39 `Ye search the Writings, because ye think in them to have life age-during, and these are they that are testifying concerning me;
and having begun from Moses, and from all the prophets, he was expounding to them in all the Writings the things about himself.
And we have more firm the prophetic word, to which we do well giving heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, till day may dawn, and a morning star may arise -- in your hearts; this first knowing, that no prophecy of the Writing doth come of private exposition, for not by will of man did ever prophecy come, but by the Holy Spirit borne on holy men of God spake.
concerning which salvation seek out and search out did prophets who concerning the grace toward you did prophecy, searching in regard to what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ that was in them was manifesting, testifying beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory after these,
And thou -- be remaining in the things which thou didst learn and wast entrusted with, having known from whom thou didst learn, and because from a babe the Holy Writings thou hast known, which are able to make thee wise -- to salvation, through faith that `is' in Christ Jesus; every Writing `is' God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for setting aright, for instruction that `is' in righteousness, that the man of God may be fitted -- for every good work having been completed.
`Having obtained, therefore, help from God, till this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spake of as about to come, that the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a rising from the dead, he is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.'
and he said to them, `These `are' the words that I spake unto you, being yet with you, that it behoveth to be fulfilled all the things that are written in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, about me.'
which He announced before through His prophets in holy writings --
for those dwelling in Jerusalem, and their chiefs, this one not having known, also the voices of the prophets, which every sabbath are being read -- having judged `him' -- did fulfill,
Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not. O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
`Mem.' O how I have loved Thy law! All the day it `is' my meditation. Than mine enemies Thy command maketh me wiser, For it `is' before me to the age. Above all my teachers I have acted wisely. For Thy testimonies `are' my meditation.
Ashamed have been the wise, They have been affrighted, and are captured, Lo, against a word of Jehovah they kicked, And the wisdom of what -- have they?
And the contents of the Writing that he was reading was this: `As a sheep unto slaughter he was led, and as a lamb before his shearer dumb, so he doth not open his mouth; in his humiliation his judgment was taken away, and his generation -- who shall declare? because taken from the earth is his life.' And the eunuch answering Philip said, `I pray thee, about whom doth the prophet say this? about himself, or about some other one?' and Philip having opened his mouth, and having begun from this Writing, proclaimed good news to him -- Jesus.
for if ye were believing Moses, ye would have been believing me, for he wrote concerning me;
And this Writing did ye not read: A stone that the builders rejected, it did become the head of a corner:
Thou causest me to know the path of life; Fulness of joys `is' with Thy presence, Pleasant things by Thy right hand for ever!
`A prophet out of thy midst, out of thy brethren, like to me, doth Jehovah thy God raise up to thee -- unto him ye hearken;
and I fell before his feet, to bow before him, and he saith to me, `See -- not! fellow servant of thee am I, and of thy brethren, those having the testimony of Jesus; bow before God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of the prophecy.'
thou dost believe, king Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that thou dost believe!'
another there is who is testifying concerning me, and I have known that the testimony that he doth testify concerning me is true;
`And ye have placed these my words on your heart, and on your soul, and have bound them for a sign on your hand, and they have been for frontlets between your eyes; and ye have taught them to your sons, by speaking of them in thy sitting in thy house, and in thy going in the way, and in thy lying down, and in thy rising up, and hast written them on the side-posts of thy house, and on thy gates,
the book of this law doth not depart out of thy mouth, and thou hast meditated in it by day and by night, so that thou dost observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then thou dost cause thy way to prosper, and then thou dost act wisely.
For with Thee `is' a fountain of life, In Thy light we see light.
For a lamp `is' the command, And the law a light, And a way of life `are' reproofs of instruction,
`Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them;
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him, `Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and the prophets, we have found, Jesus the son of Joseph, who `is' from Nazareth;'
a prophet I raise up to them, out of the midst of their brethren, like to thee; and I have given my words in his mouth, and he hath spoken unto them all that which I command him;
`And it hath been, when he sitteth on the throne of his kingdom, that he hath written for himself the copy of this law, on a book, from `that' before the priests the Levites, and it hath been with him, and he hath read in it all days of his life, so that he doth learn to fear Jehovah his God, to keep all the words of this law, and these statutes, to do them;
But -- in the law of Jehovah `is' his delight, And in His law he doth meditate by day and by night:
Life he hath asked from Thee, Thou hast given to him -- length of days, Age-during -- and for ever.
To the law and to the testimony! If not, let them say after this manner, `That there is no dawn to it.'
`And the multitude of those sleeping in the dust of the ground do awake, some to life age-during, and some to reproaches -- to abhorrence age-during.
And lo, one having come near, said to him, `Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have life age-during?' And he said to him, `Why me dost thou call good? no one `is' good except One -- God; but if thou dost will to enter into the life, keep the commands.' He saith to him, `What kind?' And Jesus said, `Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honour thy father and mother, and, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' The young man saith to him, `All these did I keep from my youth; what yet do I lack?'
And lo, a certain lawyer stood up, trying him, and saying, `Teacher, what having done, life age-during shall I inherit?' And he said unto him, `In the law what hath been written? how dost thou read?' And he answering said, `Thou shalt love the Lord thy God out of all thy heart, and out of all thy soul, and out of all thy strength, and out of all thy understanding, and thy neighbour as thyself.' And he said to him, `Rightly thou didst answer; this do, and thou shalt live.' And he, willing to declare himself righteous, said unto Jesus, `And who is my neighbour?'
Lo, thou art named a Jew, and dost rest upon the law, and dost boast in God, and dost know the will, and dost approve the distinctions, being instructed out of the law,
but now they long for a better, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He did prepare for them a city.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on John 5
Commentary on John 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
We have in the gospels a faithful record of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, Acts 1:1. These two are interwoven, because what he taught explained what he did, and what he did confirmed what he taught. Accordingly, we have in this chapter a miracle and a sermon.
Jhn 5:1-16
This miraculous cure is not recorded by any other of the evangelists, who confine themselves mostly to the miracles wrought in Galilee, but John relates those wrought at Jerusalem. Concerning this observe,
Now this is all the account we have of this standing miracle; it is uncertain when it began and when it ceased. Some conjecture it began when Eliashib the high priest began the building of the wall about Jerusalem, and sanctified it with prayer; and that God testified his acceptance by putting this virtue into the adjoining pool. Some think it began now lately at Christ's birth; nay, others at his baptism. Dr. Lightfoot, finding in Josephus, Antiq. 15.121-122, mention of a great earthquake in the seventh year of Herod, thirty years before Christ's birth, supposed, since there used to be earthquakes at the descent of angels, that then the angel first descended to stir this water. Some think it ceased with this miracle, others at Christ's death; however, it is certain it had a gracious signification.
Jhn 5:17-30
We have here Christ's discourse upon occasion of his being accused as a sabbath-breaker, and it seems to be his vindication of himself before the sanhedrim, when he was arraigned before them: whether on the same day, or two or three days after, does not appear; probably the same day. Observe,
Jhn 5:31-47
In these verses our Lord Jesus proves and confirms the commission he had produced, and makes it out that he was sent of God to be the Messiah.