Friendship and Revelation
John 5:20-30
20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him.
24 ‘Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 ‘Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
I. Friendship and Revelation (20)
The basis for the Son’s dependence (John 5:19) is “the Father loves the Son” (20) [1].
See v20a.
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.
When Jesus was baptised, the Spirit came down from heaven as a dove and remained on Him (John 1:32, Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, and Luke 3:22a). And a voice from heaven said the following (Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22b).
- This is my Son
- whom I love;
- with him I am well pleased.
The use of the “show” (or “reveal”) twice in v. 20 indicates the intimate relation between the Father and Jesus [1]. “As God’s agent, Jesus received direct insight from the Father and acted in accordance with the Father’s wishes. The actions of Jesus, therefore, were the actions of the Father because in Jesus the Father was in fact acting.” [1]
Here, ‘love’ is not agape (unconditional love) but philia (love between friends).
God showed the secret (e.g., the plan of the judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah) to the father of faith, Abraham, too. See Genesis 18:17.
17 Then the Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?’
God called Abraham ‘my friend’ (Isaiah 41:8, 2 Chronicles 20:7, James 2:23), which indicates intimacy.
Jesus died for us as the friend dies for his friends (John 15:13-15) and let us know everything as his friends (John 15:15).
See v20b.
Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
Here, ‘these’ means the works of healing Jesus demonstrated. Love is the motivation of showing the Son ‘all’ the Father does (20a), and even greater works than these (20b). Jesus tells them what the ‘even greater works’ are in John 5:21-30. This indicates God’s love toward the Son, Jesus. At the same time, we can see the love of Jesus toward them reflecting God’s love because He is not hiding but showing them the greater works that Jesus will do, and his believers (John 14:12).
In John 5:21-30, Jesus is about to tell them about even greater works than these, so that they will be amazed (20b). Let us study v25, 28-29 first in this section.
In John 5:28-29, Jesus says “Do not be amazed at this” when He tells them about the coming resurrection and judgement.
28 ‘Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
The resurrection (v28b-29a):
a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—
The judgement (29b):
those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
Before we continue, let us study John 5:24 first.
‘Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
‘Belief’ is the only condition to receive this Grace. This Grace began when God credited the ‘belief’ of Abram to him as ‘righteousness’ (Genesis 15:6). Genuine ‘belief’ is accompanied by ‘action’ (James 2:17).
Finally, let us note that “has crossed” is the present complete tense.
II. The Authority of Resurrection (21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29a)
See v21.
21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
See John 10:17-18.
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.’
Jesus declared that He had authority to take His life up again (John 10:18). That is, He had authority to raise Himself from His own death.
Jesus, the resurrection and the life (John 11:25) [2], raised
- Lazarus who was dead and decaying for four (4) days (John 11:1-43)
- the widow’s son in the village of Nain (Luke 7:15)
- the 12-year-old daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue (Mark 5:42)
We studied v24 in Section I.
25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.
In the present, though people are spiritually dead, (The spiritually dead would be like ‘heatless, senseless, ruthless, ignorant and etc’.) They will become spiritually alive if they hear the voice of the Son. (As a result, they would become like ‘loving, sensitive, caring, understanding spiritual things and etc’.)
In future, all including the physically dead will hear His voice to rise either to live or to be condemned (John 5:28-29).
See v26.
26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
The first man Adam became a living being (Genesis 2:7); the last Adam (Christ Jesus) is a life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45).
We studied v28 and v29a in Section I.
III. The Authority of Judgement (22, 23, 24, 27, 29b, 30)
See v22.
22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
Christ Jesus is the Judge as well as the Creator and the Redeemer.
What we bind or loose on earth will happen in the heavenly realm (Matthew 16:19, Matthew 18:18). That is, the believers can open or lock the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19).
Jesus gave His believers the authority of judgement. See Matthew 12:41.
41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.
See Matthew 12:42.
42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
See v23.
23 that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him.
See John 12:26b.
Jesus said, “My Father will honour the one who serves me.”
See John 13:20.
Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.’
Other relevant verses are John 12:44-45, Matthew 10:40, Luke 9:48, Luke 10:16, and Mark 9:37.
We studied v24 in Section I.
See v27.
And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
Regarding ‘the Son of Man’ in v27,
“The idea is no doubt a juridical principle: because He is to judge men, therefore He must have not only knowledge of man, but also a human experience. As Son of man, thus embodying the ideal of human life, He is the standard of the judgment, and virtually the judgment itself; as Son of man, He has the whole experience of humanity, sin excepted (which is no pure experience), and as He, in that He has been tempted, is able to succor them that are tempted, He is able also to judge them that are tempted.” [3]
We studied v29b in Section I.
See v30.
By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
Jesus will judge based on the true reality (“as I hear”). “perfect perception of the divine will [3]”
His judgement is just because he is not self-seeking. His submission to God was demonstrated in his Gethsemane prayer “yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
References
- Borchert, G.L., The New American Commentary: John 1-11. 1996: Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
- Park, Y. Jesus – the Resurrection and the Life. 2014 2/04/2023]; Available from: https://comnc.org/jesus-the-resurrection-and-the-life/.
- Lange, J.P.S., Philip, A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John. Logos Research ed. 2008, Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
The Son can do only what he sees his Father doing
John 5:19 [1]
19 Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
The reason Jesus did good works on the Sabbath was ‘My Father (God) is always at his work to this very day.’ (John 5:17). Jesus called God His own Father (John 5:17). The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in Virgin Mary without a human male’s help. Therefore, it was literally true that God was His own Father. But they knew nothing about it and were offended, and blamed Jesus for the blasphemy (John 5:18). They needed Bible Study sessions for the explanation. Jesus explained in v19.
I. The Son can do only what he sees his Father doing
See v19.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
What Jesus does is not arbitrarily decided by Himself alone. Jesus depends [2] on what He sees the Father doing (19). What Jesus does is a divine work [3]. “They must fight with God Himself if they persist in condemning what must necessarily be ascribed to Jesus.” [3].
II. The importance to acknowledge the spiritual blindness
The Jewish leaders were spiritually blinded (John 9:39-41) but they thought and claimed they were able to see (John 9:41).
Nicodemus thought and claimed that HE KNEW JESUS had come from God (John 3:2). In contrast, John the Baptist (Mark 1:4-5) and Witness (John 1:8) was a kinsman of Jesus and was born 6 months before Jesus. But John claimed that HE DID NOT KNOW JESUS (John 1:31, 33) until he saw (John 1:32, 34) and heard (John 1:33) in spirit.
III. Spiritual sight: an example of John the Baptist & Witness
Only after John the Baptist & Witness heard and saw in the Spirit, he testified about Jesus saying, “This is God’s Chosen One.” (John 1:34).
What John heard:
“The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.” (John 1:33)
What John saw:
‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.’ (John 1:32, 34)
IV. Some knowledge is given by God’s Sovereignty
As described in the previous section, John’s 'knowledge' of God’s Chosen One was obtained via God’s revelation.
Some knowledge is given by God's will & selection (Matthew 11:27).
... no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
When Peter said to Jesus, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ in Matthew 16:16, Jesus said that this was revealed to Peter by His Father in heaven. See Matthew 16:17.
‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.’
V. How to truly know is how to receive the spiritual sight. The answer is the spiritual rebirth
Nicodemus thought and claimed that HE KNEW JESUS had come from God (John 3:2). In response, Jesus taught him saying, “NO ONE CAN SEE the kingdom of God UNLESS they are born again.” (John 3:3). That is, the true knowledge requires the spiritual sight, which is given through the spiritual rebirth.
The conditions of being born of God are written in John 1:12-13.
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
- natural descent (13a): physical birth [4]
- human decision (13b): self-determination [4]
- a husband’s will (13c): the choice of another person [4]
A video message that explains John 1:13 is here [5].
The messages on spiritual rebirth are
- Spiritual Rebirth and Spiritual Sight (John 3:1-3) [6]
- You must be born of water and the Spirit (John 3:4-8) [7]
- Rebirth by God’s Sovereignty (John 3:9-11) [8]
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- Borchert, G.L., The New American Commentary: John 1-11. 1996: Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
- Calvin, J. and W. Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John. 2010, Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
- Gangel, K.O., Holman New Testament Commentary: John. Vol. 4. 2000: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
- Park, Y. Bible Study on John 1:13. 2021 26/03/2023]; Available from: https://www.tiktok.com/@yongjoojohnpark/video/7012184323755363585.
- Park, Y. Spiritual Rebirth and Spiritual Sight. 2022 26/03/2023]; Available from: https://comnc.org/no-rebirth-no-see/.
- Park, Y. You must be born of water and the Spirit. 2022; Available from: https://comnc.org/you-must-be-born-of-water-and-the-spirit/.
- Park, Y. Rebirth by God’s Sovereignty. 2022; Available from: https://comnc.org/rebirth-by-gods-sovereignty-and-unbelief-by-nicodemus/.
Repent your persecution. Receive the Gospel. Start a new life.
John 5:16-18 [1]
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defence Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.’ 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Persecution was how the Jewish leaders treated Jesus. This showed that they were standing on the opposite side of the truth (John 18:37c). They were on the wrong side! They didn’t belong to God (John 8:47). The spirit they had was not from God (1 John 4:2-3) but was the spirit of the antichrist (1 John 4:3) and falsehood (1 John 4:6c).
For the same reasons, the unbelievers may respond with persecution toward the Gospel or the Evangelist/Preacher of the Gospel. Let them read John 5:1-18 and see their Jewish leader-like attitude toward the good works done by Jesus and the Gospel. And let them repent and receive the Gospel.
I. Persecution for breaking the Sabbath (16)
See v16.
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.
What do ‘these things’ include? See John 5:8-9.
8 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,
Jesus healed a man and also let him carry the mat on the Sabbath.
For Jesus’ healing them on the Sabbath, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were indignant (Luke 13:14), accusatory (Mark 3:2, Matthew 12:10), and homicidal (Matthew 12:14).
Also, they thought the law would forbid the healed man to carry his mat on the Sabbath (John 5:10) because of what is written in the law such as Exodus 20:8-11, 35:2, and Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
Because Jesus was breaking the Sabbath (18b), they began persecuting Jesus (16b).
Our body is the temple of God, where God’s spirit can reside. The temple of God in Jerusalem represented the body of Jesus. Jesus is something greater than the temple (Matthew 12:6). The priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent (Matthew 12:5). When we, as the priests (1 Peter 2:5), are in Jesus (inside the temple), on the Sabbath, we don’t have to just rest but can do the good works of God.
II. Persecution for committing blasphemy (17-18)
See v17.
17 In his defence Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.’
Because Jesus was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God (17, 18c), they tried all the more to kill him (18a).
Blasphemy is forbidden by the law (Leviticus 24:16, Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11) and the penalty is death by stoning (Leviticus 24:16). They thought Jesus would deserve to die because of blasphemy (John 10:33, John 19:7) and later, the Sanhedrin condemned Him as worthy of death for blasphemy (Matthew 26:65-66, Mark 14:64) before the crucifixion.
Genesis 3:15 promised the Saviour of the world would be sent as the offspring of the woman. Jesus was conceived in the virgin Mary without a human male. God’s holy spirit made her pregnant supernaturally (Luke 1:35). So, God the heavenly Father was His real father. He was literally the Son of God. At the time of Jesus on earth, many people knew nothing about this. Instead, they simply thought Jesus’ father was Mary’s earthly husband, Joseph (Matthew 13:54-56).
Even if they didn’t know about His birth by the virgin through God, what surprises us is that they didn’t praise God for His good works (John 10:32, 38) but only blamed Him for breaking the Sabbath or committing blasphemy (John 10:33). His defence is written in John 10:34-38.
When we tell the unbelievers that Jesus died for them to forgive their sins, they should never stop until they would find out their sins & penalties, and God’s love, mercy and forgiveness toward them. But they often respond with criticism like what the Jewish leaders have shown. Whoever reads John 5:1-18 can see that their attitude was totally wrong. Based on this understanding, he/she could repent their wrong attitude toward the Gospel, diligently find out his/her own sins and God’s love, confess his/her faith in Jesus and start a new life.
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Continuing to sin may cause something worse
John 5:9b-15 [1]
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.’
11 But he replied, ‘The man who made me well said to me, “Pick up your mat and walk.” ’
12 So they asked him, ‘Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?’
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.’ 15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Last week, we studied Jesus healed a 38-year invalid man in John 5:1-9a.
“Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath and that became the point of argument in the next four chapters. Because people want rules, not grace. They want to boast about what they did to earn merit from God. This attitude opposes the gospel.” [2]
Today, let us study the subsequent scripture that the Jewish leaders contrasted Jesus’ mercy and grace, and the man’s illness was due to his sins (14).
I. The problems of the Jewish leaders and the sins of the invalid man
The day on which the invalid man was healed was a Sabbath (9b). The Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.’ (10)
Here, the Jewish leaders were not interested in the healed man’s joy or well-being but merely in their rules and traditions (10, 12). They were rigid, doctrinaire, noncaring religious leaders, who were responsible for the death of Jesus. [3]
What was the reply of the man? See v11.
11 But he replied, ‘The man who made me well said to me, “Pick up your mat and walk.” ’
He didn’t praise God and express his joy and gratitude for healing. He pointed his finger at the healer for the responsibility of breaking the law. Regarding the man’s sin of ‘no glory and no gratitude to God’, see below.
The beginning of the sins: No glory and no gratitude to God (Romans 1:18-32)
Romans 1:18 declares,
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
People are without excuse that they didn’t know God because God’s eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from God’s creation (Romans 1:19-20).
The beginning of the sin is expressed in Romans 1:21, ‘They neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him although they knew God’.
The Sin of no glory and no gratitude to God progresses to idol worship and sexual impurity (Romans 1:22-25), unnatural sexual relations (Romans 1:26-27), and social sins (Romans 1:28-32).
When Jesus healed the ten men with leprosy, only one came back to thank him (=give praise to God) (Luke 17:11-18). Together with this example, today’s scripture teaches how important to thank God after receiving God’s grace and mercy.
The blaming, self-centred, self-preservation pattern of his former life
“The blaming, self-centred, self-preservation pattern of his former life continued after the healing as he turned from the Healer to investigators (the Jews) and reported Jesus to these authority figures.” [3]
See v12.
12 So they asked him, ‘Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?’
The Jewish leaders deliberately [4] didn’t ask the man about the healing. Nor did they praise God for the healing. But they looked for the identity of the man’s healer in order to persecute him (12).
“Their minds are fixed only on the supposed transgression, on this violation of their all-important traditions. For these Jews, Jesus is not the man who healed this great sufferer, who bestowed on him divine mercy, but a man who broke their traditions, who had to be punished.” [4]
Fortunately, or unfortunately, the man didn’t know who his healer was (13).
II. Continuing to sin may cause something worse
Later Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him, ‘See you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.’ (14)
V14 shows the man’s illness was caused by his sins. We studied the sins of the invalid man in section I. He was physically healed but showed problems in his attitude (11).
On the other hand, the born-blind man in John 9:1-41, whose misery was not caused by the sins but for displaying the work (or glory) of God, defended Jesus (John 9:30-33) and showed a good attitude (John 9:9, 25, 27, 38).
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- Gangel, K.O., Holman New Testament Commentary: John. Vol. 4. 2000: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
- Borchert, G.L., The New American Commentary: John 1-11. 1996: Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
- Lenski, R.C.H., The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel. Logos Research Edition ed. 1961, Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.
Jesus changed the game. Start to live now.
John 5:1–9a [1]
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralysed [—and they waited for the moving of the waters. 4From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had.] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’
7 ‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’
8 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
I. An invalid man in the game of the world (1-5)
It was one of the Jewish festivals (1) when people would enjoy themselves with their families, relatives and friends. But there were people who couldn’t enjoy it together. A great number of disabled people used to lie near a pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem – the blind, the lame, the paralysed (2, 3a).
When everyone was busy enjoying the festival, Jesus went to care for the most miserable people (1-6). Jesus considers that the person in difficulty is Jesus Himself (Matthew 25:31-46). He taught in Matthew 22:39, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Why were the disabled people there? See v3-4. They were waiting for the moving of waters (3b). Bethesda means ‘place of mercy’ [2]. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters (4a). The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had (4b).
This is a picture of this world. Even if some people in this world may be physically OK but everyone has mental and spiritual problems. Also, people are competing for the same opportunities and only a limited number of people win the favour.
Who was there? See v5.
5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
Based on the 36 years of his sickness, he might be one of the worst patients in that place.
II. Jesus, the healer and the game changer (6-9a)
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time (6a), what did Jesus say to him? See v6b.
he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’
This man might have lost his hope for healing after being sick for such a long time (5) and repeated failure to enter the water first (7). “Do you want to get well?” was a kind voice of the Savior, giving him hope of healing. Today, Jesus asks us, “Do you want to get well?” even if we ourselves have given up and forgotten. It is because He loves us, and wants to give us hope and heal us.
What was his answer? See v7.
7 ‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’
He was in abandonment [3]. Instead of saying ‘yes’, he replied with a long story of his repeated failure in the game of the pool. His answer included dependency, complaints, blame [3], and negativity [3] about no help from others. Are you negative and ready to blame others [3]? You may be a type of sinner in this scripture.
What is the response of Jesus? See v8.
8 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’
Jesus commanded the man, “Get up!”. He didn’t say quietly. He didn’t give his hand to help him up. Instead, He exclaimed. Further, he asked him to pick up the mat that he was lying on, and walk.
What is the result of His command? See v9a.
9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
He was cured immediately. It was without having to wait for the moving of the waters. It was without having to compete with others to enter the water first. Jesus is the game changer.
Have you suffered any problems for a long time? Are you negative and ready to blame others? Jesus wants to heal you immediately without being limited by the rule of the game you are in. Start a new life in Jesus today.
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- Easton’s Bible Dictionary.
- Borchert, G.L., The New American Commentary: John 1-11. 1996: Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Learning to believe without craving for signs and wonders
John 4:45-54 [1]
45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay ill at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,’ Jesus told him, ‘you will never believe.’
49 The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’
50 ‘Go,’ Jesus replied, ‘your son will live.’
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he enquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, ‘Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.’
53 Then the father realised that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Jesus left Samara (John 4:43) and was in Cana in v46. On the way from Samaria to Cana, there is Nazareth where Jesus found no honour (John 4:44) due to their doubt and demand. 'doubt and demand' are what the Devil wants us to do. Jesus also was tempted to ‘test God, and expect (demand) God to do as we demand (expect)’ during His 2nd temptation (Matthew 4:5-7).
Let us study today's scripture and improve a similar common problem in our faith.
I. Galileans as opposed to Samaritans
Galileans welcomed Jesus (45a). The reason for the welcoming was written in v45b.
They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
The reason was that they had ‘seen’ all he had done (45b).
Jesus leads 'faith in miracles' to 'faith in the word' [2] (John 10:38, 14:11, 15:24). However, He reproves the craving for miracles or miracle mania [2].
Samaritans were spiritually superior because they believed in Jesus for His word [3] (John 4:41-42, John 20:29).
II. Learning to believe without craving for signs and wonders
A certain royal official was in Cana and his son lay ill at Capernaum (46). Capernaum was 26km away from Cana. He begged Jesus to come and heal his son (47) and urged Jesus (49),
‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ (49b)
Jesus told him in v48.
‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.’ (48a, 48c)
Jesus leads 'faith in miracles' to 'faith in the word' [2] (John 10:38, 14:11, 15:24). However, He reproves the craving for miracles or miracle mania [2]. Jesus knew all people and what was in each person (John 2:24-25). Jesus knew the official’s faith had a problem - ‘not believing without craving for signs and wonders’. How did Jesus help him? See v50.
50 ‘Go,’ Jesus replied, ‘your son will live.’
Jesus asked him to go by believing His word [4].
The man took Jesus at his word and obeyed (50b). Because what Jesus said was the truth and what He did was real (51, 52, 53a), His word eventually led him and his whole household to faith (53b).
This was the second sign Jesus performed in Cana (54).
When Jesus performed the 1st sign in Cana (John 2:1-11) also, the servants obeyed Jesus’ word before seeing the miracle. When Jesus healed a born-blind beggar in John 9, Jesus put mud on his eyes and asked him to go to Siloam to wash his eyes. Why did He not heal him instantly but request obedience before the healing? We can see a similar reason behind it. We need to learn to believe without craving for the signs and wonders! Amen.
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- Lange, J.P.S., Philip, A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John. Logos Research ed. 2008, Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
- Spence, H.D.M., The Pulpit Commentary - St. John. Vol. 1. 1909.
- Borchert, G.L., The New American Commentary: John 1-11. 1996: Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
A prophet has no honour in his own country
John 4:43-44 [1]
43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honour in his own country.)
When Jesus went to Samaria (John 4:4), a Samaritan woman accepted him as Messiah she was waiting for (John 4:25-26). She invited people in her town to Jesus (John 4:29) and they welcomed and discovered Jesus being the Saviour of the world (John 4:42). Jesus was honoured by Samaritans whom the Jews despised and rejected.
After two days in Samaria, Jesus left for Galilee (43). He went to his home town (Matthew 13:54, Mark 6:1, Luke 4:16) in Galilee. There, Jesus found no honour.
I. They took offence at Jesus in His home town
See v44.
44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honour in his own country.)
Parallel verses related to John 4:44 are Matthew 13:53-57, Mark 6:1-4, and Luke 4:22-23. They give us information about what happened before Jesus pointed this out. According to Matthew 13:54-57a and Mark 6:1-2a, Jesus came to his home town (Nazareth, Luke 4:16) and began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed.
They said in Matthew 13:55b-56,
‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked. 55 ‘Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?’
And they took offence at him (57a).
People in his home town only saw him apparently and didn’t see his heavenly origin. Joseph was His father apparently. However, he was not Jesus’ biological father, but God was. But they knew nothing about His heavenly origin.
II. A prophet has no honour in his own country
What Jesus said in response is written in Matthew 13:57b and Mark 6:4.
But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour except in his own town and in his own home.’
4 Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.’
Luke 4:23-30 shows more information about Jesus’ response to the offence.
23 Jesus said to them, ‘Surely you will quote this proverb to me: “Physician, heal yourself!” And you will tell me, “Do here in your home town what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.” ’
24 ‘Truly I tell you,’ he continued, ‘no prophet is accepted in his home town. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.’
28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
The people’s reason behind the offence is revealed in the word of Jesus in Luke 4:23.
23 Jesus said to them, ‘Surely you will quote this proverb to me: “Physician, heal yourself!” And you will tell me, “Do here in your home town what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.” ’
That is, they doubted and demanded that Jesus perform the alleged miracles before them [2].
Jesus mentioned that Elijah the prophet was sent to only a gentile person during a severe famine throughout the land and only a gentile person was cleaned from leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet.
People’s response (Luke 4:28, 29) to what Jesus mentioned above foreshadows the coming crucifixion to some degree [2].
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- Borchert, G.L., The New American Commentary: John 1-11. 1996: Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Samaritans meet the Saviour of the world
John 4:39-42 [1]
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I’ve ever done.’ 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.’
The Samaritan woman met Christ Jesus who is the true husband and the true object of worship (John 4:1-26). That was the turning point in her life (John 4:28a). She received the living water, was filled with the joy of salvation, and became a missionary to evangelise her town (John 4:28b-30). She invited them saying “Come, see…” (29a). They came out of the town and made their way towards Jesus (30). Today let us study the result of her Come & See invitation.
I. He told me everything I’ve ever done (39)
See v39.
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I’ve ever done.’
She was forgiven (John 4:17-18), freed from her past and no longer hiding her past. She testified, ‘He told me everything I’ve ever done.’ (39, John 4:29). Jesus knew that the Samaritan woman had had five husbands and the man she now had was not her husband (John 4:17-18). Jesus knew the uncommon and unthinkable fact that happened in reality. Only God and herself would know the exact number of her husbands in her past and her current situation. The above knowledge of Jesus indicated that He was God and knew everything she had ever done. The omnipotence of knowledge Jesus had was indicated in John 2:25 as well. See John 2:25.
25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
God knows about us more than we know about ourselves. God knows every sin we have ever committed more than we can remember or recognise. Let us ask God to help us recognise our sins, mourn and humbly repent. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14), the tax collector was forgiven because he humbled himself.
II. Now we have heard for ourselves (40-42)
When the Samaritans came to him, they urged Jesus to stay with them (40a) They were truly ripe for harvest (John 4:35b). And Jesus stayed for two days (40b). And because of his words many more became believers (41).
See v42.
42 They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.’
People come to the Lord via believers’ testimonials and invitations. However, it is important for them to study the Holy Bible, the written Word of God. This will help them have the biblical basis for what they believe. It is necessary to enable them to say the truth with “it is written” as Jesus did in Matthew 4:4, 7, 10.
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work
John 4:27-37 [1]
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, ‘What do you want?’ or ‘Why are you talking with her?’
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could this be the Messiah?’ 30 They came out of the town and made their way towards him.
31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’
32 But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing about.’
33 Then his disciples said to each other, ‘Could someone have brought him food?’
34 ‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest”? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying “One sows and another reaps” is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour.’
I. The Samaritan Woman Changed (27-30)
V27 reminds us that talking with a woman in public was prohibited by the traditional Jewish custom of the day. Jesus helped her beyond such a social barrier [2].
The woman left her water jar and went back to the town (28a). Maybe she left her jar to indicate that she would be back, or for them to use while she was away. When people repented and believed the Gospel, they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32-37). This may indicate that John 4:26 was the turning point of her life. Her new life is demonstrated in v28-30.
Previously she avoided others by coming to the well at noon alone (John 4:6-7). But now she invited the people to Christ (28b-30). Previously she hid her past (John 4:17). Now she admitted her past (29). The born-blind beggar admitted his past after being healed by Jesus in John 9:9b. It is important to remember and admit our sinful and miserable past to maintain our humility and give the glory to God who deserves it.
II. My food is to do the will of God and finish His Work (31-34)
Jesus saved this woman (John 4:7-26), glorified God (John 17:4) and was filled with gladness (36) but the disciples knew nothing about it (32). Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (34)
This reminds us of what Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 amid his extreme hunger (Matthew 4:2).
4 Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
But the devil wants us to prioritise physical food (Matthew 4:3) and forbidden food (Genesis 3:1-24). There are situations when prayer and fasting are critical (Mark 9:29). See Mark 9:29.
29 He replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer [and fasting].’
Jesus declared in John 6:38.
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
Similar verses are Psalm 40:7-8, Matthew 7:21, John 5:30, John 14:31a, John 19:28, John 19:30, Acts 20:24, and 1 John 2:17.
III. Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest (35-37)
Jesus wants us to open our spiritual eyes to look at the world ripe for harvest (35). Here a crop to harvest is mankind. That is, people in the world are ready to repent of their sins and receive eternal life in Jesus Christ.
Here, the seed of the sower is the word in the message from God as in the Parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23), the seed represents the word in the message about the heavenly kingdom.
The Samaritan woman already knew about God, Jacob, worship, and Messiah (=Christ). This knowledge is from the seed of God’s Word in her heart, sown by the believers such as her parents, prophets, and bible teachers. She couldn’t find the true husband and waiting for Messiah. She was ripe for harvest.
‘Sowing’ is hard work as expressed in Psalm 125:5-6. The sowers sow with tears and go out weeping, carrying seed to sow. That’s how they work to get joyful results.
5 Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
We are reapers (38). What is great about being a reaper?
- One who reaps draws a wage (36) (1 Corinthians 9:9-18)
- This harvest results in eternal life for the crop (36).
- The reaper is rewarded with gladness as much as the sower (36).
- The sowers have done the hard work, and we have reaped the benefits of their labour (37-38).
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- Park, Y. Jesus who gives living water. 2023 5/02/2023]; Available from: https://comnc.org/jesus-who-gives-living-water/.
I am he
John 4:19-26 [1]
19 ‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.’
21 ‘Woman,’ Jesus replied, ‘believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’
25 The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’
26 Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he.’
I. True Worship (19-24)
The Samaritan woman recognised Jesus as a prophet (19). She raised the worship issue showing her religious and spiritual side (20). She appeared physical (John 4:18). We learn that a person who appears physical may be also interested in spiritual matters.
The Samaritan woman wanted to know where to worship (20). In the Old Testament, the one place of worship was commanded (Deuteronomy 12:1-32, esp., Deuteronomy 12:5). Let us study the true worship Jesus taught (21-24). [2]
- True worship does not depend on the location (21) [2].
The physical location of worship does not matter whether it is this mountain, Jerusalem, or home.
- True worship requires ‘to know God’ (22) [2].
Important is the knowledge of God, that is, knowing God, who is our object of worship.
How we can know God [2]:
|
- True worship is in the Spirit and in truth (23-24).
See v23. God is spirit. He seeks the true worshippers (as opposed to ‘we go to the temple, we seek God.’). God will find you wherever you worship in the Spirit and in truth.
See v24.
24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
In the Spirit (in spirit): in the human spirit moved by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14, 16, 26) as opposed to external, stiffened, and even carnally fanatical modes of worship [3].
In truth: real, actual (in life) as opposed to symbolic, formal, ritualistic worship [3]. Our day-to-day life as a living sacrifice to God is written in Romans 12:1-2. A relevant message is https://comnc.org/christian-pledge-of-allegiance-to-god [4].
II. I am he (25-26)
See v25.
25 The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’
The Samaritan woman was waiting for Messiah (=Christ). She couldn’t find Christ in her five ex-husbands. She gave up calling her 6th man ‘husband’. She waited for the true husband (John 4:15, 25) and the object of worship (John 4:20).
What is the answer of Jesus? See v26.
26 Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he.’
Jesus revealed He was Christ she was looking for. She was already speaking with Him. What a touching moment! Saving this woman was why Jesus had to go through Samaria (John 4:4). Jesus knew she was waiting for Christ (25) and ready (John 4:15, 20) and came in time. She finally met her true husband and the object of worship, who would give her living water (John 4:10) that would become in her a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14).
References
- The Holy Bible: New International Version. Anglicised. Revised and updated. ed. 2011: London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- Park, Y. The True Worship (John 4:19-24). 2021 29/01/2023]; Available from: https://comnc.org/the-true-worship/.
- Lange, J.P.S., Philip, A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John. Logos Research ed. 2008, Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
- Park, Y. Christian Pledge of Allegiance. 2014 29/01/2023]; Available from: https://comnc.org/a-living-sacrifice-holy-and-acceptable-to-god/.
