John 5 Commentary
“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” Genesis 2 verse 2
“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” Verse 17.
What do you make of such deep stuff? It relates to the Sabbath which in turn relates to the creation activities. Chapter 1 labored to explore the role of the word-cam-creator Jesus’ role in creation.
Probably because something has gone wrong with the product, the Creator God has been busy upwards of Genesis 3.
“And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man”. Verse 27. One very good reason why we shouldn’t judge others is simply because we are not authorized to judge.
Verses 28 and 29 are gravely important. They establish the fact that all people will be raised back to life to face judgment. The resurrection of the dead is for everyone, god-fearing or not. Judgment is for everyone, god-fearing or not. Verses 28 and 29.
Eternal life appears to be a reference to the life that the Spirit gives; it isn’t a reference to immortality. However, the life that the Spirit gives is actually eternal.
And what is life?
Life is God; life is the Son of God – Jesus. Life isn’t existing or the state of not being dead. Life is Jesus. It also follows that death is the opposite of life. It isn’t the state of not being alive as we know it. Or the cessation of biological activities. Death is having no Jesus – having no Spirit of God. Verses 24 to 26.
The phrase “Child of God” isn’t uncommon among the saints. But back then calling God ‘Father’ would attract a death sentence! Who dares claim equality with divinity! At the center of this argument is John Chapter 1 verse 12. “…He gave the right to become children of God”. But of course, the religious leaders of the day had problems with the identity of Jesus. If only they knew He was the Creator God, the life-giving God – the Judge!
What did Moses say about Jesus? What did he write?
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,… And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis verses 1 to 3.
Check Chapter 1 of this Book and see how Moses describes what Jesus did! He was the Word. He was the Creator God whose work brought forth existence and the life we learn about in the scripture. “Let there be light”, He lights up the world. He is the light of the world. In Revelation, the scripture states that there will be no need for the Sun as the LORD God will provide the light. Revelation 22 verse 5.
The healing at Bethesda informs us of God’s continued work of creation. What could be worse than being invalid for thirty-eight years? Death? No. We all die (physically). And the healed man eventually died, physically. Most likely the LORD Jesus refers to spiritual death that comes with sin. It is yet another mention of the critical need for life.
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