John 5:1 "After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem."

There is much discussion over which feast day this was, but all indications are that this was the "feast of Purim" as we read about in the Book of Esther.

Esther 9:25; "But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

This is in reference to the plot that Haman devised to kill all the Jews, and according to the Kenite Jewish tradition when Queen Esther was advised of the plot, she went to the king, and the king reversed the order so that those that would have killed the Jews, will now in turn be killed by the same means, the gallows.

Esther 9:26; "Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them."

This feast date was set aside for the Jews to celebrate from that day forth, was the Fourteenth day of Adar on the Jewish calendar.

Keep in mind also that the word "Jews" in the Greek has two meanings, the one is in reference to the tribe of Judah, who are actual offspring of Judah. The other meaning for the word "Jews" is in reference to anyone living in Judea, which could be a Kenite, or other foreigner. It is similar to today, where to be an Israeli from that tiny nation of Israel, they could be a descendant of Judah, or an Arab by descent but still be called Jews.

Remember the two churches that Jesus praised in Revelation 2:9, and 3:9; the church of Smyrna, and the type given as Philadelphia. The one thing that made these two churches the only acceptable ones that God found no fault with, was because that they knew those that claimed to be Jews, and were not. "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan."

These so-called Jews have caused brother Judah a great deal of difficulty, as these Kenites paraded as brother Judah, distorting God's Word, and placing themselves in positions of priests, scribes, and Pharisees. The majority of the infiltration into the tribe of Judah came while the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. This word "Kenites" simply means "sons of Cain". This is the thing that the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia teach, by identifying these offspring of Satan through Cain, and thus they eliminate them, and their traditions from their church houses and family.

John 5:2 "Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, (which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches)."

There was a bathing pool at the sheep gate. "Bethesda" in the Hebrew tongue means "the house of mercy", and remember the number 5 in biblical numerics means "grace".

John 5:3 "In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water."

This was the place where all the sick people came to be healed. They placed their faith of healing on superstition, "the moving of the water". This came from an tradition that is part of their legend.

John 5:4 "For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had."

In the Greek text this verse started out; "They claimed that an angel came down and touched the first..."  It didn't really happen. What was happening here is that this was an intermittent pool, and the water flowed from an upper springs of the Gihon. The only time that water entered into the pool at Bethesda is when there was an overflow from the upper springs from Gihon. From this natural physical happening of the flow of water, came their tradition and this false hope.

Just as the blind and crippled people of that day would place their hope on a tradition and fairy-tale, so do many today place their hopes in hear-say and fairy-tales traditions and false doctrines. The only healing that will ever take place there, is when the water washes out a dirty wound and cleanses it. There was no angel that ever came down and healed in the fashion of this tradition to heal the first one in the pool.

There was a lot of sick people here, why then didn't Christ heal them all? When Jesus healed it was to prove a point in the ministry that He was giving. The Father was glorified in this healing. We will see that though there were many sick, Christ would only heal one of them at this time.

The spiritual application to this is in that our people are referred to as the sheep, and Christ is the shepherd. Here at Bethesda all the sick and afflicted waiting at the pool of mercy for an angel to heal their sickness. Both this angel and their tradition are unreal and not according to God's Word, but these sick people are staking their entire soul on this tradition. They continued to lay there in false hope. Are you starting to see the spiritual application?

John 5:5 "And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years."

Biblical numerics play a part in this. "Thirty and eight" in biblical numerics means "slavery". You get enslaved to the world, sin, sickness, pain, mental stress and so on; and this however long this man lay at the pool at Bethesda waiting to be healed by this tradition of the angel that would never come.

This is how long God allowed the children of Israel to wonder aimlessly in the wilderness, until the last two years of preparation to bring themselves out of that condition.

The entire community knew this man, and knew of his ailments for that number of years.

John 5:6 "When Jesus saw him kying there, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, "Wilt thou be made whole?"

The point to recognize here is that this man's condition was advertised, and the whole community knew who he was and that he was paralyzed. When Jesus came up to this man, He knew the condition of the man and the false hope that he had placed in this tradition. What a pathetic case, this poor man lying there for years, and watching and placing his hope in this pool of water each time it overflowed. Then day after day not having the physical strength to even make it to the pool. Knowing also that the whole tradition is a false hope, for even if he did make it he will still have his infirmities.

Jesus is asking this poor man, "will thou be made whole?" Do you want to be healed?

John 5:7 "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."

This man looks at Jesus, and tells Him; There is no man to help me to the pool when the water gets troubled, [bubbles up from the overflow], and when I try to move for the steps to get down to the water, the others trample me over to get into the water before I do."

You talk about blind faith, this poor wretched man trying over and over, year after year, and never quite making it to the water. This poor man put his whole life and faith on a simple blind tradition, and was completely ignorant that the True healer is our Heavenly Father. His cry to Jesus was, "if I just had somebody to get me into the water."

We cannot document from the Scripture that this man had faith, so in this case we have to look at his actions to see if we can find faith in those actions.

John 5:8 "Jesus saith unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk."

Jesus didn't touch him, and didn't help him; He spoke and gave the man a command, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk."

John 5:9 "And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath."

Here it was the Sabbath that God had set aside, that the law laid down the rules governing the Sabbath. Do your see faith in that, the law was against this action, by all sorts of reason the man should have asked why or how, as we will see from the questions by the religious leaders, yet the man believed Jesus, jumped to his feet, picked up his bed and walked.

This is a man that had not walked in thirty eight years, and his muscles were deformed, yet at Jesus command, the muscles came to life, even to the point of being toned for performing the act of walking. When Jesus heals, it is complete and whole. The faith here is that this man instantly received the faith, and responded.

Faith is an action that you perform, and it is based on the belief that is set in your mind as fact. Then my friend, it requires your confidence to move out and perform the action that is the center of your faith. Faith requires a focal point for your belief. This poor cripple man was waiting for a man to help him, and when Jesus gave the order, Take up thy bed and walk, he had the confidence and the belief that he could do it. He acted on the focal point of Jesus command that became his faith. The man recognized the authority in the voice of Jesus.

In the word "immediately" there was no hesitation to the voice command, he responded and did not question.

John 5:10 "The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, "It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed."

The Kenites could not see an act of God, when it took place right before their eyes.

John 5:11 "He answered them, "He That made me whole, the same said unto me, 'Take up thy bed, and walk.' "

Who's law are we talking about here? If your mind floats to Exodus 20:10, you would be stretching the point outside the limits of the law. Some even say that it comes from the "law of the Talmud, Sabbath 6.a", which again is a record of traditions, not the Law of Moses. This law then is not what God teaches, but what man says.

A great miracle has happened and these religious sorts just don't get it. they are so wrapped up in their traditions, that they completely missed a teaching Christ had given them. A man has been made whole right before their eyes, and someone is gripping about the Sabbath as set forth in their traditions. Christ was the Sabbath and He is our Sabbath, not a day nor a feast or any other such thing. "Sabbath" means "rest", and we find our complete rest in Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God.

The religious world today is trying to make a whole religion out of legalism, dos and don'ts that bind the dear souls and make them ignorant to God's Word.

The greatest miracle on earth was when Christ came to earth, to be born of a virgin, to live as a man in the flesh, and to die and raise out of that tomb. When Jesus Christ arose and broke all bonds of sin, He offered that victory over sin and death to anyone who will simply do as this poor wretched sick and crippled man did. In faith reach out and take it, and act upon the freedom that Christ is given to all that will accept.

My fellow Christian, you are not bound to the dos and don't of tradition, for Christ has set you free of them. That is why we go to His Word, and in the Word we find a new freedom which is eternal, and we then have the very Spirit of the living God leading us in all our spiritual battles. Those battles are taking place, and this is why we must put on all of our spiritual armor of God, for then it is His Word that will shield us from all spiritual attacks, which you will have.

Today those that still try to get into the water when it bubbles, are the legalists.

John 5:12 "Then asked they him, "What man is that Which said unto thee, 'Take up thy bed, and walk?' "

Can't you just see these religious leaders, blinder then a bat to what just happened, now they want to know who took the authority over the laws and traditions that they have created. Does it sound like the religious community of today? This poor cripple that was just healed didn't even know who it was that healed him, but I'm sure that there weren't too many that even gave him a second thought, even amongst these religious types, while he was sitting on the porch overlooking the bubble machine [their traditions] for the past thirty eight years.

John 5:13 "And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in that place."

There were over a hundred sick people at Bethesda waiting to be healed, and Jesus healed only the one man, then He left. Why didn't Jesus heal any of the rest of them? It isn't stated, however seeing how this group was so wrapped up in their traditional fairy-tales of angels touching the water, when it was obvious that it was an intermittent stream that set the water to motion. This man was not looking to the water, but to someone to help him, and when one did, the sick man had faith to believe in Jesus.

There was no miracle to the water flow, it is just gravity, and common sense to see what is going on. Even today you have the certain ones that are always willing to believe in fairy-tales and doctrines that just go against God's word.

John 5:14 "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."

This is very possible for one to see Jesus Christ, God's Word, and come to understand, and accept the Lord; And then turn back to the legalism, and the traditions of men, and become far worse off then before. After you have had a taste of the freedom from the law, then to turn around and head right back into it. I'm referring to the laws and statutes that Christ fulfilled within Himself when He went to the cross.

Paul tells us in Colossians 2:16; "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon [feast days], or of the sabbath days:" [16] "Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body of Christ." [17]

Colossians 2:18; "Let no man beguile you or your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,"

Colossians 2:19; "And not holding the head, from Which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God."

Colossians 2:20, 21; "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances," [20] "(Touch not; taste not; handle not;)" [21]

We have our warnings from God's Word, and this man now received his warning direct from Jesus.

John 5:15 "The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, Which had made him whole."

John 5:16 "And therefore did the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the sabbath day."

This is a real nice bunch of religious people. Jesus healed a man and now they are out to murder Jesus for violating their laws. Are they of God? of course not. These religious Jewish Kenite leaders have placed their evil laws over the Word of God, and the only thing that is important to them is their ability to twist the law for the sake of their control of the community. Don't forget that these men are Kenites, they are not Levitical priests, but forced their way into the seat or control of the laws of Moses. They are the ones doing the interpreting, and the people are to take their word as the truth.

Remember back in Revelation 2:9, and 3:9, the church of Smyrna and Philadelphia knew how to identify the true word, and tell who these Kenites were who say they are Jews and are not. Things haven't changed much in the religious community in the past 2000 years, for the Kenites are still around and in control, and God's people are still stumbling in tradition and confusion. If you are not familiar with these two chapters  of Revelation, it is time to get into it. It is time to know the origination of the source of the material you are accepting as "God's Word".

Did you get the phrase in John 5:16; "and sought to slay Him". They did slay him before it was all over, and in doing so, we have the victory in Christ Jesus. God allowed these Kenites to get into positionso as to fulfill that part of His plan that would give us victory in Christ, and at the same time condemn these Kenites and send their father Satan to hell fire. So why did they seek to slay Jesus? It gets back to the subject here in their question; Why did you break the Sabbath law?" In other words, Why did you break the laws of our tradition?

John 5:17 "But Jesus answered them, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."

Jesus answer to them as stated here; My Father worketh constantly, meaning every day of the week. God doesn't have days set aside that He doesn't work. My Father worketh constantly, and I work constantly also, was Jesus response to them.

This applies to Christians also, that in our life's activity we should also work for Him constantly, if the opportunity presents itself. Don't get all hung up in the same law of those that murdered Christ, but use your common sense. Don't make a religion out of a Sabbath day. That shows how far you can get away from the teaching of Christ. As these Kenites are plotting to kill Jesus, His response to them is, "My Father and I work constantly."

John 5:18 "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."

Remember that this word "Jews" as used here, meant only "those that resided in the land of Judaea". It was not directed to the House of Judah, or the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. These are the Kenites that infiltrated the ranks of the church in Jerusalem, as we read in I Chronicles 2:55, when they took over the duties of the scribes. Then in Ezra and Nehemiah we are told how these Nethinims [Kenites] took over the priesthood and the tower of Ophal.

We also know from Jeremiah 35 that the Kenites have lived with and had been hiding amongst the house of Judah many years prior to the captivity in Babylon. When these people took over the records, the records were changed to appear that they were part of Judah, when in fact it was a lie.

The book of John presents Christ as God and equal with God, then too, all the things that Jesus had done in His miracles and teaching showed Jesus to be of God. These Kenites are just getting the picture, as they now see that the miracles and the breaking the Sabbath goes against their traditions.

John 5:19 "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."

What Jesus was saying to them, is that the Son, or Himself can do nothing but what the Father gives Him permission to do. What ever the Father does, that also the Son will do. Why is this? Because they are the same person filling different offices, remember Jesus said, "when you see Me you see the Father, for I and the Father are one." There is one God, and three offices of that one God.

John 5:20 "For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel."

Jesus is stating that as the Son, I will do nothing that My Father has not shown Me, and that is even through the Word itself, for Christ was that Word. Jesus is telling them that He does not want them to believe anything that He cannot document by miracles, and through those He will perform in the name of the Father. Jesus is saying that He will even perform miracles that you will marvel at, and yet you will still not believe.

John 5:21 "For as the Father raiseth up the dead and Quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will."

Just as the Heavenly Father raiseth up the dead, and can bring life to them, Jesus is telling them He will also bring forth life from the dead. We saw this when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11.

John 11:17; "Then when Jesus came, He found that he [Lazarus] had lain in the grave four days already."

Lazarus had been dead and buried for the past four days, at the time of Jesus arrival at Bethany. Then when Jesus called out to Lazarus, life came into his dead body and life was restored.

John 11:43, 44; "And when He thus had spoke, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth" [43] "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, "Loose him, and let him go" [44] We will see later just how the Jewish leaders respond to the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

The entire Scriptures document well that Jesus was the Christ, and He has the same powers as the Father.

John 5:22 "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son."

Remember again that when ye have seen the son, ye have seen the father. John 10:30; "I and my Father are one." Jesus makes this statement and you must either accept it as fact, including the entire Word of God, or reject it as a lie and Christ as a fake. When you understand that Jesus and the Father are one and the same, then when the Father judgeth no man, it is left to the office of the Son, which paid the price on the cross, and has the right to carry out the judgment for the sin of your rejection of the mercy that the Father has given.

We see also in Ezekiel 44 that in the Millennium age not only will Christ sit in judgment but even the elect of God will judge that which is right and that which is wrong. Ezekiel 44:23; "And they [the elect] shall teach My People the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean."

Ezekiel 44:24 "And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to My judgments: and they shall keep My laws and My statutes in all Mine assemblies;"

The Millennium age is set aside for teaching, discipline and judging. It will be the time to learn, to know, and to learn of the love the Father, and Jesus Christ our Savior. God the Father gave the Son the right of Judgment, and in turn, the Son gave His elect the right to judge in the Millennium age.

John 5:23 "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."

In the Book of Daniel, it is documented to the exact year that the Son would be upon the earth, and received. The question that many have then is, if it was so well documented, why was Christ not received? As we discussed earlier, those Kenite religious leaders were not of God, not by their nature and family pedigree or lineage, but were from Cain. They were Kenites that had only one honor, and that was to themselves and to their father the devil.

Jesus faced them in Matthew 23:26-36, and Jesus told them exactly who they were in verse 35; "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the altar."

It was Cain that slew Abel, and Cain was the son of Satan, conceived through Eve. Jesus was addressing the priests, scribes and Pharisees and telling them where they came from. They came from Satan, and that is whose nature and character they have. If that is a mystery to you, I suggest you review Matthew 13 closely, for without the understanding of the parable of the fig tree, the rest of the Word can be a bit confusing.

Live Link to-  The Parable of the Fig Tree

John 5:24 "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."

When you come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ is, and believe on His name through repentance and the Father that sent Him, then you have everlasting life. If you do not die before time, this flesh will be changed and be discarded at the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet. When that time comes that you leave the flesh body, your soul will never see any form of judgment or condemnation throughout all eternity, when you believe on Jesus. When you believe on the Son, you believe on the Father, for the two are one. You simply can not separate the two.

Some day this flesh will die, and if you believe, then you will enter immediately into the soul body that will never die. It is incorruptible and immortal. It will never age, never decay, and never cease to exist. When this flesh age is over at the seventh trumpet, Jesus will return to earth, and all flesh will be done away with. Paul tells us why.

I Corinthians 15:50; "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."

You better hope you put off the flesh body, because you will not enter heaven [Christ's kingdom] while you are wearing it. When Jesus Christ comes to earth as King of Kings, then His heavenly kingdom will be right on this earth. A kingdom is made with the King and His domain. The King is Christ, and His domain will be the entire earth, for every knee will bow to Him at that time.

I Corinthians 15:51; "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,"

A "mystery is something that is unknown, for when you know the end to the mystery, it no longer is a mystery. Christ revealed this mystery to Paul and Paul is revealing it to you here. That mystery deals with all people that are living in their flesh bodies at the time the seventh trumpet sounds, for at that moment something is going to happen. Something will happen to these flesh bodies because flesh and blood cannot enter into the Millennium Kingdom of Jesus Christ, that will be set up right here on earth. The earth is the domain, and people of the earth are all part of it. When you are in that domain you will be as the King demands.

"To sleep" is to die, and have separated your soul from your flesh body. There is a time coming when all those alive and living in their flesh bodies will shed their physical bodies, and it will take place right here on earth.

I Corinthians 15:52; "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

It happens in an instant and will take place at the last trumpet. It is a changing that takes place here on earth, and not with some fly-away fairy-tale of a rapture. Right here on earth at the close of this earth age, we move instantly into the Millennium age of Christ's kingdom.

Those that do die prior to this date, God tells us exactly where our souls go. Ecclesiastes12:7; "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it." Our flesh goes back to the dust of the earth and turns into the earthly elements that it is made of, and our soul and spirit returns back to the Father who placed your soul in your body in the first place. The soul shall not see death, unless it is cast into the lake of fire after the great white throne judgment. That would happen after the Millennium age of Christ's kingdom.

It is your choice as to whether you take life or death, for your soul. Our God will not interfere in your choice. When you chose Christ, you chose life eternal.

John 5:25 "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."

This verse covers two things, and there is a double witness to this. First of all, As it is written inI Peter 3:18, 19, 20, that Christ immediately after giving up the Ghost, (that is to say died on the cross); He went to those that were held captive, not physically but in their soul bodies. He went to those that lived all the way back "to the time of Noah", which means "the beginning" which then means back to Adam, and even to those of the six day creation before Adam, that were spiritually dead.

I Peter 3:18, 19, and 20; "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:" [18] "By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison," [19] "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering for God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." [20]

These souls were spiritually dead because they could not overcome the penalty of sin for being under the law. Jesus had not paid the price yet. But when Christ had paid the price on the cross, God was fair and Jesus went to them and offered to them the same opportunity that we have today, to accept eternal life. Isaiah, Daniel and Jeremiah all were born before Christ went to the cross, don't you think these prophets of God have the same right to choose that you and I do? Of course they do.

The second important point here is dealing with the transfiguring of the human body into the spiritual body. There are two men in the Bible that the Bible records as not dying, but being taken by God. These two are Enoch, and Elijah.

Genesis 5:23, 24; "And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:" [23]"And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." [24]

II Kings 2:11; "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."

These two never saw death in the flesh, but were taken. Then we saw in Matthew 17:1-3 where Jesus became transfigured before three of His disciples, to be a witness of what would happen following His death.

Matthew 17:1-3; "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,"

Matthew 17:2 "And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light."

Matthew 17:3 "And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him."

Jesus was showing those three Peter, James and John, the writer of this gospel, that witnessed this transformation what would happen to the body of Christ. It would be the same thing that happened to Elijah, and Moses.; Moses being the law, and Elijah being the prophet. Jesus even went one step beyond this; in that He brought many of them that were buried out there in a hole in the ground around Jerusalem out of their graves, when He came out of the tomb. From this act caused many in that day to believe, these souls appeared to many on the streets. These were well known souls that everyone knew, and they bear witness of Christ and many believed. The flesh bodies did not come out of the grave, but their spiritual bodies were made visible to those living in the physical dimension. This was all done so the it could be documented that there is life after death, and Jesus had conquered death.

John 5:26 "For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself;"

This is to say that the heavenly Father is the fountain of life, and He allowed Christ also to become the fountain of life. Both offices of the Godhead are life givers, which is in reference to spiritual life, and the life of the soul and spirit. When you accept Christ, then you become part of that fountain of Christ. You become part of the body of Christ, and when you speak to lost souls, Christ's Spirit then awakens them. They then can enter into that Spiritual life just as your have.

John 5:27 "And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man."

God the Father gave the authority to Jesus Christ to execute judgment over all men on earth.

John 5:28 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice,"

This again is what we talked about in I Peter 3:18-20, when those that believed came out of the holding place for souls of the physically dead, in their soul bodies they visibly walked the streets of Jerusalem. Jesus is the fountain of life, and when Jesus offered life to those spiritually dead souls, they sprang to life from the authority of Jesus. God treats all His children the same, regardless of their race or what period of time they were born within this flesh age.

John 5:29 "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."

This is saying that after each soul has heard Jesus' voice, and those that have accepted Him and repented, Jesus is giving them eternal life, which is "the resurrection of life". Then those that have heard Jesus and chose not to receive Him, will have done evil in refusing the mercies of God, and their souls are damned to hell fire. Don't overlook the fact that there will also be the time of the Millennium age, whereby the teaching and discipline will come prior to the final judgment day.

John 5:30 "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."

As Jesus heard from the Father, Jesus Christ places the judgment, and Christ's judgments are always fair. They are fair because our heavenly Father can read the very thought and intent in the mind of the person that is being judged. This then comes about because Jesus Christ does not seek His own will, but the will of the Father. Jesus came to earth begotten of the Father to be born of a virgin, because it was the Will of the Father.

When Jesus taught and spoke He reminded those around Him; "It is written", for every thing that He did and spoke was documented through the prophets of old. The Will of the Father is what is written down in His Will and Testament, which we call the Bible. This is why when Jesus spoke and acted, it always was prophesied by the prophets of old. Jesus did "the will of the Father Which hath sent Me."

Today there is a strong teaching in many churches that instruct Christians to be strong willed. They instruct that you have the authority of merely saying something, and God will bring it to pass. The power and authority we have in Christ is given to us when we remain in His Will, and as such we seek to glorify the Father, in Jesus name. The forcing of your will over the Father's is called "will worship, or positive thinking". This whole idea makes God a servant to you, and your mind as having the authority which places the will of God as a servant to your mind. This line of thought is not of God or written in His word. It comes from the twisting of God's Word, to make it conform to your ideas.

What then is the will of God? Christ wanted to do the Will of God the Father. II Peter 3:9; "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

In other words, if God makes a promise He will do it. In the phrase, "as some men count slackness", is in reference to what was spoken of, when in the end times men say Christ will not come, and things will continue as they always have. God has all the patience in the world with His children, and His Will is that He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." This is the Will of God, but you have the free will to take what He has promised and have eternal life, or you can do your own will, which will lead to your destruction. It is God's Will that all souls will come to the repentance of their sins before you are destroyed in the name of Jesus Christ

John 5:31 "If I bear witness of My self, My witness is not true."

Jesus is saying that if I just came along and told you that I am the Son of God, you would not have accepted this, but there is another that has come and told you that I am the Son of God, and he is a witness to this fact. Jesus is talking of John the Baptist. John knew because God told him so at the baptism of Christ. Remember in Luke 3:22; "And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, "Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased."  John the Baptist was a personal witness to this fact.

John 5:32 "There is another that beareth witness of Me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of Me is true."

This again is John the Baptist, who came in the spirit of Elijah, Luke 1:17; "And He shall go before Him [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

John 5:33 "Ye sent unto John, and he bear witness unto the truth."

Jesus is stating that you were all impressed with John, when he came.

John 5:34 "But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved."

Jesus is saying that; "What I am witnessing to you, I didn't hear it from a man, but these things I'm telling you came from the Father." The things that John the Baptist spoke, was heard from a man. What Jesus spoke came directly from the Father. Why? Because when you have seen the Son, ye have seen the Father. Remember "I and the Father are one." This we will get into deeper in John chapter 10.

John 5:35 "He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light."

It is John the Baptist that is spoken of here. John showed the light that was coming, and kindled the fire of that light. All light, which is wisdom comes from God, even the light that came directly from John. If the Spirit is not present, then you have no light. It is the Spirit of God that brings all light into the world, both physical and spiritual.

John 5:36 "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."

The works that God the Father gave His Son to do, He required the Son to finish. That finished work that Jesus did, was to go to the cross and die to pay the price for the remission of sin. Jesus Christ's death was for all souls that will take the eternal life offered by the Father. You take that life by Believing on Jesus' Name, and you believe on Christ by the repentance of all sin in your life. You repent to the Father, "in Jesus Name" and the name of Jesus becomes your credentials before the throne of God. Then God's spirit will lead you through your study of His Word.

Does a church board set the standards? No! God's Word sets the standards and direction, and through His Word you come to know the power and authority that is yours. The key to understanding, is staying in His Will by staying in His Word.

John 5:37 "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."

The Father foretold of His coming first through the prophets of old. From Daniel 9:24; "the anointing of the Most Holy", in Daniels seven and sixty two weeks of years; and Jesus came right on schedule. The entire chapter of Isaiah 53 gave us the details of Christ crucifixion, which we read above from Luke 3:22.

John 5:38 "And ye have not His word abiding in you: for Whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not."

Jesus is telling these scribes and Pharisees that you claim to have the Scriptures in you, but that Scripture can not be abiding in you when you do not believe in Me.

John 5:39 "Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me."

Jesus is telling them; "When you search the Scriptures you will find that it was written there of me, that I would come." Notice Jesus is telling them, "for ye think you have eternal life" by doing the Scriptures, but no man can have eternal life, and salvation under the law, without Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

John 5:40 "And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life."

You simply will not accept the truth of the scriptures, nor the miracles I do.

John 5:41 "I receive not honour from men."

Jesus is telling these Pharisees, I'm not seeking the approval from any man. Many teach today that Jesus is a beggar, stands at the door of a man's life, begging that he could enter. Jesus did not do that. Jesus gave the facts, He gave the witness, and the facts are documented by His miracles. It's your choice, you either take it of your own free will, or you don't. Jesus never gave an altar call, because you either accepted it and repented, or you did not. It is not a game of emotions, or tricks from Madison avenue gimmicks, and while the gimmicks may sell products, it will not sell a belief in Christ. You simply can't believe in something you don't understand, and if you cannot see that you are a sinner and need to repent, how can any repentance be sincere and from the heart.

Jesus doesn't need your approval, you need His, and the only looser in the whole matter is the ignorant vain soul that thinks He is doing God a favor by coming down the isle. What is lost is the soul of the one playing games with his eternal life.

I'll say it again, God doesn't need you, you need God, but because of His love and mercy and longsuffering, He will give you time to get it into your mind and repent in Jesus' name.

John 5:42 "But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you."

Keep in mind that Jesus is talking to those that claimed to be of Judah, but were not. They were the Jewish Kenite religious leaders, the offspring Satan, through Cain. They were of their father, Satan, and Cain, who was the first murderer, and the murderer of the prophets, including Zachariah. They were Kenites. The whole chapter of John 8, is direct to identifying these Kenites, and the fact that the love of God is not in them.

John 5:43 "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."

We are living in the final generation of this flesh age. It may be measured in months or years, but God's Will, in His Scriptures tell us all about the events that will take place before Jesus second coming. This false Messiah must come before the close of this flesh age. The entire book of Revelation is a record from Jesus, with John doing the writing, of what will happen prior to the second advent, or coming. Jesus also recorded this in detail, in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, yet much of the church world still prefers to deceive themselves with fairy-tales of a rapture.

This one coming is Satan, the Antichrist, who will come looking so much like the true Messiah that only the elect, those sealed with the Word of God in their minds, will actually know Satan for who he is, "the destroyer".

Daniel 7:13; "I saw in the night vision, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him."

The one "like the Son of man", is not the Son of Man, but a fake, who will come not with the saints of heaven, but with his fallen angels, that Joel calls the locust Army, that takes the truth from the entire earth. Revelation 12:7-9 tells identifies those coming.

Satan, the Antichrist will ask many to believe on his name, and the Antichrist will go by the name of Jesus. Do you know the difference if it were to happen today. Do you know the signs of the times, or are you expecting a fairy-tale to happen, that you will fly out of here. The false Messiah is called the Antichrist, because he is the "instead of Christ". He will present himself as the Savior of the world. How does He come?

Daniel 7:24; "And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy People."

Revelation 9 tells us that God gives this star, or Satan the "keys" which is the authority to do what he will do. Satan can do only what God has set the limits of His destruction, and within those limits are supernatural powers that are so miraculous, and wonderful to their eyes, that only the sealed of God will know that this christ is a fake. Those placing their hope on tradition, simply will be taken by the Antichrist. If you are taken instantly by Satan and his wonders, God will even turn you over to him.

Daniel 7:25; "And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hands."

The Antichrist comes not to physical destroy this earth, but just the opposite. He desires to protect the environment, the animals, and to feed the world. Satan will have the authority to give you what ever it will take to buy your soul. And that is what will be done. If you want to fly out of here, he will give you the trip of your life, or should I say death. He will come with peace and prosperity, and that is why many will follow the Antichrist in ignorance.

He will magnify only Himself, and in the end, he shall be destroyed and "be broken without hands", because it will be at the coming of Jesus Christ at the seventh and final trumpet. Satan the Antichrist is the fake.

John 5:44 "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?"

As you try to walk in your Christian life, you had better not try to please the majority, for they will march you right into Satan's camp. His Kenites are making the way ready for all those trying to please crowd. Your first and only duty is to please the heavenly Father, and stay right with Him by repenting daily as you strive to please Him. Only followers of God will accept the truth you live by, and that is all that matters eternally. This is what is happening in the church world today, God's people are more worried of offending the world then pleasing God. Stay right with God. Make a stand when you know you are in the right, according to God's holy Word.

John 5:45 "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust."

Jesus is telling them that they hold on to the Torah like their life depended on it. Jesus is saying that even Moses wrote of Me. Moses started talking of Jesus and the coming redeemer in Genesis 3:15;

Genesis 3:15 "And I [God] will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman [Eve], and between thy seed [the Kenites] and her seed [Jesus Christ]; It [Christ] shall bruise thy[Satan's] head, and thou [Satan] shalt bruise His [Christ's] heel."

This prophecy took place as the Kenites, the seed of Satan through Cain, murdered Christ on the cross. In case the word "seed" is mixing you up a little, in the Hebrew, it is "zirmah" and in the Greak "sperma", Strong's Greek dictionary # 2233, "Posterity, child", can it be any clearer. The "seed" of Satan's act was Cain, and Cain's offspring are called "Kenites". See Strong's Hebrew Dictionary # 7014; "Qayin; Kajin, the name of the first child, oriental tribe, Cain, Kenite (s)."

John 5:46 "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me."

Deuteronomy 18:15; "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; and Him ye shall hearken;"

It will be like a little carpenter's son, right out of the midst of you. There will be other prophets that give the details of His virgin birth, and the events that surrounded His life. There wasn't any other virgins that conceived and gave birth to a child. Other prophets even told the city that He would be born in, Bethlehem.

Moses was a type of how it would be when the Christ child would be born. God's people would be in captivity, just as the Israelites were in Egypt, and as a Savior, He went there. Just as Moses was a savior in Egypt, so also Christ would become a Savior amongst His people in their captivity.

Deuteronomy 18:16 "According to all thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire anymore, that I die not."

When the Israelites saw the fire that bounced from mount Sinai, it frightened them. They were afraid when faced with the power and works of God.

Deuteronomy 18:17 "And the Lord said unto me, 'They have well spoken that which they have spoken."

Moses is saying that when Jesus comes, the people will react in the same manner. They had seen the works of God, bringing them out of Egypt, through the Red sea, and all the wonders and miracles that He provided for them, yet they reject Him. At the presence of all the miracles that Christ will do, they still will grumble, and turn form Him. The people just didn't want to hear God.

They took all their precious metals and put them all together and melted it down to make their idols. At Jesus coming, they took the precious things that God had given to them, the laws and the ordinances, and they so worked them over and twisted the meanings that their laws and traditions became idolatry. Are you starting to get the picture of what happen in Moses time that is a type of Christ's time. Moses is prophesying of how it would be when the Christ would arrive and the religious people would not accept Him.

Deuteronomy 18:18 "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him."

In other words, the Christ that is raised up [Jesus] will be exactly like Moses was, and the words that the Christ would speak, would be quoted from the Prophets, including Moses. When Christ spoke, He reminded those listening, "It is written", reminding them that all things that He did and said, were written by the Prophets. Every thing that Jesus did and said was a fulfillment of the Scriptures, God's holy Word.

This is why Jesus told these Kenite religious leaders, "I don't see the honor of you people, but I seem to be honored by the Almighty God." To be accepted by Him through the fulfillment of prophecy for what I say.

Deuteronomy 18:19 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which He shall speak in My name, I will require it of him."

You will be required to stand in judgment for not hearkening to Christ's Word, and the repenting for your sins.

Deuteronomy 18:20 "But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.'

Moses wrote of the coming Christ, Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. It was almighty God that placed the words that Moses spoke in his mouth. This is the same as it will be during the time of the Antichrist, as recorded in Mark 13:11; "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it si not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost [Spirit]." God Himself, through the Holy Spirit will put the Words into your mouth.

When you have seen Jesus, you saw the Father, and it was the Father's Word that made it clear. Jesus was written of many times in the Old Testament. Yet most of these scribes and Pharisees that seemed to be familiar with the Scriptures, did not believe when those prophecies came to pass before their eyes.

We are in the latter days, and the events of the end times are coming to pass daily, and those that claim to know the Scriptures, are in the same disbelief as those religious leaders of Jesus day.

John 5:47 "But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?"

Jesus is saying; If you don't recognize when the prophetic Words come to pass, then you surely will not recognize what I have to say. We will see in Chapter eight exactly why this particular group would not receive Jesus. They were not of brother Judah but were Kenites, posing as being members of the tribe of Judah. You will find out who they are, and why Christ would speak so directly to them.

These religious leaders were plotting continually to murder Jesus, and it is pretty hard to have the love of God in your heart when you are plotting the murder of an innocent man.

American Wisdom Series Editor's Note: Now that we've completed this 2015 study of the  "BOOK OF JOHN chapter 5" we have placed a earlier 2002 John chapter 5 study to follow for your comparison. I don't believe you will find much difference in the general opinion of these 2 authors, but to read another person's perspective of events that took place may prove helpful in your understanding of the gospel of John.

Pamphlet 1505
John chapter 5
 

Many people today have the very Word of God in their midst, right on their coffee table or book shelf. Of course they usually refer to it as the Bible, not the Word of God! Think about it!

In chapter 5 we are going to see Jesus heal an Impotent Man. This occasion will be the third of Jesus' eight miracles as recorded by the disciple whom Jesus loved.

John 5:1
After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

The word "Jew" as used here is the Greek word Ioudaios which has more than one meaning. It can refer to a person who is of the tribe of Judah, or it can mean a person who simply resides in the land of Judea. In the latter case you would not be able to tell a person's race or religion any more than you would a person who was called a "Texan". The subject and context of that which is being discussed will usually alert you as to which meaning is intended.

And although it doesn't say specifically, the feast for which Jesus went up to Jerusalem was most likely the Feast of Purim, which the Jews to this day celebrate in commemoration of Esther.

[2] Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

The sheep market, also known as the "sheep gate", was a spacious enclosure with buildings for housing sacrificial animals near the pool. There were five porches, which were actually arches or colonnades, that surrounded the Bethesda pool. Five in Biblical numerics is the number denoting "grace" (see appendix 10, the Companion Bible), which is fitting for the name Bethesda means "house of mercy".

Note: "Beth" is a Hebrew word which means "house". So Beth-esda means "house of kindness or mercy".  Beth-lehem means "house of bread", Beth-el means "house of God", Beth-saida means "house of fishing", Beth-aven means "house of vanity", etc. That's all, I'm out of beth!

[3] In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

So here we have a great multitude of "ill" people who are crippled and blind, waiting, as we shall see in verse 4, for a "chance" that a "tradition of men" might heal them. Is this not just like it is today? "I'll go to a faith healer and see if it works."  And the people are at the pool by the sheep gate where the sacrificial animals are kept awaiting to be slaughtered. How apropos!

Here's what was commonly believed and why they were gathered:

[4] For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

For [it was said] that an angel went down and stirred the water and the first one who stepped in got healed.

Now you can imagine this scene with people crowded all over the place and hanging around these 5 arches waiting to be the first to jump into the pool. Verse 13 let's us know that there was a great multitude, i.e. a huge crowd.

And the problem is, I can't find anywhere where it is written that there were any judges or referees to determine who was "numero uno" in the pool, but just knowing human nature, I'm sure there were problems. I can see it now... so here comes the water... 1, 2, 3... or "on your mark", "get set", "jump". "I'm healed, I'm healed!", screams hypochondriac number one. "No, I was first in the pool!"

Oh well, did we mention that the water was intermittent from the upper springs of the waters of Gihon? There was no angel troubling the waters!

Anyway, Jesus comes to the poolside and sees a cripple.

[5] And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

The number 38 is used only 3 times in the old testament and only here in the New Testament. Each time it is connected with slavery. In the Old Testament people are enslaved by their unbelief and here this certain man is enslaved by disease, i.e. he was a paralytic. So in Biblical numerics the number 38 denotes slavery (see "Biblical Mathematics", by Ed. F. Vallowe).

You should "see" this whole scene as people enslaved to the traditions of men, i.e. religion, believing that which is tradition and not documented in the Word of God. Actually when you look at some of the strange beliefs of certain denominations today, by comparison, this one concerning the angel at the pool is relatively shallow, so to speak.

John 5:6
When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

Of course Jesus was a realist and He knew this old boy was doing his best with the "religious knowledge" he was given by the religious system. It's just like Christianity today. Our people have a zeal for God, but they are ignorant of His Word. And just so you don't think I'm bashing our brothers and sisters [because I'm not, "There for but the grace of God go I"] here are the words of the apostle Paul:

Romans 10:2
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

[3] For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Meanwhile, back at the pool, Jesus has just asked the crippled man, "Do you want to be made whole?" Now you should know from previous studies that Jesus was speaking "deeper" than just the flesh being made whole. Verse 14 will document it!

John 5:7
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.

Notice Jesus didn't knock Him down on stage, but told him to "rise up"!

[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.

Ok, so this man who had been crippled 38 years and is now healed rises up and starts walking around with his bed under his arms and the religious hypocrites spot him and start quoting the Talmud law from the section Sabbath 6A, which prohibits "work" on the sabbath.

Hey, you can't carry your bed around on the Sabbath day!

[11] He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

That's no excuse, pal!

[12] Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

And who gave you that order, anyway?

[13] And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

The place was crowded with all these folks waiting to get into the water and Jesus easily slipped away. Isn't it ironic though, that while they are all waiting there for a "chance" to step into the pool first and be healed that the Word of God was in their midst, standing on the bank?

Note: Many people today have the very Word of God in their midst, right on their coffee table or book shelf. Of course they usually refer to it as the Bible, not the Word of God! Think about it!

[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.

Again, Jesus isn't speaking of this man's "flesh" wholeness, though he was certainly healed physically. Remember Jesus said in Mark 2:9 "Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?"

Of course, the "worse thing" that can come upon you is the "wages of sin", which is eternal death, i.e. to perish. So Jesus told the man to "sin no more".

[15] The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

This is great news! A man who has been crippled and lame for 38 years has been made whole! Who in the world wouldn't be happy and joyous for this man and exceedingly respectful toward the one who had healed him?

[16] And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

Oh, there ARE people like that!  They not only aren't happy and joyous for the man's sake, they are PLOTTING to MURDER the healer who did the good thing!  Is it really because he had done these things on the sabbath day, or do you think they are afraid of what might happen to their "monopoly game"? We'll discuss that shortly.

Just remember that when Jesus heals someone, the healing is from within, i.e. to the inner man, and includes the opening of the eyes and the ears of those He so graciously touches:

Isaiah 29:18
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

Do you have eyes to see out of the darkness and ears to hear the truth? Many of our brothers and sisters do not. The healing comes from the Word of God.

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We are going to "see" that the Father and the Son are one, and so much so that you cannot have one without the other!

So the subject is the Sabbath day and here is what Jesus Christ had to say about it:

John 5:17
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

Let's read this verse in some of the other translations so we see more clearly what Christ is saying.

John 5:17
"... My Father is still working and I am working." (R.S.V.)

John 5:17
"... My Father is still at work and therefore I work as well." (Phillips)

John 5:17
"... As my Father has continued working to this hour, so I work too." (Moffat)

Remember, the subject is the Sabbath and Jesus is saying to the Pharisees, "My Father has had no sabbath-cessation from the beginning until now and neither do I. The plain fact is that Jesus Christ paid no attention whatsoever to their traditions regarding the Sabbath.

And yet there are denominations who maintain that Christians should keep a Saturday Sabbath. Well, if you are a Christian, then you are a priest of God, and priests work on the Sabbath, don't they? In fact, if you are a Child of Light [1 Thes. 5:5 "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.] then there is never even night!

Rev. 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Let's return to John where the Jews were just livid because Christ not only disregarded their Sabbath, but said that God was His Father.  The Pharisees not only didn't believe in any 1st Amendment Rights, but a statement like that, miracles or no miracles, is worthy of death, don't you think?

Note: If the Pharisees could have gotten our "Hate Crime" laws passed through the Roman Senate, they could have made the prosecution and crucifixion of Jesus even easier.

[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.

And they will eventually kill the Messiah. But will it really be because He violated their religious laws? The answer is contained in the Parable of the Vineyard in Luke 20. Remember there was a certain man who planted a vineyard and kept sending his servants to bring back fruit. But they were all beaten and wounded so he sent his beloved son. Here's what happened:

Luke 20:13-15
Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

[14] But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

[15] So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him...

And so the legacy of the first murderer, Cain, continues. We will document that the Pharisees are indeed the descendents of Cain when we get to chapter 8 of this Gospel of John.

John 5:19
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.

I'll bet that made their phylacteries curl!

[20] For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

That's right. Just wait 'till He raises folks from the dead! In fact, just wait until He Himself rises from the dead!

[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:

The Father is not going to do the judging. You see, Christ is in total charge of ALL JUDGMENT. So, guess what? If you don't believe in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, you don't know God the Father. Period! So don't let anyone tell you that their father is our Father, or their rock is our Rock, if they don't have the Son. The testing of the fruit is real easy.

Perhaps we should hear the Son of God, the Word of God, explain it:

John 5:23
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.

Here's one example:

1 John 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also
.

Do not be deceived, there is only one way to receive eternal life and that's through "He who paid the price on the Cross!"

Here are Christ's words again:
John 5:24 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.

Now that you understand that, we will learn that since God is completely fair, non-interfering, and not a respecter of persons, that means that to be granted eternal life by Christ, i.e. to receive eternal life, is really UP TO YOU!

Remember that Jesus Christ has been given all authority in heaven and earth. Yet He came to this earth as the Lamb of God to make possible the salvation of the sons of God.

John 5:25
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.

There is much said in this verse, so let's expand it a little. There are actually two times and two sets of "dead" people Jesus is referring to.  Jesus said to the Pharisees (vs. 33 will show to whom he is speaking) that there is an hour coming, which will be the hour of His crucifixion (the ninth hour of  Mark 15:34), and now is, meaning even as He is speaking to them, that the "dead" (both those who have died up to now, not having received the promise because He hasn't yet paid the price, and the "dead" in sin to whom He is speaking, i.e. those reffered to later as the walking dead, because they have not yet been saved!) shall hear His voice, meaning they will hear Him offer salvation. And they that hear, which means they that take heed and accept Him, shall live [receive eternal life]. Whew!

Actually, it's pretty simple. If you are familiar with I Peter 3:19-20 then you know that as soon as Jesus was crucified and paid the price, He went to paradise and offered salvation to all those who had died [and were held captive by sin] from creation up to the crucifixion, and many washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, meaning they accepted Him. And of course the Pharisees to whom He was speaking could have accepted Him, but they didn't.

The fact is we are all "dead" in sins until we accept Christ, and it is only He who can make us alive [grant us eternal life]. Read Ephesians chapter 2.

Here are some highlights:

Ephes. 2:1
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Ephes. 2:5
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

"Quickened" means "made alive".

John 5:26 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.

Again, it worth repeating many times; Jesus Christ has been given ALL power in both heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

And it is written throughout the Old Testament of this One who would come, even the Son of Man, in whom all authority is vested:

Daniel 7:13
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

And because He is the Son of Man, God gave Him authority over all people and nations.

[14] And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

John 5:28
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

"All that are in the graves" is a figure of speech meaning all those who have died in the flesh. Keep in mind that no soul perishes until the lake of fire consumes them after the Millennium. Even Satan himself is currently alive and will soon be on his way.

Note: There was a miracle performed when Jesus rose from dead in which certain well-known-to-the-townsfolk people would appear to come forth from their graves and walk about town to document that the One crucified was indeed the Messiah. But verse 5:28 is not talking about that event as verse 29 clearly shows.

[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.

Notice though, that two resurrections are mentioned in this verse: 1 = resurrection to life, 2 = resurrection to judgment [death].

In short, as Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15, all people when they die are "raised" [resurrected] to a spiritual [an incorruptible, non-bleeding, pain-free] body.This resurrection then is simply a change of bodies and has absolutely nothing to do with salvation or eternal life, i.e. mortality or immortality.

In addition to that change, as we just read in John 5:29, and again as Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15, some people receive eternal life, i.e. they are resurrected, elevated or raised, to eternal life [immortality], and some will remain mortal and mat eventually perish in the lake of fire.

Having read that, the next thought that comes to one's mind is that the choice is entirely up to the freewill of each individual. And that is exactly what Jesus addresses next.

John 5:30 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.

Here is that will Christ is referring to:

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

However, the point Christ is making in verse 30, and it is a major point, is that Jesus is completely just [fair] in His judgment. In other words, He doesn't arbitrarily give eternal life to whomever He singles out. If you believe and trust in Him (John 3:16), the reward is yours. If you don't, you'll get what you deserve.

But I can tell you this: Your Father wants your love because you really love Him, not because you are afraid He will fry you. Just as you want your children to genuinely love you and hug you and warm your heart, so it is with our heavenly Father.

When you think about, He has given us so much our cups cannot contain it.

So think about it, and if you find it to be true then tell Him that you love Him.

Imagine having the very Word of God standing right in front of you, speaking directly to you. Would that be enough to convert you? Not if you don't want to listen!

Imagine having the very Word of God open on the table right in front of you. Would that be enough to convert you? Not if you don't want to listen!

Let's continue seeing what the Word of God has to say to the Pharisees, to whom He is speaking directly:

John 5:31
If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

That is why there is always at least a second witness. And although Jesus is about to remind these Pharisees that John already gave them witness, we'll find in verse 37 that there was a MUCH GREATER witness even than John. Do you know who that witness was? God the Father, Himself!

John 5:32
There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

This was that voice crying in the wilderness, John, and Jesus just gave him credentials and verified that his testimony was true!

[33] Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

Not only does this verse show that Jesus was talking to the Pharisees (John 1:24 "And they which were sent were of the Pharisees"), but these hypocrites already heard John give SCRIPTURAL DOCUMENTATION of the Messiah!  You see, John quoted scripture to them. That is how he bare witness. And that's the way His servants do it in this final generation, the generation of the fig tree.

[34] But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

Christ said He just wanted to remind them about John's testimony, in the event they might want to reconsider what they heard and take heed and believe in Him.

John 5:35
He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

He was a burning and a shining light" is a common Rabbinic idiom meaning "famous man".

[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.

The miracles and healings that Christ performed were done specifically to document that Jesus was Messiah. And when He FINISHES His work on the cross (at which point He will say IT IS FINISHED) and is resurrected from the dead, what a witness that will be!  And even the calendars of man will be forever changed because of Him.

[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.

Of course they had never physically seen God nor heard His voice, but that's not what Christ meant as evidenced by the third point in verse 38. Phillips translates this verse "Now you have never at any time heard what He says or seen what He is like". In other words, if you have eyes to see and ears to hear you will realize that He just told the Pharisees they DIDN'T have eyes to see or ears to hear. That is why they didn't have His Word abiding in them.

You see, the Pharisees then and their counterparts today did not and do not follow the Scriptures, no, not even the Old Testament. They follow the Talmud, which are the traditions of men, and that is what abides in them, i.e. religion.

[39] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Here's another translation of this verse:

John 5:39
You study the scriptures diligently, supposing that in having them you have eternal life; yet, although their testimony points to me, you refuse to come to me for that life. (N.E.B.)

And as verse 39 says, the scriptures do testify of Jesus Christ. Here's just one example:

Deut. 18:15-19
The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

[16] According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

Imagine this: God spoke directly to our people when they were at the foot of Mount Horeb, led there by Moses. But the people complained to Moses and said they didn't want God to speak to them anymore from that great burning mountain.

So God said, "I hear them LOUD and CLEAR"!

[17] And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

So guess what our Father promised them? That He would send a Prophet, a FLESH MAN, who would speak His very Words.

[18] I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

[19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

And it shall eventually come to pass that if you don't believe in Him (John 3:16), God will require your very soul, your "it".

Let's return to the "message" being delivered to the Pharisees by the Messiah Himself.

John 5:40
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

They still refused!

Jesus doesn't give up on them, but continues on:

[41] I receive not honour from men.

Too bad most ministers today don't have the courage to speak straight from the Word of God, regardless of who might not like it!  Do you think Christ is impressed when they prance on stage and saying, "Let's give a big hand to Jesus"?  Or when our one verse Revs. stand behind the pulpit saying "Praise the Lord" and then never get around to teaching "His Word", oh, except for a verse or two. "lets sing song #666 and then we'll pass the collection plate, and don't forget the building fund!

 He just answered that question in verse 41!

[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.

[44] How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

How can you believe when you are forever looking for one another's approval and seek not to please God.

Let's bring it up to today's religious leaders. Who are they trying to impress when they say "the Lord told me this, and the Lord told me that?"  The scriptures declare "God didn't tell them" (Ezek. 13).

[45] Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

The Pharisees claimed to believe in the Torah and the Law of Moses. Well, the law is sufficient to convict all men, so Christ didn't need to convict them.

[46] For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

So if they really believed Moses, they would have been bound to believe in Jesus Christ, for it was about Him that Moses wrote.  We just read it Deuteronomy!

[47] But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Matthew 24:3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

[4] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Take heed! This is a warning too!

[5] For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Many shall come proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah, claiming to be His representatives, His Christian ministers, and SHALL deceive MANY!  How?  Promise them anything! Tell them they will fly away when things heat up. Promise them prosperity if they send in tithes! Make them feel good! Put on a show! Get them to wave their hands in the air! Get them to clap for Jesus! Tell them if they don't go to church they will fry like bacon! Tell them they have to keep certain days, or use special names, or be part of this group or that! Make up just about thing you'd like! Knock them down on stage, talk gibberish like a turkey, BUT, as long as you tell them you're a Christian minister and Jesus is the Messiah, they will follow like lemmings and march into the sea and drown, no questions asked!

You'd better know the Written Word in this final generation or someone has a big pair of clippers waiting to shear your soul!

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