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WORKS, POWER AND AUTHORITY

John chapter 5, v. 10 to 30

Carrying burdens was considered unlawful on the Sabbath (Exodus 23:12; Nehemiah 13:19; Jeremiah 17:21). Stoning was the rabbinical punishment.

To the religious leaders (called the Jews), carrying his pallet on a Sabbath was a very serious offence by the man; it was, of course, proof that he was healed, but they appeared not to be concerned with this. He tried to justify his action, saying it was done under the authority of the man who healed him, whose very words he quoted.

The Jews then used a contemptuous expression, like "Who is the fellow who told you to do that?" They were asking about the command to violate the Sabbath, not about the healing, but he did not know who He was, nor even His name.

The Lord had departed because of the multitude, but found the man again in the temple and told him not to go on sinning, lest something worse come upon him. His disease was probably due to personal sin as is so often the case (the same words were said to the woman taken in adultery - John 8:11). All sickness is not due to personal sin (John 9:3), but much is, and nature is a hard paymaster.

To clear himself with the ecclesiastics and escape a possible stoning, the man went and immediately told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. He probably thought His authority would be acknowledged, and did not imagine that he was bringing trouble on his benefactor.

The religious leaders took the Lord's action on this occasion as a sufficient reason to start a persecution with a view to killing Him. They disliked Him the previous time he had gone to the temple (John 2: 18) and were suspicious of his popularity (John 3:25, 4: 1). Now they thought they had caught Him in serious breach of the Law, as a Sabbath-breaker. The Pharisees would watch his conduct on the Sabbath after that (Mark 2:24, 3:2).

His answer was "My Father" (not "Our Father," thereby claiming His unique relation to the Father) "has been working until now" - therefore without a break on the Sabbath. He made the Sabbath for man's blessing, but does not observe it Himself, "and I work": being on a par with God's activity, His healing on the Sabbath was justified.

Having a grudge against Him because of His breach of the Sabbath, his defence had made the offence worse and had given the religious leaders reason for a far graver charge: blasphemy, for He made Himself to be equal with God when He said God was His own Father: His own in a sense not true of others, for that is precisely what Jesus meant by My Father (John 14:7, Philippians 2:6).

The Jews clearly understood Him to claim equality with the Father in nature and privilege and power (as also in John 10:33; John 19:7). So they increased their untiring effort to kill him (John 7: 1, 19, 25; 8: 3 7, 40). This bitter anger, murderous wrath, went on growing for two years.

The Lord then answered them, making three claims and then giving powerful evidence of his assertion that He was equal with the Father (verses 31-47):

1. The Son can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. Again making absolute use of the Son in relation to the Father he defended his equality with the Father. The phrase is true in a sense of every person, but in a much deeper sense of Christ because of the intimate relation between him and the Father (verse 30; chapter 7:28-29; 8:28; 14:10). The second phrase is better read unless he sees the Father doing something. It is a supreme example of a son copying the spirit and work of a father. In His work on earth the Son saw continually what the Father was doing. In healing this poor man He was doing what the Father wished Him to do. The last phrase confirmed His equality with the Father in power and ability, further exasperating his enemies. The Father loves the Son implied intimate friendship, fellowship, and affection. Greater works than these included miracles (verse 36; John 7:3, 21; 10:25, 32, 38, etc.) but was not limited to them. It was the Father who did these works (John 14: 10) and there were greater ones to follow, so that you may marvel. Marvel belongs to childhood and to men of knowledge, when we see the works of God in nature and in mankind.

2. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. These were the greater works, superior to physical healing: the Lord Jesus imparts life, gives life, to whom He will. In fact He raised the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17), Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:22-23, 35-43), Lazarus (chapter 11:43-44), on a physical level, but, more importantly, he gives everlasting life to those who trust Him - every single one.

3. The Father judges no one.. a literal reading would be, not even the Father judges anyone … The Lord Jesus is going to judge all men some day. On His first coming His purpose was to provide salvation to whoever believes in Him. On His second coming He will come as Judge, first of the nations before the Millennium (Matthew 25:31-46) then of all the dead, after the Millennium (Revelation 20:11-15): all judgement is committed to Him. The purpose is … that all should honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him. The Lord Jesus claimed the same right to worship from men that the Father had. Dishonouring Him is the same as dishonouring the Father who sent him (chapter 8:49; 12:26; 15:23; 1 John 2:23). There is small comfort here for those who praise Jesus as teacher and yet deny his claims to worship.
   

Everlasting life is available immediately to he who hears (i.e. gives heed to, obeys) the Lord Jesus and believes in God the Father who sent Him: he will not come into judgement, like the unbelievers, who remain in death, but he has passed from death into life.

The Lord Jesus continued to speak of life and death, sometimes physical, sometimes spiritual, and one must notice carefully the quick transition, for example: when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,. and those who hear will live means spiritual death and life (chapter 5:25,26), whereas all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth… means physical death.

There are two kinds of resurrection: the resurrection of life, of all the saved (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 20:4-6) and the resurrection of condemnation, of all the dead (Revelation 20:11-15).

Christ's judgement is righteous, for it is not a man's judgement, but He follows the will of the Father who sent Him.

 

R David Jones

 

 

 

10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed."

11 He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.' "

12 Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?"

13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."

15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."

18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

20 "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

21 "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

22 "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgement to the Son,

23 "that all should honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him.

24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death into life.

25 "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

26 "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

27 "and has given Him authority to execute judgement also, because He is the Son of Man.

28 "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice

29 "and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

30 "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.