The Pool of Bethesda
Part 2 Bible Study

(The Pool of Bethesda Part 2
Bible Study (John 5:31-47)

PRAYER:

We began this study last week by Jesus finding and healing a crippled man by the Pool of Bethesda. And it was on a "Jewish Sabbath, which these Jews considered to be blasphemous, a capitol crime punishable by death.

Then Jesus began teaching and explaining to these Jews who He was, referring to Himself as the "Son of God" in verse 19 and 25. (needless to say, they didn't like that at all)

We finished last week in verse 30 by Jesus telling them that God had sent Him and had turned all judgment over to Him. The Jews didn't like or accept any of what He had said, or done, and these Jews wanted to put Him to death."

Jesus continues His teaching by presenting witnesses offering proof that He was who He said He was, "The Messiah."

It also lays a ground-work for our understanding into the minds and beliefs of the Jewish people of Jesus time; helping us to better understand not only how, but also why they reacted, or responded as they did when Jesus healed the man by the Pool of Bethesda; and also of the consequences of their lack of their disbelief.

(These Jewish men were probably a mixture of everyday people, it was right next door to the temple, so there might have been Pharisee's, and possibly members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court, if so would be the equivalent of our present day lawyers and judges.)

SO CONTINUING: These people were upset with Jesus because He had healed a man, on a Sabbath, who had been crippled for 38 years; then became even more outraged when Jesus told them He had been sent by God the Father, and that He was the "Messiah."

Jesus knew the "Jewish Law" required proof, or witnesses. Even in today's courts a person's own witness is not always considered an acceptable defense.

In the following Scriptures Jesus leads these people through the "Jewish Law" revealing witnesses who had testified that He was "God the Son."

Begin Study:

Scripture John 5:31-39

VERSE 31 - "If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true."

So, although Jesus was telling the truth He realized that His personal testimony did not, of itself, satisfy the requirements of the Jewish Law. This part of the law is found in Dent 17:6; 19:15,

Deut 17:6 (ESV): "On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness."

To the Jews, the claim Jesus had made, to be the Son of God, was a major crime, punishable by death, and eventually led to His execution on the cross.

But, Jesus understands the "Law" and tells them that He has witnesses!

SO, WHO ARE HIS WITNESSES? IN VERSE 32 Jesus say's- "There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

AND IN: VERSE 33 goes on to say - "You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth."

So, in this case we know for sure that His first witness was our old friend, from one our previous study, "John the Baptist."

In the original translation (Greek) of this verse when He said "you sent," the 'You,' is said to be an emphatic "you" as in YOU!, even YOU! sent."

So He would be saying: (YOU! sent to John, and YOU! know what He told you about me.) because "he bore witness as to what is true concerning me."

Some translations of the bible go on to say "that John the Baptist not only (had been), but still, at that time was continuing to be a witness to the truth."

Although the Jews accepted John the Baptist as a prophet, they wouldn't accept his teaching concerning Jesus.

VERSE 34 - "Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved."

It seems almost mute, I think Jesus was saying (in the first part verse 34) - that He personally didn't need John the Baptist to tell Him that He was the Messiah. After all, He tells these people in this same discussion, that it was God the Father who had sent Him.

And in the second part of verse 34 He tells them that His ultimate desire is for them to be saved.

AND THEN JESUS HAS MORE TO SAY ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST: VERSE 35He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light."

John was as a bright and shining lamp, everything he did was as a light shining on Jesus, illuminating and preparing the way for Him.

And, in the second part of verse 35, says that they "were willing" for awhile to accept John's word/light, (but they were unwilling to accept Jesus offer of salvation.)

VERSE 36 - "But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me."

Jesus is saying that His testimony, and the works the Father gave Him to do, bore witness of Him, and were actually greater than John's witness.

(if your remember we talked last week about how Jesus' miracles, or works were used as signs in "John's Gospel" So, here Jesus is saying that the works that He is doing are signs, and are a witness for Him.

A while back, we discussed where John the Baptist was in prison and had sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah.

And Matthew 11:4-5 say's "Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."

Jesus didn't say yes, or no, to "John the Baptist" disciples, instead He told them of the works He had done; because His works were a part of His testimony proving that He was who He claimed to be, "The Son of God.")

(And through all this, we can see that Jesus respected the "Jewish Law."

Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin himself, recognized these signs. "...No one can do these signs that You do, unless God is with him"(John 3:2)(NKJV)

SO THAT MAKES TWO WITNESSES SO FAR. (John the Bzaptist and the Works/Miracles Jesus did)

VERSE 37 JESUS SAID: "And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,"

Speaking of the "Father's" testimony, Jesus said the Father "has borne witness," as in past tense.

(anyone got any particular instance in mind where God was a witness for Jesus?)

THERE IS ONE I PARTICULARLY LIKE: If you remember, He had a very clear testimony from "God the Father" when Jesus was baptized.

Immediately after He was baptized, In Matthew 3:17 (ESV)"and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

This was most certainly the voice of "God the Father.!

As a matter of interest: This statement the heavenly voice makes at Jesus' baptism, is a combination of the words of prophesy found in Psalms 2:7 where God addresses the anointed King as His Son. And Isaiah 42:1 where God addresses His Servant in whom He delights, and upon whom He has put His Spirit.

There are other Scriptures, but just from these I think we can say that God was most definitely a witness for Jesus, in fact was His best witness!

(Don't you think Jesus would find a personal comfort in God's testimony, In verse 37 when He said - "And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me...")

SO THAT MAKES THREE WITNESSES, WHICH WAS ENOUGH TO FULLY SATISFIED THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE JEWISH LAW. (John the Baptist, the works/miracles of Jesus, and God the Father)

John the Baptist, the works, or Signs Jesus did, and God the Father.

But Jesus realizes the Jews either don't, or can't recognize the 'Father's" testimony, because (the second part of verse 37) in the AMP version say's, "Not one of you has ever given ear to His voice or seen His form (His face--what He is like). [You have always been deaf to His voice and blind to the vision of Him.]"

Did you notice the word "always?" ("You have always been deaf to His voice and blind to the vision of Him") Doesn't that make you think that Jesus had know them a long time? That they had always dodged the word of God?

ON THE SUBJECT OF "HEARING FROM GOD:"

We have the example Jesus set and how important it was for Him to find quietness, and to be alone with the God. The scripture tells us that He often went off alone to pray, and that He would pray all night. Even the night of His arrest, in the Garden of Gethsemane Luke 22:47 say's that Jesus went on about the distance of "about a stone's throw," from the disciples.

He apparently didn't want anything or any one to be a distraction or to prevent Him from hearing from the Father.

So if it was important to Him it must be for us. That's the example He set.

THEN HE GOES ON IN VERSE 38 TO SAY:- "and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent."

He is basically saying, It's evident that His word is not in you because you don't believe in the One He sent.

VERSE 39 - You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me

SO HERE IS STILL ANOTHER WITNESS, (THE SCRIPTURES)

Jesus is basically saying, I know the scripture, what it say's, and God's word has told you I would be here and yet you don't believe it. And here I am pointing the scripture out to you and you won't accept it) (to reject me is to disobey the scriptures).

It seems safe to say here that the Jews were 'picking and choosing' which parts of the scripture to believe. (Now of course none of us would do that, or would we?)

MORE ON THAT: There are scriptures that in order to find exactly what the original writer was saying to the people of his day, and how it applies to us, need to be prayed over, researched and (rightly divided).

But then, there are Scriptures in the bible that, for now, are absolute mysteries, but will at some time in the future be revealed. Some have already been revealed through fulfilled prophesy and archeology.

Many of the prophets in the Old Testament who wrote about Jesus did not see their prophecies fulfilled in their lifetime. Much of what they wrote was shrouded in mysteries, even to them. They simply wrote what the Spirit told them to write. But now, thousands of years later, we know that they wrote about Jesus was true and correct, because we have the recorded history, and it is just as they prophesied.

And as we read as in the beginning of this story, (The Pool of Bethesda) The rest of the modern world doubted that the "Pool of Bethesda" even existed until archeologist dug it up in 1956, proving that it was just as the bible said.

But the true mysteries just make the bible more interesting, we recognize them as mysteries and watch them, but leave them alone; because we have faith they will someday be revealed, perhaps through more fulfilled prophecy, or as God chooses, and in His perfect timing. But that's His business.

We are to "rightly divide." (properly translate and interpret) God's Word, then, we have to believe it. That was the major down-fall of the Jews, they simply didn't believe what the word of God said.

IN DEALING WITH THESE PEOPLE: Jesus was relentless, wasn't He? He tried and tried to get through to them.

VERSE 40 - yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

Jesus attempted to opened their eyes to the scriptures, but they still refused Him. - He said in (the previous verse, verse 39) "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life." But according to what Jesus just said, they obviously did accept the scriptures.

IT'S SAD ISN'T IT? AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS OF LOOKING FOR THE MESSIAH, THE MIRACLES GOD DID FOR THEM DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES, THE TEACHING OF THE PROPHETS, THE STUDYING OF GOD'S WORD, THEY STILL MANAGED TO MISS THE WHOLE POINT; BECAUSE THEY MISSED JESUS."

The Jews had lived under the Old Testament, the "Old Covenant, or agreement" between them and God, which meant they lived under the Law. They believed that as long as they were of the seed of Abraham, and observed God's Law, they would go to heaven.

But they failed to recognize that, for hundreds of years before Jesus came, the prophets had been telling them that the Messiah was coming, and when He did that their old covenant/agreement with God would change.

Then Jesus, the Messiah, came to establish the "New Covenant, but they didn't recognize Him." In this new covenant/agreement, the seperation between God and man that had existed since the sin of Adam and Eve in the "Garden of Eden, could be ended by any who would accept Him.

In the "New Covenant," which we now live under, (John 14:6) the only way to get to Heaven is through faith in Jesus and what He did on the cross, (to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour).

Jesus said, ..."I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"(John 14:6)(ESV).

THE OLD COVENANT, THE OLD LAW WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT:

(SO, IN THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURE JESUS SEEMS TO BE TRYING A DIFFERENT APPROACH)

VERSE 41 - I do not receive glory from people.

Jesus said He does not receive glory from people, meaning that He doesn't recognize it, it is irrelevant and has no affect on Him.

VERSE 42 - But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.

Any praise of glory He might have received from them would have been meaningless. He knew these men, had neither the love of God, nor His true word.

VERSE 43 - I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

Jesus is just making the statement that He came in the name of the Father and they didn't receive Him, they rejected Him. Again, this is saying that for them to reject Jesus was a rejection of "God the Father."

VERSE 44 - How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Jesus is saying that seeking glory from one another instead of from God is incredulous, or maybe even ridiculous. It won't take them to heaven. How is seeking praise from one another going to help you to believe?

It's God whom you need be seeking. The praise, approval, and glory from one another will never get you anything from God. (but that's what they were doing)

I found a scripture that I think adds clarity to our study. It refers both to their unbelief, and the fear of being kicked out of the Synagogue, if they had accepted Jesus:

John 12:43,(ESV) "(for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."

If they had acknowledge Jesus' words they would have been kicked out of the synagogue, and they loved the glory of man more than that of God. Being put out of their Church would have been a disgrace, a humiliation to their lifestyle

They didn't see God as an all knowing God that knew every move and word they spoke, did they?

IN VERSE 45 JESUS IS BEGINNING TO BRING THIS CONVERSATION TO A CLOSE.

(Actually I'm not sure we can call it a "conversation," because at this point Jesus was doing all of the talking, and speaking very sternly.

IN VERSE 45 HE SAY'S, "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope."

Jesus say's that He will not stand as their accuser, that their accuser would be Moses, the one who had written the very words they had built their lives around, and on whom they had set their hope. (what a statement)

Ancient Judaism viewed Moses as an intercessor for Israel, but Jesus say's that instead, Moses will be their prosecutor. Their condemnation would be found in Moses' writings.

MOSES WAS ALSO A WITNESS FOR JESUS, THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE HE WROTE.

VERSE 46 - For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.

Moses wrote the first five books of the bible, and most think the book of "Job", possibly others) and he witness's to Jesus in his writings.

AND, THE LAST VERSE: VERSE 47 - But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"

Jewish teachers regarded Moses as the central prophet figure for their history, and as Israel's lawgiver. (God, wrote the "Law," some would say, in the presence of Moses) But these Jews simply wouldn't accept it.

Doesn't it seem that at this point Jesus would just throw in the towel and give up on these people? We might, but He doesn't!

The Jews are perfect examples of how God never gives up on anyone.

We see the Jews down through the ages, and all the terrible things that have happened to them, and still God has kept them and caused them to survive. They are not a perfect people, and are considered to be a lost nation. Even now they are "living miracles," in that although surrounded by bitter enemies, they are in their 'homeland," the promised land." just as God promised Abraham over 4000 years ago.

But we have to remember that the "Jews" are God's "Chosen people" and so are we, now. We are the one's grafted in through our faith, because unlike these Jews, we believe in Jesus!

NEXT STUDY: (John 6:1-14) Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand"

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Pool of Bethesda-Part 2