John chapter 5 ends with Jesus main question of the
resistant unbelievers, the Pharisees. The main question.
How
is it possible for you to believe [how can you learn to believe], you who are
content to seek and receive praise and
honor and glory from one
another, and yet do not seek the praise and
honor and glory which come from
Him Who alone is God?” (John 5:44, AMP).
This chapter begins with Jesus going to
Jerusalem for a Jewish festival. While in the city, He noticed a man at the
pool of Bethesda, which means “mercy,” who was lying on a pallet waiting for the
angel of God to stir the curative waters. In this way, we hear from Jesus regarding
who He is and what His purpose is. In this chapter, Jesus moved from one witness/testimony
to another and ended with a searching question to the religious leaders.
Jesus’
encounter with the sick man began with Him noticing the man and asking him, “Do
you want to become well?” (vs.6, AMP). We notice that the man did not answer
that question but answered with a reason why he had not become well. He replied
with a statement of disbelief in his ability to get to the curative waters
because no one helped him. Jesus did not ask why he was not well. He knew why the
man was sick and what kept him from being well. Jesus asked if he wanted to
become well. After the man’s response, Jesus commanded strongly, “Get up! Pick
up your bed (mat) and walk!” (vs.8). Jesus left him with no excuse but
unbelief. The man chose to believe, get up, and walk. Jesus walked off after
that and the man did not know Jesus performed the miracle. The previously ill man
encountered Jesus again in the temple a while later (vs. 14). The man identified
Jesus. Jesus told the man, “See, you are well! Stop sinning or something worse
may happen to you.” Jesus knew this man, though the man did not
recognize Jesus as the Son of God. After the second encounter, the man may have
begun wondering more about Jesus. What is more important is that, with Jesus’
second comment to the man, we see the possibility that the man was ill because
of God’s disciplining him for some sin in the past. Jesus, by making the man
well, showed that He has the power to judge, give mercy, and offer pardon.
Jesus also stated a warning to the man.
The
Pharisees entered the scene after the man was healed by Jesus. Notice they did
not ask who made him well. Instead they confronted the man about his working on
the Sabbath by carrying his mat. They chose not to confront the man about his
healing, a miracle, but about his working, a man-made rule. The man then passed
the blame for his “working” on the Sabbath back to the unknown man. The man did
not declare the miracle of his health either. It was only after he learned of
Jesus’ name that he told the Pharisees who made him well. The man was no longer
thinking in terms of blaming someone since Jesus approached him about his sin.
This man now admitted that Jesus healed him.
After
this healing and admission that Jesus was the One who did it, the Pharisees were
more determined to persecute and kill Jesus because He was “working” (healing)
on the Sabbath (vs. 16). This feels a bit of an extreme reaction for just healing
someone. These Pharisees were brewing over something far bigger than this issue.
The next encounters with the Pharisees show us their hearts and minds. In verse
18, John tells us that they were willing to kill Jesus. He was working on the
Sabbath and He was making Himself out to be equal with God, to be God’s Son.
Verses 19 and 20 state that Jesus can only do what the Father does, as He
learns from the Father. Jesus even went so far as to say He would do even great
work so they (the people) would marvel. He was able to do this because He and
the Father are one and love each other. The next statement by Jesus irritated
the Pharisees more. Jesus said that just as the Father gives life to the dead,
so the Son gives life to whomever He wills. Jesus was claiming power over life
and death. (The Pharisees only heard the literal side of this.). Jesus next
stated that the Father does not judge, but Jesus has the sole responsibility to
judge. There are three things Jesus has already said to the Pharisees: 1) Jesus
is equal to the Father because Jesus is the Son; 2) Jesus has power over life
and death; and 3) Jesus has the sole responsibility of judging people.
Why are
these three facets of Jesus’ so difficult for the Pharisees? Let us start with
the first one. Jesus equating Himself with the Father, that He is the Son and
has the same power and authority, was difficult for them because that meant the
Pharisees would have to honor and praise
Jesus, this man from Galilee. Remember, it was said that no good thing came
from Galilee . (John 1:46). They looked down on people from Galilee. In actual
fact, they looked down on anyone who was not a Pharisee and they built
themselves up. They did not want someone to usurp their power and authority. If
they recognized Jesus as being special, then they would have to honor and
praise Him, which meant they would get less praise and would not be the leader
of the Jewish people. That just could not be.
Second,
Jesus statement that He has power over life and death was significant because
it definitely showed His authority is from God. Who, in their knowledge, could
bring someone back from the dead except God? This was testified in Ezekiel with
the valley of dry bones returning to life. It also occurred when God created
Adam and Eve; He formed them out of nothing, ex nihilo, and blew His breath, His Spirit, into them. Here Christ
goes farther than the Pharisees were willing to understand. Jesus said that He
will give them Life, eternal life. For this to occur, that meant Jesus has to
be the Messiah, the Savior, because the Pharisees knew that no one would have
eternal life until the Messiah came. This they did not want to acknowledge for
the same reason as number one above. Also, they did not want to recognize it
because it meant they had to acknowledge that Jesus is what He stated next, the
judge of mankind.
For
people to have eternal life through Jesus, they must pass through judgment by
Jesus. Jesus stated in verse 27 that God gave Him the sole task of judgment. If
the person believed Jesus is the Son of God, then he or she would have
forgiveness for their sins and eternal life in heaven. If, however, they did
not believe Jesus is God’s Son, then they would also have eternity, but one of
unforgiveness, one of eternal punishment. Jesus is the judge. He has provided
the forgiveness for sins to those who believe He is the Son of God. For those
who do not believe, there is no forgiveness of sin and they cannot be in the
presence of God for eternity. They must go to eternal hell.
These
three things Jesus brought immediately to the attention of the Pharisees. Jesus
did not dance around the topic. He was pointed with them. The question though
is why does He do it this way. Well, the reason is Jesus knows the urgency of
people needing to believe He is God’s Son. He stated it Himself in verse 34, “I simply mention all these things in order that you may be saved.”
(AMP). In just 15 verses, Jesus made it plain so they could not say they did
not know. What is difficult comes next; they chose not to believe. In verse 31,
Jesus stated, “If I alone testify in My behalf, My testimony is not valid and cannot be worth anything.”
From
this statement by Jesus, He set forth how they can know He is who He says He
is. Also from this statement, He put holes into their faith in themselves and
humanity. Jesus gave four ways people could know He is the Son of God: through
John the Baptist’s testimony, through Jesus’ works, through the Father, and through
Scriptures. Jesus went from least important to most important. Basically, Jesus
told them to put less weight on the testimony of man and the works/signs of
which they hear and put more weight on what the Father and Scripture say. This
will be a common theme throughout John’s writing.
First,
John states in verses 33-35 that John the Baptist was the voice in the
wilderness. Jesus called John the Baptist a lamp in the wilderness in whose
shine they delighted (AMP). Jesus stated that their faith should not rest on
the testimony of a mere man.
Secondly,
Jesus said that the works to which the Father called Him are witness to who He
is. He said that this witness was greater than that of a man, even John the
Baptist (vs. 36). The testimony of man is good and Jesus encouraged us to go
and preach the Gospel in Matthew 28. Even better is witnessing the signs that
Jesus performs. These signs point to something, as all signs point to
something. That something is Someone, Jesus Christ.
Third,
the testimony of the Father is even greater than the signs, because the Son can
only do what He has seen the Father do (vs.19). Jesus said,
And the Father Who sent Me has Himself
testified concerning Me. Not one of you has ever given ear to His voice or seen
His form. And you have not His word living in your hearts, because you do not
believe and adhere to and trust in and rely on Him Whom He has sent. (vv.37-38, AMP)
Jesus basically stated that the Father
told mankind about Jesus, His Son, but because they did not hear the Father and
they did not have His Word living in their hearts, they did not believe in whom
He has sent, Jesus. I am sure this came as a slap to their faces. Jesus was
saying they, the Jewish religious leaders (Pharisees) did not know Yahweh or
His Word. They did not have His Word in their hearts. When we jump to verse 42,
Jesus told them they do not have the love of God in them. This most likely was
an affront to their sense of esteem as religious leaders and as men who are
supposed to be part of the chosen children of God. No wonder they wanted to
kill Jesus. He was attacking their faith, their personal integrity, and worth.
The
fourth testimony comes through Scripture. Jesus said they pore over Scripture
as if it will give them eternal life, when it is those Scriptures that testify
about Him. The Scriptures speak of the Messiah as being the One who brings
eternal life. The Scriptures cannot give eternal life. Isaiah, Moses, and David,
as well as others of Old Testament times, prophesied of the Messiah’s coming to
earth and in what manner. They also spoke of what He would do and how the
people would know it was Him. The Pharisees chose not to acknowledge these or
that they pointed to Jesus. Instead, they would rather have been seen poring over the Scriptures.
From
this point in John 5, Jesus pointedly showed that Jesus did not come in His own
name, but in the Father, nor did He do miracles in His own power, but the
Father’s. The Pharisees and other people chose not to believe He is the Son.
Yet, if another man arrived talking about himself and touting his abilities,
the Pharisees and people believed him and flocked to hear and see him. Jesus
told them that their seeing him showed they accepted and approved him, but they
would not approve Jesus who is witnessed of and testified to in these four ways,
not by Himself. Jesus said then, “How is it possible for you to believe; you
who receive praise and honor and glory from one another, and yet do not seek
the praise and honor and glory which come from Him who alone is God?” (vs.44,
AMP). How will you be able to believe if you do not trust the testimony of
these four witnesses, but will trust the testimony of a person for himself?
What will it take for you to believe that I am God’s Son? If they would not
believe in the Son, then they knew from the Scripture that Moses would judge
them. Moses believed that Jesus would come. Why could they not? It would be
Moses who judges their unbelief because they did not believe his testimony
either. (See Genesis 3:5, 12:3, Deuteronomy 18:15.) By their not believing Jesus
is the Messiah, they were not believing Moses whom they hold up as their
standard. It will be Moses who will accuse them. If they cannot believe the man
who testified to them, who led them out of Egypt, who spoke with God for them,
and who brought the Ten Commandments to them, how would they believe Jesus with
all those witnesses?
It
all comes back to that one verse. Verse 34 brings it all back to the main
point. Jesus says, “I simply mention all these things in order that you may be
saved.” Jesus, like the Father, does not want anyone to be lost to eternal
hell. He made each of us so we could be in relationship with Him. He desires to
have a relationship with us. Yahweh provided a way for us to return to Him
through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. Through the
witness of these four, Jesus tells us three things about Himself: 1) Jesus is
equal to the Father because Jesus is the Son; 2) Jesus has power over life and
death; and 3) Jesus has the sole responsibility of judging people. The question
comes to each of us in Jesus’ own words in verse 44, “How is it possible for
you to believe?” (AMP). What will it take for you to believe?
