JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:1 Chapters John 5:1 tell of escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. As Jesus defends his ministry, he cites several major witnesses on his behalf. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:2 BETHESDA means “house of mercy.” ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:3 See esv footnote. The material about an angel of the Lord stirring the water and bringing healing appears in some early manuscripts, but not the earliest. Thus v. 4 should not be considered part of Scripture. Still, v. John 5:7 (which is in all manuscripts) shows that people be... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:5 He had been an INVALID for THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS, longer than many people lived at that time. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:6 KNEW probably indicates Jesus’ divine knowledge of the man’s situation (compare John 1:48; John 4:18). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:7 WHEN THE WATER IS STIRRED UP indicates that people thought that at least the first person entering the water would be healed. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:10 IT IS THE SABBATH. Nothing in the OT specifically prohibited carrying one’s bedroll on the Sabbath day (see Exodus 20:8). The man violated later Jewish traditions. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:14 TEMPLE. That is, the larger temple complex rather than the actual building (see note on 2:14). SIN NO MORE may imply that the man’s suffering was due to sin, though not all suffering is due to personal sin (see note on 9:2). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("i... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:16 Jesus’ Jewish opponents put their merely human religious tradition above genuine love and compassion for others (contrast Leviticus 19:18 and Jesus’ example). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:17 MY FATHER suggests a closer relationship with God than other people had (see John 20:17). “My Father IS WORKING UNTIL NOW, AND I AM WORKING” is clearly a claim to deity, as Jesus’ hearers understood (John 5:18). Genesis 2:2 teaches that God rested on the seventh day of creatio... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:19 THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIS OWN ACCORD. God the Father and God the Son have different roles. The Son is subject to the Father in everything he does, yet this does not deny their equality. See notes on vv. 21, 22, 23. ONLY WHAT HE SEES THE FATHER DOING may mean that Jesus had... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:20 The Father shows Jesus ALL THAT HE HIMSELF IS DOING. Jesus sees God’s hand and purpose in every event in this world. The GREATER WORKS include the raising of the dead (John 11:1), Jesus’ own death and resurrection (chs. John 18:1), and the final resurrection and judgment (John... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:21 Jesus’ statement that THE SON also GIVES LIFE TO WHOM HE WILL is another claim to deity. It shows that Jesus does what only God can do: raise the dead and give life. This “life” is both the new “life” now given to believers (v. John 5:24; John 11:25; 2 Corinthians 5:17) and th... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:22 THE FATHER... HAS GIVEN ALL JUDGMENT TO THE SON. Another claim to deity, since only God has the right to render final judgment (e.g., Genesis 18:25; Judges 11:27). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.len [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:23 The statement THAT ALL MAY HONOR THE SON, JUST AS THEY HONOR THE FATHER establishes Jesus’ right to be worshiped. It is a claim to deity. WHOEVER DOES NOT HONOR THE SON DOES NOT HONOR THE FATHER WHO SENT HIM. Religions that consider Jesus merely a great prophet do not represen... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:24 HAS ETERNAL LIFE. See note on 3:36. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:25 NOW HERE. Jesus emphasizes the present reality of eternal life. THE DEAD. The spiritually dead who hear and believe. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:26 God THE FATHER was never created and was never given his life by anyone else. He HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, so he can give that life to others. The Son also has LIFE IN HIMSELF and can call the dead to life. See John 1:4; see also John 3:15; John 11:25; and note on 14:6. ⇐... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:27 SON OF MAN echoes Daniel 7:13; see note on John 1:51. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:28 Jesus reaffirms the resurrection on the last day. Compare Daniel 12:2. THOSE WHO HAVE DONE GOOD... THOSE WHO HAVE DONE EVIL does not imply that people’s deeds in this life are the basis on which judgment is decided (see John 3:16; John 5:24). Instead, good works flow from true... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:30 NOTHING ON MY OWN. See notes on vv. 21, 22, 23. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:31 Jesus speaks of several witnesses who bear testimony concerning him (see chart). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:32 The Jews may think ANOTHER refers to the Baptist (see vv. John 5:33), but Jesus means God the Father (v. John 5:37). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:33 Salvation can be found only in Christ (see note on 3:18). Jesus as THE TRUTH fulfills the teaching of the OT (John 1:17) and reveals the true God (see John 1:14, John 1:17; John 5:33; John 18:37; also John 8:40,... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:35 Jesus’ description of John the Baptist as a BURNING AND SHINING LAMP echoes Psalms 132:17. The past tense may mean that John is now dead or at least in prison. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:37 THE FATHER... HAS HIMSELF BORNE WITNESS refers to the whole of God the Father’s witness. This includes all of Jesus’ miracles and teaching as directed by the Father (John 3:2; John 5:19) and all of God’s witness to the Messiah in Scripture (see vv. John 5:45; Luke 24:27, Luke... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:39 Studying the Bible ought to result in genuine faith in Jesus. IT IS THEY THAT BEAR WITNESS ABOUT ME. See Overview of the Bible. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:43 I HAVE COME IN MY FATHER’S NAME. Jesus came with God the Father’s authority and represented the Father’s entire character. IF ANOTHER COMES. Jesus predicted the appearing of false messiahs (Matthew 24:24 and parallels) as a sign of the end times (Matthew 24:5 and parallels).... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:46 IF YOU BELIEVED MOSES, YOU WOULD BELIEVE ME assumes that true believers are eager to accept all the words of God, including those written by Moses (that is, Genesis 1:1–Deuteronomy 1:1). FOR HE WROTE OF ME applies to specific predictions like Deuteronomy 18:15 and to all the w... [ Continue Reading ]