The Bible

 

John 5

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1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went 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 of the water.

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.

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 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 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.

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 man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

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 the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

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, My Father worketh hitherto, and I 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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

41 I receive not honour from men.

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?

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

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

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

   

Commentary

 

Explanation of John 5

By Rev. John Clowes M.A.

Explaining the Inner Meaning of John 5

Verses 5:1, 2. That the Lord, as to his humanity, initiated himself into the doctrine of the church, which was in connection with the knowledges of good and truth derived from the Word, thus with truths introductory to good.

Verse 5:3. Which truths are imparted to all those who are made sensible of their natural infirmities and disorders, whether arising from a defect, of intelligence, or from intelligence not yet formed into life, or from faith separate from charity, and thus produce vivification through acknowledgement and faith.

Verse 5:4. And this in consequence of divine influx, so that whoever receives the knowledges of good and truth with his supreme affection, or love, experiences purification from evil, and restoration of spiritual life.

Verses 5:5, 6, 7, 8. Yet some, by reason of the unsettled state of their wills, make slower progress in purification than others, until they are excited to exploration of their secret purposes and intentions, and have their affections and thoughts thereby elevated, so as to live according to the truth.

Verse 5:9. In which case they also are restored to the life of heaven, whilst the doctrine, in which they believe, is elevated to that life, so as to influence their lives, and thus introduce them into a state of eternal rest and peace.

Verses 5:10, 11. That they, who are of the perverted church, are offended on this occasion, and are instructed that all elevation of doctrine to conjunction with the life of heaven is an effect resulting from the divine love of the Lord, in his Divine Humanity.

Verses 5:12, 13. Hence they are led to seek knowledge concerning that Divine Humanity, but are not permitted, by reason of the evils and falsities in which they are principled, to attain such knowledge.

Verse 5:14. That they, who are purified from evils and falsities, are cautioned against the danger of profanation, which consists in turning back again to such evils and falsities.

Verse 5:15. Being therefore thus cautioned, they bear testimony to the Lord's Divine Humanity, as being the only source, of all spiritual and eternal life.

Verse 5:16. But are opposed in this testimony by those of the perverted church, who abide in representative worship, and do not discern how all representatives had reference to the union of the Divine and Human nature in the Lord.

Verse 5:17. Wherefore these latter are instructed, that the union of the two natures is effected reciprocally.

Verse 5:18. But this instruction only excites more of evil, being perversely interpreted as tending not only to destroy all representative worship, but also to confound divinity with humanity, and humanity with divinity.

Verse 5:19. Therefore they are further instructed, that divine truth can do nothing of itself, but from the divine good, and thus divine truth in the Lord's humanity always operates in conjunction and agreement with divine good in his divinity.

Verse 5:20. And this in consequence of the divine love, which manifests to its humanity all its purposes, until its humanity is fully glorified, or made divine, that so mankind may be led to adoration.

Verse 5:21. And also to the discovery, that by virtue of such glorification, the humanity receives from the divinity the power of imparting spiritual life, and thus of delivering man from the power of evil.

Verse 5:22. Also the power of arranging the several principles of the human mind, and thus of separating the evil from the good, which cannot be effected by the divine good alone without the divine truth.

Verse 5:23. To the intent that thus the Humanity of the Lord may always be seen in union with his divinity, and regarded as an equal object of worship and adoration, since otherwise the divinity itself cannot be worshipped and adored.

Verse 5:24. They therefore, who obey the divine truth, and approach the Lord in his Divine Humanity, are admitted into heaven, and never separating truth from good, are raised from a state of damnation to a state of salvation.

For since the assumption of the Human [principle] by the Divine, all who are in ignorance may learn the truths of faith, and may thus be gifted with spiritual life.

Verse 5:26. Inasmuch as the internal of the Lord being Jehovah, his Humanity has independent and underived life, alike with his divinity.

Verse 5:27. And has also the power of separating evil from good, and thus of arranging all goods and truths, as being itself the supreme truth.

Verses 5:28, 29. So that at his appearing even natural men shall be instructed in the divine truth, and if they obey it, shall attain spiritual life; but if they be disobedient, shall immerse themselves in spiritual death.

Verse 5:30. For the Humanity of the Lord operates solely from the divinity in itself, and is thus in divine truth from divine good, because in all things it exalts the divine good.

Verses 5:31, 32. Therefore divine truth claims no authority to itself separate from divine good, but only in union with that good.

Verses 5:33, 34. Neither does it claim authority from human testimony, but from its own divine power of communicating spiritual life.

Verse 5:35. Yet the testimony of man in favour of the divine truth is grounded both in good and truth, and has a tendency to impart to others those heavenly principles.

Verse 5:36. Nevertheless the glorification of the Lord's Humanity, the subjugation of the hells, and the consequent redemption of mankind, are the fullest proofs that the Lord is one with Jehovah.

Verse 5:37. Thus the divine good, which in itself is invisible, testifies that it is made visible in the Divine Humanity, which it assumed for that purpose.

Verse 5:38. But this is not believed by those, who are not enlightened and enlivened by the truth of that good.

Verse 5:39. Therefore all such are exhorted to explore the Holy Word which contains that truth, and which testifies throughout concerning the assumption and glorification of the Lord's Humanity.

Verse 5:40. Nevertheless they, who are of the perverted church, will not draw near to and abide in that Humanity, although there is no other source of good and of truth.

Verses 5:41, 42. Which Humanity testifies that it is purely Divine, and that they who reject it have no genuine affection of truth.

Verse 5:43. Therefore they do not approach the Eternal in his Divine Humanity, because they believe the truth to be unconnected with that its divine source.

Verse 5:44. And this in consequence of exalting human authority above the authority of divine truth.

Verses 5:45, 46, 47. So that even the truth of the Word, which they profess to believe, condemns them, since that truth testifies concerning the Lord's Divine Humanity, and therefore if its testimony be not admitted, the Lord's Divine Humanity cannot be acknowledged.

The Bible

 

John 5:4

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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.