John 5

Some brief thoughts on John 5:1-47

• (v.6). What a question! Do you want to be healed? Why did Jesus ask him this question? Makes me think about when I stuck in a rut either by sin or some circumstance. Do I really want to get out of it? Or am I just content to sort of lay there and be pitiful and blame others?

• (v.18). The real issue was that Jesus was calling God his own Father, thus claiming deity. Yes, they were upset about the Sabbath breaking, but the claims of divinity were a whole other thing. The lordship and deity of Jesus is a dividing line between the religious and true believers. Was then, is now.

• (v.21-24). God raises the dead and Jesus gives life to whom he wills. This is a statement that needs to be chewed on, meditated, digested, and rejoiced over.

• (v.39-40). The Old Testament—all of it—points to Jesus.

• (v.47). I want to make understanding the Old Testament a lifelong pursuit. Too often we gloss over it. But here Jesus says that if we don’t believe Moses’ writings, how will believe Jesus’ words? That’s huge.