Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Ihe Eedhig of the Courtier's Son. JO] IX V. The Impotent Man Healed,
Second Galilean Miracle—Healing of the OOUKTIEK'S SON. 43, 44. After two days— ' the two
It was not one, but a » accession of miracles periodically wrought: (2.) As it was only wrought "when the waters were troubled," so only upon one patient at a time, and that the patient "who first stepped in after the troubling of tlie waters." But this only the more uude* niably fixed its miraculous character. We liave heard of manj' waters having a medicinal virtue ; but what water was ever known to cure instantaneously a single disease? And wlio ever heard of any water curing all, even the most diverse diseases—"blind, lialt, withered "—alike? Above all, who ever heard of such a thing being done "only at a certain season," and most singularly of all, doing It only to the first person who stepped in after the moving of the waters? Any of these peculiarities—much more all taken together—must have proclaimed the supernatural character of the cures wrought. (If the text here be genuine, there carj be no doubt of the miracle, as there were multitudes living when this Gospel was published who, from their own knowledge of Jerusalem, could have exposed the falseiiood of the Evangelist, if no sucli cure had been known there. The want of v. i and part of V. 3 in some good iVLSS., and the use of some unusual words In the passage, are more easily accounted for than the evidence in their favour if they were not originally in the text. Indeed v. 7 is unintelligible without V. 4. The internal evidence brought against it is merely the unlikelihood of such a miracle—a principle which will carry us a great deal farther if we allow it to weigh against positive evidence.) 5-9. tliirty-eight years—but not all that time at the pool. This was probably the most pitiable of all the cases, and therefore selected. saw him lie and Itnew, &c.—As He doubtless visited the spot just to perform this cure, so He knows where to find His patient, and the whole previous history of his case (ch.
days' of His stiiy at Syohar. For Jesits testified, Ac— This verse has occasioned much discussion. For it seems
Btrauge, If "His own country" here means Nazareth, which was in Galilee, that it should be said He came to
Galilee because in one of its towns He expected no good reception. But all will be simple and natural if we fill np the statement thus: 'He went into the region of Galilee, but not, as might have been expected, to that part of It called "His own country," Nazareth (see Mark 6. 4; Lake i. 2)), for He acted on the maxim which He oft repeated, that a prophet,' &c. 45. received— ' welcomed' Him. Imving seen . . . at the feast—proud, perhaps, of their Countryman's wonderful works at Jerusalem, and possibly won by this circumstance to regard His claims as at least wortlij' of respectful investigation. Even this our Ix)rddid notdespise, for saving conversion often begins in less than this (so Zaccheus, Luke 19. 3, &c.). fortliey also went— i. e., it was their pi'actice to go up to the feast. 46, 47. nobleman — courtier, king's servant, or one connected with a royal household; such as Chuza (Luke 8. 3), or Manaen (Acts 13. 1). heard tliat Jesiis was come out of Judea—
' where he had doubtless seen or heard what things Jesus had done at Jerusalem ' (v. 45). [Bengel.] comedown—for Capernaum was down on the north-west shore of the .Sea of Galilee. 4S-54. Except ye see signs,
(Sc.-He did believe, botli as his coming and his urgent entreaty show; but how imperfectly we shall see; and our Lord would deepen his faith by such a blunt and seemingly rough answer as He made to Nicodemus. Come down ere my child die—
' Wliile we talk, the case is at its crisis, and if Ihou come not instantly, all is over.' This was faith, but partial, and our Lord would perfect It. The man cannot believe the cure could be wrought without the Physician coming to the patient—the thought of such a thing evidently never occurred to him. But Jesus will in a moment bring him up to this. Go thy wayj thy son liveth—Both efl'ects Instantaneously followed: "The man believed the word," and the cure, shooting quicker than lightning from Cana to Capernaum, was felt by the dying youth. In token of faith, the father takes his leave of Christ—in the circumstances this evidenced full
2. 25). Wilt thou be made whole!—Could anyone doubt that a sick man would like to be made whole, or that the patients came thither, and this man had returned again and again, just in hope of a cure? But our Lord asked the question. (1.) To I'asteu attention upon Pliraself; (2.) By making him detail his case to deepen in him the feeling of entire helplessne.ss ; (3.) By so singular a question to beget in his desponding heart the hope of a cure. (Cf. Mark 10. 51.) Sir, I liave no man, &c.—Instead of saying he wished to be cured, hejust tells with piteous simplicity how fruitless had oeen all his efforts to obtain it, and how helpless and all but hopeless he was. Yet not quite. For here he is at the pool, waiting on. It seemed of no use; nay, only tantalizing—" Vv'hile lam coming, another steppetli down before me "—the fruit was snatched from hia lips. Yet he will not go away. He may get nothing by staying, he may drop into his grave ere he get into the pool; but by going from the appointed. Divine way of healing, he can get nothing. 'Wait therefore he will, wait he does, and when Christ comes to heal; him, lo! he is waiting his turn. What an altitude for a sinner at Mercy's gate! The man's hopes seemed low enough ere Christ came to Iilra. He might have said, just before "Jesus passed by that way,"' 'This is no use; I'll never get in; let me die at home.' Then all had been lost. But he held on, and his perseverance was rewarded with a glorious cure. Probably some rays of hope darted into his heart as he told his tale before those Eyes whose glance measured iiis whole case. But the word of command consummates his preparation to receive the cure, and instantaneously works it. Rise, tAke up t\ty bed, &c.—"Immediately" he did so. "He spake and it was done." The slinging of ills portable couch over his slioulders was designed to show the perfection of the cure, the same day was the sabbatli—beyond all doubt this was intentional, as in so many other healings, in order that wlien opposition arose on this account men might be coniiiclled to listen to His claims and His teaching. 10-10. The .lewa —i.e., those in authority. See on ch. 1. 19. It is not lawful to carry thy bed—a glorious testimony to the cure, aa instanlanemis SLnd complete, from the lips of the most prefaith. The servants hasten to convey the joyful tidings to the anxious parent, wliose faith now only wants one confirmation. "When began he to amend?" " Yesterday, at the .seventh hour, the fever left him"—the very hour in which was uttered that great word, "Thy son liveth !" So " himself believed and his whole house." He had believed before this, first very imperfectly ; then with assured confidence of Christ's word ; but now with a faith crowned by "sight." And the wave rolled from the head to the members of his household. "To-day is salvation ccme to this house" (Luke 19.9); and no mean house this! second miracle Jesns did i.e., in Cana; done "after be came out of Judea," as the former before.
CHAPTER V.
Ver. 1-47. The Impotent Man Healed—Discourse Occasioned by thk Persecution arising thereupon.
1. a feast of the Jews What feast? No question has more divided the Harmonists of tlie Gospels, and the duration of our Lord's minislrjmay be said to hinge on it. For if, as tlie majority have thought (until of late years)
It was a Fassover, His ministry lasted three and a lialf years; If not, probably a year less. Those who are dissatisfied with the Passover-view all dlH'er among themselves what other feast it was, and some of the most acute think there are no grounds for deciding. In our Judgment the evidence is in favour of its l)eing a Passover, but the reasons cannot be stated liere. 2, 3. Slieep [market]—The supplement should be (as in Mnrc/in) 'sheep
[gate]', mentioned Nehemlah 3. 1, 32. Bethesda— i. e.,
' house (place) of mercy,' from the cures wrought there. Ave porches—for shelter to the patients. Impotent—or infirm. 4. An angel, Ac.—This miracle differed in two points from all other miracles recorded in Scripture : (1.)
judiced! (And what a contrast does it, as all our Lord's miracles, present to the bungling miracles of tlie Church of Rome !) In ordinal j circumstances, the rulers had the