John 5:1-30 The Son's Power and Authority

We take a few more verses under consideration this week in part one of our look at the SON, specifically His POWER and AUTHORITY.

John 5: The Sabbath
John 5: 1-17  The Savior
John 5: Suffering

John 5: Society

John 5: Sin

John 5: Sin pt.2

John 5: 1-30 The Son: Power and Authority

John 5: The Scriptures

John 5:31-47 The Son: A Living Testimony

1. In John 5:14 it says Jesus made the man whole (healed, well). So Jesus has the power to make the created world and to make it whole if it is broken.  Jesus also indicated the ailment was because of sin, which would imply Jesus had the power to forgive sin as much as heal the body broken as a result of it.  Some might imply His warning might also mean He has the power to judge sin and produce consequences because of sin.  But at the very least, He clearly had authority over the body, the sickness, and sin. 

2. Read Matt 9:6 and Mark 2:10ff.  What is the evidence Jesus gave He had power? What did He have power to do?

3. Read John 5:17.  What does Jesus indicate by His authority and power to “work and continue to work”?  Why is it okay that God works and Jesus works but men should choose not to work on Sabbath?  Read Isaiah 64:4 (in multiple translations).  What does it say about how our God is different?

4.Read v14-20 and follow what Jesus said in each argument.  Why in verse 19 is He basically arguing “like Father like Son?” How does this strengthen His case to work on the Sabbath?  Why will the Son do greater things than these?

5.Read v21-29.  Why is it important He links judgment and life?  Read Romans 3:23 and 6:23. What is the link between wages and gift, life and death?  Note the role of glory.  Relate this to honor (John 5:23)

The man in John 5 was crippled by sin with no hope until Jesus came. How does that compare to us (5:24, 3:16-18)?  What is it we must do (5:23, 3:16) to have hope?  Are we alive waiting to die, or dead waiting to live?  Re-read v27-29.  Jesus does not just pronounce judgment but execute it. How does this change the argument about healing the man on Sabbath? How does that change the meaning of the Sabbath from Creation to a future rest?

 Something to consider wrestling with here is the nature of the power Jesus has.   

What’s the difference between power and authority?

2 Tim 1:6-12. 

•God has given us a spirit of _______, ________, and a ______ _______.

•How is His power revealed in and through us according to this passage? 

•Why hold fast to sound words of faith? Hold fast to it through what?

•What reveals the power of the gospel to a lost and dying world?

John 5:29-30 and Matt 28:18-20. 

•How has His message changed from John 5 to Matt 28? 

•How should we in Matt 28 consider our authority and our message and the execution of our calling compared to how Jesus followed His calling in John 5?

Luke 10:19-20

•Who is the authority over? 

•How should we feel about it? For what purpose should He give us His authority?

Ephesians 6:10…19-20

•How does Paul suggest we use power? What kind of power is it?  Is it power to WIN a battle?

•How does Paul want us to pray for him to use his authority?

John 5: Sin (part 2)

John 5: The Sabbath
John 5: 1-17  The Savior
John 5: Suffering

John 5: Society

John 5: Sin

John 5: Sin pt.2

John 5: The Scriptures

John 5: The Son


Ever untangle a jewelry box or a fish box (not a tackle box, but the box of fishing gear, old lures, string, and pieces of who knows what)?  Is there a good method?  Do you have tricks?

Sometimes untangling all the issues in our hearts that seem focused on a particular subject end up being a lot of different things when you start pulling it apart.  It's certainly true of looking at a passage of scripture.  You might come at it with one thing in mind, uncover some part of an answer only to realize it has all kinds of other issues tangled in there together.

Like the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5.  You might think about this story relating to the Sabbath, and then maybe start looking at the Jesus as the Savior healing on the sabbath, and then it's about suffering or society.  Next thing you know you're looking sin in the face.  And sin all by itself is such a tangle of thoughts, truths, emotions, preconceived notions, cultural perspectives, history both personal and human, and all kinds of other things.

We started to look at sin last week and went toward the simple question of "what is the definition of sin" and realized two syllables into that one syllable word to find that is a loaded question and an even more loaded answer!

So let's come at the tangle from a slightly different angle.  Let's look at sin from two other perspectives  1) being forgiven, and 2) being pure...or not needing forgiveness.  From those two cross-fires, perhaps we can draw the profile of sin.

Read Psalms 119:1-3 and compare to Psalms 119:9 and Psalms 119:11.  The first is a statement, the second is a question and answer. Having understood the first two, the third is a responsive decision for the future.  Write them out on one piece of paper.

 Read 1 John 1:5-10.  What is the relationship between light, dark, sin, cleansing, truth, and lie?


Read v4.  Why is John writing about all this in the first place?  How does that change the tone in which you read the other verses?

Read Mark 4:9-14.  This is just after teaching a great multitude the parable of the sower (or soils).  When they asked Him what it meant, what did He say?  Why did He speak in parables? What was He trying to prevent?  Why would He want to prevent that?

Read verse 14.  What was the sower sowing?  Why does that matter?

Jump to Romans 7:12-14.  This whole chapter can be confusing, but start with verse 14.  The Law is __________ but I am ________________.  So this spiritual law exposes sin in my mortal body.  It makes sin appear for what it is, exceedingly sinful.  Not just a slip or mistake or oops. And I am wrought with peril.  So what is good (the Law) exposes what is not good (sin in me).

Take a few minutes and see if you can piece these verses together  from Psalms 119, Mark 4,  and Romans 7 to find your way to Psalms 119:11 for yourself and 1 John 1:9 from God.

Look at the two word trees below (click to enlarge):

Let's go back to last week and revisit the second half of the questions.

Read John 3:16.  Why did Jesus come into the world?  Read John 3:17 why didn't Jesus come into the world?

Is sin doing something wrong against God's commandments?  If God's commandments are a description of His character, (God is truth, therefore thou shalt not bear false witness), how else would you describe sin in context of the commandments?

Do I lie and therefore become a liar, or am I a liar and therefore I lie? If someone tells you a lie, what do you call them? If someone steals what do you call them?  If someone cheats on their spouse, what do you call them?  If someone takes someone else's life maliciously, what do you call them?  If someone takes God's name as a curse word or uses it in a way that doesn't give Him the glory He deserves, what do you call them? If someone worships a created thing and not the Creator, what do you call them?

If the man in John 5 (and the other passages) was healed (something he is) by being forgiven (something he did that caused infirmity), is sin about something I do or something I am that merely presents itself by what I do as a symptom of what I am?

Should we merely ask forgiveness for what I did or also ask forgiveness for what I am (a liar, thief, adulterer at heart, idolator, blasphemer...)?  Is sin more than doing wrong things? Is forgiveness more than getting relieved of the punishment of doing wrong things?

Read Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, and 10:9-10.  Describe the relationship of sin, our character, God's character, and the cross.

John 5: Sin

John 5: The Sabbath
John 5: 1-17  The Savior
John 5: Suffering

John 5: Society

John 5: Sin

John 5: The Scriptures

John 5: The Son pt1
John 5: The Son pt.2

We've gone through John 5 a number of times, finding different perspectives that reveal the various color threads woven together.  Untangling the individual threads that come together in this one passage, we want to trace them through other passages to get an idea what that one thread reveals about the character of God, the nature of man, and the implications on us as we believe.

Read John 5:1-17.  Look again at verse 14.  What would you imply was the source of the man's infirmity?

Read  Matt 9:6, Mark 2:7ff, Luke 5:21ff. What is the difference between those situations and this man's experience?   By the fact that He healed him, was He also forgiving the sin that was the source of it?

Can you have an infirmity that has nothing to do with your sin?  Can you have an infirmity that is the result or consequence of your sin?  Give examples. Can you be forgiven a sin that led to infirmity and yet not be healed of the infirmity?  Why or why not?


What is the definition of sin?

What is the source of sin?

Did the man sin after Jesus healed him and he went and told the church leaders about Jesus (which led to Jesus' persecution)?

Read James 1:13-16.  What are the steps in the process of sin?

Read John 8:34. What is the result of someone sinning? What becomes of them?

Read Romans 1:18-34.  Is sin the cause of dishonor to God or the result of it?  Explain

Read John 3:16.  Why did Jesus come into the world?  Read John 3:17 why didn't Jesus come into the world?

Is sin doing something wrong against God's commandments?  If God's commandments are a description of His character, (God is truth, therefore thou shalt not bear false witness), how else would you describe sin in context of the commandments?

Do I lie and therefore become a liar, or am I a liar and therefore I lie? If someone tells you a lie, what do you call them? If someone steals what do you call them?  If someone cheats on their spouse, what do you call them?  If someone takes someone else's life maliciously, what do you call them?  If someone takes God's name as a curse word or uses it in a way that doesn't give Him the glory He deserves, what do you call them? If someone worships a created thing and not the Creator, what do you call them?

If the man in John 5 (and the other passages) was healed (something he is) by being forgiven (something he did that caused infirmity), is sin about something I do or something I am that merely presents itself by what I do as a symptom of what I am?

Should we merely ask forgiveness for what I did or also ask forgiveness for what I am (a liar, thief, adulterer at heart, idolator, blasphemer...)?  Is sin more than doing wrong things? Is forgiveness more than getting relieved of the punishment of doing wrong things?

Read Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, and 10:9-10.  Describe the relationship of sin, our character, God's character, and the cross.

John 5 : Society

John 5: The Sabbath 
John 5: 1-17  The Savior
John 5: Suffering

John 5: Society

John 5: Sin

John 5: The Scriptures

John 5: The Son pt1
John 5: The Son pt.2

 so often talk of context in the Bible in terms of other verses,  sometimes historical and on occasion social context based on what we know of first century Palestine,  but it can be tough to pr ourselves as 21st century Americans into the emotional state of a person in the story. Try, through the following questions to recognize your own preconceived notions.

1. Have you ever missed a meal for lack of money? What other than hunger might you feel in that circumstance? What if you regularly missed meals for lack of money? Or no sure income and little or no way to earn?

2. Where do you turn when you have nothing? If you have nothing because of a disability? What if there were no insurance? Welfare? Medicaid? Or even government like we have?

3. Have you ever had an illness or injury? Evrr had that for more than a few days? What if there was no medicine or doctors? Did you ever wonder if it was because you sinned against God? Have you ever looked at someone with a disability and immediately assumed they had sinned?

4. How long had he suffered with an infirmity?

5. What did he say when Jesus asked if he wanted healed?  Why didn't he say yes?

6. Do you think he felt his suffering was due to sin? Why or why not? What would contribute to that?

7. Have you ever taken one day in the week and done no work at all, not even traveling or carrying more than a pound, or prepared for it to the point of doing even your cooking the day before?

8.  Did the church leaders show excitement for his healing? Why or why not?

9. Why was the man so willing to give up Jesus to the church leaders as the man who told him to carry his bed on the sabbath?

10.  Read Has anyone died because of your failure to do right? Read Lev 17:11. Have you ever killed an animal, shed its blood because you had done wrong or not done what pleased God? Have you ever even looked at one of your sins, just one time you lied, stole, or wanted something belonging to someone else, and thought that the punishment for your crime is death?

11. Have you ever thought of the stuff that is in you that puts you in a position to choose to lie, cheat, steal, defy the sabbath, make gods of created things, lust, or use His name in any way less than He deserves is a disease that will be the death of you?  Read Hebrews 9:22. So what is the only thing that can put that disease in remission?

12.  In that Hebrew society, you are poor and unable to work. You put your whole hope of relief in waiting for an angelic event. Some stranger walks by and asks if you want healed of the infirmity.  What would you answer?  What would you do if He healed you and told you to carry your bed on the sabbath? What would you do if the church leaders asked you why you were carrying your bed on the sabbath?

13. Now come back to 2019 America.  Does our society shun sin? Do we ever think illness is caused by sin? Do we believe in supernatural healing? Do we believe healing comes from God?

What should we believe?

otherWORDS: John 5: The Savior

In our study of "Wrestling Basics" this spring and early summer in the Grace Baptist Student Ministry, we're going to do the opposite of what we've done all year.  We've tried to synthesize a given Bible text with other places in the Bible that help expand and expound on that text.  Now we want to sit in a single passage for a good while and bring everything back to the core principles being taught in that passage. Much like when Jacob wrestled all night, we want to take a truth and wrestle with it and not let it go until it blesses us.

In otherWORDS, rather than looking at the back of the tapestry of scripture to see how all the various colored strands come together in the knot, we want to start with the knot and see how a single color strand in that knot is true throughout all of scripture and all of Creation because each color strand is just one of the millions of hues in the color palate of God's unchanging character.

John 5: The Sabbath
John 5: 1-17  The Savior
John 5: Suffering

John 5: Sin

John 5: Society

John 5: The Scriptures

John 5: The Son pt1

John 5: The Son pt.2


In this passage we have a set of interesting questions to ask.  Why did Jesus heal this man on the Sabbath?  You might start by asking if Jesus happened by him and just decided of the multitude of people in that place by the pool of Bethesda, that this random man (who happened to have been sick for 38 years) was a good candidate to be healed.

1. What did Jesus ask the man?  Did the man answer His question?

2. Was this a miracle? What is the proof it was a miracle?

3. Was this a salvation experience as you understand salvation?  What is the proof it was or wasn't?

4. What is missing in the story that would indicate anyone in the story had an encounter with the Savior and was saved from their sin?

5. Can you think of another story in the Bible that would be a better example of Salvation and not just Healing?

The Sabbath

John 5. Why did Jesus heal on the sabbath?

John 5: The Sabbath 
John 5: 1-17  The Savior
John 5: Suffering

John 5: Sin

John 5: Society
John 5: The Scriptures

John 5: The Son pt1
John 5: The Son pt.2

When was the Sabbath established?
According to Ex 20 why should we remember the sabbath, and for what purpose did it get established?

According to Deuteronomy what else does the sabbath symbolize? 

According to Hebrews 4, what does the sabbath rest symbolize?

For the manna, what did they do differently on the 6th day?  How did the manna act?  On any other day, what happened if you gathered twice what you needed or tried to store it up for more than one day?

In Genesis 1 you have the divine edicts "and God said let there be..."  In Ex 25 -31 you have "the Lord said unto Moses..."  In both passages it follows with the sabbath.  Why?

John 5: Suffering

How long had the man been infirmed?

What did he seek for his suffering?

What circumstantial evidence might there be that kind of healing was really possible?

Why were there so many people there?  Of all those people why do you think Jesus chose him?

Read Matt 9:35ff.  Did Jesus start the day because He had a burden? What made Jesus have compassion?

If He healed all those people in Matt 9, why didn't He heal all those people in John 5?

Read 2 Cor 12:5-10. Why did Paul have infirmities?  What did he ask God for and how did God answer? How did it change Paul's view of his infirmities?

Read 1 Peter 5:10.  When and for what end does God use suffering?

Compare these experiences with John 5.  Did the man get it?