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Summary

John 5:1–9 – Healing at the Pool of Bethesda

What happens:
Jesus goes to Jerusalem for a Jewish festival and visits the Pool of Bethesda, where a multitude of disabled people lie waiting by five covered colonnades. He sees a man who has been an invalid for thirty-eight years and asks him, “Do you want to get well?” When the man explains he has no one to help him into the pool, Jesus tells him, “Get up, pick up your mat and walk.” The man is immediately healed, picks up his mat, and walks.

What it means:
Jesus exercises authority over long-standing suffering and redefines what it means to help—divine compassion precedes human effort. Healing comes through Jesus’ initiative and power, not adherence to rites or waiting for opportunity.


John 5:10–18 – Controversy Over the Sabbath

What happens:
The Jewish leaders confront the healed man for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. When they discover the healer is Jesus, they begin to persecute Jesus because he is making himself equal with God by calling God his Father and healing on the Sabbath.

What it means:
Jesus prioritizes mercy over ritual observance and reveals his divine identity through compassionate acts. True rest and worship flow from doing the Father’s work rather than strict rule-keeping.


John 5:19–29 – Authority and Judgment

What happens:
Jesus explains to the Jewish leaders that the Son can do nothing by himself but only what he sees the Father doing. He promises that those who hear his word and believe will have eternal life and be raised on the last day. He also warns that a time is coming when all in the graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

What it means:
Jesus reveals intimate unity with the Father and assumes authority over life and death. Faith in him determines eternal destiny, underscoring the gravity of his teaching and the hope of resurrection.


John 5:30–47 – Testimonies to Jesus’ Identity

What happens:
Jesus defends his authority by pointing to multiple witnesses: the Father who sent him, his own miraculous works, the testimony of John the Baptist, the Scriptures, and the works he completes. He accuses the Jewish leaders of unbelief because they search the Scriptures yet refuse to come to him for eternal life.

What it means:
Jesus stands at the center of divine testimony and fulfills Scripture. Rejecting him despite clear evidence equates to rejecting God’s self-revelation, leaving one without the life the Scriptures promise.


Application

  • Invite Jesus to break into areas of chronic need in your life, trusting his compassionate authority
  • Prioritize acts of mercy and obedience over ritual, reflecting the Father’s work in your daily rest
  • Anchor your hope in Jesus’ promise of resurrection and eternal judgment, living with eternal perspective
  • Seek unity with the Father by doing Jesus’ works and listening for his voice in Scripture and prayer
  • Respond to the testimony of God—Father, Son, Spirit, and Scripture—by believing in Jesus for eternal life

Bible

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

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

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

4For 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.

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

6When 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?

7The 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.

8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

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

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

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

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

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

14Afterward 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.

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

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

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

18Therefore 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.

19Then 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.

20For 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.

21For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

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

23That 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.

24Verily, 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.

25Verily, 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.

26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

27And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

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

29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

30I 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.

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

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

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

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

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

36But 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.

37And 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.

38And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

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

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

41I receive not honour from men.

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

43I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

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

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

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

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

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