John 5 - NIV Quest Study Bible

It is possible that Jesus healed more than this one man but that John recorded only this one man’s story. Or perhaps Jesus healed this man because he alone expressed the desire and faith to be healed.See the NIV text note on verse 4. This verse doesn’t appear in the earliest manuscripts of the New Testament. It was added later by scribes and scholars to explain why so many people were there and why they raced to the pool when the water moved. While it explains the historical background, most scholars see the verse as commentary, not as part of the original passage.Jesus repudiated the idea that disabilities are always caused by sin (9:1), but he did not say that they are never caused by sin. Perhaps this man was engaging in self-destructive behavior. Some sins have immediate physical, financial or relational consequences. The something worse in this case may refer to eternal punishment rather than another physical ailment.The anger came from the Jewish religious leaders, who had developed an elaborate and complicated system of legalistic rules and regulations. Incredibly, even healing was forbidden on the Sabbath because it was considered work. When Jesus challenged their system, he also challenged their pride. Jesus’ focus was on people’s hearts, their relationship to God and God’s compassion for human suffering.Jesus’ claim that he was working, the way God his Father was always at his work, had serious implications. The rabbis believed that while God rested from creation on the seventh day, his work of sustaining creation was continuous. So when Jesus compared his ongoing healing work on the Sabbath with God’s perpetual activity, the implications were obvious: Jesus was claiming equality with God, which, according to the Jews, was blasphemy.5:17 – 30demonstrates the glorious nature and working of the Trinity. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit always work in concert (14:15 – 17; 15:26). The Spirit speaks nothing from himself (16:13); the Son does only what the Father does (5:19 – 20). For one person of the Trinity to do something on his own would be to deny their unity; indeed, it would be God denying himself, which he cannot do (2Ti 2:13).It’s a divine quality of life that begins when a person believes that Jesus is Lord and trusts in him alone for salvation. When physical death occurs, those belonging to Jesus will continue to live, because the life that Jesus gives will never end (11:26).

Yes, there is much more. Through the gospel we learn about eternal life with Jesus the Messiah. And since Jesus has entered our present lives through faith, the gospel is also about life lived to the full here and now on earth in the power of his Spirit.

The first step in finding eternal life is accepting Jesus as our Savior. The Bible teaches us how to do this and how to live lives of faith as Jesus’ followers. As those assured of God’s love in Jesus through his Spirit, we can live our lives to the full and share God’s love with others here on earth. The gospel involves heaven coming down to earth.

The gospel impacts everything: God is going to make all things new, just like he has “made us new through faith in Jesus Christ” (Ro 3:22 – 26; 2Co 5:17).

Jesus was referring to the spiritually dead who will receive life as they hear and respond to the gospel.Old Testament law required at least two witnesses to establish anything as fact (Dt 19:15). Jesus pointed to both the works (the miracles) that the Father had given him to do and the testimony of John the Baptist to validate his claim as Messiah.Several of Moses’ statements were uniquely fulfilled by Jesus, the Messiah. Moses wrote about one coming from Judah who would rule the nations (Ge 49:10). He predicted a coming prophet as influential as himself who would speak God’s words (Dt 18:18). He also recorded the Law, which contains symbolism that describes God’s final sacrifice for sin: Jesus, the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29).