(Ver. (e.g. But there was a man who had been infirm for thirty and eight years. he might be; and this, too, as the expression of the true and full grace of God in His only-begotten Son given. Was this false and blasphemous in their eyes? Nor could any question be more momentous. Then (ver. He gave them title to take the place of children of God, even to those that believe on His name. They had eyes, but they saw not; ears had they, but they heard not, nor did they understand His glory. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalidsblind, lame, and paralyzed. (Verses John 5:1-7), On the other hand, the Lord speaks but the word: "Rise, take up thy couch and walk." It was not that they were better than their neighbours. His death on the cross included much more, clearly answering to the first; His baptizing with the Holy Ghost followed His going to heaven. (Verses John 6:59-71) What and if they should see Him, who came down and died in this world, ascend up where He was before? They had stumbled before, and the Lord brought in not alone His person, as the Word made flesh, presented for man now to receive and enjoy; but unless they ate the flesh, and drank the blood of the Son of man, they had no life in them. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (Ver. This brings all to a point; for the woman says, "I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things." 39 You study[ a] the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. "No man hath seen God at any time: the only-begotten Son," etc. In short, the riches of God's grace are here according to the glory of the Son, and in the power of the Holy Ghost. Could they, then, reject the Son, and merely miss this infinite blessing of life in Him? So in the baptism with the Holy Ghost, who would pretend to such a power? Here He is not portrayed as the Son of man who must be lifted up, but as the Son of God who was given. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 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. John 5:39(NASB) Verse Thoughts. It was meet that so it should be; for, as a question of right, none could claim; and grace surpasses all expectation or thought of man, most of all of men accustomed to a round of religious ceremonial. Search the Scriptures The writings of Moses, and the prophets, which were of divine inspiration and authority, and are often appealed unto by Christ, and his apostles, for the truth of what they delivered; and were the standard of faith, and the test of doctrines; and therefore to be searched diligently into, for finding divine knowledge and improvement in it, and for the trial of doctrines. Just as distinct and beyond comparison is His testimony who, coming from heaven and above all, testifies what He saw and heard, however it might be rejected. Now, it is the Holy Ghost in the power that gives rivers of living water flowing out, and this bound up with, and consequent on, His being man in glory. Nor would the rejected Christ, the Son of man; for if lifted up on the cross, instead of having the throne of David, the result would be not merely earthly blessing for His people according to prophecy, but eternal life for the believer, whoever. He speaks of Himself as the Son of man in death; for there could be no eating of His flesh, no drinking of His blood, as a living man. Still, such is the effect on man under law, that he could not take advantage of an adequate remedy. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. We look at how God defines salvation and work through the . As this chapter sets forth the Lord Jesus with singular fulness of glory, on the side both of His Godhead and of His manhood, so it closes with the most varied and remarkable testimonies God has given to us, that there may be no excuse. Nor was it from any indistinctness in the record, or in him who gave it. The family later hosted a dinner for the honored . His joy was that of a friend of the Bridegroom (to whom, not to him, the bride belonged), and now fulfilled as he heard the Bridegroom's voice. The incarnate Word was here full of grace and truth. Two resurrections, one of life, and another of judgment, would be the manifestation of faith and unbelief, or rather, of those who believe, and of those who reject the Son. and the two disciples leave John for Jesus. Here the Lord was really owned by the multitudes as the great Prophet that should come; and this in consequence of His works, especially that one which Scripture itself had connected with the Son of David. Not only man under law has no health, but he has no strength to avail himself of the blessing that God holds out. Nathanael's call is just as clearly typical of Israel in the latter day. Here the unlimited scene is in view; not Israel, but the world. Heavenly things are set in evident contradistinction, and link themselves immediately here, as everywhere, with the cross as their correlative. 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. The Father did not judge, but committed all judgment into the hands of the Son, because He is the Son of man. Surely He was there, a weary man outside Judaism; but God, the God of all grace, who humbled Himself to ask a drink of water of her, that He might give the richest and most enduring gift, even water which, once drank, leaves no thirst for ever and ever yea, is in him who drinks a fountain of water springing up unto everlasting life. Nay, "the world knew him not." His corporeal presence was not necessary; His word was enough. it was no lack of testimony; their will was for present honour, and hostile to the glory of the only God. )7.30: Studio recital by Maurice Turley (boy singer). In verses 37 and 38, Jesus criticized the local religious leaders for never hearing the voice of God. Jesus urged them to search those Scriptures with more diligence and attention. 39-44 The Jews considered that eternal life was revealed to them in their Scriptures, and that they had it, because they had the word of God in their hands. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? This is all perfectly true, of course; and we have it elsewhere. This should be translated, not in the imperative, but in the indicative mood - thus, Ye search the Scriptures diligently. This is indispensable; for God is a Spirit, and so it cannot but be. Man is morally judged. Of course they are just as truly inspired as John's; but for that very reason they were not inspired to give the same testimony. John, therefore, who had been the honoured witness before of God's call, "the voice," etc., does now by the outpouring of his heart's delight, as well as testimony, turn over, so to say, his disciples to Jesus. Without it there is no divine understanding of Christ, or of His word, or of Scripture. He reminds them of his previous disclaimer of any place beyond one sent before Jesus. Verse 2. John 4:46-54 Jesus Heals the Nobleman's Son. Leftists Backtrack on Being Wrong About Wuhan Lab Leak Former Communist from East Germany Warns Americans About the Nightmare of Living Under Authoritarian Rule Russia Warms to China as Zelensky Insists Sending America's "Sons & Daughters" to DIE For NATO - FULL SHOW 03/01/23 EcoHealth Alliance Whistleblower: I Believe Ukraine Conflict . that we may give an answer to them that sent us. John 5:19-29), It is evident, then, that the Lord presents life in Himself as the true want of man, who was not merely infirm but dead. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. John then declared his own waning before Christ, as we have seen, the issues of whose testimony, believed or not, are eternal; and this founded on the revelation of His glorious person as man and to man here below. There is the need of another nature, and the only way in which this nature is communicated is by being born of water and the Spirit the employment of the word of God in the quickening energy of the Holy Ghost. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life . One needs no more than to read, as believers, these wonderful expressions of the Holy Ghost, where we cannot but feel that we are on ground wholly different from that of the other gospels. Here was a meeting, indeed, between such an one and Him, the Son, true God and eternal life. Both of them were in relation to man on the earth; the one while He was here, the other from above. b. It is not a message or a sign, however significant at the moment, which passes away as soon as heard or seen. (VersesJohn 3:20-21; John 3:20-21). God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Join Profs. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Luke 5:33-39. The person of the Son was there the object of divine and overflowing joy even then, although, of course, in the full sense of the word, the Holy Ghost might not be given to be the power of it for some time later; but still the object of worship was there revealing the Father; butJohn 7:1-53; John 7:1-53 supposes Him to be gone up to heaven, before He from heaven communicates the Holy Ghost, who should be (not here, as Israel had a rock with water to drink of in the wilderness outside themselves, nor even as a fountain springing up within the believer, but) as rivers flowing out. (VersesJohn 7:33-36; John 7:33-36) Jesus was returning to Him that sent Him, and the Holy Ghost would be given. It was worldliness in its worst shape, even to the point of turning the glory of Christ to a present account. All others prove not only that they are bad, but that they hate perfect goodness, and more than that, life and light the true light in the Word. John 5:39 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible. But let them beware how they perverted it. Now they testify about me; (40) but you will not come to me so that you may receive life. Luke 5 - Disciples Are Called A. Nevertheless, the heavenly part is little dwelt on, as John's gospel displays our Lord more as the expression of God revealed on earth, than as Man ascended to heaven, which fell far more to the province of the apostle of the Gentiles. (39) You study the Scriptures diligently, because you think that eternal life is found in them. Of this we learn nothing, here. In these two points of view, more particularly, John gives testimony to Christ; He is the lamb as the taker away of the world's sin; the same is He who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (Verses John 7:19-23) What judgment could be less righteous? No doubt He must become a man, in order, amongst other reasons, to be a sufferer, and to die. Later He was determined to be Son of God with power by resurrection of the dead. (Verses John 7:40-53). The allusion to the fig-tree confirms this. Thus we feed on Him and drink into Him, as man, unto life everlasting life in Him. How singularly is the glory of the Lord Jesus thus viewed, as invested with the testimony of God and its crown! But the chapter does not close without a further contrast. "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." (Ver. What love! 1. To achieve eternal life in the . What can be more evident, or more instructive? Thus, as in the former case the Lord's dealing in Galilee was a type of the future, this appears to be significant of His then present path of grace in that despised quarter of the land. It is our evangelist's way of indicating His Galilean sojourn; and this miracle is the particular subject that John was led by the Holy Ghost to take up. Furthermore, you do not have his word living in you; for you do not believe the one whom he sent. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Search the Scriptures The writings of Moses, and the prophets, which were of divine inspiration and authority, and are often appealed unto by Christ, and his apostles, for the truth of what they delivered; and were the standard of faith, and the test of doctrines; and therefore to be searched diligently into, for finding divine knowledge and improvement in it, and for the trial of . Sermon Brainwave 891: Second Sunday In Lent - March 5, 2023. Do I need to pray the prayer again?On this episode, we address the question, "Can You Lose Your Salvation?" We start by looking at some tough Scriptures and using the rest of the Bible as a commentary to understand some passages in Hebrews. But the Lord reproaches him, the master of Israel, with not knowing these things: that is, as a teacher, with Israel for his scholar, he ought to have known them objectively, at least, if not consciously. The call of four fishermen. But the Scriptures point to me! Hence, then, we have the Lord Jesus alluding to this fresh necessity, if man was to be blessed according to God. God orders matters so that a favoured teacher of men, favoured as none others were in Israel, should come to Jesus by night. * The best text omits other expressions, evidently derived from verses John 1:15; John 1:30John 1:30. Controversy with the " Jews" who Believed. Many are convinced by this appeal. John 5:26. The Lord, in the latter part of the chapter (verses John 6:27-58), contrasts the presentation of the truth of God in His person and work with all that pertained to the promises of Messiah. We have had his name introduced into each part of the preface of our evangelist. (VerseJohn 4:1; John 4:1) It was strange to her that a Jew should thus humble himself: what would it have been, had she seen in Him Jesus the Son of God? 4.16.5 Fixed unsafe RegExp . Man was judged: another Man was there, the Lord from heaven, soon to stand in resurrection. John 5:39-40 Searching Scripture and finding Christ I. (1-3) Jesus teaches from a boat. Verse 39. This is the marked effect on the third day (ver. As to Himself, He does not go at that time to the feast of tabernacles; but later on He goes up "not openly, but as it were in secret" (verseJohn 7:10; John 7:10), and taught. But if the Spirit speaks of the Son of God, the law dwindles at once into the smallest possible proportions: everything yields to the honour the Father puts oil the Son. What a witness all this to His person! How little they conceived of what was then said and done! First, we must worship, if at all, in spirit and in truth. "Ye do search the Scriptures," and ye do well to do so. So rich and transparently divine was the grace: not some souls, more meritorious than the rest, rewarded according to a graduated scale of honour, but "of his fulness have all we received." (VersesJohn 3:7-8; John 3:7-8), It is hardly necessary to furnish detailed disproof of the crude, ill-considered notion (originated by the fathers), that baptism is in question. This leads Philip to Nathanael, in whose case, when he comes to Jesus, we see not divine power alone in sounding the souls of men, but over creation. Nothing in the slightest degree detracted from His own personal glory, and from the infinitely near relationship which He had had with the Father from all eternity. This last is the figure of a truth deeper than incarnation, and clearly means communion with His death. 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 judgment; but is passed from death unto life. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John 3:14-15; John 3:14-15) It is not a question simply of the Son of God, nor is He spoken of here as the Word made flesh. For evidently it is the theme of worship in its Christian fulness, the fruit of the manifestation of God, and of the Father known in grace. We have now the Word made flesh, called Jesus Christ this person, this complex person, that was manifest in the world; and it is He that brought it all in. On this basisJohn 7:1-53; John 7:1-53 proceeds. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? Indeed, He was the great Prophet, as He was the great King, and as He is now the great Priest on high. JOHN 5 COMMENTARY. (John 5:39) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have The refusal of His precious blood will, on the contrary, make their case incomparably worse than that of the heathen who never heard the good news. They were not to wonder then at what He says and does now; for an hour was coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those that have done good to resurrection of life, and those that have done evil to resurrection of judgment. It was not intended for other beings it was God's free gift to man, to the believer, of course. "He that believeth on him is not judged: but he that believeth not is judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 6. John 5:1-13 Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda. Thus it is not the Spirit of God simply giving a new nature; neither is it the Holy Ghost given as the power of worship and communion with His God and Father. He that believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he that disobeys the Son, in the sense of not being subject to His person, "shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" Such is the issue of the Son of God present in this world an everlasting one for every man, flowing from the glory of His person, the character of His testimony, and the Father's counsels respecting Him. So bright was His glory, so concerned was the Father in maintaining it, so immense the blessing if received, so tremendous the stake involved in its loss, that God vouchsafed the amplest and clearest witnesses. (3) Here a great number of disabled people used to liethe blind, the lame, the paralyzed. Accordingly, we have in this chapter a miracle and a sermon. INTRODUCTION: Hans Christian Andersen wrote a fairy tale about a young woman who was tested to determine whether or not she was truly a princess. To this last the Lord attaches the deepest importance. John 5:39-40. Man, dead in sins, was the object of His grace; but then man's state was such, that it would have been derogatory to God had that life been communicated without the cross of Christ: the Son of man lifted up on it was the One in whom God dealt judicially with the evil estate of man, for the, full consequences of which He made Himself responsible.