John 5:10

10 Therefore the Jews said to him that was made whole, It is sabbath, it is not leaveful to thee, to take away thy bed.

John 5:10 Meaning and Commentary

John 5:10

The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured
When they saw him, either at the place, or as he walked through the streets, with his bed on his back:

it is the sabbath day:
do not you know it? surely you forget yourself, or you would never be guilty of such an action as this;

it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
It was forbid by the law, to carry any burden on the sabbath day; see ( Nehemiah 13:15 Nehemiah 13:19 ) ( Jeremiah 17:22 ) ; for

``carrying out and bringing in anything, from one place to another, is said F24 to be work, and one of the principal works;''

and therefore forbid by the law, which says, "thou shall not do any work"; and one of the traditions of the elders is this F25,

``whoever carries anything out (i.e. on the sabbath day), whether in his right hand, or in his left, in his bosom, or (wpytk le) , "on his shoulder", is guilty; for so carried the Kohathites.''

And particularly it is said F26, that

``he that rolls up a bed of the brasiers or tinkers (i.e. on the sabbath day) is bound to a sin offering.''

Which was a fold up bed, such as tinkers, and those that went from city to city to work, had; and who carried their beds with them, as the gloss observes; and were so far from being lawful to be carried by them, on the sabbath, that they might not fold them up.


FOOTNOTES:

F24 Maimon. Hilchot Sabbat, c. 12. sect. 6.
F25 Misn. Sabbat, c. 10. sect. 3.
F26 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 47. 1. & 138. 1.

John 5:10 In-Context

8 Jesus saith to him, Rise up, take thy bed, and go. [Jesus saith to him, Rise up, take thy bed, and wander.]
9 And at once the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and went forth [And anon the man is made whole, and took up his bed, and wandered]. And it was sabbath in that day.
10 Therefore the Jews said to him that was made whole, It is sabbath, it is not leaveful to thee, to take away thy bed.
11 He answered to them, He that made me whole, said to me, Take thy bed, and go [Take thy bed, and wander].
12 Therefore they asked him, What man is that, that said to thee, Take up thy bed, and go? [Therefore they asked him, Who is that man, that said to thee, Take thy bed and wander?]
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.