John Lesson 13

Introduction

A very pleasant good day to you. Welcome to Let the Bible Speak. I encourage you to get your New Testament open and turn with me to the reading found in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John. We’re going to be reading today concerning one of those texts that tells us about that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We pointed out from the very beginning of this study of the Gospel of John that it is written from a unique point of view. That is to prove the deity of Jesus Christ. Now, John in the Gospel of John describes the life of Christ, but not so much from a chronological point of view, and that is his earthly life, for it doesn’t even tell us about his birth or his childhood.

But rather it begins in the very middle of the point for which it is written, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. That’s the way the first two verses read of the Gospel of John. And we’ve observed that as you come to the close of the book, at least in John chapter 20, verses 30 and 31, the purpose for which it is written is stated, and that many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written, that you might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that believing you might have life through his name.

You see, there are certain signs or miracles, wonders, which Jesus performed that prove that he is the Son of God. And in the Gospel of John, there have been seven different ones that were specially selected, at least by inspiration, and that are recorded that that you might believe. That’s sometimes why this book is called The Gospel of Belief. Well, in John chapter 5, if you have the text open, you will notice with us that this is the third of the signs that is recorded in the Gospel of John, where a man who had been lame for some thirty-eight years is now made whole by our Lord. As we study through the Gospel of John, you may recall that each of these seven signs are all different and unique.

While in other books, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we find many miracles other than even what are written in the Gospel of John. And in those books we find even some repetition of certain kinds of miracles. But in the Gospel of John, there are seven different miracles, and each of them are different from the other in its style. For example, in John chapter 2, we read about the first miracle that Jesus worked, where he turned the water to wine. And it showed that he had power over quality, for he made the best wine. And even the governor of the feast marveled at the quality of the wine. And then as we closed our last lesson in John chapter 4, we read how that there was a nobleman from Capernaum whose son was ill, and though he was a full day’s journey away, Jesus healed that son.

1. He Has Power Over Time

He did not have to go to the bedside. And so there was power over distance. Jesus could perform a miracle without even being in the presence of the one for whom he was performing the miracle. But now in our lesson today, we read how that he has power over time. It mattered not that a man may have been impotent or lame for some thirty-eight years. Jesus was able to say, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. And immediately the man was able to do, as Jesus instructed. Read with me. I’m reading John chapter 5, first of all, verses 1 through 9. After this, there was a feast of the Jews. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a poo, which is called in the Hebrew tongue, Bethesda, having five porches.

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, up blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water. Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool. But while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed and walk.

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked. On the same day was the Sabbath. The setting for this text is an interesting one. First of all, it just simply says there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. It does not specify which feast, although most Bible scholars believe that this is the Passover feast. The scripture simply begins after this. There was a feast. And we’re not told a chronological time. But while John does not deal with chronology like the others, yet it is interesting that it is from the gospel of John that we date the ministry, the personal ministry of Christ, as being about three years’ time. For it was uh in John chapter 2 that we read how that it was at Passover that he went up to Jerusalem.

And and in that text we learned how that that we have the first Passover of Jesus’ personal ministry. That’s John chapter 2 and verse 13. And then if this is the second Passover, and while this one is not specified, it is generally believed as talking about the Passover, and you add to that two other occasions, like John chapter 6 and verse 4, there’s uh another Passover mentioned, and then you come to John chapter 13, and the last Passover, the time in which Christ was arrested and and ultimately crucified. That beginning with John 2 13 through John chapter 13, you have four different Passovers mentioned, and that would be a total of some three years. That Jesus was performing miracles and teaching parables and proving that he is the Son of God, and setting forth the characteristics of those who will be citizens of his kingdom.

But at this time the scripture simply says that there was a feast, evidently a Jewish holy feast, and he went to Jerusalem where the temple was, where every male Jew would go at such a time. And he went to a place called Bethesda. Now, Bethesda literally means house of mercy. And the scripture says that by the the sheep market there was this pooh called Bethesda, five porches there, and it is interesting that that it was at this place that that those who were ill, those who had some kind of sickness would come, whether we were halt or or whether they were blind or whether they were withered, or they would wait there for the troubling of the water. For there was the belief that at a certain time an angel would come and would stir the water, and the first one who would get into the water after it was being stirred or troubled, that that person would be healed.

When Jesus saw this this man who was impotent or who had this infirmity for thirty-eight years, he asked him an interesting question. Wilt thou be whole? You stop and think about it. Why did Jesus ask the question? A person who’s been ill for 38 years, a man who could not walk, surely he’s going to answer that he would like to be made whole. But as though to emphasize that this man knew that he himself could not heal himself. His response to the question of Jesus was, How can I? Nobody’s here to help me even get into the water. He had come there so that he would be made whole, but he had a problem of even getting into the water after it had been troubled or stirred up by the angel.

2. The Power of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus, realizing this man, or helping this man to realize that he himself was incapable on his own to heal himself or to even do what was necessary to be healed, simply told the man, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. I want you to notice a couple of interesting points about this. First of all, the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. That this man who was ill had been ill for some 38 years. Jesus told him, Rise, get up and walk. Immediately, the man was healed. It was not a matter of several hours, days, weeks, or months that was involved in the healing. But the hat the power of Jesus Christ was of such effect that it happened immediately. I’ve mentioned several times in our studies through the scripture that the miracles that we read about in the Bible were such signs and provoked such wonderment among those who observed them.

Because they were things that were done or powers or works that were done that obviously no man could do. You could not be an atheist or a scoffer and ridicule the fact of the miracle. You never read about those coming along and say, well, a miracle wasn’t worked. Even the enemies of Jesus did not contest the fact that a miracle had been worked. Now they may have challenged when he did it, as we’re going to read in this particular text, he did it on the Sabbath day. Or later we’re going to see how that some said, oh, well, it’s by the power of Beelzebub, or by the power of the devil. But you never read where they challenge the miracle itself. You see, today there are some claims of so-called faith healers.

And there are a lot of works that are being claimed that sometimes even friends of Jesus would question. Are miracles really being worked today? Like those we read about in the Bible? If so, then one of the characteristics should be that it’s done immediately. Now, God still heals people. Obviously, God is still involved in our world. And I believe in divine healing, and I believe in prayer for those who are sick and those who are troubled. But what we read about happening today is that there are people who God will heal, but over a process of time, the laws of nature are still fulfilled. You do not read of someone who has been dead being raised from the dead, do you? Have you heard of someone who has been raised from the dead like Lazarus?

3. Faith in This Man Was Not Essential

Or water being turned to wine like Jesus did in Cana of Galilee? Or walking on the water or calming the storm? Do you read about the kind of miracles even as as Paul performed in Acts chapter 13, where the man was blinded for a season because he blasphemed against the Lord? Those kind of signs are not being worked today. In fact, one that has worked today, if it is of God, then let it be done immediately. Take a man who has been ill for some thirty eight years and without any question. No one in the community could question that he’s lame. And then let him rise, take up his bed immediately and walk. But a second point that I want you to observe is that faith in this man was not essential.

In fact, in chapter 5 and verse 13 later, it is said that this man that was healed wished not or knew not who it was. For Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. He didn’t really know who Jesus was. He simply knew that this man had come and asked him, Would you be made whole? And then told him, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. There are those today who sometimes say, Oh, if you just believe, you will be healed. You never read in the Bible about an occasion where Jesus failed, or his disciples failed when there was faith on their part. You let people today claim to be healed? Is it because of the faith of the healer? How many times did they have to pray for a healing before they were healed?

4. Some Reject the Works of the Lord Jesus Christ

In the Word of God in the New Testament time, healing was done immediately, and faith was not essential in the part or in the heart of the one who was being healed. Now, obviously, what we’re going to learn from this text is, though, that there are some who reject the works of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he performed miracles, and though it was done in order to convince that he is the Christ, the Son of God, these Jews who observed what Jesus was doing, did not believe. They were not convinced. And in fact, in verses 10 through 16, we’re going to read how that all they could do was question that Jesus had done this work on the Sabbath day. And they tried to put him down.

We’re going to pause for just a moment and come back and consider the question. Did Jesus really break the Sabbath day? Was his good work a thing that was bad? Did he actually break the Sabbath law and disobey his Father, whom he had come to serve? You stay with us, we’ll read the next few verses and consider that important question. It seems unthinkable that those who saw Jesus firsthand and observed the miracles that he worked, that they would not accept him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And yet it is true that many who saw him perform miracles and did not question the fact of the miracle itself, yet they would not accept him as the Christ, even the religious rulers of that day.

The very ones who should have known best the scriptures and should have been most willing to have accepted him as the Christ, did not so receive him. And such was true in the occasion that we’re studying in John chapter 5. For they rejected Jesus. They did not deny the miracle he worked, but they found fault with what he did because he did it on the Sabbath day. These are no doubt the same group who later, even after Lazarus was raised from the grave, in John chapter 11, verses 10 through 12, they wanted to put Lazarus back to death again. Can you imagine? They did not deny the miracle, they just didn’t want others to believe in Jesus as the Christ. And in John 11, verses 47 and 48, they they were worried that the Romans would come and take their place.

They said he does work many miracles. In John chapter 12 and verse 37, though he worked many miracles, yet they believe not on him. There ought to be a lesson for us today. And that is, no matter how religious we may think ourselves to be. How often we may open our Bible and read it and even praise the Lord, yet if we do not really have an open mind, if we’re not willing to take the scriptures and see what they say and accept them, even if it makes changes in what we’ve been doing, if we are not with an open mind, we can deny the truth and accept a lie in the place of truth. That’s what 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 10 through 12 says.

And we see it illustrated in the religious leaders who rejected Jesus Christ himself. They believe a lie in the place of the truth, though they had the truth right in front of them. They did not accept Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Do you have an opinion that you have your mind made up, and it just doesn’t matter what else may be said from the scriptures or read from the Word of God? Have you always believed a certain thing, and you just feel it in your heart, and you and get angry at anybody who might say something differently? Then guard yourself, watch yourself, because you’re right for the devil to bring and teach you a lie in the place of truth. Read with me, John chapter 5, and see the reaction of these Jews, the religious people now, who rejected Jesus as the Christ.

5. Did Jesus Really Break the Sabbath Day?

Verse 10 says, The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day. It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed and walk? And he that was healed wis not who it was, for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus foundeth him in the temple and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The men departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.

You notice verse 16, instead of rejoicing at the good work that Jesus had done, the scripture says they sought to persecute Jesus, even to put him to death, because he had done this thing on the Sabbath day. The only fault they could find in it, and it really was not a wrong that Jesus had done, but but this is the only thing that they could really accuse him of was he’s done this on the Sabbath day. The question really, therefore, is did Jesus break the Sabbath day? Did Jesus violate the word of God in his life? The scripture says Jesus did no sin, and if he broke the Sabbath day, he certainly would have been a sinner. And in the eyes of these religious leaders, Jesus had sinned.

He had done wrong, and they were ready to slay him for it. But Jesus enlarged and explained, really, the law of God concerning the Sabbath day. Passages like Mark chapter 2, verses 27 and 28, where Jesus said, The Sabbath is made for men, not man for the Sabbath. Even the Son of Man, he is Lord over the Sabbath. Now he did not change the Sabbath law, but what he did was explain that Sabbath law. He didn’t violate it when he did this good work by healing this lame man. In fact, in another place in Matthew chapter 12, in verses 11 and 12, Jesus even illustrated the principle to them that they followed that when a man’s oxen was in the ditch, he could work to get that oxen out of the ditch.

Well, certainly there were laws that man should not work on the Sabbath day, and there were some very strict laws, and the Jews were obligated to obey if they were going to serve God, for the word Sabbath means rest, cessation of work. And it was the seventh day of the week, and they were to totally rest and to cease from all work. Yet there were exceptions to that law. Jesus had not violated the law because he fell within the scope of these exceptions. In fact, in John chapter 7, we’ll read again a story that relates back to this of John chapter uh John 5, where the people accuse Jesus, you have a devil. And Jesus answered and said, I’ve done one work and you all marvel.

6. To Whom Was the Sabbath Day Given?

In other words, I’ve healed this man. But then he made an application. He said, even the Sabbath day, a male child. If if the eighth day fell on the Sabbath day after his birth, they would circumcise that male child. And they didn’t regard themselves as breaking the law. They kept certain aspects of the Word of God even when it may have occurred on the Sabbath day. No, Jesus did not break the Sabbath law. But now, there’s another lesson that we ought to raise and observe in our study of John chapter 5, in that these Jews accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. There are those today who accuse Christians of breaking God’s law when we worship on the first day of the week rather than the Sabbath day.

Our Seventh-day Adventist friends, for example, especially, say that the Sabbath law uh has been changed by by the Catholic Church is their their claim. And actually that if we’re going to worship God on the Lord’s Day, we need to be worshiping on the Sabbath day of the week. They have one valid point, and that is that the seventh day is the Sabbath day. But let’s raise the question to whom was the Sabbath day given? That law concerning the Sabbath day. And as you begin to study the Bible and rightly divide the Word of God, you’re going to learn, first of all, that the Sabbath law was given at Mount Sinai. Whenever the children of Israel came out of Egyptian bondage and led by Moses, they came to Mount Sinai, where God gave them the Ten Commandments.

Even as Nehemiah chapter 9, verses 13 and 14 so describes, God at Mount Sinai made known the Sabbath to death. Do you know the first occasion you read about the Sabbath ever being observed in the Bible? Is in Exodus chapter 16. You don’t read about Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, any of them keeping the Sabbath day, but it was made known unto God’s people at Mount Sinai. It was given only to Israel, to the children of Israel. Read Deuteronomy chapter 5, verses 1 through 16. And there you read, even as Moses said that these laws were made not to our fathers, but rather to us, even us who were all alive at Horeb or at the Mount Sinai area. The commandments of God, he made known even the Sabbath at Mount Sinai.

He commanded the Sabbath day, and it was to serve as a memorial, as a remembrance of God leading them out of Egyptian bondage. What I’m saying to you is that the Ten Commandments that were given in Mount Sinai and all the laws that also pertained to making up the law of Moses was not given to all people of every generation. The law of Moses was not given to the Egyptian from whose land they had traveled. It was not given to the Canaanites and to whose land they were going. The law of Moses was not given to Gentiles. It is not given to Christians. The law of Moses was given to the Israelites, to the children of Israel. And it was a very strict law. It did command Sabbath-day observance.

Exodus chapter 20 and verse 10, there should be no work done. And in fact, on one occasion in Numbers chapter 15, where a man was caught picking up sticks, he was stoned to death because he had worked on the Sabbath. Do people today need to be stoned? Do we need to keep observe the law? Is it a sin to travel over a mile’s journey? Is it a sin to cook a meal? Is it a sin to do these things on the seventh day of the week? Well, the answer to that question is no, no, no, it’s not a sin, because the law of Moses that taught about the Sabbath day is not binding today. Observe with me a couple of passages. Our time is rather short, but in 2 Corinthians chapter 3, for example, the apostle is making a comparison between the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the life through it with the ministration of death that came through the law.

That is, the law of Moses could not forgive sin, and therefore it was called a ministration of death. But in 2 Corinthians chapter 3, he identifies particularly that this that this law written and engraven in stones. Now, the only law God ever gave that was written and engraved in stones was the Ten Commandment law. And so he identifies clearly the Ten Commandments as being involved in this particular law. But notice verse 7, this glory was to be done away. And then when you drop down to verse 11, he says, For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Compare the law of Moses, even the Ten Commandments written engraved in the stones, with that which is under Christ, and what we have today is more glorious.

That was done away, what we have today abides and is more glorious. In chapter 2 Corinthians chapter 3 and in verse 13, he talks about that which is abolished. And in verse 14, that veil which is done away in Christ. I say to you, my beloved, when you read 2 Corinthians chapter 3, verses 7 through 14, you’ll observe that even in this comparison, he talks about a law, and obviously he’s talking about the law of Moses and including the Ten Commandments as that which is done away is abolished and is no longer binding on Christians today. You see, in Colossians chapter 2, in fact, the scripture there tells us how that the law of Moses was nailed to the cross. Colossians 2, 14 through 17, he says, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of a new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come with the body is of Christ. That law came to an end with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now in Christ Jesus we have a new covenant. Hebrews chapter 8, verses 6 through 13 talks about that in some detail. The old has been taken away. We have the new covenant in Christ Jesus. Galatians chapter 3, verses 23 through 27 describes how that before faith came, that is, before the system of salvation by faith in Christ came, we were kept under the law, shut up under the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

He said the law served as our schoolmaster, as our tutor. It brought us to Jesus Christ. But now that faith has come, we’re no longer under the schoolmaster. We don’t go to the Old Testament to learn what to do to be saved. To learn about Christ and the church, that is his death, burial, and resurrection. Christ fulfilled the old. But in Christ we have the Lord’s day as the first day of the week. That’s the day on which Christ arose from the grave, Luke chapter 24, so ably describes. It is the day in which Christians met for worship. Acts 20 and 7, 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 2. You see, today, nine of those ten commandments are repeated in the New Testament, this new covenant. But the one, remember, the Sabbath day to keep it holy, is not in the New Testament.

Conclusion

And it’s just as wrong for people today to accuse Christians of violating the law of Moses or the Sabbath law because we worship on the first day of the week, as it’s as wrong for them today to accuse Christians of doing that as it was of the Jews to accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath when he healed the lame man. Both are wrong. Today, be a Christian, follow the gospel. Until our next study, we bid that the grace and peace of our Lord be with you.