This must have been a true story, nobody disagreed with it. I believe that it was a type of Christ. NOW he was there in person and the types are not needed anymore.
John 5 cont.Wilt thou be made whole? That seems like a silly question but I believe that it is one to make us think...or hopefully it will! I believe that there are a lot of people that like the pity, the help, the watch care they get from not being able to do certain things like get out of bed, work, etc. They like it when they have people around them all of the time, doing whatever needs to be done and they are never alone. The example of the woman with the issue of blood who reached out to Jesus in faith comes to mind.
John 5 cont.
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
Crossing this with Mark 2:27-3:6--
"27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
3:1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
ALSO Jesus would be in trouble here since he was mad and the NIV tells us that we can't get mad...
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him."
(Bolded emphasis mine)
Pride, legalism, a 'know it all' spirit, etc. destroys you and a lot of others with you...
NOTICE: Jesus asked the religious leaders the above question and they couldn't answer it...
Check
"22. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be in subject to the judgment." NIV
"22. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:" KJV
Jesus is in trouble based on this verse in the NIV. KJV makes it plain that it is in reference to those who are angry with their brother without a cause. But then again, it is according to which NIV you have, they are different just about every year they come out in certain verses.
John 5 cont.
11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
The Lord is showing us here that we better not be playing with sin after he set us free. The bible talks about hardness of heart and deceitfulness of sin in
Heb. 3:12,13
"12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
"13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
This reminds me of Heb. 10:24,25---
"24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
"25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
We see in these scriptures that we are to help, encourage, pray for one another. All those who have been born again, are of the same body, the same family, the same Spirit. We should be caring for one another, loving one another as the Lord Jesus Christ loved us. He gave his life for the sins of the world and we should give our lives to one another because his Spirit lives within us.
John 5 cont.
15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
What terrible thing did Jesus do that the Jews sought to kill him??? Healed a man... That is pretty bad especially if you are trying to build your own reputation or be religiously right...
John 5 cont.
17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus claimed a unique relationship with God the Father and they knew it becasue the Jews said that God was their Father in John 8:37-43 and they were not trying to kill themselves.
John 8
"37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word."
We can't understand God unless we hear him and we can't hear him unless we have ears to hear...
Check Acts 9:3-7--
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
And Acts 22:6-9--
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
So we see something here... Do these contradict each other??? They heard the voice but didn't understand it... they heard but didn't hear. Some didn't have ears to hear what was truly said, some do...
Using John 12:28,29---
"28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
"29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him."
But they knew that Jesus was claiming something different than they were in the relationship mode...Jesus throughout his ministry showed that he had a different relationship with the Father than we do...
Check John 20:17---
"17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."
Even as the Son of man, he had a different relationship with the Father.
John 5 cont.
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
We were talking about hearing earlier. They that hear are those who are his...
John 5 cont.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
At the end of time, the bodies of those who died will be resurrected when Jesus calls them forth.
Check I Cor. 15:12-20--
"12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."
I share with Mormons, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that resurrection is not salvation by tying in John 5:29 above, which says, "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
As one Christian brother said, "Woe unto those who call damnation salvation". We see the resurrection of the just and the unjust. Jesus justified those who have been born of his Spirit, cleansed them and made them pure. He gave his people new desires when they were born of him and they have a desire to do what is right even though they can do whatever a lost person can do since they still have the sin nature to deal with.
John 5 cont.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
This is a good verse when I am teaching on the God/man.
"God is not a man that he should lie..." Numbers 23:19
"13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself," Heb. 6:13
John 5 cont.
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
Jesus had a greater witness than John, he backed his words up with action such as healing and deliverance. John was the greatest O.T. prophet, he bore witness of the Son of God in the flesh. There were none greater born of women than John. Check Matt. 11:11.
John 5 cont.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
This is a super powerful verse, Jesus is telling them that the scriptures (Old Testament) were all about him.
John 5 cont.
41 I receive not honour from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
That might be happening in the very near future. The anti-Christ is on the way... The majority of the world will receive him even though they rejected the real Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 5 cont.
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Again he says it... This is super unbelievable... Can you imagine what the Jews were thinking... Jesus made claims no man has made and if they were not true then he is not some good man, avatar, or guru, or whatever else you might name. He claimed to be the Lord God and if he wasn't such then he would be a total idiot, liar, fake. He left no room for anything else. He didn't want you to look at him as good unless you realize that only God is good. Ck.Matt. 19:17