Read the Passage: John 5:17–47

Listen to the Redeemed Mind Podcast: John 5:17-47

Jesus’ Equality (5:17–30)

The healing of the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda took place on the Sabbath day, which sparked the ire of the religious leaders (cf. John 5:10). When the Jews learned that it was Christ who facilitated the healing, they “persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him” (John 5:16). This visceral reaction betrays the religious leaders’ own hypocrisy and their commitment to a works-based salvation scheme. By way of response, Christ pointed out that God is always at work, and so is He, implying that He is God. Furthermore, as Jesus taught elsewhere, He is Lord of the Sabbath (cf. Matt. 12:8). The religious leaders understood that Christ was claiming to be God, thus “the Jews sought all the more to kill Him” (John 5:18). Next, in John 5:19–47, Jesus proceeds to give one of His most extensive and clearest claims to deity, as He speaks about His complete equality with God the Father.

Although He was being persecuted by the Jews, Jesus did not back away from His claims of deity, but expanded them. In John 5:19 Christ explained that the works He was doing—that is, the healings that had caused offense—were not His own agenda; rather, they were the very works of God. Observe Jesus’ introduction of the terms “Father” and “Son” into this passage. These two terms appear in the same verse thirteen times in John’s Gospel, six of which are in this chapter. Next, in John 5:20–21 Christ claims to be loved by and have intimate knowledge of the Father. Further, Jesus teaches that greater works than the healings that had just happened would be done, in order “that you may marvel” (John 5:20). Indeed, the healings of sickness and paralysis were a picture of someone being raising to life, which is a work of the Father, and “the Son gives life to whom He will” (John 5:21).

In John 5:22–30 Jesus shifts the topic of His teaching from the works of the Father and the Son, to the judgment of the Father and the Son. This is a logical transition, for the works of God confirm the gospel of God (cf. John 10:37–38), and to reject the gospel will result in judgment. In John 5:23 Christ teaches that while the Jews were accusing Him of blasphemy, in reality, is was they who were the true blasphemers, for they did not honor the Son, which is His due. In John 5:24–27 Jesus teaches about both His current work of offering eternal life, and his future task of calling mankind to judgment. In the present, when the spiritually dead receive Christ’s atoning work, they are raised to new life. At the end of the age, when the physically dead are summoned by Jesus’ voice, they too will be raised: the righteous to eternal life and the wicked to eternal condemnation.

Others’ Witness (5:31–40)

John 5:17–30 is a clear record of Jesus’ own testimony about Himself. Yet, Deut. 19:15 specifies that the testimony of only one witness is not sufficient to establish truth. In other words, under the Old Testament law, Christ’s testimony would have needed corroboration. Therefore, in John 5:31–40 Jesus cited four additional witnesses to His own divine nature, resulting in five testimonies overall. First, Christ mentioned the testimony of John the Baptist, who “has born witness to the truth” (John 5:33; cf. John 1:29). Second, Jesus taught that “the very works that I do bear witness of Me” (John 5:36; cf. John 14:11). Third, Christ said, “the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me” (John 5:37; cf. Matt. 3:17). Fourth, after referring to the Scriptures, Jesus noted, “These are they which testify of Me” (John 5:3; cf. Isa. 53:3–6). Therefore, witnesses of Christ’s divine nature are: Himself, John the Baptist, Jesus’ miracles, the Father, and Scriptures.

Moses’ Accusation (5:41–47)

In John 5:41 Jesus clarified that He was not citing witnesses of His divine nature because he needed the religious leaders to honor Him. Indeed, Christ’s message centered upon what He was offering to the Jews, not something that He required from the Jews. In this dialogue, Jesus was clear as he said, “But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you” (John 5:42). While the Jewish leaders claimed to love God, their religion consisted of a self-centered moralism. In John 5:43–44 Christ described their religion as merely a game of giving and receiving honor from one another. Having just cited the witness of the Old Testament to His deity, at John 5:45–47 Jesus revealed that it is Moses himself who accuses the religious leaders of their hypocrisy. Ironically, then, while the Jews claimed to be followers of Moses, he was the one who accused them before the Father.

Application Questions:

1. Given Jesus’ miracles and teachings, why did the religious leaders not accept His divine nature?
2. What other passages in Scripture record Jesus’ claim to be fully God (cf. John 8:24, 58; 9:35–37; 10:22–39)?
3. Why did Jesus perform miracles? What is the relationship between Christ’s message and His miracles?
4. Why is mankind judged: because he rejects the gospel, because he does not know the gospel, or because of his actual sins?
5. Of the five witnesses to Jesus’ divine nature that are cited in this chapter, which is the most compelling?