John 5:10

10 So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, "It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."

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 said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk."
9 At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a sabbath.
10 So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, "It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."
11 But he answered them, "The man who made me well said to me, "Take up your mat and walk.' "
12 They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, "Take it up and walk'?"
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.