5:21 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep [market] a a
pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue b Bethesda,
having five porches.
(1) There is no disease so old which Christ cannot heal.
(a) Of which cattle drank, and used to be plunged in, since
there was a great abundance of water at Jerusalem.
(b) That is to say, the house of pouring out, because a
great abundance of water was poured out into that
place.
5:102 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is
the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry [thy]
bed.
(2) True religion is assaulted most cruelly by the pretence of
religion itself.
5:173 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto,
and I work.
(3) The work of God was never the breach of the sabbath, and
the works of Christ are the works of the Father, both
because they are one God, and also because the Father does
not work except in the Son.
5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he
not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was
c his Father, making himself equal with God.
(c) That is, his alone and no one else's, which they gather
from his saying, "And I work", applying this word
"work" to himself which properly belongs to God, and
therefore makes himself equal to God.
5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, The Son can do nothing d of himself, but
what he e seeth the Father do: for what things soever he
doeth, these also doeth the Son f likewise.
(d) Not only without his Father's authority, but also
without his mighty working and power.
(e) This must be understood of the person of Christ, which
consists of two natures, and not simply of his Godhead:
so then he says that his Father moves and governs him
in all things, but yet nonetheless, when he says he
works with his Father, he confirms his Godhead.
(f) In like sort, jointly and together. Not because the
Father does some things, and then the Son works after
him and does the same, but because the might and power
of the Father and the Son work equally and jointly
together.
5:214 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth
[them]; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
(4) The Father makes no man partaker of everlasting life except
in Christ, in whom alone also he is truly worshipped.
5:22 For the Father g judgeth h no man, but hath committed
all judgment unto the Son:
(g) This word "judgeth" is taken by the figure of speech
synecdoche to represent all governing.
(h) These words are not to be taken as though they simply
denied that God governed the world, but rather they
deny that he governed as the Jews imagined it, who
separate the Father from the Son, whereas indeed, the
Father does not govern the world, but only in the
person of his Son, being made manifest in the flesh: so
he says below in (Joh 5:30), that he came not to do
his own will: that his doctrine is not his own, that
the blind man and his parents did not sin
(Joh 7:16 Joh 9:3), etc.
5:245 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my
word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting
life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life.
(5) The Father is not worshipped except by his Son's word
apprehended by faith, which is the only way that leads to
eternal life.
5:256 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and
now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of
God: and they that hear shall live.
(6) We are all dead in sin and cannot be made alive by any
other means, except by the word of Christ apprehended by
faith.
5:27 And hath given him i authority to execute judgment also,
because he is k the Son of man.
(i) That is, high and sovereign power to rule and govern
all things, in so much that he has power over life and
death.
(k) That is, he will not only judge the world as he is God,
but also as he is man, he received this from his
Father, to be judge of the world.
5:287 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
(7) All will eventually appear before the judgment seat of
Christ to be judged.
5:298 And shall come l forth; they that have done good,
unto the m resurrection of life; and they that have done
evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
(8) Faith and infidelity will be judged by their fruits.
(l) From their graves.
(m) To that resurrection which has everlasting life
following it: against which is set the resurrection of
condemnation, that is, which is followed by
condemnation.
5:309 I can n of mine own self do nothing: o as I hear, I
judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own
will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
(9) The Father is the author and approver of all things which
Christ does.
(n) See above in (Joh 5:22).
(o) As my Father directs me, who dwells in me.
5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not p true.
(p) Faithful, that is, worthy to be credited; see (Joh 8:14).
5:3310 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
(10) Christ is declared to be the only Saviour by John's voice,
and infinite miracles, and by the testimonies of all the
prophets. But the world, being addicted to false
prophets, and desirous to seem religious, does not see any
of these things.
5:35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing
for q a season to rejoice in his light.
(q) A little while.
5:42 But I know you, that ye have not the r love of God in
you.
(r) Love toward God.
5:45s Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father:
there is [one] that accuseth you, [even] Moses, in whom ye
trust.
(s) This denial does not set aside that which is said here,
but corrects it, as if Christ said, the most severe
accuser the Jews will have is Moses, not him.
