John 5

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

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

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

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.

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

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?

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

I receive not honour from men.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

What does John 5:46 mean?

Explanation

John 5:46 is a statement made by Jesus in the context of a broader discussion with Jewish leaders about His identity and authority.

This verse carries both literal and deeper meanings.

On the surface, Jesus is stating that if the Jewish leaders truly believed the writings of Moses, they would also believe in Him.

This is because Moses, a central figure in Judaism and the attributed author of the first five books of the Old Testament, wrote about the coming of a prophet like himself, whom the people were to follow (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18).

The deeper meaning is that Jesus is identifying Himself as the fulfillment of the prophetic writings and the one to whom Moses was pointing.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

John 5:46 falls within the narrative of a heated discussion between Jesus and the Jewish religious authorities.

This conversation occurred after Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, resulting in accusations that He was breaking the Sabbath law.

Jesus responds to their criticism by affirming His relationship with God the Father and His role in salvation history.

The historical context is important because it helps to understand the contention between Jesus and the Jewish leaders, along with their expectations of a Messiah and strict adherence to the Mosaic Law.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints approach this verse with varying emphases:

Traditional Christian Viewpoint: This perspective holds that Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecies, and John 5:46 underscores the continuity between the Old and the New Testament revelation.
Jewish Viewpoint: In contrast, a Jewish theological perspective does not regard Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies written by Moses and, therefore, interprets this verse as a Christian misreading of Hebrew Scriptures.
Islamic Viewpoint: While Islam respects Jesus as a prophet and Moses as a messenger of God, it does not accept that Jesus was the fulfillment of Moses' writings in the same manner Christianity claims.
Skeptical Viewpoint: From a more critical academic angle, skeptics may regard this claim as a retroactive attribution placed into the text by the early Christian community to support their belief in Jesus as the promised Messiah.

Practical Applications

John 5:46 can inspire believers to:

Examine Scriptures Intently: Encourages Christians to study the connections between the Old and New Testament, deepening their understanding of the Bible's unity.
Affirm Faith in Jesus: Believers can use this verse as a foundation for their belief that Jesus is the promised Messiah spoken of in the Law of Moses.
Interfaith Dialogue: This verse can act as a starting point for discussions between Christians and those of other Abrahamic religions regarding predictions and the fulfillment of prophecy.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 - Prophetic writing by Moses about a coming prophet.
Luke 24:27 - Jesus explaining to His disciples how Moses and the prophets wrote about Him.
Acts 3:22-23 - Peter references Moses' prophecy about Jesus.

Language Study

The key words in the original language of this verse include:

"Believed" (Greek: πιστεύω, pisteuō): To have faith in, trust, with an implication that actions will be based on that trust.
"Wrote" (Greek: γράφω, graphō): Used to indicate authorship or to have written down in a permanent form.
"Moses": Refers to the Hebrew prophet Moshe (מֹשֶׁה), who is traditionally credited with authorship of the Torah (Pentateuch).

The language emphasizes a continuity between belief in what Moses wrote, referring to the Law or Torah, and belief in Jesus.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparative mythology and religion, figures often arise who fulfill earlier prophecies or patterns. For example:

In Hinduism, the concept of avatars of Vishnu is a recurring theme, with each avatar fulfilling earlier expectations.
In Buddhism, the coming of Maitreya Buddha is anticipated as a future fulfillment of the current Buddha's teachings.

While these concepts are analogous, they differ fundamentally in theological meaning from the Christian understanding of messianic fulfillment in Jesus.

Scientific Perspectives

John 5:46 doesn't explicitly intersect with scientific understandings, as it primarily deals with religious belief and prophecy.

However, it touches on the broader topic of how faith communities integrate religious texts and historical claims into their beliefs, which can be studied from various disciplines such as anthropology, psychology, and history.

Commentaries

Commentators throughout history have grappled with this verse:

Matthew Henry Commentary: Affirms that Jesus is fulfilling the writings of Moses and those who believe Moses should believe Jesus.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible: States that belief in Moses and the prophets should lead naturally to belief in Jesus, given their predictive writings.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges: Suggests that Jesus' contemporaries were not genuinely reading Moses' writings with faith, otherwise, they would recognize Jesus.
John Calvin's Commentary: Calvin interprets this verse as Jesus scolding the Jews for their unbelief since Moses' writings pointed plainly to Him as the Messiah.

These varied commentaries all reflect on the continuity of the biblical narrative from Moses to Jesus, while also dealing with the issue of belief and unbelief among religious adherents.

John 5

John 5

What does John 5:46 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 5:46 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?