John 5:16

16. Omit καὶ ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν� (inserted from John 5:18) with אBCDL against A.

16. διὰ τοῦτο. For this cause. We should mark the difference between διὰ τοῦτο (John 5:18; John 6:65; John 7:21-22; John 8:47; John 9:23; John 10:17; John 12:39; John 13:11; John 15:19; John 16:15) and οὖν, therefore.

ἐδίωκον. Once more we have contrasted effects of Christ’s work (see on John 2:16). The man healed returns thanks in the Temple, and maintains the authority of Jesus over the Sabbath: ‘the Jews’ persecute Him. This is the first declaration of hostility, and it comes very early in the ministry. Note the imperfects ἐδίωκον, ‘continued to persecute’; the hostility is permanent: ἐποίει, ‘was wont to do’; He went counter to the Law on principle. Ὅτι ἐποίει may be either the Jews’ or S. John’s statement. Perhaps some of the unrecorded miracles (John 2:23; John 4:45) were wrought on the Sabbath. His having convicted them of publicly profaning the Temple (John 2:14) would make them the more eager to retaliate for a public profanation of the Sabbath. Comp. a similar result in Galilee (Luke 6:1-11).