The Gospel Of John Chapter 5:17-47
The following section of Scripture tremendously demonstrates the Deity of Jesus Christ. He is accused by the Jews of claiming to set Himself up as one who was equal with God. Here would have been the ideal time for Jesus to correct such an idea, if indeed, as some claim, Jesus wasn’t Divine. But Jesus preceded to reinforce the conclusion that the Jews had reached, that is, Jesus was claiming to be equal with God!
John 5:17 ‘But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”’ “My Father”-The Jews will perceive that Jesus is claiming an unique relationship with the Father (5:18). A relationship which other men did not have with God. Be impressed that Jesus knew who He was, not only early on in His public ministry, but early on in His life as well (Luke 2:49).
“is working”-The Jews had accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath Day (5:18). Jesus responds, ‘If healing this man was a violation of the Sabbath Day, then you also need to accuse the Father of breaking the Sabbath Day.’ Points To Note: 1. ‘The Father causes the rain to fall, the sun to shine and the grain to grow on the Sabbath as well as on Monday or Friday (or any other day of the week).’ (Butler p. 182) 2. Let the reader be impressed that Jesus is not claiming that He is above keeping the Laws of God. His actions had not violated the Sabbath Day, but rather they had only violated the traditions of the Jews concerning that day. The Jewish leaders viewed the Sabbath Day in purely negative terms. In contrast, Jesus knew the true reason for the Sabbath, that is, to give the people of God a day of rest from wearisome toil. A day in which they could find rest in worshipping God and doing good deeds. ‘Jesus…by doing works of mercy and love, found genuine rest and peace in doing the will of the Father!’ (Butler p. 182) 3. Doing good deeds had always been right on the Sabbath Day (Matthew 12:11-12 ‘So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’) 4. But selfishly trying to make an extra buck, get a leg up on my neighbor, and so on, had been condemned. 4. And Jesus is not appealing to some mystical or vague higher law, and neither is Jesus saying that God isn’t bound by His own laws. Lenski notes, ‘The point is that it is unthinkable that the Father and the Son or either of them, the very givers of the law, should ever break the law.’ (p. 375) 5. If their interpretation of what constitutes forbidden work on the Sabbath Day (for all work wasn’t forbidden-like religious and spiritual activity-Leviticus 23:37-38), was right, then God is condemned! Obviously, something is wrong with their interpretation. 6. This verse also makes it clear that when 1