John 5:12

12 they questioned him, then, `Who is the man who is saying to thee, Take up thy couch and be walking?'

John 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

John 5:12

Then asked they him
Suspecting who had made him whole, and gave him this order:

what man is that which said unto thee, take up thy bed and walk?
they take no notice of the cure, being unwilling to give any glory to Christ, and still less to spread it; but chose rather that it should be obscured, hid, and unobserved; but they laid hold on that, which they thought might be improved to his reproach and scandal; and they call him a man, as supposing him to be a mere man, and a wicked man too, for giving orders to transgress a tradition of the elders, though no mere man could work such a cure as this was. And so the Jews since, though they cannot find fault with the cure, which they put an "if" upon, yet are highly displeased with the order, to take up his bed and carry it:

``if (say they F1) he wrought a cure, lo, that is good, but why did he bid him take up his bed?''

the answer may be, to show that he was cured.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Vet. Nizzachon, p. 207.

John 5:12 In-Context

10 the Jews then said to him that hath been healed, `It is a sabbath; it is not lawful to thee to take up the couch.'
11 He answered them, `He who made me whole -- that one said to me, Take up thy couch, and be walking;'
12 they questioned him, then, `Who is the man who is saying to thee, Take up thy couch and be walking?'
13 But he that was healed had not known who he is, for Jesus did move away, a multitude being in the place.
14 After these things, Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said to him, `Lo, thou hast become whole; sin no more, lest something worse may happen to thee.'
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.