The sheepgate signifies the door to the sheepfold of the religion of law keeping (John 10:1).

Bethesda means house of mercy, signifying that the people who practiced law keeping needed the mercy of God because they were impotent, weak, and wretched, as portrayed in Rom. 7:7-24.

Porticoes signify the shelter of the religion of law keeping, a shelter like that provided by a sheepfold. The number five signifies responsibility.

This signifies that under the shelter of law keeping, in the sheepfold of religion, there are many who are blind, unable to see; many who are lame, unable to walk; and many who are withered, lacking the life supply.

Some MSS omit this last part of v. 3 and all of v. 4.

The angel here signifies the agent through which the law, which could not give life, was given (Gal. 3:19, 21).

The stirring up of the water to make people well signifies the attempt to make people perfect by the practice of law keeping.

Or, whole, sound. So in v. 6.

With this sick and impotent man there was no happiness, even on the joyful day of a feast (v. 1), and there was no rest, even on the Sabbath day (v. 10).

This sign signifies that when the practice of law keeping in the Jewish religion became an impossibility because of the impotence of man (Rom. 8:3), the Son of God came to enliven the dead (v. 25). The law could not give life (Gal. 3:21), but the Son of God gives life to the dead (v. 21). "While we were yet weak" (Rom. 5:6), He came to enliven us.

Or, Lord.

There was a means for healing in the religion of law keeping, but it did not profit the impotent man, because he had no strength to fulfill the law's requirements. The law keeping in religion depends on man's effort, man's doing, man's make-up. Since man is impotent, the law keeping in religion becomes ineffective. The holy city, the holy temple, the feast, the Sabbath, the angels, Moses, and the Scriptures are all good things of this religion, but they could do nothing for this impotent man. In the eyes of the Lord he was a dead person (v. 25), in need not only of healing but also of enlivening. With the Lord's enlivening there is no requirement. The impotent man heard His voice and was enlivened (v. 25).

A small mattress or pad; so in vv. 9, 10, 11, 12.

According to vv. 24-25, this is to pass out of death into life and to live. In the principle set forth in ch. 2, this is the changing of death into life.

Formerly, the mat carried the impotent man, but now the enlivened man carried the mat.

Life's enlivening broke religion's ritual. Religion was offended by life and began its opposition to life from this point (vv. 16, 18).

The Sabbath is for man (Mark 2:27) and should be a rest to man. Religion's law keeping did not bring rest to this man who had been sick for thirty-eight years, but life's enlivening did. Yet the religious cared only for their ritual of Sabbath keeping; they had no concern for the sick man's rest.

This indicates that the man's former sickness was due to his sin.

Some MSS omit, and sought to kill Him.

God's work in creation was finished (Gen. 2:1-3), but the Father and the Son were still working for redemption and building.

On one hand, the religious people kept the Sabbath, but on the other hand, they sought to kill Jesus. How could they have had rest? Because of their religious concept, they thought that to kill those who would not keep their religious ritual was to offer service to God (John 16:2). This is Satan's poisoning of people with religion, causing them to murder, just as he poisons people with sin.

Actually, the Son and the Father are one (John 10:30).

See note John 3:15¹.

Or, condemnation.

The source of death is the tree of knowledge, and the source of life is the tree of life (cf. Gen. 2:9, 17). Hence, to pass out of death into life is to change the source of one's living.

Not those who are dead physically but those who are dead in spirit, in accordance with Eph. 2:1, 5 and Col. 2:13. Hence, in this verse to live means to be alive in spirit. It does not signify resurrection of the physical body, which is mentioned in vv. 28-29.

The Lord is the Son of God (v. 25); hence, He can give life (v. 21). He is also the Son of Man; hence, He can execute judgment.

Referring to those who are dead physically and are buried in a tomb. Hence, their coming forth from the tomb in v. 29 is the resurrection of the physical body.

This is the resurrection of the saved believers, which will take place before the millennium (Rev. 20:4, 6; 1 Cor. 15:23, 52; 1 Thes. 4:16). At the Lord Jesus' coming back, the dead believers will be resurrected to enjoy eternal life. Hence, this resurrection is called the resurrection of life.

See note John 3:20¹.

This is the resurrection of the unbelievers who have perished; it will take place after the millennium (Rev. 20:5, 12). All the dead unbelievers will be resurrected after the thousand years to be judged at the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15). Hence, this resurrection is called the resurrection of judgment.

In this chapter vv. 24-26 speak concerning the enlivening of the spirit; vv. 28-29, concerning the resurrection of the whole being, including the body.

Or, condemnation.

The same Greek word as for reality in John 1:14, 17. The preceding verse says that John testified concerning Christ; this verse says that John testified to the truth. This proves that truth here is Christ (John 14:6). According to the entire revelation of this Gospel, truth is the divine reality embodied, revealed, and expressed in Christ, the Son of God. See note 1 John 1:6⁶.

See note John 1:6¹; so in v. 38.

This refers to the Father's testimony concerning the Lord, given at the time He was baptized (Matt. 3:17). At that time the Jews heard the Father's voice and saw the form of the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22), although prior to that time they had neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.

To "search the Scriptures" may be separated from "come to Me" (v. 40). The Jewish religionists searched the Scriptures but were not willing to come to the Lord. These two should go together; because the Scriptures testify concerning the Lord, they should not be separated from the Lord. We may contact the Scriptures, yet not contact the Lord. Only the Lord can give life.

See note John 5:39¹.

The Son being in the name of the Father is equivalent to the Son being the Father; hence, He is called the Father (Isa. 9:6). This proves that the Son and the Father are one (John 10:30). See note John 14:26².