John 5 - NIV First Century Study Bible

5:1–15 The Pool of Bethesda. There is not scholarly agreement about the location or the meaning of “Bethesda.” It’s possible the Greek word “Bethestha” means “house of mercy” (Hebrew bet hesed). The Dead Sea Scrolls describe a pool called the “house of flowing.” In any case, the traditional location, which was later turned into a church, was also the site of the Roman temple to the healing god Asclepius in the second century ad. The memory of a healing pool may have survived even after the temple was destroyed.

5:5 Thirty-eight years. This is likely an allusion to the wilderness wanderings (see note on Dt 2:14).

5:11 Pick up your mat. Typically, Jesus did not encourage anyone to violate the Torah, nor did he often encourage violating rabbinic or Pharisaic teachings (see Mt 23:2–3). However, carrying one’s mat on the Sabbath was specifically forbidden in rabbinic law. (Mishnah Shabbat 7:2.) Here, Jesus appears to have been intentionally challenging the teachings of his day.

5:19–30 The Son of Man as judge. This passage probably combines the eschatological judgment of Da 12:2 with the Messianic judge of Ps 2. The Son of Man figure was complex in the first century and had several meanings (see notes on Mt 8:20; 25:31–46; Mk 13:26; Lk 3:22).

5:19 The Son can do nothing by himself. Moses had a similar idea about the nature of his own work (see Nu 16:28).

5:39 You study the Scriptures diligently. Jesus argued that the Hebrew Bible points toward his Messianic mission and more specifically to him. This passage also confirms the culture of careful study and interpretation among the rabbis, sages and teachers of Israel. “Shammai said: Make thy [study of the] Law a fixed habit.” (Mishnah Avot 1:15.) “Rabban Gamaliel . . . said: Excellent is the study of the law together with worldly occupation, for toil in them both puts sin out of the mind.” (Ibid., 2:2.)