-THE LIFE OF CHRIST - THE GALILEAN MINISTRY

-Jesus Goes to Jerusalem – Heals on the Sabbath

-John 5:1-47

-John 5:1 makes reference to “a feast of the Jews”.  There has been a great deal of discussion
 in regards to which feast is meant here.  It seems to have been the Passover - we will consider
 it so for the purpose of our study.  For a good discussion of the different opinions that have been
 expressed regarding this “feast”, see A.T. Robertson’s comments, p267-270.  

-It was during this visit to Jerusalem that Jesus healed the crippled man – telling him “Rise, take
 up thy bed, and walk” (vs 8).  There is something of great significance revealed here by John –
 “and on the same day was the Sabbath” (vs 9). 
     -Initially, the Jewish leaders approached the healed man and told him it was unlawful for him
       to carry his bed on the Sabbath.  When he told them that the person who healed him told him
       to do so, the focus of the Jewish leaders changed.  They wanted to know who this person
       was but the healed man didn’t know.

     -Afterwards, Jesus found this healed man in the temple and gave him some instructions (vs 14).
            The man then realized Who had healed him and went and told the Jewish leaders.  “And
            therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these
            things on the Sabbath day” (vs 16).

-Jesus then addressed the Jewish leaders.  In so doing, He associated Himself with the Father
       in heaven which enraged the Jews even more.  In regards to Jesus’ statement in vs 17, “My
       Father worketh hitherto, and I work”, McGarvey and Pendleton commented:  “While God rested
       from creation on the Sabbath, nothing can be clearer than that in works of sustenance, reproduction,
       healing and providence, God has never rested, and never made distinctions between the days of our
       week.  In the light of the gospel we find also that his redemptive work has never ceased, and,
       considering the part which Jesus was even then accomplishing in this field of labor, his words
       ‘and I work’ are full of meaning” (pg 199).

      -Jesus stated that the Father worked on the Sabbath.  Since Jesus was Deity, He had the
              same right.

-Jesus then reasserted His claims.  Obviously, in order to heal the crippled man, Jesus was
       working with the power and authority of God.  (In vs 20, Jesus lets the people know that the time
        would come in which they would see “greater works”.)  Therefore, it was necessary for the
        people to honour the Son and believe His words.   For further evidence, Jesus provided additional
       witnesses (see Deut 19:15):  John the Baptizer (vs 32-25), works (vs 36), God the Father (vs 37)
       and the scriptures (vs 39).

-In verses 45-47, Jesus makes a statement that is very important regarding the harmony of the
       scriptures.  He reminds the people that He is the fulfillment of Old Testament writings.  Consider
       what Lipscomb wrote in these regards:  “The Jews claimed to believe in Moses, yet Moses
       pointed to Christ and without Christ the writings of Moses are meaningless.  [Each proves the
       other to be true, and no one can accept the one and at the same time reject the other.]” (p84).