Chapter 5 contrasts the quickening power of Christ, the power and the right
of giving life to the dead, with the powerlessness of legal ordinances.
They required strength in the person that was to profit by them. Christ
brought with Him the power that was to heal, and indeed to quicken.
Further, all judgment is committed to Him, so that those who had received
life would not come into judgment. The end of the chapter sets forth the
testimonies that have been borne to Him, and the guilt therefore of those
who would not come to Him to have life. One is sovereign grace, the other
responsibility because life was there. To have life His divine power was
needed; but in rejecting Him, in refusing to come unto Him that they might
have life, they did so in spite of the most positive proofs.
Let us go a little into the details. The poor man who had an infirmity for
thirty-eight years was absolutely hindered, by the nature of his disease,
from profiting by means that required strength to use them. This is the
character of sin, on the one hand, and of law on the other. Some remains of
blessing still existed among the Jews. Angels, ministers of that
dispensation, still wrought among the people. Jehovah did not leave Himself
without testimony. But strength was needed to profit by this instance of
their ministry. That which the law could not do, being weak through the
flesh, God has done through Jesus. The impotent man had desire, but not
strength; to will was present with him, but no power to perform. The Lord's
question brings this out. A single word from Christ does everything. "Rise,
take up thy bed and walk." Strength is imparted. The man rises, and goes
away carrying his bed.
[see note #24]
It was the Sabbath-an important circumstance here, holding a prominent
place in this interesting scene. The Sabbath was given as a token of the
covenant between the Jews and theLord.
[see note #25]
But it had been proved that the law did not give God's rest to man. The
power of a new life was needed; grace was needed, that man might be in
relationship with God. The healing of this poor man was an operation of
this same grace, of this same power, but wrought in the midst of Israel.
The pool of Bethesda supposed power in man; the act of Jesus employed
power, in grace, on behalf of one of the Lord's people in distress.
Therefore, as dealing with His people in government, He says to the man,
"Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." It was Jehovah acting by
His grace and blessing among His people; but it was in temporal things, the
tokens of His favour and lovingkindness, and in connection with His
government in Israel. Still it was divine power and grace. Now, the man
told the Jews that it was Jesus. They rise up against Him under the
pretence of a violation of the Sabbath. The Lord's answer is deeply
affecting, and full of instruction-a whole revelation. It declares the
relationship, now openly revealed by His coming, that existed between
Himself (the Son) and His Father. It shews-and what depths of grace!-that
neither the Father nor Himself could find their Sabbath
[see note #26]
in the midst of misery and of the sad fruits of sin. Jehovah in Israel
might impose the Sabbath as an obligation by the law, and make it a token
of the previous truth that His people should enter into the rest of God.
But, in fact, when God was truly known, there was no rest in existing
things; nor was this all-He wrought in grace, His love could not rest in
misery. He had instituted a rest in connection with the creation, when it
was very good. Sin, corruption, and misery had entered into it. God, the
holy and the just, no longer found a Sabbath in it, and man did not really
enter into God's rest (compare Heb. 4). Of two things, one: either God
must, in justice, destroy the guilty race; or-and this is what He did,
according to His eternal purposes-He must begin to work in grace, according
to the redemption which the state of man required-a redemption in which all
His glory is unfolded. In a word, He must begin to work again in love. Thus
the Lord says, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." God cannot be
satisfied where there is sin. He cannot rest with misery in sight. He has
no Sabbath, but still works in grace. How divine an answer to their
wretched cavils!
Another truth came out from that which the Lord said: He put Himself on an
equality with His Father. But the Jews, jealous for their ceremonies-for
that which distinguished them from other nations-saw nothing of the glory
of Christ, and seek to kill Him, treating Him as a blasphemer. This gives
Jesus occasion to lay open the whole truth on this point. He was not like
an independent being with equal rights, another God who acted on His own
account, which, moreover, is impossible. There cannot be two supreme and
omnipotent beings. The Son is in full union with the Father, does nothing
without the Father, but does whatsoever He sees the Father do. There is
nothing that the Father does which He does not in communion with the Son;
and greater proofs of this should yet be seen, that they might marvel. This
last sentence of the Lord's words, as well as the whole of this Gospel,
shews that, while revealing absolutely that He and the Father are one, He
reveals it, and speaks of it as in a position in which He could be seen of
men. The thing of which He speaks is in God; the position in which He
speaks of it is a position taken, and, in a certainsense, inferior. We see
everywhere that He is equal to, and one with, the Father. We see that He
receives all from the Father, and does all after the Father's mind. (This
is shewn very remarkably in chapter 17). It is the Son, but the Son
manifested in the flesh, acting in the mission which the Father sent Him to
fulfil.
Two things are spoken of in this chapter (v. 21, 22) which demonstrate the
glory of the Son. He quickens and He judges. It is not healing that is in
question-a work which, at bottom, springs from the same source, and has its
occasion in the same evil: but the giving of life in a manner evidently
divine. As the Father raises the dead and quickens them, so the Son
quickens wham He will. Here we have the first proof of His divine rights,
He gives life, and He gives it to whom He will. But, being incarnate, He
may be personally dishonoured, disallowed, despised of men. Consequently
all judgment is committed unto Him, the Father judging no man, in order
that all, even those who have rejected the Son, should honour Him, even as
they honour the Father whom they own as God. If they refuse when He acts in
grace, they shall be compelled when He acts in judgment. In life, we have
communion by the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Son (and quickening or
giving life is the work alike of the Father and the Son); but in the
judgment, unbelievers will have to do with the Son of man whom they have
rejected. The two things are quite distinct. He whom Christ has quickened
will not need to be compelled to honour Him by undergoing judgment. Jesus
will not call into judgment one whom He has saved by quickening him.
How may we know, then, to which of these two classes we belong? The Lord
(praised be His name!) replies, he that hears His word, and believes Him
who sent Him (believes the Father by hearing Christ), has everlasting life
(such is the quickening power of His word), and shall not come into
judgment. He is passed from death into life. Simple and wonderful
testimony!
[see note #27]
The judgment will glorify the Lord in the case of those who have despised
Him here. The possession of eternal life, that they may not come into
judgment, is the portion of those who believe.
The Lord then points out two distinct periods, in which the power that the
Father committed to Him as having come down to the earth, is to be
exercised. The hour was coming-was already come-in which the dead should
hear the voice of the Son of God, and those that heard should live. This is
the communication of spiritual life by Jesus, the Son of God, to man, who
is dead by sin, and that by means of the word which he should hear. For the
Father has given to the Son, to Jesus, thus manifested on earth, to have
life in Himself (compare 1 John 1: 1, 2). He has also given Him authority
to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man. For the kingdom and the
judgment, according to the counsels of God, belong to Him as Son of man-in
that character in which He was despised and rejected when He came in grace.
This passage also shews us that, although He was the eternal Son, one with
the Father, He is always looked upon as manifested here in the flesh, and,
therefore, as receiving all from the Father. It is thus that we have seen
Him at the well of Samaria-the God who gave, but the One who asked the poor
woman to give Him to drink.
Jesus, then, quickened souls at that time. He still quickens. They were not
to marvel. A work, more wonderful in the eyes of men, should be
accomplished. All those that were in the grave should come forth. This is
the second period of which He speaks. In the one He quickens souls; in the
other, He raises up bodies from death. The one has lasted during the
ministry of Jesus and 1800 years since His death; the other is not yet
come, but during its continuance two things will take place. There will be
a resurrection of those who have done good (this will be a resurrection of
life, the Lord will complete His quickening work), and there will be a
resurrection of those who have done evil (this will be a resurrection for
their judgment). This judgment will be according to the mind of God, and
not according to any separate personal will of Christ. Thus far it is
sovereign power, and as regards life sovereign grace-He quickens whom He
will. What follows is man's responsibility as regards the obtaining eternal
life. It was there in Jesus, and they would not come to Him to have it.
The Lord goes on to point out to them four testimonies rendered to His
glory and to His Person, which left them without excuse:-John, His own
works, His Father, and the scriptures. Nevertheless, while pretending to
receive the latter, as finding in them eternal life, they would not come to
Him that they might have life. Poor Jews! The Son came in the name of the
Father, and they would not receive Him; another shall come in his own name,
and him they will receive. This better suits the heart of man. They sought
honour from one another: how could they believe? Let us remember this. God
does not accommodate Himself to the pride of man-does not arrange the truth
so as to feed it. Jesus knew the Jews. Not that He would accuse them to the
Father: Moses, in whom they trusted, would do that; for if they had
believed Moses, they would have believed Christ. But if they did not credit
the writings of Moses, how would they believe the words of a despised
Saviour?
In result, the Son of God gives life, and He executes judgment. In the
judgment that He executes, the testimony which had been rendered to His
Person leaves man without excuse on the ground of his own responsibility.
In chapter 5 Jesus is the Son of God who, with the Father, gives life, and
as Son of man judges. In chapter 6 He is the object of faith, as come down
from heaven and dying. He just alludes to His going on high as Son of man.
