The Claims of Jesus
John Chapter 5 opens with Jesus coming upon the Pool of Bethesda near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem. There he finds a man who has been lame for 38 years. Jesus asks the man if he wants to be healed. It is interesting to note that the man does not answer with an enthusiastic “Yes!”. While some at that time preferred to remain in their state of disability in order to profit from begging, this man’s excuse for why he wasn’t able to reach the pool when it was stirred seems to indicate that he may have lost his will to be healed. Another thought is that he didn’t realize who he was speaking to so simply answered logically. Whatever the man’s thoughts about being healed, it is important to see that although the man didn’t come to Jesus, Jesus came to the man in his time of need. When Jesus gives the command to the man to pick up his mat and walk, the man’s faith becomes connected to the power of Jesus and he is healed.
This healing was done on the Sabbath and brought controversy among the people. Instead of rejoicing with the man over his healing, the Jewish leaders accused him of breaking the law by carrying his mat. The punishment for this offense was stoning. Once again, Jesus comes to the man in his time of need, and redirects the attention to Himself.
Jesus stirs up the anger of the leaders by making three claims. First, He claimed to be equal with God (vv. 19-23). Jesus’ justification for His actions was a close relationship to His Father. Claiming to be equal with God was seen as blasphemy which was punishable by death. It is interesting to note that Jesus didn’t spend time trying to change their minds, instead He confronted their hostility by continuing to carry out the Father’s will. Jesus shared that He was submitting Himself to His Father in everything that He did; He could only act in dependence on His Father (v. 19). He shared that the Father had reveled His plans and purposes and then enabled Jesus to be able to carry them out (v. 20). Jesus was the giver of life both in the present (by raising the dead) and in the future (in the resurrection) (v. 21). And all judgment was entrusted to Jesus which was seen as heretical since the Jews believed that God was judge (v. 22).
The author of the Harvest study writes, “Jesus never chose to exercise His divine power for His own benefit. Whenever He displayed His power, it was on behalf of someone else and in order to glorify God. It was nothing for Jesus to heal a lame man; He would soon do ‘greater works’ by raising a man from the dead. The Son who had proved His authority over Creation and physical illness and the Sabbath was equal in nature with God. He was in a loving relationship with the Father. Therefore, Jesus says in verse 23, ‘All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.’” Warren Weirsbe adds that apart from Jesus Christ, we cannot know the Father, worship the Father, or serve the Father.
Jesus’ second claim was that he had authority to raise the dead (vv. 24-29). In verse 24, Jesus says that whoever hears the word and believes Him who sent Jesus has eternal life. In other words, dead sinners are raised from the dead by hearing God’s Word and believing on God’s Son. Warren Wiersbe writes that Jesus healed the paralyzed man at the pool by His Word. His Word is “living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12) and can raise sinners from spiritual death. “Everlasting life” means that they can never die spiritually again, nor can they ever come into judgment (Romans 8:1). To hear His Word and believe means salvation; to reject His Word means condemnation (John 12:48). In verse 26, Jesus claims that He has been given the same kind of life the Father possess. Jesus laid down His life and then took it up again (John 10:17-18). Because He has life in Himself, He can share that life with all who trust Him. Believers will experience resurrection life when they are raised from the dead. This will take place when Jesus Christ returns in the air and calls His people to Himself. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthian 15). Jesus also claims to have the authority to judge in verse 27. The resurrection of condemnation (v. 29b) involved only the lost. Those who have “done good” (only those with God’s life indwelling them through the Holy Spirit who have heard His voice and obeyed His Word are able to do good in God’s eyes) will rise to reign with Christ in glory. Those who have “done evil” (those who have refused the Truth, denied Christ, and turned their backs on God) will be condemned. According to Warren Weirsbe, they will receive resurrection bodies, but not glorified bodies, that will be judged and suffer punishment. He adds that bodies that were used for sin will suffer the consequences of that sin.
Thirdly, He claimed that there are valid witnesses who supported His claim to diety (vv. 30-47). Jesus begins by discussing the testimony of John the Baptist. If the Jews had believed John, they would have believed Christ and been saved. Weirsbe writes that John faithfully declared who Jesus was; the people were excited about his ministry, but their enthusiasm faded. The leaders did not want to receive his message of repentance. Next Jesus talks about His miracle. These signs testified to what He is and to His divine mission. Weirsbe adds that Jesus said His works were of the Father. He had specific works to do in the Father’s will. Lastly, Jesus uses the Word of the Father as a witness. The Jews prided themselves on their attachment to Moses, their great lawgiver. The Old Testament pointed to Christ and Jesus specifically pointed to Moses’ writings. Weirsbe writes that even though the law of Moses spoke of the Messiah, the people were blind. They did not allow the Word to generate faith in their hearts. The mark of true Bible study is not knowledge that puffs up, but love that builds up. “There was something wrong with the minds of the Jewish leaders: they did not see Christ in their own Scriptures. But there was also something wrong with their wills: they would not trust in the Savior. They were religious and self-righteous, but they were not saved. They also lacked love in their hearts. They sought the honor of men instead of the honor that comes from God alone.” Weirsbe goes on to say that Moses whom the Jews honored would one day be their judge and not their Savior. They knew what he wrote, but they did not really believe what he wrote. The Word must be in our hearts. He adds, “Does our knowledge of the Bible give us a ‘big head’ or a ‘burning heart’?” Hebrews 4:12-13 says that the Word of God is living and active; it penetrates and divides soul and spirit; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. The author of the Harvest study says, “Jesus Christ - the One sent from the Father-is the living testimony of the Father and the Scriptures bear witness of Him!
There were several things that stood out to me in this chapter. The Pharisees were the religious leaders of the time. While they knew the Word of God thoroughly, it did not move beyond their minds into their hearts. They used it to accuse and bring judgment on those around them in order to elevate themselves. There was a lack of love and humility and certainly a lack of desire to glorify God with their lives. Quite often I hear or read of those who do not have a faith in Christ accuse Christians of being judgmental. They see the Bible simply as a book of rules and those who follow it as being enslaved and narrow-minded. But God’s Word is more than that to those with a sincere faith. We have freedom in Christ to make choices. I’ve come to see the Bible as a guideline for living, not a set of rules to follow. God’s Word does not preach hatred and condemnation. Because God loves His creation, He desires what is best for us, and living according to God’s will allows us to live His best for us. The reason that most people have a problem with the Bible is because it points out their sin. They don’t want to submit to God’s authority and give up their life of assumed pleasure; just like the Jewish leaders who did not want to receive the message of repentance John was preaching .
While God’s Word speaks specifically about some things that believers should or should not do, there are many “gray areas” that are not addressed. Each person will come to their own personal conclusions on some of these areas and develop standards for themselves. I have needed to remember that my convictions are just that - for me. I am not to judge others as less holy for not following the standards that I have set for myself. When I do, I am just like the Pharisees in Jesus’ time.
I also really stopped to consider the final claim that Jesus made about his diety being supported by God‘s Word. Wiersbe commented that many of the Jewish leaders did not allow the Word to generate faith in their hearts. They spent much time reading and studying it, but is merely puffed them up. Wiersbe added that the mark of true Bible study is not knowledge that puffs up, but love that builds up. The Pharisees were religious and self-righteous, but they were not saved. This makes me think of the saying that going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than living in the garage makes you a car. Many attend church, but the Word that they are hearing spoken every Sunday is not penetrating and dividing their soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12) How I desire to be open to the teaching and reading of the Word so that it can penetrate, divide and judge my thoughts and attitudes. I don’t want a “big head”; I desire a “burning heart” for the things of God.
Love and compassion are also character traits that I have been growing in these past few years. Having walked beside Dennis during his cancer treatment, we were the recipient of much love and compassion from so many. It was coveted and so appreciated. It began the process of softening my heart and seeing the need to reach out more to others who were going through difficult times. My thoughts have been centered around 1 Corinthians 13 lately. What does true love look like? Verses 4-8 in that chapter tell us that love is patient, kind, it does not boast, it does not envy and it is not proud. Love is not rude or self-seeking. It is not easily angered and does not keep records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Love never fails. When you look at this list, it is fairly easy to determine if a person is lacking love in their hearts. As a believer, I have experienced the greatest love of all - the sacrifice of my Savior’s life for my sins. How then can I not express love to others after receiving this great gift. If we call Christ our Savior, then this is the kind of love we must be demonstrating to others.
And if our hearts are “burning” for the things of God and we have received this perfect love gift, then we must testify about it to others without shame and always be ready to give an answer for the hope we have (Romans 1:16; 1 Peter 3:15-16). This blog, my Facebook page, and even my Pinterest boards are becoming tools for me to share the Gospel. I hope and pray that all those I know and love will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, will chose to follow after Him with their whole hearts and will live to glorify Him in their lives. How much sweeter Heaven will be if we’re all together.
This healing was done on the Sabbath and brought controversy among the people. Instead of rejoicing with the man over his healing, the Jewish leaders accused him of breaking the law by carrying his mat. The punishment for this offense was stoning. Once again, Jesus comes to the man in his time of need, and redirects the attention to Himself.
Jesus stirs up the anger of the leaders by making three claims. First, He claimed to be equal with God (vv. 19-23). Jesus’ justification for His actions was a close relationship to His Father. Claiming to be equal with God was seen as blasphemy which was punishable by death. It is interesting to note that Jesus didn’t spend time trying to change their minds, instead He confronted their hostility by continuing to carry out the Father’s will. Jesus shared that He was submitting Himself to His Father in everything that He did; He could only act in dependence on His Father (v. 19). He shared that the Father had reveled His plans and purposes and then enabled Jesus to be able to carry them out (v. 20). Jesus was the giver of life both in the present (by raising the dead) and in the future (in the resurrection) (v. 21). And all judgment was entrusted to Jesus which was seen as heretical since the Jews believed that God was judge (v. 22).
The author of the Harvest study writes, “Jesus never chose to exercise His divine power for His own benefit. Whenever He displayed His power, it was on behalf of someone else and in order to glorify God. It was nothing for Jesus to heal a lame man; He would soon do ‘greater works’ by raising a man from the dead. The Son who had proved His authority over Creation and physical illness and the Sabbath was equal in nature with God. He was in a loving relationship with the Father. Therefore, Jesus says in verse 23, ‘All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.’” Warren Weirsbe adds that apart from Jesus Christ, we cannot know the Father, worship the Father, or serve the Father.
Jesus’ second claim was that he had authority to raise the dead (vv. 24-29). In verse 24, Jesus says that whoever hears the word and believes Him who sent Jesus has eternal life. In other words, dead sinners are raised from the dead by hearing God’s Word and believing on God’s Son. Warren Wiersbe writes that Jesus healed the paralyzed man at the pool by His Word. His Word is “living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12) and can raise sinners from spiritual death. “Everlasting life” means that they can never die spiritually again, nor can they ever come into judgment (Romans 8:1). To hear His Word and believe means salvation; to reject His Word means condemnation (John 12:48). In verse 26, Jesus claims that He has been given the same kind of life the Father possess. Jesus laid down His life and then took it up again (John 10:17-18). Because He has life in Himself, He can share that life with all who trust Him. Believers will experience resurrection life when they are raised from the dead. This will take place when Jesus Christ returns in the air and calls His people to Himself. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthian 15). Jesus also claims to have the authority to judge in verse 27. The resurrection of condemnation (v. 29b) involved only the lost. Those who have “done good” (only those with God’s life indwelling them through the Holy Spirit who have heard His voice and obeyed His Word are able to do good in God’s eyes) will rise to reign with Christ in glory. Those who have “done evil” (those who have refused the Truth, denied Christ, and turned their backs on God) will be condemned. According to Warren Weirsbe, they will receive resurrection bodies, but not glorified bodies, that will be judged and suffer punishment. He adds that bodies that were used for sin will suffer the consequences of that sin.
Thirdly, He claimed that there are valid witnesses who supported His claim to diety (vv. 30-47). Jesus begins by discussing the testimony of John the Baptist. If the Jews had believed John, they would have believed Christ and been saved. Weirsbe writes that John faithfully declared who Jesus was; the people were excited about his ministry, but their enthusiasm faded. The leaders did not want to receive his message of repentance. Next Jesus talks about His miracle. These signs testified to what He is and to His divine mission. Weirsbe adds that Jesus said His works were of the Father. He had specific works to do in the Father’s will. Lastly, Jesus uses the Word of the Father as a witness. The Jews prided themselves on their attachment to Moses, their great lawgiver. The Old Testament pointed to Christ and Jesus specifically pointed to Moses’ writings. Weirsbe writes that even though the law of Moses spoke of the Messiah, the people were blind. They did not allow the Word to generate faith in their hearts. The mark of true Bible study is not knowledge that puffs up, but love that builds up. “There was something wrong with the minds of the Jewish leaders: they did not see Christ in their own Scriptures. But there was also something wrong with their wills: they would not trust in the Savior. They were religious and self-righteous, but they were not saved. They also lacked love in their hearts. They sought the honor of men instead of the honor that comes from God alone.” Weirsbe goes on to say that Moses whom the Jews honored would one day be their judge and not their Savior. They knew what he wrote, but they did not really believe what he wrote. The Word must be in our hearts. He adds, “Does our knowledge of the Bible give us a ‘big head’ or a ‘burning heart’?” Hebrews 4:12-13 says that the Word of God is living and active; it penetrates and divides soul and spirit; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. The author of the Harvest study says, “Jesus Christ - the One sent from the Father-is the living testimony of the Father and the Scriptures bear witness of Him!
There were several things that stood out to me in this chapter. The Pharisees were the religious leaders of the time. While they knew the Word of God thoroughly, it did not move beyond their minds into their hearts. They used it to accuse and bring judgment on those around them in order to elevate themselves. There was a lack of love and humility and certainly a lack of desire to glorify God with their lives. Quite often I hear or read of those who do not have a faith in Christ accuse Christians of being judgmental. They see the Bible simply as a book of rules and those who follow it as being enslaved and narrow-minded. But God’s Word is more than that to those with a sincere faith. We have freedom in Christ to make choices. I’ve come to see the Bible as a guideline for living, not a set of rules to follow. God’s Word does not preach hatred and condemnation. Because God loves His creation, He desires what is best for us, and living according to God’s will allows us to live His best for us. The reason that most people have a problem with the Bible is because it points out their sin. They don’t want to submit to God’s authority and give up their life of assumed pleasure; just like the Jewish leaders who did not want to receive the message of repentance John was preaching .
While God’s Word speaks specifically about some things that believers should or should not do, there are many “gray areas” that are not addressed. Each person will come to their own personal conclusions on some of these areas and develop standards for themselves. I have needed to remember that my convictions are just that - for me. I am not to judge others as less holy for not following the standards that I have set for myself. When I do, I am just like the Pharisees in Jesus’ time.
I also really stopped to consider the final claim that Jesus made about his diety being supported by God‘s Word. Wiersbe commented that many of the Jewish leaders did not allow the Word to generate faith in their hearts. They spent much time reading and studying it, but is merely puffed them up. Wiersbe added that the mark of true Bible study is not knowledge that puffs up, but love that builds up. The Pharisees were religious and self-righteous, but they were not saved. This makes me think of the saying that going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than living in the garage makes you a car. Many attend church, but the Word that they are hearing spoken every Sunday is not penetrating and dividing their soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12) How I desire to be open to the teaching and reading of the Word so that it can penetrate, divide and judge my thoughts and attitudes. I don’t want a “big head”; I desire a “burning heart” for the things of God.
Love and compassion are also character traits that I have been growing in these past few years. Having walked beside Dennis during his cancer treatment, we were the recipient of much love and compassion from so many. It was coveted and so appreciated. It began the process of softening my heart and seeing the need to reach out more to others who were going through difficult times. My thoughts have been centered around 1 Corinthians 13 lately. What does true love look like? Verses 4-8 in that chapter tell us that love is patient, kind, it does not boast, it does not envy and it is not proud. Love is not rude or self-seeking. It is not easily angered and does not keep records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Love never fails. When you look at this list, it is fairly easy to determine if a person is lacking love in their hearts. As a believer, I have experienced the greatest love of all - the sacrifice of my Savior’s life for my sins. How then can I not express love to others after receiving this great gift. If we call Christ our Savior, then this is the kind of love we must be demonstrating to others.
And if our hearts are “burning” for the things of God and we have received this perfect love gift, then we must testify about it to others without shame and always be ready to give an answer for the hope we have (Romans 1:16; 1 Peter 3:15-16). This blog, my Facebook page, and even my Pinterest boards are becoming tools for me to share the Gospel. I hope and pray that all those I know and love will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, will chose to follow after Him with their whole hearts and will live to glorify Him in their lives. How much sweeter Heaven will be if we’re all together.
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