So, because Jesus was
doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am
working.” For this reason
they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but
he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (John 5:6-23)
A tiny spark sets a forest ablaze. All it took was being kind to one man who had suffered for thirty-eight years, and the Jewish leadership revved up its war machine. This was its job. The Law required that the Jews be very careful about their prophets. One mistake and they were to stone the prophet. One hint from the prophet that people shouldn’t obey the Law, and they were to stone the prophet. There was no room for “live and let live” because the life of Israel depended on being right with God.
Jesus’ response speaks volumes. Let’s start with Genesis. On the seventh day, God rested. He stopped His labor. Should we assume (as some do) that He has retired after those six days, doing no more labor? As we go through Genesis and Exodus, we see that’s not so. God continues to work.
Our next stops are in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, in which God lays out the requirements of the contract between God and Israel. If Israel did these things, God would do this. If Israel did those things, God would do that. One of the things Israel was supposed to do is rest on the seventh day. Scripture never says that God is permitted, expected, or required to not work on the sabbath. There is nothing in the Law that says God can’t work on the sabbath. There’s nothing in the law that says He can’t take His name in vain, make images of Himself, worship other gods, violate the sabbath, murder, steal, dishonor His parents, lie, covet, or lust. The Law does not apply to Him in that way. It applies only to His response to the Jews doing those things.
The Jewish leaders got it. They understood what people today seem determined to ignore. Jesus was claiming to be God’s Son, to be equal with God and as co-reigning with the Father. Co-reigning was something with which the Jews were familiar. It makes setting historical dates a challenge sometimes, because two kings could be ruling the same country at the same time, a father and his apprentice. The father king could delegate tasks like sitting as judge to the son king. They understood what He was saying, and if He didn’t prove Himself, what He was saying made it necessary for them to kill Him. Unless what He said was true - and how could it be? – He was guilty of treason and deserved to be executed.
The problem was that while they were sure He had to be lying, they couldn’t deny the healing of a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. They knew the prophecies. I’ll bet they had people investigate. They didn’t find any clear flaws in the story that they could exploit. If they had found even one, you know they would have dragged it and Him into the street.
Instead, they endured His reprimand, and hated Him.
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (John 5:6-23)
A tiny spark sets a forest ablaze. All it took was being kind to one man who had suffered for thirty-eight years, and the Jewish leadership revved up its war machine. This was its job. The Law required that the Jews be very careful about their prophets. One mistake and they were to stone the prophet. One hint from the prophet that people shouldn’t obey the Law, and they were to stone the prophet. There was no room for “live and let live” because the life of Israel depended on being right with God.
Jesus’ response speaks volumes. Let’s start with Genesis. On the seventh day, God rested. He stopped His labor. Should we assume (as some do) that He has retired after those six days, doing no more labor? As we go through Genesis and Exodus, we see that’s not so. God continues to work.
Our next stops are in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, in which God lays out the requirements of the contract between God and Israel. If Israel did these things, God would do this. If Israel did those things, God would do that. One of the things Israel was supposed to do is rest on the seventh day. Scripture never says that God is permitted, expected, or required to not work on the sabbath. There is nothing in the Law that says God can’t work on the sabbath. There’s nothing in the law that says He can’t take His name in vain, make images of Himself, worship other gods, violate the sabbath, murder, steal, dishonor His parents, lie, covet, or lust. The Law does not apply to Him in that way. It applies only to His response to the Jews doing those things.
The Jewish leaders got it. They understood what people today seem determined to ignore. Jesus was claiming to be God’s Son, to be equal with God and as co-reigning with the Father. Co-reigning was something with which the Jews were familiar. It makes setting historical dates a challenge sometimes, because two kings could be ruling the same country at the same time, a father and his apprentice. The father king could delegate tasks like sitting as judge to the son king. They understood what He was saying, and if He didn’t prove Himself, what He was saying made it necessary for them to kill Him. Unless what He said was true - and how could it be? – He was guilty of treason and deserved to be executed.
The problem was that while they were sure He had to be lying, they couldn’t deny the healing of a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. They knew the prophecies. I’ll bet they had people investigate. They didn’t find any clear flaws in the story that they could exploit. If they had found even one, you know they would have dragged it and Him into the street.
Instead, they endured His reprimand, and hated Him.
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