052514 Sermon 15 The Pool at Bethesda, Part 2
Genesis, Christians today need to transport themselves back to Mt. Sinai and leave our modern minds in the 21st century. If you only remember one thing from this chapter make it this: Genesis is not giving us creation science. It is giving us something much more profound and practical than that. Genesis is giving us a Biblical Theology of Creation.” Gordon Glover
MAY 25 | JOHN 5:17-30 | THE POOL AT BETHESDA, PART 2
THE DECLARATION | JO HN 5:17-24
Verse 17 was an astonishing statement of deity to its hearers. Verse 18 gives the only definitive explanation of Jesus’ words: Jesus was declaring Himself equal with God. In verse 19, Jesus gives further explanation of His statement. The Father and the Son are so much “one” that whatever the Father does, the Son does the same. Both the works (Jn 5:19-20) and words (Jn 12:49) of Jesus are God’s. This is why it can be said that Jesus is, “the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:1-3). Because of this declaration, several theological views must be dismissed, such as the idea that Jesus was only speaking the common belief when he spoke of Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (Mark 12:26) or Adam as a literal man. “You see, Jesus was wrong, but only because his listeners were wrong. His audience believed that humans had always existed on the earth; they had no reason to think otherwise. And Jesus accommodated himself to their inaccurate views of our biological origins in order to remind them of a deeper truth: that we are made in God’s image, male and female.” Tyler Franke “Christians need to understand the first chapter of Genesis for what it is: an 'accurate' rendering of the physical universe by ancient standards that God used as the vehicle to deliver timeless theological truth to His people. We shouldn’t try to make Genesis into something that it’s not by dragging it through 3,500 years of scientific progress. When reading
Jesus is authoritative completely, including who will be raised from the dead. "Even as" is καθώς [kathos], from kata and os, literally "according to how." However, when kata is used as a prefix, it signifies that the word it prefixes should be carried to the ultimate degree. So, kathos doesn’t give room for honoring the Father to a greater degree than honoring the Son. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and other cults should consider these verses closely. In v. 24 the audience was confronted with the criteria of all dispensations: faith.
THE DEAD | JOHN 5:25-30
Jesus speaks of “an hour coming” which “now is.” This rarely used phrase (Jn 4:23, 16:23) means “something is true now which will not be true later, but will eventually be true again.” Thus Jesus is saying that in his day people were being raised from the dead, but such resurrections would cease, and then will come again. Compare with v. 28. Are they raised today? No, that hour is past, and is coming. If the dead are raised today, what purpose would it serve? o Prove someone is an Apostle or prophet? (This will happen with the two witnesses). o Prove that the Bible is true? (God will not give us any further proof than we have). o Amaze people so that they will receive Christ? ("If they will not believe Moses and the Prophets, they will not believe someone raised from the dead.") Jesus was given judgment authority because “He is the Son of Man,” that is, the Messiah. See Daniel 7:13-14. V. 29 talks about the "general resurrection" is all that was taught before "the mystery" age was revealed. After the revelation to Paul, we know of the rapture resurrection, the resurrection of the righteous, and the resurrection of the wicked.
MAY 25 | JOHN 5:17-30 | THE POOL AT BETHESDA, PART 2
THE DECLARATION | JO HN 5:17-24
Verse 17 was an astonishing statement of deity to its hearers. Verse 18 gives the only definitive explanation of Jesus’ words: Jesus was declaring Himself equal with God. In verse 19, Jesus gives further explanation of His statement. The Father and the Son are so much “one” that whatever the Father does, the Son does the same. Both the works (Jn 5:19-20) and words (Jn 12:49) of Jesus are God’s. This is why it can be said that Jesus is, “the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:1-3). Because of this declaration, several theological views must be dismissed, such as the idea that Jesus was only speaking the common belief when he spoke of Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (Mark 12:26) or Adam as a literal man. “You see, Jesus was wrong, but only because his listeners were wrong. His audience believed that humans had always existed on the earth; they had no reason to think otherwise. And Jesus accommodated himself to their inaccurate views of our biological origins in order to remind them of a deeper truth: that we are made in God’s image, male and female.” Tyler Franke “Christians need to understand the first chapter of Genesis for what it is: an 'accurate' rendering of the physical universe by ancient standards that God used as the vehicle to deliver timeless theological truth to His people. We shouldn’t try to make Genesis into something that it’s not by dragging it through 3,500 years of scientific progress. When reading
Jesus is authoritative completely, including who will be raised from the dead. "Even as" is καθώς [kathos], from kata and os, literally "according to how." However, when kata is used as a prefix, it signifies that the word it prefixes should be carried to the ultimate degree. So, kathos doesn’t give room for honoring the Father to a greater degree than honoring the Son. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and other cults should consider these verses closely. In v. 24 the audience was confronted with the criteria of all dispensations: faith.
THE DEAD | JOHN 5:25-30
Jesus speaks of “an hour coming” which “now is.” This rarely used phrase (Jn 4:23, 16:23) means “something is true now which will not be true later, but will eventually be true again.” Thus Jesus is saying that in his day people were being raised from the dead, but such resurrections would cease, and then will come again. Compare with v. 28. Are they raised today? No, that hour is past, and is coming. If the dead are raised today, what purpose would it serve? o Prove someone is an Apostle or prophet? (This will happen with the two witnesses). o Prove that the Bible is true? (God will not give us any further proof than we have). o Amaze people so that they will receive Christ? ("If they will not believe Moses and the Prophets, they will not believe someone raised from the dead.") Jesus was given judgment authority because “He is the Son of Man,” that is, the Messiah. See Daniel 7:13-14. V. 29 talks about the "general resurrection" is all that was taught before "the mystery" age was revealed. After the revelation to Paul, we know of the rapture resurrection, the resurrection of the righteous, and the resurrection of the wicked.
