John 5:16-30

5:16

The persecution was verbal.

There apparently were unsuccessful attempts on his life as we read 5:18 ‘the Jews tried al the harder to kill him’

5:17

God did not stop working on the Sabbath.

The rabbis taught that God continued to maintain the universe and impart life on the Sabbath.

Jesus agreed with this and said clearly that God was still working on the Sabbath.

Hebrews 1:3 says that it is the Son who sustains the universe.

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

Colossians 1:17 says “in him all things hold together.”

These verses are true not just six days a week. He is also holding things together on the Sabbath.

“My Father” was a radical statement. It was unheard of to call God “Father”

5:18

“Son” when we say “son” we think of a person who is different from “father”

In the mind of the ancient middle eastern man the term ‘son’ referred to an extension of the ‘father.’

We use ‘son’ and ‘father’ to distinguish two different people.

They used ‘son’ and ‘father’ to make a connection and identify identical personalities, values, abilities, etc.

The point is that if the Father is working on the Sabbath then the Son will also be working on the Sabbath.

5:19

After claiming equality with God Jesus now begins to identify the Father’s superiority over the Son.

Jesus did exactly what the Father wanted.

Jesus was the agent of the Father’s will.

Since Jesus was the Son of the Father he could fulfill his will perfectly.

5:20

The Father and Son’s relationship is perfect unity and fellowship.

The Father is continuously in fellowship with the son and shows him all he does.

There will be greater things than healing a lame man. These include raising the dead both:

a) in time

b) in eternity at the last judgment

5:21

The Jews believed God could raise the dead and give life.

Jesus said he too could do that.

Jesus doesn’t demonstrate this power now but claims to have it.

Later Jesus will show them after they had a chance to discuss it and speculate among themselves.

5:22

The Jews believed that they would stand before God in judgment, but Jesus said that the Father had given this responsibility to him.

5:23

5:24

This verse secures eternal security.

This verse is an invitation besides a statement of fact.

5:25

Eternal life is experienced today spiritually, but in the future it will be physical

5:26

Jesus can give life because he has this life in his own essence.

Jesus then is self-existent.

Because of this he is the source of life to man.

Man can receive it and have it but man is not the source of his life.

5:27

Since Jesus has this life he can serve as the judge of mankind.

But, Jesus is not only God and the source of life

Jesus is also the Son of Man. (Daniel 7:13-14)

Jesus can judge man with insight and fairness because Jesus is man and understands man. So any condemning Jesus will do is not because Jesus does not understand our situation.

See Hebrews 2:14, 17, 18; 5:2;

oti BECAUSE uioV SON anqrwpou OF MAN estin HE IS

There is no article before “son of man” stresses the quality of being man more than the title of The Son of Man Daniel

5:28

John 11:43, the raising of Lazarus, demonstrates what will take place in the future on a greater scale.

5:29

Doing Good involves believing in the son as in John 6:29 and 3:21

Doing evil involves rejecting the son 3:36 and 3:19

5:30

This verse ends Jesus discussion about his relationship with the Father but begins Jesus explanation about how the Father has and will bear witness to the fact that Jesus is the Son that he has just claimed to be.