John 5:10 Commentary and Bible Study

Remember that in the Gospel of John when you read that little phrase, the Jews, the term means the leading Jews, the chief priests, the scribes, and the Pharisees. It does not refer to all the people, though often all the people were of similar mind. ‘The Jews therefore said unto him, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.’ The original actually read, ‘The Jews therefore were saying unto him – continuously, repeatedly. Every time they saw this man carrying his rolled up pallet or mattress, every time he came across priests or Pharisees, they said: ‘You are carrying a burden on the Sabbath day.’ He was challenged everywhere he went, every way he turned.The Pharisees had extended the ceremonial law to teach that you cannot do that. Even the Sadducees – the larger party of the Jews at that time in the Temple circle – even they fell in line rather than to be challenged and face trouble. Of course, the law did not say this. The fourth commandment, and the great passage in the prophet Jeremiah that speaks of burden bearing and forbids it – well it is not about bearing any burden. It is about bearing burdens for trade, for earning your living, for work, for extending your business on the Sabbath day. It never applied in the Old Testament to burdens you may have to bear out of helpfulness to others or for practical reasons.But the Pharisees, with their overzealous approach, taught salvation is by works: we must obey the law meticulously. Because of our works we get special benefits from God. Of course, they said, as Israelites, we are all God’s people, but if we want a special favour and special blessing and special place in the mind of God, we must meticulously keep all the regulations of the ceremonial law. This was your salvation, so you did not carry a burden on the Sabbath day.