The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. And for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, "My Father is working until now; and I Myself am working." For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
What the Lord is Saying: As I read these passages I often will think about the claim that Jesus is God. It is something I see but it is also something that many people refute. Nowhere does Jesus say, "I am God" in scripture and yet there are many examples of Him having God qualities or performing in the same way as God.
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: As I read these passages I often will think about the claim that Jesus is God. It is something I see but it is also something that many people refute. Nowhere does Jesus say, "I am God" in scripture and yet there are many examples of Him having God qualities or performing in the same way as God.
One of the reasons I think about that is thinking about the different type of creatures there are: God and man, angels/demons. And so Jesus clearly is a man and yet I believe He is a super man and yet supermen are not real. There aren't 3 different types of creatures, meaning a third type being a super man. For Jesus to die for our sins, he must be perfect. Can perfection happen in a man? I don't see this.
This passage is an interesting look at this idea as Jesus as being God as the Jews of the idea believed He was making Himself equal with God for saying that He and the Father are working in the same way.
Why did the Jews (or Pharisees as is mentioned in Matthew 12:14) claim Jesus and the Father were equal. It seems to be several things. One is that Jesus healed the man at the pool on a Sabbath day, again mentioned in Matthew and also John 5:9, "It was the Sabbath on that day." God is the only one that can do work on the Sabbath. It is not that Sabbath work cannot be done, but only God can do it.
In addition, he told the lame man afterwards to pick up and carry his pallet/mat. So he instructed someone to break the Sabbath code of doing anything of extra burden. The man no longer needed the pallet/mat. If he did, it is not Sabbath breaking to use it, but since he can walk now he has no use of it.
Summary: Jesus is accused by the Jews (Pharisees) of being equal with his Father (God) by doing something only He can do - do work and heal someone on the Sabbath.
Promise: We are called to do what is necessary to preserve life even on the Lord’s Day.
Prayer: Thank you for your great work God, to do the unexpected and to do what only You can do. I thank you and praise You for loving me and showing Your love to me continually. Help me to shine your love to others always.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
Very nice article
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