Summary of passage: The Jewish leaders were unhappy with Jesus doing work on the Sabbath and calling himself the Son of God so they persecuted him. Jesus explained how he does everything through God and will do great things and bestow ever lasting life. God has granted Jesus the role of judger of mankind and whoever does not honor him, does not honor the Father.
Questions:
6) The Jewish leaders were unhappy with Jesus doing work on the Sabbath and calling himself the Son of God. “My Father is always at his work to this very day” and therefore he too works. Because Jesus was breaking the Sabbath and calling God his Father, making himself equal with God.
7) “Whatever the Father does the Son also does.” God “will show him [Jesus] even greater things.”
8 ) Part-personal Question. My answer:
1) God has given Jesus the power of resurrection over the dead and eternal life and who to grant this to.
2) God has given Jesus the role of judger of all mankind.
3) God has given Jesus the same status to be honored by mankind the same.
It doesn’t. I’ve always believed God, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one. My attitude is the same.
Conclusions: The personal question of 8 is lackluster. Still would have liked to have delved deeper into the breaking of the Sabbath. It’s important to understand that Jesus was not breaking any laws. That these supposed laws are interpretations of God’s laws by mankind which are twisted and untrue. These questions are too superficial.
End Notes: No one cared that the man was healed. All they cared about was their precious laws being broken–laws not in the Bible.
Jesus did not delve into the definition of what work is on the Sabbath. Instead, he states simply: God works on the Sabbath and so do I (since I am God). This is important for us. God never stops working. He never stops listening to us or caring for our problems or working in our lives. He is there always.
In Ancient Times, slaves did all the work. It was considered beneath the nobles to lift a finger and the Greek and Roman gods never worked so the very idea of a working god was alien to most people.
God rests. He never stops ruling. God rests for our benefit–showing us how to live. Not for Him.
“Breaking” and “calling” are continuous action. Jesus was always breaking the laws and calling himself God’s son.
Jesus submits by choice to God’s will. God shows Jesus what to do.
God the Son in becoming man separated himself and ceased not to be God, and became the separate personality of Jesus as the personality of God the Son.
“Loves” is continuous as well. The Father always loves the Son.
Jesus refers to the power of eternal life–the ultimate power. Jesus says he is the judger–again a separate but distinct part of God the Father. Jesus was love and judge–full of grace and mercy. Imagine looking upon Jesus and seeing both and feeling both–shame at your sin yet amazing love and forgiveness.
God’s people believed God did raise the dead. Here, Jesus says he has that same authority–again, establishing the idea that he is equal to God. The same with being the judge. The Jews believed God to be the final judge. Here, Jesus says now I am. These ideas were blasphemous, radical, revolutionary, and heretical. It threw the Sadducees in turmoil, abutting long-held beliefs. It’s hard for mankind to accept change especially quickly. Jesus was on earth for so short of a time. Think of all who missed him because they were stuck in their ways. A lesson for us as well.
It’s hard for us to grasp this since we are thousands of years down the road and just know who Jesus is and what he does and how to honor him. Try to think as these people did when studying John.
Being the judge requires honor equal to God. One cannot honor just one.
God sent but Jesus came. Both are equally important.
