Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth and himself believed, and his whole house.

54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judea into Galilee.

CHAPTER V.

up to Jerusalem.

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

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

CHAPTER V.

1. Feast of the Jews. There were yearly three great feasts of the Jews, at which every adult male was bound to be present at Jerusalem; namely, the passover, the pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles. Some commentators suppose this to have been the passover; and some, the pentecost.

2. Sheep-market. There is nothing in the Greek answering to market; and many prefer to insert gate instead. The principal reason for this change is, that the sheep-gate is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, but no notice is found of a sheep-market, either there or in any other Jewish writings. As the sheep-gate was used for the admission of sheep into the city, most of which were designed for sacrifice, it was probably near the temple, in the vicinity of which there is now a pool supposed to be the same here mentioned. A pool. A small body of water, either in a natural or an artificial basin. The original seems to denote a bath for swimming; or at least a collection of water sufficiently capacious and deep for swimming. Some suppose the pool was chiefly used for this purpose; others, that it was used for the washing of sheep for sacrifice; others, again, that the water possessed medicinal qualities,

4 For an angel went down at a

and was therefore a resort for invalids. ¶ Bethesda. This was the Hebrew name of the pool, denoting house of mercy. Five porches. Or, covered places, serving as a shelter from the sun and the rain. The place supposed to have been the ancient pool of Bethesda, is square; and probably on each of three sides was one porch, and two on the remaining side. Sandys, in 1611, and Maundrell, in 1697, describe an excavation in the rock, which they suppose identical with this pool, of an oblong form, about one hundred and twenty feet, (or paces-Calmet,) in length, forty in breadth, and eight in depth. It contained little water when Sandys saw it, and none, when examined by Maundrell. It seems to have been filled by a spring which issued through a crevice in the wall, several feet above the level of the pool. Some have supposed this an intermittent spring, highly medicinal, but soon losing its sanative qualities on exposure to the air; and have thus accounted for the fact that none were healed of disease by the water, except those who entered immediately after the gushing forth of the water.

3. Impotent folk. Weak and feeble persons. The word denotes those whose strength was prostrated or who were otherwise disabled, rather than those who suffered acute diseases. In the enumeration of the several classes, the same characteristic appears, of disability, rather than of suffering. ¶ Waiting, &c. The remainder of this and the whole of the succeeding verse is regarded as spurious by Griesbach, Knapp, and other critics. It is supposed to have been inserted by some early transcriber, in explanation of the troubling of the waters, ver. 7. The passage is wanting in several ancient manuscripts; yet it is doubtful whether the evidence be sufficient to justify its rejection from the text. And where a reasonable doubt

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.

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

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long

exists, it is more wise and prudent to preserve than to reject what purports to have been written by one authorized to reveal the will of God, or to speak with authority in his name.

4. An angel. Literally, a messenger; and frequently in the scriptures a divine messenger. Yet the Jews gave this name not only to intelligent ministering spirits, but also to the elements which executed the purposes of God. See note on Matt. i. 20. It is not related that any one saw the angel go into the water; the moving or troubling of the water was noticed, and as such beneficial effects followed, they naturally attributed the work to an invisible angel; or perhaps figuratively thus denominated what they understood to be as natural as the blowing of the winds or the roaring of the thunder. Whosoever then-first stepped in. It is not necessarily implied that only one person received benefit, though a remark in ver. 7 has somewhat that appearance. If there were an intermittent spring, which periodically gushed forth into the pool, whether from a fissure in the rock above the surface, or from beneath, thus disturbing the waters, and if it were of such kind that its medicinal power was soon exhausted by exposure to the air, or mingling with the mass of water in the pool, as some have supposed, it may be that so many as plunged in, immediately, received benefit, while those who were more tardy failed of relief.

time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was was a case of well-known infirmity. None could suspect collusion. It is not within the bounds of probability, that this man should have feigned himself infirm, from a period before the birth of Jesus, that he might also feign a cure at his word; or that the Jews should have believed that he had long been infirm, unless he was known to them as having at least the appearance of such infirmity.

6. In that case. There is nothing in the Greek answering to these words. They were added to complete the sense; namely, that Jesus knew the man had long been infirm, not that he had been long waiting at the pool.

7. I have no man, &c. This is substantially an affirmative answer to the question of Jesus. Understanding him to refer to cure in the manner usually obtained at that place, the infirm man intimates that he resorted there for that purpose; but being both helpless and friendless, he had not been able to bathe in season to obtain relief.

8. Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. As much as to say, Be healed of thine infirmity and restored to health and strength; as it was impossible, otherwise, that he should obey the command. The bed was a mattress or blanket, not a heavy burden for a man in health. See note on Matt. ix. 2.

1-8, 12. The following remarks are sensible, and worthy of attention. "To carry burdens on the sabbath was forbidden in the Old Testament. Jer. xvii. 21; Neh. xiii. 15; Exo. xx. 8— 10. If it be asked then why Jesus

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.

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

12 Then asked they him, What

commanded a man to do on the sabbath what was understood to be a violation of the day, it may be answered, (1.) That the Son of man was Lord of the sabbath, and had a right to declare what might be done, and even to dispense with a positive law of the Jews. Matt. xii. 8; John v. 17. (2.) This was a poor man, and Jesus directed him to secure his property. (3.) The Jews extended the obligation of the sabbath beyond what was intended by the appointment. They observed it superstitiously, and Jesus took every opportunity to convince them of their error, and to restore the day to its proper observance. Matt. xii. 6-11; Luke vi. 9; xiii. 14; xiv. 5. This method he took to show them what the law of God really permitted on that day, and that works of necessity and mercy were lawful."-Barnes.

10. It is not lawful, &c. See the preceding note. Though the Jews were remiss in regard to the "weightier matters of the law," they were punctilious in ceremonial observances. Matt. xxiii. 23. Among these was the entire cessation of labor on the sabbath. They often brought railing accusations against Jesus for alleged violations of the law in this respect. In this case, they reprove the man miraculously healed, for carrying his couch to his own house.

11. He that made me whole, &c. The reply of the man, thus reproved, was perfectly natural; and the obvious judgment of common sense was true in this case, as indeed it almost uniformly is. One who could miraculously restore strength had a right to direct the first employment of that strength; and it was safe and prudent to obey his direction. Even the Jews seem to have admitted his justification;

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

14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

15 The man departed, and told

for they did not persist in reproving him, but demanded to know who the person was, by whose authority he had thus violated the sabbath.

12. What man is that, &c. Doubtless they suspected it was Jesus, against whom they had imbibed strong prejudices; else, instead of being so indignant at a breach of law, they would have been filled with admiration at the remarkable cure wrought on the supposed offender. Overlooking entirely this display of divine power, and not considering that God doth not aid sinners, John ix. 31, they seized upon the fact that the law of the sabbath had been disregarded, and were desirous to bring the offender forthwith to judgment and condemnation.

13. Wist not who it was, &c. Probably he had never seen Jesus until that day; and he was so much enraptured at his own restoration, that he had not inquired the name of his benefactor, until it was too late, if indeed he had made any inquiry.

14. Findeth him. No more is necessarily implied than that they met each other. In the temple. The man seems to have gone to the temple, on the very day of his cure, to return thanks to God for his great deliverance. Would that all who are delivered, by more ordinary means, from sickness and infirmity, or from evils which they endure or fear, were alike mindful of their obligations to God, and ready to offer thanksgiving and praise. Sin no more. See note on Matt. ix. 2. It is not improbable that this man's infirmity was occasioned by intemperance, gluttony, or some other sinful excess. It often happens, that men thus destroy their health, and bring on themselves pains and infirmities grievous to be

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

17 But Jesus answered them,

borne; for to every sin God hath connected its punishment, which, in one or another form, must be endured. TA worse thing come unto thee. A more grievous disease. By whatever cause his infirmity had been produced, if the cause should be repeated, he might expect a relapse, and his last state would be worse than the first.

15. Told the Jews, &c. No improper motive is here suggested. He had no design to injure his benefactor; but, for his own justification, he told the Jews, by whose authority he carried his bed home from the pool, on the sabbath.

16. Jews persecute Jesus, &c. See note on Matt. xii. 14. They were indignant that any one should attempt to interfere with the rules and customs of their ecclesiastical tribunals; and without regard to the evidence of his authority to do so, which was manifested by his works, they condemned him at once as a sinner. He had not, in fact, violated the sabbath in any greater degree than themselves; and he had done it with much better reason. See Matt. xii. 10-13; Luke xiii. 11-17. The real offence was, that they felt rebuked by the purity of his life, the kindness of his deeds, and the searching spirit of his language; they scorned to learn wisdom from his mouth; and, utterly unable to resist his wisdom and his miracles, they resolved to destroy him, under pretence of regard for the law.

17. My Father worketh hitherto. Probably the Jews had accused him, personally, of breaking the sabbath, by healing the impotent man; for to such a charge his language is a fitting answer. In justification of himself, our Lord says his Father works continually, in bestowing benefits on man. "That is, from the beginning till now he rested from creating the world; but he never rested from governing and preserving it; in this respect he keeps no sabbaths, and (after his example) I do not with respect to such acts of mercy

work.

18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also, that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

as healing is."-Pearce. ¶ And I work. As a general truth, no man should consider it a profanation of the sabbath to be actively engaged in imitating God; if he labor with an honest and sincere purpose to relieve the distressed, to heal the sick, to advance the highest happiness of men, he does not transgress. It is on this principle, that physicians are justified in attending the sick, and clergymen in laboring to advance the spiritual interests of their flocks, on the sabbath; and on the same principle are all justifiable who strive, on the sabbath, to do good to their fellow-men; for in so doing they humbly imitate him who never slumbers nor sleeps, and who never ceases to bestow blessings on his children. But, in this particular case, there was a peculiar propriety in the conduct of our Lord. He was sent, by the Father, as the representative of his own person, to display his glory, and communicate blessings to mankind. It was manifestly proper that he should imitate the Father, by doing good, without respect to times and seasons.

18. Sought the more to kill him. They were more enraged at his answer, than at his previous conduct; and more desirous to destroy his life. ¶ Had broken the sabbath. The evangelist simply states the opinion of the Jews. He does not mean to say that Jesus actually broke the sabbath, or assumed to be equal with God; but only that the Jews so regarded the matter. They alleged that works of mercy were a violation of the sabbath; Jesus denied it; of course the evangelist believed him rather than them, and cannot be understood to assert that he had broken the sabbath. T Equal with God. In like manner, the Jews alleged that he made himself equal with God, and was guilty of blasphemy, because he said that he was the Son of God; he denied the correctness of their conclusion, and showed that he might properly style himself the Son of God, in a sense