A Paraphrase on the New Testament, John · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
1 AFter this there was a feaſt of the Jews, and Jeſus went up to Jeruſalem. 2. Now there is at Jeruſalem by the ſheep-market, a pool, which is called in the Hebrew Tongue Betheſda, having five Porches. 3. In theſe lay a great number of impotent folks, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4. For an Angel went down into the Pool, at a certain ſeaſon, and troubled the water; whoſoever then firſt after the troubling of the water ſtepped in, was made whole of whatſoever diſeaſe he had.
N. 1. Some few think that this was a Pond that the bloud of the Sacrifices ran into, and was ſtirred by a Meſſenger (not an Angel) at the time of the Paſſover when the bloud was newly run into it, and ſo healed, not Miraculouſly, but by the ordinary virtue of the new ſhed Bloud and that it is not all diſeaſes that are meant; and that it was not eight and thirty years that the man had waited in that Hoſpital, but that he had ſo long been ill: So Dr. Hammond; others think it was the Pond made by Hezekiah and healed by unaccountable Miracle.
5. And a certain man was there, which had an Infirmity thirty and eight years.
5. How great a Mercy is it to live eight and thirty years under Gods wholſome diſcipline? How unexcuſable was this man if he had been proud, or worldly, or careleſs of his everlaſting State? O my God I thank thee for the like diſcipline of eight and fifty years, how ſafe a life is this in Compariſon of full proſperity and pleaſure.
6. When Jeſus ſaw him lye, and knew that he had been now a long time in that caſe, he ſaith to him, wilt thou be made whole. 7. The impotent man anſwered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled to put me into the Pool, but while I am coming, another ſteppeth down before me. 8. Jeſus ſaith unto him, Riſe, take up thy Bed, and walk.
6. N. 1, When humane help faileth Chriſt ſheweth his love and power and commandeth health at a word.
9. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his Bed and walked: And on the ſame day was the Sabbath.
9. The man ſhewed them all that he was cured: And Chriſt choſe the Sabbath for this good work.
10. The Jews therefore ſaid to him, that was cured, It is the Sabbath day: It is not lawful for thee to carry thy Bed.
10. The Jews were ſtricter than Chriſt for Ceremony and Rites: but looſer for Charity, and pleaded that it was a breach of Moſes's Law to carry his Couch.
11. He anſwered them, He that made me whole, the ſame ſaid unto me, Take up thy Bed, and walk.
11. I know not whom I ſhould obey if not a man that can work ſo great a Miracle.
12. Then asked they him, what man is he, that ſaid unto thee, Take up thy Bed, and walk?
12. Who is he that durſt thus break the Law?
13. And he that was healed, knew not who it was: for Jeſus had conveyed himſelf away, a multitude being in that place.
13. Chriſt did it not for humane applauſe, and therefore was not known to be the man.
14. Afterward Jeſus findeth him in the Temple, and ſaid to him, Behold, thou art made whole; ſin no more leaſt a worſe thing come unto thee.
14. It was for thy ſin that thou waſt corrected: Beware of ſin leſt the next be worſe.
15. The Man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jeſus, that had made him whole.
15. He told them in the praiſe of Jeſu… that it was he that healed him.
16. And therefore did the Jews perſecute Jeſus, and ſought to …ay him, becauſe he had done theſe things on the Sabbath day.
16. O the blindneſs and madneſs of malignants, that will ſeek to kill men for doing good and healing men.
17. But Jeſus anſwered them, my Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
17. To ſave the a…licted is a work beſeeming my Father and Me, whom you oppoſe.
18. Therefore the Jews ſought the more to kill him, not only becauſe he had broken the Sabbath, but ſaid alſo, that God was his Father, making himſelf equal with God.
18. N. Malignants zeal fathereth even error and perſecution on God.
19. Then anſwered Jeſus, and ſaid to them verily, verily, I ſay unto you: The Son can do nothing of himſelf, but what he ſeeth the Father do: For what things ſoever he doth, theſe alſo doth the Son likewiſe.
19. I t…ll you by condemning my Works you condemn my Fathers alſo: For I do nothing but what I know he doth and approveth and he doth them in and by me, and I do nothing without him.
20. For the Father loveth the Son, and ſheweth him all things that he doth: and he will ſhew him greater things than theſe that ye may marvail.
20. For the Fathers infinite Love communicateth to the Son that Wiſdom and Power by which he doth all that the Father doth: and by which you ſhall ſee greater things than theſe, and wonder.
21. For as the Father raiſeth up the dead, and quickneth them, even ſo the Son quickneth whom he will.
21. As the Father is the Lord of Life, and giveth and reſtoreth life at his pleaſure; ſo alſo doth the Son.
22. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath comm…tted all Judgment to the Son.
22. For the Father as meer Creator according to the Law of Innocency judgeth no man: but hath given up the Government of this World to the Son as Redeemer, to judg them as ranſomed, according to that Law and Meaſure of Grace which they are under.
23. That all men ſhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, who hath ſent him.
23. And ſo it is by honouring the Son, that the Father will be honoured, and by diſhonouring him the Father is diſhonoured.
24. Verily, verily, I ſay to you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that ſent me, hath everlaſting Life, and ſhall not come into condemnation, but is paſſed from death to life.
24. I tell you if you hear my word obediently and ſhall believe on God the Father, as ſending me on the Office of a Saviour you ſhall have everlaſting life by my Merits and Gift, and ſhall not be condemned.
25. Verily, verily I ſay to you, The hour is coming and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live.
25. I tell you that the hour is coming, yea now is already come, in which it ſhall appear that the Son of God hath the power of Life and Death, Natural, Spiritual, and Eternal; and that they that are dead in Sin and Unbelief, ſhall hear his Goſpel and be regenerate and made alive to God: and that natural Life ſhall be reſtored by him▪ to ſome Bodies at his own Reſurrection▪ and to all at laſt, when he ſhall effectually call up all the dead to Judgment.
26. For as the Father hath life in himſelf, ſo hath he given to the Son to have life in himſelf.
26. As the Father is eſſential underived ſelf-…ſe communicating life to Creatures: So is the Son as God, and as Redeemer, hath the power of giving Life from himſelf to the redeemed.
27. And he hath given him Authority to execute Judgment alſo, becauſe he is the Son of God.
27. And as Redeemer, being the Son of God in his Divine Nature, and his humane Nature advanced into perſonal Union with the Divine, he hath Authority given him to Govern the World, and according to the Law of Grace to do juſtice for the faithful, and againſt the impenitent unbelievers.
28. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in which all that are in their Graves ſhall hear his Voice, 29. And ſhall come forth: They that have done good to the Reſurrection of Life, and they that have done evil to the Reſurrection of Damnation.
28, 29. Let not this ſeem incredible to you: For the hour is coming in which the Bodies now turned to duſt ſhall by the Souls return be revived, and hear his voice that calls them up: And there ſhall be a Reſurrection of the juſt and unjuſt: They that have done good according to the tenor of that Law of Grace which they were under, ſhall come forth to a life of happineſs, and they that have done evil violating the conditions of life in that Law, to the Reſurrection of damnation.
30. I can of my own ſelf do nothing: As I hear, ſo I judg, and my judgment is juſt, becauſe I ſeek not my own will, but the will of the Father who hath ſent me.
30. I am not to judge according to the weakneſs of humanity, as Princes govern: I do nothing, but according to Divine infallible decree and appointment, which I aſſuredly know: And my judgment is juſt, becauſe I ſeek not my own humane will, as my rule or end, but the will of my Father who ſent me; that is my Rule and End.
31. If I bear witneſs of my ſelf my witneſs is not true. 32. There is another that beareth witneſs of me, and I know that the witneſs which he witneſſeth of me is true.
31, 32. If I had no teſtimony but my own word, you were not to take it for credible truth: But there is another, who giveth you convincing evidences of his truth; even my Father by his Voice from Heaven and by his Spirit and Works.
33. He ſent to John and he bare witneſs to the truth: 34. But I receive not Teſtimony from Man: But theſe things I ſay, that ye might be ſaved.
33.34. You ſent to John, and he told you▪ of me as the Meſſiah. I need not his or any mans teſtimony: But it nearly concerneth your own ſafety to believe him.
35. He was a burning and a ſhining light; and ye were willing for a ſeaſon to rejoyce in his light.
35. God ſet him up to be as a burning and ſhining light, to lead you out of darkneſs to the Kingdom of the Meſſiah which you expected: And a while you gladly heard that news and were baptized by him: Till you were told that I am he, and then you turned back.
36. But I have greater witneſs than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to finiſh, the ſame works that I do bear witneſs of me, and that the Father hath ſent me.
36. N. For theſe works could not be done but by Gods power and will, who will not be the worlds deceiver.
37. And the Father himſelf who ſent me, hath born witneſs of me; Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor ſeen his ſhape. 38. And ye have not his word abiding in you: For whom he hath ſent, him ye believe not.
37, 38. By a voice from Heaven God teſtified me to be his beloved Son: But indeed you were not the perſons that heard it: For you never heard his voice, nor ſaw his appearance, nor underſtand or belive his Word: Elſe you would believe on me that am ſent by him.
39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they that teſtify of me.
39. You own the authority of Moſes and the Prophets, and look to have eternal Life by keeping their word: ſearch their Writings, and you will find that they teſtifie of me.
40. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
40. And though they tell you that it is in, and by, me, that this Life muſt be attained, ye will not believe in me and come to me that you may attain it.
41, 42. I receive not honour from Men: But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you.
41, 42. It is not the applauſe of men that I ſeek for; but your own Salvation: But I know for all your boaſting of being the peculiar people of God, you are indeed no true lovers and obeyers of God.
43. I am come in my Fathers Name and ye receive me not: If another ſhall come in his own name, him will ye receive.
43. I come with teſtimony from Heaven of the miſſion and approbation of my Father, and this prevaileth not againſt your prejudice to believe me. But when a deceiver ſhall come with oſtentation without any evidence from God, and ſhall promiſe you a temporal Kingdom, you will take him for the Meſſiah.
44. How can ye believe who receive honour one of another, and ſeek not the honour which cometh from God only?
44. How can you receive the Meſſiah ſent from God, who do not ſeek and truſt to Gods approbation, and his way of ſaving you; but muſt have a worldly Kingdom and be ſaved and advanced after the manner of worldly men, and look, for a Saviour ſuited to ſuch ends.
45. Do not think that I accuſe you to my Father: There is one that accuſeth you; even Moſes in whom ye truſt. 46. For had ye believed Moſes, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me. 47. But if ye believe not his writings, how ſhall ye believe my words.
45, 46, 47. I ſay not all this as if I come to be your accuſer to my Father: Even Moſes in whom you truſt will accuſe you; had you underſtood and believed the Propheſies and Types of Moſes, ye would have believed me: For it is me that they all ſpeak of and point you to: But if you will not be convinced by his Writings whom you glory in, no wonder if you reject my words.