John 5:13-18

John 5:13 (KJB)

And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

 

Wist - Knew or recognize

Conveyed - Slipped away, withdrew, or turned aside

 

The man could not say who healed him nor could he point him out because Jesus had slipped away from the great multitude which gathered at the pool. There is no doubt that the leaders had known it was Jesus because His miracles and actions were showing up more frequently now. Even though this man had been healed and he could not find Jesus, Jesus was not finished with him yet.

 

John 5:14 (KJB)

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

 

Probably following his trip home to leave his sick bed there, his next venture would have been to the temple to show the priests what had happened to him and that he was now totally healed, which meant he was now allowed to rejoin the other worshippers in the temple. Then Jesus goes to the temple and finds the man there. He gives this man a command concerning his future life. The words “behold” and “sin” are in the Imperative Mood which means they are commands. Now it is not stated in Scripture that some type of sinful lifestyle or act caused his condition. Nevertheless, Jesus is warning him in no uncertain terms, go and sin no more, just like the woman caught in adultery, where Jesus admonishes her not to sin anymore. Jesus could also be giving the same counsel to these people that Christians are given in the Scriptures. Once we become saved, sin should no longer be the thing we desire nor are we to go back to any prior sins. Sin and the Christian life are not compatible. This is not to say that Christians do not sin, but it says that we must not go into intentional sin. Salvation is a watershed event, a life changing transformation in the life of the believer and worldly things lose their appeal. Just like this man who immediately went to the temple, when a person becomes saved, they need to find a good Bible believing church.

 

John 5:15 (KJB)

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

 

This man had now revealed his healer to the temple leaders. Just as in the old days in the wilderness where God met His people in the temple, Jesus met this man in the temple. Now the Jews knew who it was and it probably confirmed their suspicions.

 

John 5:16 (KJB)

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

 

Persecute - Pursue or follow after

 

It was for the purpose that Jesus healed on the Sabbath, that the Jews had set out to persecute Him and to find a way to have Him killed. It was not that He healed on the Sabbath, that was only the window dressing. They were envious of Him because He was now gaining a following and exposing the fraud and deceptions of the leaders. (Mat 27:18 KJV) For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. It is like today when the Bible, the written word of God, exposes the false teachers and preachers of our day. This is why the false teachers want you reading their material so you will follow their teachings and the Scripture verses they craftily use to manipulate the reader. Daniel was also convicted fallaciously concerning the law of God by those who were jealous of him. (Dan 6:5 KJV) Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Daniel prayed three times a day and would not stop because of the decree stating that petitions only be made to the king.

 

John 5:17 (KJB)

But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

 

Hitherto - To this time or every time till now

 

They continued to harass Jesus but He turns to them and gives them a lesson they will not forget. Jesus states that His Father continues to work. The Father worked in the creation of the world and universe, and is very active in salvation. He was also very active in the miracles which Jesus performed. In this verse Jesus is stating that He is working in concert with His Father and is not concerning Himself with the false teachings of the Jews and their additions to God’s law. Jesus always had a desire to the will of His Father and it was in that context He lived all the time He was here on earth. Jesus was conveying this idea that He works in conjunction with His Father to the Jews.

 

John 5:18 (KJB)

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

 

Broken - Destroy, break up, abolish, or loose

 

After Jesus tells them that God is His Father, it caused their hatred of Jesus to increase. Now since He made Himself equal with God, they were now desiring to kill Him more than before. Their continued hatred of Jesus just increased until it finally manifested itself in front of Pilate when they yelled to crucify Him. They did not know that they were part of God’s plan for the salvation of millions nevertheless, their attitudes of hatred will be judged in the last day and their judge will be the very one they wanted to kill. In concert with their hatred of Jesus, their envy of Him also grew and that was why they needed to get rid of Him or else they might lose their lucrative positions. (John 11:48 KJV) If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

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