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Waggoner on the Gospel of John - Ellet J. Waggoner

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<strong>the</strong> pool, and Jesus could not have failed to see<br />

him. Did Jesus wish to irritate <strong>the</strong> Jews, and<br />

deliberately to defy <strong>the</strong>ir prejudices? It is<br />

impossible to harbour such a suggesti<strong>on</strong> for a<br />

moment, for it is utterly foreign to His character.<br />

True Sabbath Observance<br />

Why, <strong>the</strong>n, was this miracle <strong>of</strong> healing, like so<br />

many o<strong>the</strong>rs that are expressly menti<strong>on</strong>ed,<br />

performed <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sabbath day?--Because Jesus<br />

would show <strong>the</strong> true object and meaning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Sabbath. He would show that it is for man, and not<br />

against him,--that it is not a burdensome yoke, but<br />

a lifter <strong>of</strong> burdens. He would teach us that <strong>the</strong><br />

Sabbath, as <strong>the</strong> memorial <strong>of</strong> God's perfect and<br />

complete work, makes known <strong>the</strong> measure <strong>of</strong> God's<br />

power to make both soul and body "every whit<br />

whole."<br />

When <strong>the</strong> Jews persecuted Jesus for <strong>the</strong> good<br />

deed d<strong>on</strong>e to <strong>the</strong> impotent man, He justified<br />

Himself by saying, "My Fa<strong>the</strong>r worketh hi<strong>the</strong>rto,<br />

and I work." That was a real justificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> His<br />

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