(Jn 5:31 NKJV) "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
(Jn 5:32 NKJV) There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know [lit., have known] that the witness which he witnesses of Me is true.
(Jn 5:33 NKJV) You have sent [Jewish authorities] to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
(Jn 5:34 NKJV) Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.
(Jn 5:35 NKJV) He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.
(Jn 5:36 NKJV) But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish - the very works that I do - bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
(Jn 5:37 NAS ) And the Father Who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.
(Jn 5:38 NAS) You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him Whom He sent.
(Jn 5:39 NAS) You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
(Jn 5:40 NAS) and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
(Jn 5:41 YLT) Glory from man I do not receive,
(Jn 5:42 YLT) but I have known you, that the love of God ye have not in yourselves.
(Jn 5:43 YLT) I have come in the name of My Father, and you do not receive Me; if another may come in his own name, him you will receive;
(Jn 5:44 NAS) How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the One and only God?
(Jn 5:45 NAS) Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope;
(Jn 5:46 YLT) for if [you] were believing Moses, [you] would have been believing Me, for he wrote concerning Me;
(Jn 5:47 NAS) But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"
HENCE JESUS DECLARED THAT HE HAD GREATER TESTIMONY THAN JOHN'S - THE FATHER'S:
AND JESUS SAID THAT THE FATHER WHO SENT HIM TESTIFIED OF HIM.
SINCE THE JEWS NEITHER BELIEVED THAT THE WORKS HE PERFORMED WERE GIVEN TO HIM BY THE FATHER TO DO, NOR BELIEVED THAT HE WAS THE ONE WHOM GOD SENT SO THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE; JESUS CONCLUDED THAT THE JEWS HAD NEITHER HEARD THE FATHER'S VOICE NOR SEEN HIS FORM, NOR HAD THEY HIS WORD ABIDING IN THEM IN THE SENSE OF IT OPERATING IN THEIR LIVES.
HE SAID THAT THEY SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES THINKING THAT IT WOULD BRING THEM ETERNAL LIFE - SCRIPTURES WHICH TESTIFIED ABOUT JESUS WHOM THEY WERE UNWILLING TO COME TO SO THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
JESUS SAID THAT HE WAS NOT MOTIVATED TO SEEK GLORY FROM MAN BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT THE CHARACTER OF MAN WAS NOT TRUSTWORTHY. HE DECLARED THAT THE JEWISH AUTHORITIES DID NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD IN THEM. HE RECEIVED GLORY FROM GOD AND HE CAME IN HIS FATHER'S NAME AND YET THEY DID NOT RECEIVE HIM. BUT IF ANOTHER CAME IN HIS OWN NAME, THE JEWS WOULD RECEIVE HIM. HE DECLARED IN A RHETORICAL QUESTION, 'HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE WHEN YOU RECEIVE GLORY FROM ONE ANOTHER AND DO NOT SEEK THE GLORY THAT IS FROM THE ONE AND ONLY GOD?'
IN CONCLUSION, JESUS SAID FOR THEM NOT TO THINK THAT HE WOULD ACCUSE THEM BEFORE THE FATHER, FOR THE ONE WHO ACCUSES THEM IS MOSES, IN WHOM THEY HAVE SET THEIR HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE. IF THEY HAD BELIEVED IN MOSES, THEY WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IN JESUS, BECAUSE MOSES WROTE CONCERNING JESUS. AND SINCE THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE WRITINGS OF MOSES, HOW WOULD THEY BELIEVE IN JESUS' WORDS? =
(Jn 5:17 NKJV) But Jesus answered them [the Jews, (Jn 5:16)], 'My Father has been working [lit., works, present tense] until and now and I have been working [lit., work, present tense]. (Jn 5:18 NAS) For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. (Jn 5:19 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (Jn 5:20 NKJV) For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. (Jn 5:21 NKJV) For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. (Jn 5:22 NKJV) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, (Jn 5:23 NKJV) that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him. (Jn 5:24 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him Who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (Jn 5:25 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. (Jn 5:26 NAS) For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself. (Jn 5:27 NAS) and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. (Jn 5:28 NAS) Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, (Jn 5:29 NAS) and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. (Jn 5:30 YLT) I am not able of Myself to do anything; according as I hear I judge, and My judgment is righteous, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father Who sent Me. (Jn 5:31 NKJV) If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. (Jn 5:32 NKJV) There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know [lit., have known] that the witness which he witnesses of Me is true. (Jn 5:33 NKJV) You have sent [Jewish authorities] to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. (Jn 5:34 NKJV) Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. (Jn 5:35 NKJV) He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. (Jn 5:36 NKJV) But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish - the very works that I do - bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. (Jn 5:37 NAS ) And the Father Who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. (Jn 5:38 NAS) You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him Whom He sent. (Jn 5:39 NAS) You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; (Jn 5:40 NAS) and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. (Jn 5:41 YLT) Glory from man I do not receive, (Jn 5:42 YLT) but I have known you, that the love of God ye have not in yourselves. (Jn 5:43 YLT) I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not receive Me; if another may come in his own name, him you will receive; (Jn 5:44 NAS) How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the One and only God? (Jn 5:45 NAS) Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope; (Jn 5:46 YLT) for if [you] were believing Moses, [you] would have been believing Me, for he wrote concerning Me; (Jn 5:47 NAS) But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" =
Jesus had said to the Jews that if He bore witness to Himself it would not be true; not in the sense that what He was saying was false, but in the sense that it would be insufficient evidence to be taken by men as valid. The implication is that a man cannot testify to his own credibility, for that would not necessarily be sufficient testimony; for example, in Scripture, a single witness was not acceptable according to the Mosaic Law relative to a murder trial, (Num 35:30; Dt 17:6); nor was it satisfactory to the Jewish authorities of Jesus' time, (Jn 5:31). Note that Jesus had already testified to the Jews of Who He was, and they had not only rejected that truthful testimony, but sought all the more to kill Him, (Jn 5:31).
On the other hand, Jesus mentioned another testimony who bore witness of Him whose testimony He had known was true: that of John the Baptist to whom the Jews had sent authorities to investigate, (cf. Jn 1:19-27). Jesus again declared that John the Baptist's testimony about Him was true, (Jn 5:32-33); but He told them that He received testimony from no man - even John the Baptist, implying that only the Father's testimony will do.
1) [Compare Jn 3:31-32]:
(Jn 3:31 NKJV) "He Who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He Who comes from heaven is above all.
(Jn 3:32 NKJV) And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony."
When Jesus said He received testimony from no man, for only the Father's testimony will do, the Jews having rejected Jesus' and John's testimony; He indicated that he said these things because there was greater testimony from the Father which the Jews might choose to believe and be saved. For John was the burning and shining lamp of truth; but the Jews were only willing for a while to rejoice in his light until they found out that he was not the Christ, or the Prophet Who was to come, (Jn 1:19-27). Hence He declared that He had greater testimony than John's: the works that He did which the Father had given Him to finish which bore witness of Who He was - that the Father had sent Him, (Jn 5:33-36). Previously, Jesus indicated that the works of the Father defined Who He was and what He, Jesus, did.
"Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner."
Note that Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews acknowledged that Jesus had come from God... for no one was able to do the works He did if God were not with Him:
3) [Compare Jn 3:1 YLT]:
(Jn 3:1 YLT) "And there was [a] man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, [a] ruler of the Jews,
(Jn 3:2 YLT) this one [Nicodemus, (v. 1)] came unto Him by night, and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we have known that from God [you have] come - a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that [which you do] if God [is] not... with Him.' "
And Jesus said that the Father Who sent Him testified of Him. The Greek verb "memarturEken" rendered "has testified" in Jn 5:37 is in the perfect tense which refers to God's ongoing revelation about His Son, Jesus, to men and through the Scriptures of their time, i.e., Moses and the Prophets, which stipulated the works that Jesus would do. So Jesus said to the Jews that the Father Who sent Him had testified of Him. The point is implied that if you observed what Jesus did and compared it to Who the Father was and what He testified to in Scripture, it would verify Who Jesus was and in Him you would see the Father. But since the Jews neither believed that the works Jesus performed were those given to Him by the Father to do, nor believed that He was the One Whom God sent so that they might have eternal life; Jesus concluded that the Jews had neither heard the Father's voice nor seen His form, nor did they have His word abiding in them in the sense of it knowing it and having it operate in their lives, (Jn 5:37-38). Jesus went on to say, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life," in the sense that they believed that the act of searching the Scriptures in the subjective false manner that they did, twisting them to serve their own purposes, yet unwilling to believe in the testimony they provided about Jesus, would give them eternal life. Jesus said, ironically, that the Scriptures testified about Him implying that their futile self-serving search of the Scriptures resulted in them being unwilling to accept the message in Scripture that one may come to Him by faith so that they might have eternal life, (Jn 5:39-40). He concluded that He was not motivated to seek glory from man because He knew that the character of man was not trustworthy.
(Jn 2:23 NAS) Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing.
(Jn 2:24 YLT) and Jesus himself was not trusting himself to them, because of his knowing all [men],
(Jn 2:25 NKJV) and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man."
And for this reason He declared that the Jewish authorities did not have the love of God in them.
When Jesus said that He did not receive glory from man, He implied that He received glory from His Father, not the least of which was conveyed through His miracles and works which were prophesied in Scripture as coming from God, (cf. Jn 3:1-2). Jesus said that He came in His Father's name but the Jews did not receive Him; yet if another came in his own name, they would receive him, (Jn 5:41-43). He declared in a rhetorical question, "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another [from fellow men] and you do not seek the glory that is from the One and only God?" In conclusion, Jesus said for them not to think that He would accuse them before the Father, for the one who accused them was Moses, in whom they had set their hope of eternal life. He implied that they had actually not been believing in what Moses wrote, because He said that Moses wrote concerning Him giving evidence that they did not believe in Moses, so He asked them rhetorically how then would they believe in His words, (Jn 5:44-47).
CONTINUE TO
CHAPTER 6 