John 5 1

John 5:1 kjv

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:1 nkjv

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:1 niv

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.

John 5:1 esv

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:1 nlt

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days.

John 5 verses

John 5 1 Meaning

John 5:1 serves as a transitional verse, marking Jesus' return to Jerusalem after His ministry in Galilee and Samaria. It signifies a chronological progression, stating that "after this" – referring to the events of chapter 4, particularly the healing of the official's son – a "feast of the Jews" took place, prompting Jesus to "go up" to Jerusalem. This journey sets the stage for a new phase of His public ministry and, notably, a major confrontation with the Jewish religious authorities that defines much of John chapter 5.

John 5 1 Context

John 5:1 bridges the narrative from chapter 4, where Jesus ministered in Samaria and Galilee, demonstrating His authority over societal boundaries (Samaritan woman) and distance (healing the official's son in Capernaum from Cana). The preceding events highlighted Jesus' divine insight and healing power. John 5:1 transitions Jesus back to the spiritual and political heart of Jewish life—Jerusalem. This return is prompted by an unnamed Jewish festival, signaling not merely a routine visit but an appointed time for Jesus to engage with the religious establishment. This specific trip to Jerusalem quickly leads to a profound Sabbath healing at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:2-9) and, more significantly, sparks the initial open, bitter opposition from Jewish leaders, fundamentally shifting the narrative towards the core theological conflicts surrounding Jesus' identity and His relationship with God the Father. Historically, Jerusalem was the obligatory destination for major Jewish festivals, central to the religious and communal identity of the Jewish people, making Jesus' presence at such a time particularly impactful.

John 5 1 Word analysis

• Μετὰ ταῦτα (Meta tauta): "After these things." This phrase functions as a common chronological transition in John's Gospel, indicating a break or a passage of time, though not necessarily an immediate succession. It links the current narrative to the preceding events (John 4:46-54) while allowing for an unspecified interval. It suggests a new stage in Jesus' ministry.

• ἦν ἑορτὴ (ēn heortē): "there was a feast."

  • ἦν (ēn): The imperfect tense of "to be" (from eimi) implies a continuing or established fact—a feast was occurring.
  • ἑορτὴ (heortē): "A feast" or "festival." Crucially, the definite article "the" is absent in the Greek ("a feast," not "the feast"). This grammatical detail has led to significant scholarly debate about its precise identity. Potential feasts include Passover, Pentecost, Sukkot (Tabernacles), or even minor festivals like Purim. The ambiguity likely serves a literary purpose: the fact of Jesus being in Jerusalem for a feast, setting the stage for His ministry there, is more important to the evangelist than identifying the specific festival. The celebration provided a natural reason for many people to gather, offering a wide audience for Jesus' signs and teachings.

• τῶν Ἰουδαίων (tōn Ioudaiōn): "of the Jews." This is a characteristic Johannine phrase used throughout the Gospel (e.g., John 2:13; 6:4; 11:55; 19:42). It can function in several ways: to clarify the cultural context for a non-Jewish audience, or to differentiate from other practices, or, most poignantly, in John's narrative, to denote the Jewish leadership often opposed to Jesus, especially in Jerusalem. Here, it simply specifies the national and religious origin of the feast, highlighting the distinct nature of Israel's covenant with God and their traditions, which Jesus came to fulfill and reinterpret.

• καὶ ἀνέβη ὁ Ἰησοῦς (kai anebē ho Iēsous): "and Jesus went up."

  • ἀνέβη (anebē): "He went up" (aorist tense). This verb is regularly used for ascending to Jerusalem due to its elevated geographical position relative to the surrounding areas, often called "going up" both literally and idiomatically.
  • ὁ Ἰησοῦς (ho Iēsous): "The Jesus." The definite article before "Jesus" simply identifies him as the unique, known figure. This action demonstrates Jesus' continued participation in Jewish life and His intentionality in journeying to the religious center, knowing the confrontations that awaited Him.

• εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα (eis Hierosolyma): "to Jerusalem." The spiritual and political capital of Judea, the site of the Temple, and the center of Jewish worship and authority. For Jesus, Jerusalem represented not only the fulfillment of prophetic scripture but also the destined place of His ultimate self-revelation and crucifixion. His repeated visits underscore His mission to God's chosen people within the framework of their established religious traditions, before expanding to all nations.

John 5 1 Bonus section

The ambiguity surrounding the exact identity of "the feast" (whether Passover, Pentecost, Sukkot, or another) significantly impacts attempts to establish a precise chronology for Jesus' ministry in John's Gospel. If it is one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles), then along with John 2:13 and 6:4 (both mention Passover), it implies a ministry spanning at least three years, as Passovers would be distinct annual events. Some scholars suggest Purim (Feast of Lots) due to the lack of the definite article and its occurrence in late winter, potentially making chronological sense between the John 2 Passover and John 6 Passover, allowing Jesus more time for ministry. Regardless of the exact feast, the theological significance remains: Jesus willingly enters the heart of Jewish observance, where His actions and words will be meticulously scrutinized and ultimately lead to profound revelations about His nature. John frequently uses Jerusalem and its festivals as crucial settings for Jesus' signs and discourses, thereby bringing His divine authority into direct conflict with human religious systems and traditions.

John 5 1 Commentary

John 5:1 succinctly transitions Jesus' ministry back to Jerusalem, the nerve center of Jewish religious authority. The verse acts as a prologue, hinting at a coming encounter without revealing specifics. The unspecified "feast of the Jews" strategically places Jesus within a vibrant religious gathering, allowing His subsequent miracle and teaching to be witnessed by a multitude, particularly by the leaders who would challenge Him. This intentional ascent to Jerusalem foreshadows the deepening conflict over Jesus' claims of divinity and His unique relationship with the Father, which will escalate into life-and-death stakes, fundamentally setting the stage for His ultimate destiny in that very city. It underlines Jesus' submission to the divine timing and locations for His ministry.