John 5:10-23, The Oneness of the Father and Son

You might have noticed that we were not told if the man who was healed at Bethesda also trusted in Christ as Messiah.  We do see that Jesus later ran into the man and uttered some interesting words: “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you (v14).”  What does this mean?  We know from a later story (Jn. 9:1-3) that bad things in our lives are not always the result of sins we commit.  On the other hand, pain is the result of the entrance of sin into God’s good creation in Gen. 3.  It may be that Jesus knew that this man’s malady had been the result of sin.  Or He may have been saying that this disease was God’s way of bringing the man to saving faith.  At the least Jesus is saying, “God has your attention; turn to Him so He doesn’t have to get it again.”  If an event in our lives gets us thinking about spiritual things, we need to be sure and consider our response to God in that event.

Why would the man not want to trust in Christ? That question leads us on in the story where we see that, sure enough, there were people who were not that receptive to Jesus and His ministry.  “The Jews” (v10) refers to the leadership of the Jewish nation.  This happened in Jerusalem, the seat of Judaism; and it was during a feast when religion was in the forefront.  The man, from what we can tell, was concerned about breaking the Sabbath rules and getting in trouble.  Thus, he gave Jesus’ name to “the Jews” as soon as he had identified Jesus as the problem.

Jesus’ response to the accusation or charge was not to make the Sabbath the issue.  He made Himself the issue, right from the start.  He admitted that, indeed, He had done this thing, and that it was not only His work, but the work of His Father.  In other words, Jesus not only told the man to work on the Sabbath; He also claimed He was working on the Sabbath, as was His Father.  Don’t miss this clear point: Jesus’ identification of Himself with His Father was a claim to deity.  He was not being “subtle” or “tricky.”  The Jews heard Him clearly.  And, the rest of John 5 is Jesus’ conversation with the Jews on this very claim.  As always, Jesus did not back down but, as we might say, He doubled down on this claim.  Jesus says that He and His Father are in perfect union on:

·       The work that Jesus has done and will do on earth, v19-20. 

·       The ability to “give life” to the dead, v21.  This is the “greater works” Jesus refers to in v20.  Later in His ministry, the resurrection of Lazarus (Jn. 11) would be a climactic event leading up to Jesus’ death.  His own resurrection would be the greatest evidence that He is the Son of God (Jn. 2:18-22; Rom. 1:4).

·       The judgment of all people, v22.  The Father has given all judgment to the Son.  In every future judgment, Christ will be the judge.  Even more, Christ will be the basis of the judgment of all people.  Review John 3:18-19 and you will see this.

·       The honor and glory of the Godhead, v23.  There is no thought of a greater and lesser God.  As Jesus said, and the Jews understood: He is equal with the Father.