In this next passage from vv. 16-43, we read Jesus' response to the Pharisees. Because there is so much to learn from this passage, I want to break it down into 3 sections so today we will be looking at John 5:16-24. Here John simply refers to the religious crowd Jesus is talking to as “the Jews.”
16 So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. 17 But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” 18 So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.
21 For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. 22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, 23 so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.
24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life (John 5:16-24).
The religious crowd came after Jesus because He spoke with authority and acted in ways that showed the nation of Israel the reality of who the God of the universe is.
“If you have seen Jesus, you have seen God.”
Jesus was stating that He is equal to God:
Equal in nature
Equal in work
Equal in power & authority
Equal in Nature
The Sabbath was a day designed by God to give His people an opportunity to know and spend time with their Maker. It allowed people a time to rest from their labor and time to reflect upon God’s love, mercy, and many blessings.
But instead of it being a blessing, the Jews had turned the Sabbath into a day of dread and created 39 rules with hundreds of sub-rules to make sure no one broke the Sabbath.
When they realized what Jesus was doing on the Sabbath, that is, showing acts of mercy and kindness that benefited people, they were angry and began to attack his character. We see, however, that Jesus doesn’t back down.
But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I” (John 5:17).
He made His relationship with God, His Father very clear. Since God is always actively involved in His creation, so am I.
When Jesus healed a woman who had been sick for 18 years in Luke 13:14,
the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week for working,” he said to the crowd. “Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.” (Luke 13:14)
Jesus wants us to know that God is actively working within His creation right now. God’s mercy, grace, love, righteousness, holiness, sovereignty, and power are always active. You can come to him any day, at any time.
The Jews believed that God is the only one who has authority over the Sabbath and that is why they understood the significance of Jesus’ words. His words and actions only inflamed the Jewish leaders' animosity towards Him and now they wanted Him dead.
Equal in Work
So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished (John 5:19-20).
“What the Father says, the Son says, whatever the Father does, Jesus does. ”
The Father and Son have the same mind, heart, and purpose. The Father shows everything to the Son and He shares everything with the Son. Within the Trinity - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, there is an eternal infinite love for one another.
“Out of love for His Father, He was willing to become our Redeemer.”
Equal in power & authority
Vv. 21-24 say,
For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him (John 5:21-23).
I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life (John 5:24).
He is Lord over creation, Lord over the Temple, Lord over the Sabbath, Savior, King, Son of man, the great I Am. He is not just another prophet or someone pointing to God or to the secret of life - He is the way, the truth, and the life,
He is God incarnate and, therefore, equal to God in nature, works, power, and authority and God has given Him absolute authority to judge whether in the present or in the future in the final judgment.
As co-creator of this universe Jesus is equal in power and authority with His Father. There is no one like Jesus. Therefore, whoever honors Him is honoring the Father as well. This was a shock to the Jews as they were not expecting to stand before the one, they had been persecuting.
As Jesus was speaking this truth, He was pointing them back to the Father who had announced His coming throughout the OT. If you had truly believed Him, you would have no problem with me.
The focus is on changing the world, but Jesus is focused on changing the heart and giving us genuine life.
Even as Christians, we can get hung up on having the correct information about who God is, on practicing ordinances, of fulfilling our Christian duty, of church attendance, studying the Scriptures, tithing, and so on while our lives become lifeless, tedious, and burdensome.
This subtle change of focus happens because we forget the bigger question - the “why” for what we do as Christians and as a church.
