John 5

Well, just because I was flat on my lips all of last week - in no way implies I was doing nothing.
I was reading my favorite Gospel, John of course!

I hear so often locally the drone by the Mormon and Jehovah's Witnesses, that Jesus never said He was God, nor equated Himself with God.
Never mind that this happened numerous times in the Bible!
But then you would have to read real translations - not paraphrased Bibles!
My personal favorite is a transliteration of the Syriac Bible (Aramaic ...).
(I can't recommend it as it is a hard read, but does layout well what is said and done!)
I only break it out when someone is trying to prove a point with flimsy verses.

Of course, John 5 is where Jesus flat comes right out with this!
It was eluded to in chapter 4, but here ... verse 18, the Jews clearly understood His claim to being God.

So, another Sabbath and Jesus is in Jerusalem.
At a pool known as Bethesda.
Tradition said that once a year an angel would descend.
This was signaled by the troubling of the water - if no wind and no one was in the pool.
First one in would be healed!

Can't you just envision all of the cripples and those needing healing laying around the pool.
Crawling to reach the water.
Perhaps clawing their way to be first and claim the prize for themselves!
Shudder!

Of course, God does not work this way.
But superstitious man!
Even to this day!
Man is the same and the "religious" TV shows prove just how superstitious man still is!

But, it is interesting to note that Jesus - whom could heal the lot of them, singled out a hopeless cripple.
He had come.
He had hope someone would help him into the water.
But no one had for 38 years!
Now that is some strong hope!

And Jesus heals him.
And tells him to sin no more.
So was this an infirmity brought on by sin?
Certainly some sins do carry a stiff immediate penalty!
But just because we have not been "caught" and infirmed is no reason to think we are in the clear!
No, it is all the more reason to praise Him for His mercy!

The Jews objected to this and sought to kill Jesus.
And Jesus gave them the ammunition they needed under their laws to condemn Him.
In verses 46-47, He stings them with the words of Moses.
Even to this day, Jews still identify themselves with Moses.
The Orthodox ones with his teachings.

But, as Jesus asks, "If you believe3d Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me.

Ouch!
And the verse that dropped a Rabbi that had "taken me on" to prove Christianity fraudulent.
To his knees because he suddenly understood!
And as it turned out, just in time, as he died shortly there after.
Very much at peace with his creator.