John 5

Chapter 5

I'm going to look at things in a sort of reverse order. A key verse for the Jewish leaders is 42. They have no love in themselves and therefore have no love of God. That's why they can't rejoice over the healing of the man at the pools of Bethseda; that's why they're more concerned that the healed man is carrying his blanket or thin pad on the Sabbath. They also assume in their conceit that they have salvation because of their strict observance of the Law of Moses. In verse 39, they think they have salvation because they have the scriptures, but the Savior tells them in that verse and verses 45-47 that if they truly studied the scriptures they would believe in the Savior because they testify of him. He says that Moses wrote of him. If they believe Moses, they should be believe him because Moses testified of him. This also shows that we don't have all that Moses wrote.

Verses 26-30 give me great comfort. There are so many in this life who get away with things whether it be harming children or ruining the lives of adults. They never really pay the price for what they've done, and more especially, they don't get it. They are so focused on themselves, they have no clue and do not care what damage they inflict on others. If there were no justice given out to these people, it would be easy to become cynical in this life. I'm grateful that evil people will suffer great torment for what they have done and that they will have a perfect realization of the pain they have caused, the change they have forced in the lives of others, and not for just those they hurt, but the generations after who also were affected. At the same time, how grateful we should be for repentance so that when a person does repent, healing takes place and suffering is replaced with peace.