September 15, 2023 - John 5-8

Here’s a thought: All these reported healings on the Sabbath, but what about Sunday through Friday? I always think of the healings reported in the Gospels as so numerous, but so many of them take place on the Sabbath. This seems to be what John is getting at when he writes that if all that Jesus did was written down, the world could not hold all the books. Won’t it be fascinating, one day in heaven, to be able to talk with Jesus and with the disciples and hear about everything else that took place! Concerning those works, Jesus said, “The works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me” 5:36).

Another thought. There is this continual back and forth between Jesus and the crowds and the religious leaders. Of course, the leaders, with a few isolated exceptions (Nicodemus was one), never accepted Jesus. He was always sparring with them. The crowds, though, were sort of like the ocean tides. They would be with Jesus, and then they would back away from him. They were amazed at his works, and then became disillusioned at his teaching and went away. Back and forth, back and forth. I guess not much has changed in two thousand years.

Father of mercies, in Thy Word

What endless glory shines!

For ever be Thy name adored

For these celestial lines,

Here may the wretched sons of want

Exhaustless riches find;

Riches, above what earth can grant,

And lasting as the mind.

Here the Redeemer’s welcome voice

Spreads heavenly peace around;

And life and everlasting joys

Attend the blissful sound. -- Anne Steele (1760)