John 5:12 Commentary and Bible Study

The scribes, the Pharisees, the priests, are not moved at all. What they say is derogatory. ‘What person, what individual, what fellow, said such a thing to you?’ They are not interested in the healing or impressed as is the healed man. They are interested in the form of words. They are collecting evidence. This person has to be charged. This person has committed offence. So they ignore the miracle, and they are awfully precise about the words which Christ is said to have said. ‘What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?’ They are already writing out the charge sheet. This is human prejudice. Christ was to do many, many miracles, and those people would always remain utterly blind to them, no significance, harden themselves against them. But the main problem was that of course Christ had struck a blow against their theology. Their theology was that salvation is by works. You earn the favour of God. It is by what you do. You must not carry a burden on the Sabbath, and all the regulations. And here comes a mighty healer, a man of God, a holy teacher, somebody who was working his miracles, and this very significant miracle, on the Sabbath. That strikes at their whole position. He is working on the Sabbath. They cannot have that. The hostility must come down upon him.