v.1-9
Visualize: 過節的時候, 在耶路撒冷, 人來人往但是卻有一批人與這個過節的氣氛完全不相符的,有關心他們的人, 為什麼耶穌會走過去聖經沒有記載, 但是耶穌就是紀念那些沒有盼望的人.他們其中一個人就是這個病了38年的癱子, 他每天帶著希望在水池旁邊等候病癒,卻是一次又一次的失望.水池旁邊躺著瞎眼的人,腿的人,就是沒有工作能力的人,也就是窮人,还有血氣枯乾的病人,也就是與他一樣不能行走的人.這些人很可能因為貧窮身體有味道,或者因為沒有食物,而瘦骨嶙峋,的確是一個令人不會太想久留的地方.
Personalize: 耶穌對癱子說,起來那你的褥子走吧！離開一個沒有希望的景況, 的確是比什麼都好. 今天我在哪一方面是沒有希望的?耶穌帶我離開什麼樣的境況呢?我想就是對於罪的掙扎, 我們活了多少年就是與罪掙扎了多少年. 自己毫無能力與罪掙扎.身邊的人也與我們一樣, 以至我們活在一個沒有希望的景況.
感謝神！耶穌的死亡帶給我們希望！我們也可以和癱子一樣, 起來拿著我們的褥子走吧！
v.10-18
Main point: When Jesus told the disable man to get up he did right the way v.8-9. He did not stay there any more and when he met the Jewish leaders they could not see Jesus. The disable man probably was so joyful that he did not even remember to ask Jesus’ name. He did not show any grateful attitude like the other miracle recipient V. 13. The sheep gate was not that far from the temple, so Jesus met him again and warned him.
Reflection: 第十四節,後來耶穌在殿裏遇見他,我想耶穌是有心去找他的,不是偶然遇到,原因是他要告訴他, “你已經痊癒了,不要再犯罪！恐怕你遭遇的更加厲害” 38年不能走路,只能夠躺在池子旁邊,到時人多經過的地方,等候別人的救濟.我想有比這更差的生活嗎?如果癱子繼續犯罪,是的,有的. 那就是我們將來面對的地獄！求主幫助我,每想起這個的時候,成為我的一個警醒,不要再犯罪了！今天耶穌已經赦免我們的罪,我們應該感恩,更新, 過一個向罪死,向神活的生命,就可以好像我們的洗禮表徵的一樣.
Difficult verse: God rested on the 7th day of Creator and He told people to rest on the 7th day. Why did Jesus say that He and the Father are working v.17?
(NET) What is the significance of Jesus’ claim? A preliminary understanding can be obtained from John 5:18, noting the Jewish authorities’ response and the author’s comment. They sought to kill Jesus, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God. This must be seen in the context of the relation of God to the Sabbath rest. In the commandment (Exod 20:11) it is explained that “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth … and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Philo, based on the LXX translation of Exod 20:11, denied outright that God had ever ceased his creative activity. And when Rabban Gamaliel II, R. Joshua, R. Eleazar ben Azariah, and R. Akiba were in Rome, ca. A.D. 95, they gave as a rebuttal to sectarian arguments evidence that God might do as he willed in the world without breaking the Sabbath because the entire world was his private residence. So even the rabbis realized that God did not really cease to work on the Sabbath: Divine providence remained active on the Sabbath, otherwise, all nature and life would cease to exist. As regards men, divine activity was visible in two ways: Men were born and men died on the Sabbath. Since only God could give life and only God could deal with the fate of the dead in judgment, this meant God was active on the Sabbath. This seems to be the background for Jesus’ words in 5:17. He justified his work of healing on the Sabbath by reminding the Jewish authorities that they admitted God worked on the Sabbath. This explains the violence of the reaction. The Sabbath privilege was peculiar to God, and no one was equal to God. In claiming the right to work even as his Father worked, Jesus was claiming a divine prerogative. He was literally making himself equal to God, as 5:18 goes on to state explicitly for the benefit of the reader who might not have made the connection.
v.19-30
Main point: There are 2 seemingly conflicting themes in this passage: v.19 and 30 are very similar and they both said that Jesus could do nothing on His own initiative. Does it mean He is short in power than God the Father? At least from v.23, we see that the answer is negative. All people will honor the Son “just as” they honor the Father. Then what does, “Jesus could nothing on His own initiative” mean? In v.19b-23, 30 He explained that He follows the Father’s will and do what that.
Not only Jesus follows the Father, but the Father loves to reveal His will to the Son v.20. We will see the whole picture of this when we see that Jesus resurrected people and judged people v.21-22.
Reflection: 第14節,耶穌告訴我們,因為他與父是同尊同榮,而且他們的旨意是一樣的, 就是說耶穌就是神. 所以他講的話,我們就要聽清楚,又要去相信. 相信他的就有永生,不至於定罪. 這兩個是用現代式的時式, 即是說永生在相信的時候,就有了,不止這樣不至於定罪, 也是從相信的時候就有了. 今天我們來到神的面前,不是一個被定罪的人,因為我們已經相信耶穌.
“ 已經出死入生了”,這句話更加清楚告訴我們, 出死入生這件事情, 已經發生了,不用等到將來！雖然有時我做錯事情,甚至犯罪心中都有自責,難過. 但是感謝神, 祂給我們一個實實在在的確據, 要我明白自己是一個已經出死入生的人, 這是我們將來的審判官告訴我的事.
v.31-38
Repeated words: testify, testimony, true, truth. Jesus said it was unreasonable that people accepted John as someone sent by God, but not Him. 5:36 “But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds that the Father has assigned me to complete—the deeds I am now doing—testify about me that the Father has sent me. The result of their unbelieving was not hearing/seeing God and not able to have His word residing in them. This is such an irony to these claim-expert of the Law. 5:37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time,5:38 nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent.
(BKC) Jesus was referring to the inner work of God in which He impresses on people’s consciences that Jesus is the Truth (6:45; 1 John 5:9–12). Jesus’ opponents are ignorant of God. They have no vision of God and no communication with Him. His Word is His message of salvation. This message had not been received by them (does not dwell “remain, abide” in them) because they had rejected Jesus.
Reflection: v.37b-38你們從來沒有聽見他的聲,音也沒有看見他的形象,你們並沒有他的道存在心裏, 因為他所差來的,你們不信. 如果我們反轉這句說話, 就是我們信的人, 就會聽見神的聲音,看見神的形象,也有祂的道存在我們心裏. 神自己親自與我們說話,讓我們經歷祂,祂也会把祂的話存在我們心裏.這個是多麼美好, 我們可以與神相交.
v.39-47
Main point: (BKC) v.39-40The Jewish religious leaders studied the Old Testament with great diligence. They believed that if one could comprehend the words of the text, he would gain a share in the world to come...Similarly many people today think Bible study is an end in itself rather than a function leading to the knowledge of God and godliness...In spite of the clarity of the revelation, they refused to come to Him [Jesus] for life.
V.41-42 He knew them and the cause of their unbelief (cf. 2:24–25): they did not have the love of God (i.e., love for God, not love from God) in their hearts. V.43-44 Two things evidenced their lack of love for God. (1) They rejected Christ, the Father’s “Representative.” To insult or reject one’s ambassador is the same as rejecting him. (2) They accepted false teachers or prophets. This reveals a lack of affinity with the truth. An additional failure was their desire for acceptance and approval from sinful men while ignoring the favor and the will of the only God. True faith was impossible because they were seeking the wrong object: man, not God.
Reflection: 39至40節當時的宗教領袖他們都查考聖經, 但是他們竟不肯接受耶穌,得生命. 這是何等大的損失！有宗教的表面, 但沒有宗教的实質. 這是因為40節说, 他們心裏沒有上帝的愛. 原來他們讀了查考聖經這麼久, 他們的動機並不是愛上帝. 今天我們查考聖經是因為愛上帝嗎?
愛上帝的就會接受耶穌, 今天我們雖然接受了耶穌, 但我們是因為愛上帝嗎?我們希望与上帝親近嗎?還是單單希望耶穌帶給我們永生?帶給我們罪的赦面呢?
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