Exposition of John, Chapter 5 · Verse 6 – Verse 8
Verſe 14. Afterward Jeſus findeth him in the Temple, and ſaid unto him, Behold, thou art made whole, ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing come unto thee.
15. The man departed, and told the Jews, that it was Jeſus which had made him whole.
16. And therefore did the Jews perſecute Jeſus, and ſought to ſlay him, becauſe he had done theſe things on the Sabbath day.
Here we have the Jews proſecuting of Chriſt, when it was made known he was the Authour of the miracle. The way of the revealing of it was, that Chriſt finding the man, doth give him wholeſome directions how to make uſe of his deliverance, verſe 14. and he doth thankfully publiſh Chriſt to be the Authour of his cure, ver. 15. upon which the Jews do perſecute him, by traducing him as a prophaner of the Sabbath, and by plotting how to take away his life, ver. 16. from, ver. 14. learn. 1. It is a ſweet fruit of trouble, when we ſtudy thankfulneſſe to God for deliverance from it, by frequenting his houſe and publick worſhip, without neglect of private; for, therefore was he in the Temple, giving thanks to God, as acknowledging, that though he knew not who Chriſt was, yet he had been Gods inſtrument to him; yea, Chriſts own practice, in being there, is a pattern for our reverencing of ordinances. 2. It is not only our duty, but our great happineſſe alſo, to be frequenting publick ordinances, as being the tryſting place of Chriſts preſence; for, here, Jeſus found him in the Temple, which was a benefit he little expected. 3. Where Chriſt giveth outward favours and deliverances in ſpecial love, he will give alſo ſpiritual mercies and benefits with them; And ſuch as are thankful for what they have received, Chriſt will come and give them more; for, this man with the cure, gets direction for his ſouls eſtate, and that in the Temple, where he came to bleſſe God. 4. Such as have gotten great mercy and deliverance from Chriſt, have need of direction how to guide it, that they do not miſcarry under it; and even when they have ſome good beginnings, they need yet further upſtirring; Therefore doth Chriſt, by his exhortation, preſcribe a diet for this cured man; and albeit he was at paines to come to the Temple to offer thanks, yet Chriſt findes it needfull to give him this warning. 5. When men have gotten deliverance from outward trouble, they ought to take heed of reſting on it, neglecting God, their duty, and ſouls good; So much doth this exhortation import, that being made whole, he ſhould not think he had no more to do with God, nor needed any 'other thing, but ſhould minde his duty, otherwiſe God' could reach him. 6. Bodily health, and the curing of infirmities which deprive us of it, is a mercy to be ſeriouſly conſidered, and which layeth on a ſpecial obligation to duty, eſpecially if we have been long under the infirmity, if it hath been ſad and heavy, and if our deliverance from it hath been remarkable: Therefore, doth Chriſt begin his direction with this; Behold, thou art made whole, that finding now by experience, the reality and benefit of his health, ſo miraculouſly wrought after his long and ſad diſeaſe, he ſhould be ſo affected with it, as to take with the following direction. 7, It is a ſpecial help for getting a right uſe of our condition, to ſee trouble and ſickneſſe flowing from ſinne, as the ſluce to let it in; to ſee that Chriſt knoweth men well enough, and what they are, though they take but little notice of him; and this is to be remembred, when the trouble procured by ſinne, is over; for, while Chriſt directs him to ſinne no more, it importeth, that ſinne had drawn on his former ſickneſſe, that Chriſt would not have him forgetting this when the ſmart of the rod was gone, and that albeit he knew not Chriſt, yet Chriſt knew him, and what he had been. Whether this man had drawn on this ſickneſſe by ſome groſſe provocation, I will not determine, but it is certaine, that ſickneſſe and trouble entred in by ſinne, and that every one hath ſo much ſinne, as to deſerve ſharpeſt plagues here, and hereafter. 8. It is not ſufficient that men being delivered, do profeſſe their thankfulneſſe, or ſee their former guilt, unleſſe the ſenſe thereof, and of its bitter fruits, and of their deliverance reſtrain their after ſinning, and ſtir them up to prevent it for the future, and ſo be reformed by Gods dealing; At leaſt, (ſince they cannot be ſinleſſe) they would watch diligently over it, and not let it reigne in them; So much is imported in this direction, ſinne no more. 9. Sinne is not eaſily avoided or ſhaken off, but when men have ſmarted for ſinne, and have been graciouſly delivered, and taſted of Gods mercy, they may yet be tempted, and are ready to ſinne yet more, and need caution to prevent it. So much alſo doth this direction and warning, given to the man, teach us, ſinne no more. 10. The beſt preſervative againſt affliction and trouble, is, not to run every courſe which fleſh and blood may ſuggeſt for avoiding it, but to beware of ſinne, which if it hold not off trouble, yet may aſſure us that God doth correct us in love, and not in anger; ſo much doth the reaſon of this direction, import, Sinne no more, leaſt a worſe thing come unto thee. 11. As all trouble is in it ſelfe an evil, what ever good God may bring out of it, and by it; So whatever any have lien under, God can eaſily ſend worſe; for, while he threatens him with a worſe thing, it imports that other trouble is evill, though not all in alike degree, and that God could ſend a worſe condition then thirty eight years ſickneſſe. He can adde to outward trouble, Lev. 26.18, 21, 24, 28. and to ſpiritual plagues, Matth. 12.45. 2 Pet. 2.20. He can ſend them both together in their extremity, Lam. 2.22. and can ſend eternal puniſhments in ſtead of temporal. 12. Such as continue in a courſe of ſinning, after they have been afflicted, and have been delivered, and taſted of Gods favour, to ſoul or body; do hereby take a way to kindle divine diſpleaſures, and increaſe trouble; for, ſo much is held forth here, ſinne no more leaſt a worſe thing come unto thee. Which calleth for much jealouſie over what good things we ſeem to have under affliction, for much warineſſe, that we reſt not upon outward deliverance, and for much abiding in Chriſt, and keeping of grace in exerciſe.
From verſe 15, 16. learn. 1. It is the duty, and commendable practice in thoſe who have gotten experience of Chriſts power and pitie, to proclaime it, for ſetting forth of his glory, and invitation of others to come and partake; Therefore, the man departed, and told the Jews, that it was Jeſus which had made him whole. And this he did out of gratitude toward Chriſt (whom he knew either from himſelfe, or others about him) and to invite the Jewes to make uſe of Chriſt, if they had any ſuch imployment for him. 2. Sound doctrine meets oft times with corrupt hearers, who are more enraged thereby; and honeſt minded men following their duty in ſingleneſſe, may occaſion perſecution, and yet be blameleſſe, as having done but their duty, and given no juſt occaſion, and ſo are free of what followeth; for, upon this mans publiſhing Chriſt to be the Authour of his cure, the perſecution ariſeth, but without any fault in him. 3. The riſing and ſpreading of Chriſts glory, is an eye ſore to corrupt teachers and people, who are thereby diſcovered to be what indeed they are, and their ſeeming glory obſcured; And perſecution is the ordinary entertainment that Chriſt, manifeſting his glory, may look for at the hands of ſuch; for, therefore, upon the report, did the Jewes perſecute Jeſus, by their reproachful tongues, and deviſing how to take his life, either in a tumult, or judicially. 4. Such is the cruelty of perſecutors, that, if they had their will, nothing but the death of thoſe they oppoſe, would ſatisfie them: and ſuch as are perſecutors with the tongue, and ſpare not mens names, will alſo be ready to take their lives, if opportunity offer, and they can get a pretext for it; for, they ſought to ſlay him, upon pretence of the law of Sabbath-breaking, Numb. 15.32, 33, &c. And this is marked as their diſpoſition, who had ſpoken contemptibly of him, ver. 12. and continued to do ſo ſtill, ſince they could go no further. 5. Great cruelty againſt Chriſt, may be masked with faireſt pretexts, even of zeale for God and his commands; And ſufferers are not to expect, but that they ſhall be loaden with calumnies under their ſufferings; for, they ſought to ſlay him, becauſe he had done theſe things on the Sabbath day. As perſecutors will think ſhame to publiſh their malice and the cauſes of it: ſo this way of procedure, maketh perſecution moſt ſharp, Joh. 16.1, 2, 3. 6. What ever be the malice, deſire, or endeavours of wicked men; yet the life of Chriſt and his followers is not in their hand; but the Lord may make their malice their own plagues, and preſerve his people while he hath any ſervice for them; for, though they ſought to ſlay him, yet all their endeavours, at that time, tended only to their own trouble.
Verſe 17. But Jeſus anſwered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
In the third part of the Chapter we have Chriſts Apology for his working this cure on the Sabbath, in anſwer either to their thoughts, or to ſomewhat they expreſſed to him, ver. 17. and his proſecution thereof, upon the encreaſe of their rage, verſe 18, 19, &c.
At other times, upon the like occaſion we find him making Apology for himſelfe or his followers, by way of retortion, as Matth. 15.1, 2, 3. Which though it could not juſtifie an unlawfull act; Yet it might ſtop their mouths, who maliciouſly quarrelled with others, and yet were more guilty themſelves. Sometime, by pleading neceſſity, as Luke 6.2, 3. and 14.3, 4, 5. In which caſe, the Sabbath is made for man, Mark. 2.27. and Chriſt commends his love, that when he gets a diſtreſſed ſinner, even on the Sabbath day, he will not delay their help till morrow. Sometime, by pleading that works of piety and charity do not violate the Sabbath, Matth. 12.5, 7. Luk. 6.9. But here Chriſt juſtifieth himſelfe from a more ſublime reaſon, that he may take occaſion to ſet out the glory of his Godhead. And whereas the weight of their challenge was grounded on the fourth command, wherein God had not only commanded us to reſt on the Sabbath, but had by his own example, in reſting from all his works on that day, preſſed it; Therefore, Chriſt removeth the miſtake, ſhewing that the Father, ever ſince the creation, hath continued working without any intermiſſion, and this without any violation of the Sabbath; and that himſelfe as he is one in eſſence with the Father, ſo he is undivided in working from him, the Fathers work and his being one; And therefore his working on the Sabbath could not be chalenged, and he being God, might command the man to carry his bed, when he pleaſed, and when it contributed to ſet forth his glory: Whence learn, Albeit the Lord, after the creation of all things in ſix dayes, did ceaſe from the creating of new kindes of creatures, Gen. 2.2. Yet he is ſtill without intermiſſion (even on the Sabbath) working, by preſerving and upholding all the creatures he hath made, without which they could not ſubſiſt a moment; and by governing and over-ruling of all things, how ſmall contingent, or caſual ſoever they be; for, my Father worketh hitherto, which ſpeech doth not exclude the time following, but ſheweth that there is no intermiſſion in that work, ſee Act. 17.28. Matth. 6.26, 30. and 10.29, 30. Exod. 21.13. 2. Chriſt the Son of God is joyned with, and undivided from the Father, in working, and that not in one work alone, or at ſome time only, but in all works, and without intermiſſion: As the Father created all things by him, ſo, with, and from the Father, he preſerveth and governeth all things; for, my Father worketh hitherto, and I work, even the ſame workes which he worketh, ſee Heb. 1.2, 3. 3. God, and Chriſt is God, is above all law which he hath preſcribed to the creature; He works on the Sabbath, and doth not violate it; he may do what he pleaſeth, without quarrelling; and may command what he pleaſeth, and make it ſervice; for, ſo doth the ſcope of the Apology teach, that Chriſt, being undivided from the Father in working, was God, and ſo not ſubject to the Law of the Sabbath, and might command the man to carry his bed, and warrand him in ſo doing.
Verſe 18. Therefore the Jewes 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.
The fruit of this Apology, among the Jews, is, that their rage of perſecution is encreaſed the more by it, and they thirſt the more for his life: And that becauſe he not only had broken the Sabbath, as they alledged; but had aſſerted that God was his Father in ſo peculiar a way, as made him equal with God. Whence learn. 1. Clear declaration of truth will not ſatisfie wicked and malicious men, but the more Chriſt and the light is held out to ſuch, it is hated the more; for, after his Apology, therefore the Jews ſought the more to kill him. 2. No vindication, nor defence of lawfull practices, will wipe off the miſconſtructions of prejudged men, but they will ſtick by their prejudices, and maliciouſly faſten them upon the innocent; for, let him ſay what he will, yet he had broken the Sabbath, not indeed, but as they alledged. 3. Albeit God have many Sonnes by creation and adoption, yet Chriſt is his Sonne in a peculiar and proper way, by eternal generation, and communication of the ſame eſſence; for, ſo doth the Jews underſtand him, he ſaid, God was his Father, or his Father in a proper and peculiar way, otherwiſe they could not have quarrelled with him; and Chriſt doth not refute this. 4. Chriſts conjunction with his Father in working, doth prove his equality with the Father, and that he is of the ſame eſſence, and doth partake of the ſame omnipotency; for, ſo much do they ſoundly gather from his Apology, ver. 17. that he made himſelfe equal with God, neither doth Chriſt call them calumniators, nor clear any miſtake in it, as in other caſes he doth, Joh. 21.23. but cleares and confirmes what they challenged, (though they gathered a vitious conſequence, that he ſhould be killed as a blaſphemer;) and what they collect, is aſſerted by the Apoſtle, Phil. 2.6. 5. Such may be the corruption of a viſible Church, as very truth may be accounted blaſphemy, and a ground of putting men to death; for, albeit it be horrid blaſphemy for any creature to equall it ſelfe with God, yet they were far wrong, when they would ſlay Chriſt for aſſerting the comfortable and ſupernatural truth of his Godhead.