"John, The Gospel of Belief" by Edwin Jones Part 6 - a podcast by lehmanavechurchofchrist

October 14 2020 - Wednesday PM Bible Class
JOHN, THE GOSPEL OF BELIEF
The Paralytic Healed, Jesus Confronts the Jewish Religious Establishment
John 5:1-47
 
CHAPTER FIVE VERSES ONE thru SEVENTEEN
(Healing the Paralytic)
 
Possibly a Passover, but uncertain.
The explanation in vv. 3b-4 most likely incorporated from a marginal note in certain manuscripts.
The man was probably brought to the pool at times of “the moving of the waters.”
Jesus question to the man as to whether or not he wanted to be healed is, for whatever else it may address, to establish a desire to receive a blessing (note Genesis 2:18-25; Acts 2:37).
Jesus’ word heals the man and illustrates the activity of the voice of the Son of God on the last day (vv. 28-29), even as it illustrates His voice in daily matters of salvation (v. 25).
“Immediately” shows the full scope of this healing.
Isaiah 35:6; Matthew 15:30; 11:1-6.

The pallet, the directive, the Sabbath, and the Jews.
Outwardly the man appeared to be doing work on the Sabbath, especially when compared to the rigorous “traditions of the elders” that had come to replace the intent of God in many cases (note Mark 7:1-13).
The actual words of God largely dealt with a suspension of the ordinary activities (Exodus 16:22-30; 20:8-11; 25:12; 31:12-17; Leviticus 19:3; 23:3; 26:2; Numbers 15:32-36; Deuteronomy 5:16).
“Hedges around the Torah” had significantly expanded applications.

The man who was healed actually turns Jesus in!
Traditions and those in “power” are strong influences!
Jesus, however, asks for unrivaled allegiance (Matthew 10:24-39).

Compare The healing of chapter 9 and the raising of Lazarus in chapter 11 to see the hypocrisy of the religious leaders.
The daubing of mud in chapter nine was certainly less outwardly offensive toward Sabbath restrictions, and the raising of Lazarus was not said to be on a Sabbath, yet they led to an escalation of the Jews determination to rid themselves of Jesus (John 11:47-53).
But then, those of the Religious Establishment were hypocrites (Matthew 23:1-33).

The larger issue in this “sign” was connected to eternal concerns and the man that was healed consequently needed to beware of a greater paralysis, that of his soul by sin.
When confronted by the “Sabbath Police,” Jesus ups the stakes of the encounter by implying His equality with God.

 
CHAPTER FIVE VERSES EIGHTEEN thru FORTY-SEVEN
(Jesus Confronts the Jewish Religious Establishment)
 
Verse 17 opened the door to a much more serious clash as Jesus in saying, “My Father” had claimed a singular association with God well beyond the generic associations the Jews would have understood as applying to themselves (note Isaiah 40:18, 25).
To hear Jesus was to hear God, vv. 19-24.
“The principal thrust of v. 19 is that whatever ‘making himself equal with God’ (v. 18) might mean, for Jesus it does not mean complete or even partial independence from his Father (cf. 7:18). The truth is that the Son can do nothing by himself—or, better, ‘on his own initiative,’ lit. ‘from himself. Though he is the unique Son of God and may truly be called God (1:1, 18; 20:28) and take to himself divine titles (e.g. 8:58) and, as in this context, divine rights (5:17), yet is He always submissive to the Father. Not only does the Son always do what pleases the Father (8:29), but He can do only what He sees his Father doing,” (D. A. Carson, Pillar New Testament Commentaries, John).
The four “gar,” “for,” ”because” statements:
Verse 19, the Son does what the Father does.
Verse 20, the Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He is doing.
Verse 21, the Son also has power over death.
Verse 22, the Son also has been given judgment.
Therefore, verse 24, everyone who hears the words of the Son and believes the Father sent the Son will have eternal life.

The Two Resurrections, vv. 25-29.
The coming hour that now is, vv. 25-27.
Notice John 4:21, 23.
The tension between what is and what will be (note I John 5:12; John 11:25-26).
Being “in Christ” is to have entered into life, (Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 1:3).
I John 1:7.
“Hearing” the Word while in this life is the key (Matthew 11:15; 13:9; 13:16, 18; Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18).

The coming Hour, 28-29.
Those who found life in this life will have life at the Resurrection.
This does not mean that we are in a soul sleep after death, (note Luke 16:19-31).
The Resurrection is brought to effect by the voice of God.
“Such a voice, such a life-giving word, is nothing other than the voice of God (Isaiah 55:3), whose vivifying power mediates the life-giving Spirit 3:3, 5; 7:37-39) even to dry bones (Ezekiel 37),” Carson.
Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26.

The Witnesses to Jesus Identity, vv. 30-47.
Jesus cannot act independent of the Father, v. 30.
Jesus does not stand alone in His identification with the Father, vv. 31-32
John the Baptizer though not used by Jesus, vv. 33-35.
The Works Jesus performed, v. 36.
The Father, vv. 37-38.
Scripture, vv. 39-40, “Living as we do in a day rightly sensitive to anti-Semitism, it must be noted that Jews are far from being the only people who have read Scripture and supposed that its life-transforming power depends on much study but not particularly on Jesus. Moreover, the firm judgment against Jesus’ interlocutors in these verses is no reflection of racial bias but of hermeneutical values (cf. Lk. 24:27, 45).” Carson.

The Religious Leaders coveted the glory given by men rather than by God, vv. 41-44.
Matthew 23:1-12.
John 11:47-48 (note Matthew 27:15-23).

The accusation of Moses, vv. 45-46.
Claiming affiliation is not the same as following.
Matthew 7:21-23.
Luke 6:46.
Mark 7:6-8.





 
Edwin
 
 
Duration 36:58

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