Exposition of John, Chapter 5 · Verse 5
Verſe 10. The Jewes therefore ſaid unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath, It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
11. He anſwered them, He that made me whole, the ſame ſaid unto me, Take up thy bed and walk.
12. Th…n asked they him, What man is that which ſaid unto thee, Take up thy bed and walk.
13. And he that was healed, wiſt not who it was: for Jeſus had conveyed himſelf away, a multitude being in that place.
Followeth the ſecond part of the Chapter wherein is recorded, the Jewes oppoſition to the man, before they knew the Author of the miracle, verſe 10, 11, 12, 13. and their malice againſt Chriſt, when he is known to be the Author of it, verſe 14, 15, 16.
In theſe verſes, they challenging the man for breach of Sabbath, verſe 10. he defends himſelf by the warrand he had gotten from Chriſt, verſe 11. And when they deſire to know the Author of that warrand, verſe 12. he is not able to reſolve them, for Chriſt had withdrawen himſelf in the preaſſe, immediately after the miracle was wrought, verſe 13. Whence learn, 1. When Chriſt is doing greateſt works, there will ſtill be ſome who get no good of them, but will rather ſuck poiſon and gall out of them; for, this glorious work meets with oppoſition and perſecution. 2. It is the duty of all the members of the viſible Church in their ſtations, and eſpecially of Magiſtrates and Miniſters, to ſee to the obſervation of the Sabbath day, even by others as well as by themſelves; for, theſe Jewes (who ſeeme to have beene of the Phariſees and Rulers) their quarrelling a breach of Sabbath, was a commendable duty in it ſelf, if the charge had beene true. See Exod. 20.10. Nehem. 13.15. 3. Hypocritical and ſuperſtitious perſons may pretend to much zeale for Gods glory, when they are but naught; for, ſay they, it is the Sabbath-day, it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed, as pretending to be zealous for the Law, Jer. 17.21, 22. when yet they were but a naughty crew. Yea, albeit it may be alleadged, that at firſt they knew not what was wrought on the man, and ſo might the excuſed in part, yet it is not to be juſtified, that they condemne ſo raſhly, before they examine the matter: As it is uſual, that hypocritical zeal is ſtill raſh and cenſorious. 4. Divine warrand is ſufficient to guard the conſcience againſt any challenges of ſin, and may juſtifie that which otherwiſe were condemnable; for, ſuch is the mans Apolgy, he that made me whole, the ſame ſaid to me, take up thy bed and walke. And albeit he knew not Chriſt particularly, verſe 13. yet he ſaw ſo much of his glory in that miracle, ſuch power in his word, and ſuch vertue flowing from him, as warranted him to look on Chriſt as having ſufficient authority to command him, and warrand his obedience; ſeeing Joſhua only an extraordinary man, was warranted to command all Iſrael to march about Jericho, if not alſo to take it, on the Sabbath day. 5. Where Chriſt beſtoweth a favour, or ſendeth relief to the troubled, in merciemercy, it will leave a ſtamp of ſubjection to his command behind it, and incline the receiver to obedience; for; ſo is imported in this mans Apology, he that made me whole, ſaid to me, take up thy bed, and how can I decline a command, coming from ſuch a one? 6. Albeit occaſion be offered to obdured men, to ſee Chriſts glory in his working, yet they care not for the knowledge of it, but will rather ſleight it, and ſtudy to beare him and it both down; So much doth their ſecond queſtion, verſe 12. teach; Albeit the man had told them of the cure, yet they heed not that, but onelyonly his ſaying, take up thy bed and walk, that they might traduce him as a Sabbath-breaker; And albeit it be probable they knew who was the Author of ſuch a work, yet they will not let it appear, but with contempt, enquire, What man is that which ſaid unto thee, take up thy bed, &c? that they might brand him as a preſumptuous man, who durſt as they judged) oppoſe his commands to Gods Law: Whereas a due eſtimation of the miracle, might have led them to judge otherwiſe of his perſon and commands. 7. Chriſts works and under-takings will then onelyonly be rightly conſtructed and judged of, when he is taken up in his perſon as God, and not man onelyonly; for, this will diſcover him to be above the Law, and that he can effectuate that which no man could; So much may we gather from their ground of calumnie, in that they take him up onelyonly as a man, what man is that, &c? 8. Chriſt may be doing ſome good to them who have no diſtinct and clear knowledge of him, it being one thing to do the work, and another, to manifeſt himſelf to be the worker of it; for, the man wiſt not who it was, albeit he was healed by him, and have ſome reſpect to him. 9. Chriſts withdrawing of himſelf, (which he might eaſily do in the throng, and) which is ſubjoyned as a reaſon of the mans ignorance, ſerveth not onelyonly to clear the man, that his ignorance was not through his neglect, but further may teach, 1. No prejudice at Chriſt, or his outward condition, ſhould obſcure the glory of his working; Therefore he withdrew, that the outward baſeneſſe of his perſon might not cauſe them to undervalue his working. 2. By this he teacheth, how hateful the ſeeking after vain-glory is in his eyes, for, by withdrawing, he ſhuned the preſent applauſe of the multitude. 3. By this practice, he hath ſanctified ſuch a lot to his people, as when they are doing good, to be neceſſitated to withdraw themſelves becauſe of it: And he teacheth all, as not to flee trials when called to them; ſo not to thruſt themſelves raſhly on them, but to wait for Gods calling; Therefore, he withdrew to decline for a time, theſe his enemies, who might be enraged, and to ſhun their furie, till afterward that he is called out to defend his owne work.