Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda

1. After these things there was a festival of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

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

3. In these were lying a multitude of many of the sick, blind, lame, [and] withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4. For an angel according to a [certain] time stepped down in the pool and disturbed the water. Therefore the first who stepped in after the disturbance of the water was made whole of whatever disease he had.

5. And there was a certain man there who had a sickness thirty-eight years.

6. Jesus, seeing him lying down, and knowing that he had already [been there for] much time, says to him, willest thou to be made whole?

7. The sick [man] answered Him, Lord, I have no man, when the water is disturbed, to put me into the pool; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.

8. Jesus says to him, Arise, take up thy cot and walk.

9. And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his cot and walked. And it was a Sabbath on that day.

Up to this point in the Gospel According to John, Jesus has performed two miracles, also known as “signs.” The first sign, which was the transformation of water into wine, relates primarily to the reformation of the understanding. It’s about how the literal sense of the Word, which is compared to “water,” can be transformed into deeper spiritual truth, which is compared to “wine.” When this happens, a great miracle takes place in our understanding. We see the Word and our lives in new light.

The second sign is about healing a nobleman’s son of a fever. This represents the regeneration of our will. When the selfish cravings of our natural will are active, we are said to be in a feverish state. The Lord’s healing of this fever at the seventh hour represents the Sabbath state when we rest in God, doing His will rather than our own. This is another great miracle. It is about the development of a new will. ¹

“Do you want to be made well?”

As this next episode begins, Jesus performs a miracle that relates to both the reformation of the understanding and the development of a new will. It begins with the words, “After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem” (5:1).While in Jerusalem, Jesus goes to a pool that had become legendary for its healing waters. The place is called “Bethesda,” which means “House of Mercy.” This pool, which was originally built in the days of Solomon, had five porches. In each of these porches the sick, the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed are waiting for “the moving of the water” (5:3). Those who have come to the pool believe that an angel will descend at certain times to stir the water, and that the first person who steps into the pool after the stirring of the waters will be miraculously healed.

When Jesus visits the Pool of Bethesda, He notices a man lying on his mat near the pool. As it is written. “A certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years” (5:5). As Jesus draws near to the man, He asks the man a simple question. Jesus says, “Do you want to be made well?” (5:6). The question is not about what the man knows, but rather about what he wants. By asking this question, Jesus is inviting the man to examine himself more deeply. What does this man really want?

The question, of course, is a universal one: “What do we really want?” Many of us have habit patterns that we cling to and refuse to give up. We know that we would probably be happier if we could give up resentments, forgive trespasses, let go of addictions, surrender worries, and stop complaining. Yet, we hold onto these patterns because we are comfortable with the familiar. It’s easier to indulge a harmful habit than to change it.

It is essential, therefore, that we examine our motives and our goals. This is why Jesus comes to the man at the Pool of Bethesda—as He comes to each of us—with the all-important question, “Do you want to be made well?” or as it is written in older translations, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Do we really want to give up our self-indulgent lifestyles and embrace a healthier, more disciplined way of life? Do we really want to give up the complaints, the criticisms, and the resentments so that we might develop compassion and the ability to see the good in others? Do we really want to give up every selfish habit, whether inherited or acquired, so that we might be made whole? ²

Jesus has asked the man lying on his mat by the pool, “Do you want to be made well?” Instead of answering Jesus’ question directly, the man says, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me” (5:7). The man’s complaint represents the rationalizations and justifications that enter our mind. What are the excuses that justify our failure to act? How do we go about making it allowable to continue our destructive patterns? Apparently, the man wants to be made well. That’s why he is at the pool. The problem seems to be that he can’t get himself to the water quickly enough.

Like the man at the pool who complains that he cannot be healed because of others getting in ahead of him, we often make others the cause of our negative states and dark moods. If only people would help us, be kinder to us, listen to us, appreciate us, admire us, we would be happier and more joyful. Similarly, we blame external circumstances for our sad states. If only we were quicker, smarter, richer, healthier, or more talented, we would be more peaceful and contented. This “if only” attitude, prevents us from taking responsibility for our spiritual state.

The man at the pool could not be healed as long as he placed the blame outside of himself. Similarly, we cannot be healed of our spiritual infirmities as long as we continue to believe that our spiritual condition is caused by external factors. It is normal to experience sadness and disappointment from time to time. It’s part of the human condition. But if we find ourselves dwelling in sadness and misery for prolonged periods of time, complaining about our circumstances, or bemoaning the fact that no one will help us, we are the man at the Pool of Bethesda saying, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool.” ³

“Rise, take up your bed”

As we mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, the first miracle that Jesus performed in the gospel related primarily to the reformation of the understanding; the second miracle related primarily to the regeneration of the will. In both cases, there is a consistent pattern of Jesus saying something and people doing what He says. For example, before Jesus turned water into wine, Mary said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do, it” (2:5). In the second miracle, when Jesus healed the nobleman’s son, He told the nobleman, “Go your way; your son lives.” In response, the nobleman first “believed the word that Jesus spoke” and then “he went his way” (4:50). This two-fold pattern of Jesus speaking and people responding represents the two central aspects of our spiritual life. First, we are to believe what Jesus teaches, and second, we are to live according to it. A living faith is faith in action. If we truly believe something, we do it. It is about hearing the Word of the Lord and living according to it. ⁴

In the miracle at the Pool of Bethesda, this pattern is repeated once again. This two-fold pattern involves the two gifts that make us human: rationality and freedom. The first gift, called rationality, allows us to raise our understanding into a higher level of thought. This is represented by Jesus saying to the man at the pool, “Rise, take up your bed” (5:8).

In those days people often carried bedrolls with them. These were mats that they could sleep on when they travelled from place to place. In the language of sacred symbolism, our “bed” is our belief system—the attitudes, opinions, judgments, and beliefs we carry with us as we travel from place to place. Whether our belief system is a productive one based on sound principles, or a destructive one based on self-serving decisions, it is the place where we find mental comfort, the place where we rest our head.” ⁵

Therefore, when Jesus says, “Rise, take up your bed,” He is encouraging the man by the pool to lift his mind to a higher reality. Jesus wants him to stop complaining about his natural circumstances, to stop making excuses, and to stop blaming others. Instead, Jesus exhorts him to look at his life from a higher, more spiritual perspective. Jesus wants him to take up his bed, to raise his understanding to higher things. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2).

Take up your bed—"and walk”

A belief system that is based on higher principles is a fine thing. But no matter how fine our belief system might be, it does us little good if it only provides a place to rest our heads. We must also use that belief system in our daily lives. That’s why Jesus says to the man with the infirmity, not just “take up your bed” but also “take up your bed and walk” (5:8).

The additional phrase, “and walk” refers to the will. Spiritual development is not just about the reformation of the understanding; it’s also about the regeneration of the will. In essence, Jesus is not only telling the man to raise his consciousness above what is merely natural, He is also urging him to walk according to the higher light that he has received. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord … and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths” (Micah 4:2). ⁶

Wherever we are in life, the Lord is there with us, sharing with us the gifts of rationality and freedom. In giving us the gift of rationality, He encourages us to use it so that we might raise our mind to higher things. But that is not all. Just as the understanding must be raised, the will must be developed. This is why we have been given spiritual freedom. Every step we take in the light of higher truth leads to the development of a new will. Just as Jesus was there for the man who suffered for thirty-eight years from his infirmity, the Lord is there for us as well, encouraging us to raise our understanding and develop our will. “Rise, take up your bed,” says Jesus to our understanding. And to our new will He says, “walk.” ⁷

A practical application

The man at the Pool of Bethesda represents each of us when we are in our lower states of consciousness. These are the times when we may feel tired, overwhelmed, inundated with problems, even hopelessly dejected. Like the man at the pool, it may appear that others are getting ahead of us in life and that no one cares to help us. As long as we continue to make excuses, blame others, and believe that we have a right to complain and be negative, we will remain gloomy and disheartened. Even if people tell us to get up and get going, we may receive this advice as unsympathetic, critical, and controlling. That’s part of the state. However, it can be different if we hear the voice of the Lord telling us to get up and get going. Imagine, therefore, that the Lord Himself—no one else—is telling you to elevate your thinking and then to take action. Try it, and see if you feel the difference between doing it from yourself and doing it in cooperation with the Lord who can work through you. Hear the Lord saying to you, “Rise, take up your bed, and walk.”

On the Sabbath Day

10. The Jews therefore said to him that was cured, It is a Sabbath; it is not permitted for thee to take up the cot.

11. He answered them, He who made me well, that [Man] said to me, Take up thy cot, and walk.

12. Then they asked him, Who is the man who said to thee, Take up thy cot, and walk?

13. And he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had moved out of [the] crowd that was in the place.

14. After these things Jesus finds him in the temple, and He said to him, See, thou art made whole. Sin no more, lest something worse come upon thee.

15. The man went away and announced to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

When the man at the Pool of Bethesda heard Jesus’ words, he arose, took up his bed, and walked. Jesus did not lift him up and put him into the pool. It was not necessary. Nor was it simply a matter of faith. The man not only heard the Lord and believed His words; he demonstrated this belief by doing what the Lord said. As a result, he was healed from an infirmity that had been with him for thirty-eight years. We can imagine the man’s feeling of deep gratitude and sense of profound relief. After years of struggling to overcome his affliction, the man is healed. Therefore, as a conclusion to the episode, it is written, “Immediately, the man was healed, took up his bed and walked. And that day was the Sabbath” (5:9).

We might also imagine that all who saw him fully healed of his infirmity and walking with his bed, were thrilled to witness his miraculous cure. But this was not the case for everyone. In fact, some of the religious leaders approached the man who was cured and said to him, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed” (5:10).

Without an understanding of the Hebrew scriptures and the traditions that were established to uphold them, it is difficult to imagine why people would respond in this way. Why would they choose to focus on something so trivial—carrying one’s bed on the Sabbath—while ignoring the greater miracle of the man’s being cured of a lifelong affliction?

One answer can be found in understanding the prohibitions regarding activities on the Sabbath. In those days, the Sabbath was considered so holy that no work of any kind was allowed. In fact, the prophet Jeremiah had spoken clearly about the devastation that would be visited upon Jerusalem if anyone were to be found carrying a “burden” on the Sabbath. As it is written, “You shall bear no burden on the Sabbath day…. But if on the Sabbath you carry a burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched” (Jeremiah 17:21; 27).

Therefore, in the days of ancient Israel, the religious leaders took Jeremiah’s stern warning seriously, defining what they believed Jeremiah meant by carrying burdens. According to their interpretation of the Sabbath law, they concluded that carrying one’s bed on the Sabbath was “a burden,” and therefore should be strictly prohibited. They believed that if anyone carried a burden on the Sabbath—even a bedroll—the whole city would be destroyed in flames. Over time, this prohibition took on the force of a commandment.

To the religious leaders, “burdens” were physical, not spiritual. They were not aware of the deeper meaning of “burdens” in which the weight of an ego concern can be seen as a heavy burden. When seen more deeply, the statement, “You shall bear no burden on the Sabbath Day,” refers to the spiritual principle that if we rest in the Lord, He will remove our burdens. The Sabbath, then, is a state of rest. Not just physical rest, but more importantly spiritual rest. It is that state we come into whenever we allow the divine to work through us. In this state, when the burdens of ego and self-will are set aside, God’s will can work in us and through us. Even though we may be busy performing many useful deeds, we are nevertheless at rest. In fact, in Hebrew, the word “Sabbath” שַׁבַּ֤ת (shabbat) means “rest.” Whenever we rest in God, doing God’s will rather than our own, we keep the Sabbath holy. ⁸

The religious leaders were unaware of this deeper meaning when they saw the man carrying His bed on the Sabbath. They only saw a man breaking the law. Therefore, when they see the man carrying his bed, they say to him, “It is the Sabbath, it is not permitted for you to take up your bed” (5:10). In response, the man replies, “He who made me well said, ‘Take up your bed and walk’” (5:11). And they ask, “Who is the man who said to you, Take up your bed and walk?” (5:12). The man cannot answer because He did know who had healed him.

“Sin no more”

Later, when Jesus meets the healed man in the temple, Jesus says to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (5:14). Jesus is warning him about the danger of backsliding. The lower nature does not surrender easily, and looks for any opportunity to reassert its control over us. We need, therefore, to be vigilant, and to “sin no more.” Whenever we forget that we need God’s presence and power at every moment, we will inevitably revert to our old ways of thinking and doing. As a result, we will incur even greater trials until we finally acknowledge that without God we can do nothing. ⁹

Experience teaches that it is easy to slip back into old habits and familiar patterns. Whenever we let up, lose focus, or get over-confident, forgetting our ever-present need for God, we open the door for one of these inclinations to return. Even worse, other associated tendencies come flooding in. For example, an offhand complaint about someone can grow into a criticism, then into blame, then into contempt, then into hatred. A momentary setback can grow into a sense of personal failure, then into self-pity, then into despair. This is why Jesus tells the man whom He healed at the Pool of Bethesda, “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” Therefore, we must continue to rest in the Lord, knowing that He alone defends us from evil and falsity while leading us into everything that is good and true. And if we allow Him to do so, He accomplishes this within us at every moment. ¹⁰

A practical application

As we have seen, the religious leaders were very concerned about carrying “burdens” on the Sabbath Day, especially because the Hebrew scriptures contained serious warnings about this. Jesus, however, saw the Sabbath as a rest from carrying spiritual burdens, not necessarily physical ones. In this regard, consider the spiritual burdens you carry, the burdens that “weigh you down.” This could include worries, fears, resentments—any ego concern that might weigh heavily on your spirit. Then, as you strive to be led by the Lord’s will rather than by self-will, notice how the burdens that had weighed so heavily on your spirit are quietly, secretly, subdued. Notice how your spirit feels lighter. Enjoy a true Sabbath rest.

The Persecution Begins

16. And for this the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He did these things on the Sabbath.

17. But Jesus answered them, My Father works until now, and I work.

18. On account of this therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, for He not only broke the Sabbath, but said also that God was His own Father, making Himself equal to God.

19. Then answered Jesus and said to them, Amen, amen, I say to you, The Son can not do anything from Himself, except what He sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, these also the Son does likewise.

20. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

21. For just as the Father raises up the dead and makes alive, so the Son makes alive whomever He wills.

22. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,

23. That all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son, honors not the Father, who sent Him.

24. Amen, amen, I say to you, that whoever hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has eternal life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed on out of death into life.

25. Amen, amen, I say to you, that an hour comes, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.

26. For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He has also given to the Son to have life in Himself,

27. And has given Him authority to do judgment also because He is [the] Son of Man.

28. Marvel not at this, for an hour comes in which all who are in the sepulchers shall hear His voice,

29. And shall come forth; they who have done good [things], to [the] resurrection of life; but they who have committed evil [things], to [the] resurrection of judgment.

30. I cannot do anything from Myself; as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father, who sent Me.

Although Jesus’ activities have alarmed the religious leaders, there has not been a direct attempt to bring Jesus to trial or to kill him. But this is about to change. It begins when the man who was healed at the Pool of Bethesda leaves the temple and announces that “it was Jesus who made him well” (5:15). While he simply reports what has happened, the consequences of this happy announcement are quite serious. We read, “For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath” (5:16).

The divine narrative now takes a dramatic turn. The religious leaders are no longer satisfied with discrediting Jesus or limiting His influence. There is now a concerted effort to persecute and kill Him. The first confrontation takes place immediately. They tell Jesus that He has violated the Sabbath by telling the man at the Pool of Bethesda, “Take up your bed and walk.” Knowing that the Sabbath is the time for God’s will to be working through us, Jesus does not flinch. Instead, Jesus boldly defends His actions by saying, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (5:17).

Jesus’ words add fuel to their fire. Now they have another reason to persecute and kill Him—a reason even more serious than telling someone to carry his bed on the Sabbath. As it is written, “The Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God” (5:18).

Nevertheless, Jesus continues to present spiritual truth to them, truths that they totally misunderstand. Describing His relationship to God as that of a Father and a Son, He says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son does in like manner” (5:19). As always, Jesus is speaking in symbolic language. The “Father” is the divine love, and the “Son” is the divine wisdom that comes forth from divine love, just as light comes forth from fire. ¹¹

When God’s love reaches us in the form of His truth, and is received, it raises us from spiritual death to spiritual life. In other words, we are “raised up” from our evil inclinations and false ideas and given new life through the process of reformation and regeneration. Therefore, Jesus says, “As the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will” (5:21). In this regard, the divine love, called “the Father,” and the divine wisdom, called “the Son” are always “working” to raise us up and give us life. This is what Jesus means when He says, “My Father has been working until now and I have been working.”

The divine truth that comes forth from divine love, provides the light through which we can see the difference between good and evil, truth and falsity. It is in that light that righteous judgments can be made. Therefore, Jesus says, “The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (5:22). The words that Jesus speaks come forth from the divine love within Him. His words are divine truth, and it is divine truth, not divine love, that judges. These judgments are between good and evil, truth and falsity, life and death. Therefore, Jesus says, “He who hears My word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life” (5:24). And He adds, “The hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and all those who hear will live” (5:25). ¹²

The religious leaders have no idea that Jesus is speaking symbolically. They do not realize that when Jesus says, “The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,” He is speaking about the divine truth, and that the words, “all those who hear will live,” refer to the birth of a new spiritual life in all who hear and do what Jesus teaches. ¹³

While Jesus is sharing infinite divine truth with them, the religious leaders become increasingly offended by His bold claims. The numerous statements that Jesus makes about His relationship with the Father become the evidence they need to build their case against Him.

Life in Himself

As Jesus continues, He says, “As the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself” (5:26). This, too, would be regarded as another blasphemous claim by which Jesus, whom they see as a mere man, asserts that in some way, He is equal to God. Again, Jesus repeats His bold claim that everyone who hears His voice will come forth from their graves. This time, however, He adds that the reception or rejection of His voice will determine whether they will be saved or condemned. As Jesus puts it, “The hour is coming in which all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (5:29).

Jesus then concludes this portion of His response by referring to the “the will of the Father.” He says, “My judgment is righteous because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (5:30). Here Jesus returns to His primary message—that His work on earth is do His Father’s will. As Jesus said in the previous chapter, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to perfect His work” (4:32). He has come to teach the truth that will free His people from spiritual burdens and lead them into eternal life. ¹⁴

A practical application

The teaching that the dead will hear “the voice of the Son of Man” and “rise from their graves” has sometimes been understood to mean that everyone who believes in Jesus will be resurrected from their graves on “the last day,” which will be at the time of His second coming. However, this teaching has a deeper, more spiritual meaning. It refers to our willingness to not only hear Jesus’ teaching, but also to put that teaching into our life. As a result, we come out of our “graves” of spiritual death and experience a resurrection to new life. As a practical application, think of something that has been keeping you in a “grave.” For example, it could be the false belief that you can never change a bad habit. You are just stuck with it. So, you make no effort. It’s like you are in a “grave,” making no progress, and not even trying. But when you hear the voice of God calling to you, it can be the beginning of a resurrection to new life. You can come out of the darkness of the grave into the light of truth. You can come out of the coldness of the grave into the warmth of love. You can change, you can grow. You can experience new life. Give it a try.

Jesus Reveals that He is the Messiah

31. If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.

32. There is Another who testifies concerning Me, and I know that the testimony is true which He testifies concerning Me.

33. You sent to John, and he testifies to the truth.

34. But I receive not witness from man; but these things I say, that you might be saved.

35. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you willed to leap for joy for an hour in his light.

36. But I have a greater witness than [that] of John; for the works which the Father has given Me that I may finish them, the works themselves that I do, bear witness concerning Me, that the Father has sent Me.

37. And the Father Himself who sent Me has testified of Me; you have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His appearance.

38. And you have not His word remaining in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

39. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me.

40. And you are not willing to come to Me, that you may have life.

41. I receive not glory from men.

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

43. I come in the name of My Father, and you receive Me not; if another should come in his own name, him you will receive.

44. How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and seek not the glory which [is] from God alone?

45. Think not that I will accuse you to the Father; there is [one] who accuses you, [even] Moses, in whom you hope.

46. For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me.

47. But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe My sayings?

To the religious leaders who are listening carefully, Jesus’ claims are bold, blasphemous, and confrontational. When Jesus speaks about being the Son of God and doing the will of His Father, they see this as a claim that Jesus is equal to God. Jesus replies, “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true” (5:31). And again, “The works that the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me” (5:36). This, in fact, is what the Sabbath is all about—doing the will of the Father.

As we have pointed out before, the works that the Father has given Jesus to do are not about the external miracles that He performed while on earth, but rather about the internal miracles that He performs in each of us as we receive His teachings and live according to them. In so doing, we arise from our graves of selfishness and experience new life, freed from our inner burdens.

Jesus then directs His words to the religious leaders who refuse to see that God has prophesied His coming in the Hebrew scriptures. As Jesus puts it, “The Father Himself who sent Me has testified of Me; you have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His appearance. And you have not His word remaining in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe” (5:37-38). In other words, Jesus is saying that if they knew anything about God and had God’s words in them, they would have recognized the truth that Jesus is teaching. But they are unwilling, and therefore unable to do this.

Acknowledging that the religious leaders indeed search the scriptures, Jesus tells them they do so in vain because they do not realize that the scriptures speak about Him and about His coming as the Messiah. “You search the scriptures,” says Jesus, “for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me, that you may have life” (5:39-40).

In other words, Jesus is reminding them that the Hebrew scriptures testify that the Messiah would be coming. And now, in Jesus, the Messiah has come. In brief, Jesus is challenging them not only to believe what the scriptures say about the promised Messiah, but also to believe that He is the Messiah. Taking the matter even further, Jesus tells them that in order to have life they must come to Him and learn from Him.

Jesus then goes on to tell the religious leaders that they have no love for God in them. If they did, Jesus says, they would have received Him as the Messiah. As Jesus puts it, “I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.” He then adds, “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me” (5:43). By “coming in God’s name,” Jesus means that He has come as the Messiah to reveal the true nature of God, a God of infinite love and wisdom, not a God of anger and retribution. Jesus adds that they cannot recognize Him as the Messiah because they do not know who God is. And if they do not know God, they cannot love God.

This kind of judgment must have been very hard for religious leaders to hear. Nevertheless, Jesus remains firm as He continues to reveal the truth to them about themselves. He then reminds them that His coming was prophesied throughout the Hebrew scriptures. “If you believed Moses,” says Jesus, you would believe Me; for He wrote about Me” (5:46). Jesus is here making it very plain that if they had understood the prophecies of the Hebrew scriptures, they would have been able to accept the fulfillment of those prophecies in Him.

Despite the abundant evidence from their own scriptures, the religious leaders refuse to believe that Jesus is the Christ—the promised Messiah. That’s because they are mistakenly waiting for a Messiah that will make them the greatest of all nations, a Messiah who will give them the glory and riches they desire. This was their hope, and this was how they understood the ancient prophecies about the coming of the Messiah.

They expected that their Messiah would lead them to victory over their political enemies; but Jesus came to lead them to victory over their spiritual enemies. They expected that their Messiah would make the old Jerusalem an everlasting kingdom on earth, a place where kings and princes would reign forever and be given great honor. But Jesus came to teach them about a New Jerusalem, a spiritual kingdom in which God alone would be worshipped, and in which each person would experience the greatest joy in humbly serving others. This New Jerusalem would not be an earthly kingdom. It would be a spiritual kingdom of love, wisdom, and useful service—the kingdom to which all of Jesus’ teachings pointed.

The religious leaders had developed a religious system that was based on a merely literal interpretation of the scriptures, so much so that the essential spirit of the scriptures had been lost. Because they were so focused on achieving earthly prosperity, they were blind to anything deeper or more spiritual in the prophetic messages. Just as they could not understand the spirit within Moses’ words, they could not understand the spirit of Jesus’ teaching. It is for this reason that Jesus said to them, “But if you do not believe His writings, how will you believe My words?” (5:47).

As a result, they were unable to grasp Jesus’ spiritual message. Therefore, they refused to accept Him as the Messiah. ¹⁵

A practical application

The religious leaders could not accept Jesus’ words and actions because they were expecting a worldly Messiah who would satisfy their desire for glory, wealth, and honor. As long as they understood the scriptures literally, they were unable to appreciate what Jesus was teaching. This can be equally true for each of us. As you read the scriptures, pray for “the love of God” to be in you. Ask that the Lord may open your eyes to see how the scriptures can reveal those aspects of yourself that must change and how you can better serve others. It is a spiritual law that your sincere desire to become a better person and your genuine efforts to lead a good life open the way for you to see deeper truth within the Word of the Lord. ¹⁶

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