Breaking the Word

For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father… Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life… Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. "I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. (Jn 5, 21-30)

The work of the Father is to raise the dead. He is not God of the dead but of life. His work is a continuous work of giving life. The Son imitates the Father and he also does the same work (giving life).

Father does not do the work of judgement. The work of judgement is handed over to the Son.

This passage, as it is believed, speaks about the last three things: death, judgement and life after death.

Death is a natural consequence. But, to what happens after death, man has no control. Death will lead him to judgement, and depending on the judgement man will have his reward (eternal life).

The Father keeps to himself the work of raising people from death to life. And this depends on the judgement passed by the Son.

Can we skip the judgement? YES. The only way to avoid judgement is to listen to the Son and to believe in the Father. They go from death to life. They skip the judgement.

So, believing the FATHER and listening to the SON (WORD) give eternal life.

After this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep (Gate) a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.  In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk."  Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath. (Jn 5, 1-9)

There were a large number of ill people at the pool. Jesus chose just one of them and healed him. It was because he was there waiting for thirty-eight years. Jesus could have healed all of them. By the mere description, the author wanted to tell his readers that Jesus had pity on the longest (in number of years) sufferer. Not only that but also because he had on one else to help him out. Also the man had made effort to come to the water.

So the situation seems to be an impossible one.

The man is alone (no on to help him)

He is there for long (thirty-eight years)

He is sick.

And Jesus takes his side (he is no more alone)

He is healed instantly (Jesus could have healed him the next day)

He is healed (even though it is a Sabbath.