JUNE 11 / JUNE 18, 2017
JESUS, GOD’S SON AND WORKMAN
INTRODUCTION:
1. Who would have thought that the healing of an impotent man of thirty-eight years would have been the trigger that would detonate such an explosion of hostility against Christ as we see here? Jewish hatred, though growing, was pretty much latent until then.
2. The particular offence for which they began to “persecute Jesus,” and even “sought to slay Him” was that He performed this healing miracle “on the Sabbath Day.” The crime was compounded when he instructed the patient to take up his bed. According to rabbinical teaching it was unlawful to practice medicine on the Sabbath, and it was unlawful to carry a piece of furniture on the Sabbath.
3. “But Jesus answered them.” (Verse 17a) His initial answer asserted what should have been obvious. (Verse 17b)
a) This great miracle was done by Divine power. Therefore, He was the agent of it, but the power was of God. (See Matt. 12:28; Luke 11”20)
b) Moreover, He asserted that He, the agent of God, was also the Son of God. Therefore, He was equal with God.
(1) The Jews clearly understood that by claiming that God was His Father, He was making Himself God’s equal.
(2) Jesus here confirmed what John had said in the prologue of this Gospel. (John 1:1, 14)
4. This, in their minds, added a second and much greater reason why he should be put to death. (Verse 18)
a) He, according to their crass externalism, was guilty of breaking the Sabbath.
b) He, in claiming to be the Son of God, had, in their eyes, made Himself guilty of blasphemy. (See Mark 14:61-64)
I. JESUS ASSERTED THAT THE SON IS THE FATHER’S WORKMAN. (VERSES 17-30)
A. JESUS DEFENDED HIS ACTIONS BY DECLARING THE PERFECT SUBORDINATION BETWEEN HIS WORK AND THAT OF HIS FATHER. (VERSE 17)
1. The Father’s work continued to that present hour. “My Father worketh hitherto.”
a) This would include all of God’s work of preserving and sustaining all things. It is comforting to know that the Father doesn’t take a day off.
b) This would involve His work of salvation, the greatest part of which was the sending of the Son.
2. The Son would therefore work in cooperation and subordination with the Father.
3. Thus, the healing of the impotent man was the Divine work of the Son in subordination to the Father.
a) Jesus had healed this man on the Sabbath Day, but not apart from the Father.
b) Would they dare to charge God with breaking the Sabbath?
B. THE JEWS REJECTED HIS JUSTIFICATION ON A TWOFOLD BASIS. (VERSE 18)
1. They charged that Jesus had broken the Sabbath.
a) He had ignored their regulations, but He had not violated God’s Law.
b) In Jesus’ entire life on earth not a single infraction of God’s Law can be found.
2. They charged Jesus with blasphemy – being equal with God.
a) They understood the particular emphasis of “My Father.” They knew that He was not claiming sonship in a general sense, but rather eternal Sonship which would make Him God’s equal. Only God is eternal!
b) Jesus, knowing that they had correctly interpreted His words, did not deny or correct their interpretation, for they understood what He meant.
c) They perceived the implicit equality in the parallel of the Father’s work, and His work. (Verse 17)
C. JESUS FURTHER EXPLAINED HIS SUBORDINATION TO THE FATHER. (VERSE 19)
1. The Son cannot work contrary to the Father. “…the Son can do nothing of himself.”
2. Whatever He does, He is only imitating the Father. “…but what He seeth the Father do.”
3. Whatever He does is in cooperation with, although in subordination to, the Father. “…for what things so ever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”
D. JESUS EXPLAINS HIS SUBORDINATION AND IMITATION TO THE FATHER IN A FILIAL SENSE. (VERSE 20)
1. The filial relation guarantees a full manifestation of the Father’s will and work to the Son. (Verse 20a)
2. The filial relation means a progression in the Son’s work. (Verse 20b)
E. JESUS WENT ON TO DISCLOSE GREATER WORKS THAN PHYSICAL MIRACLES. (VERSES 21-23)
1. These “greater works” are twofold. (Verses 21, 22)
a) The raising of the dead. (Verse 21)
b) The judging of mankind. (Verse 22)
2. These are “greater works” because they transcend the physical and temporal, reaching to the spiritual and eternal.
3. The purpose of these works is the honor of the Son. (Verse 23)
a) This “honor” certainly includes worship and adoration.
b) This was a strong warning to Jesus’ present accusers.
F. JESUS EXERCISES HIS PREROGATIVES FIRST IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM. (VERSES 24-27)
1. There is a spiritual resurrection which the Son has power to perform. (Verses 24-26)
a) He enables dead sinners to “hear” and “believe.” (Verse 24a)
b) He quickens the spiritually dead to life everlasting. By His quickening power, they are “passed from death unto life.” (Verse 24c; Eph.2:1)
c) This is the gift of the Father through the Son. (Verse 26)
2. There is a moral judgment by the Son. (Verses 24b, 27)
a) This is that “judgment” wrought on sin in true repentance.
b) It is that which exempts one from eternal and final judgment. (Verse 24b)
c) Judgment, as well as redemption, is accomplished by “the Son of man.” (Verse 27)
3. These are both future as well as present realities. (Verse 25)
a) The future “hour” here spoken of is Pentecost and afterwards.
b) The present “hour” refers to Christ’s personal ministry.
G. JESUS SHALL AT LAST EXERCISE HIS PREROGATIVES IN THE PHYSICAL REALM. (VERSES 28, 29)
1. The coming hour is “the last day.” (See John 6:40, 44)
2. The good that men do stems from faith in Christ. The evil that is done is their unbelief.
3. “The resurrection of life” means glorification and heaven.
4. “The resurrection of damnation” means condemnation and hell.
5. Considering the Son’s oneness with the Father and His mission, this should not come as a shock. “Marvel not at this…” (Verse 28a)
H. ALL THAT JESUS DOES IS IN CONFORMITY AND SUBORDINATION TO THE FATHER. (VERSE 30)
II. JESUS GAVE A THREEFOLD WITNESS TO SUPPORT HIS CLAIMS. (VERSES 31-40)
A. FIRST, THERE WAS THE WITNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. (VERSES 31-35)
1. He would not at this time assert His personal witness, though perfectly true. (Verse 31)
a) In this, He was assuming the position of His critics, who considered Him to be just an ordinary man.
b) On other occasions He did assert His personal testimony as authoritative. (John 8:14)
2. He would now rely on the testimony of His Father, which was manifest in various ways. (Verse 32)
3. John the Baptist had borne witness to Jesus’ person and work officially. (Verse 33; Ch. 1:19-27)
a) Jesus was not referencing him for validation at this time, but mentions him for sake of their salvation. (Vs. 34)
(1) This was ever His aim, not to save His own life, but the souls of others, even His sworn enemies.
(2) He produced John as a witness because, being one of them, it was to be hoped that they would hearken to his testimony.
b) John was a bright, but temporary light. (Verse 35)
(1) “John was…” This indicates that he was now dead.
(2) “…a burning and shining light.” He was as a torch to the darkness, but the Sun was now risen.
(3) His ministry had only a temporary and superficial effect upon these Pharisees. (See Luke 7:24-35)
B. SECOND, THERE WAS THE WITNESS OF HIS WONDROUS WORKS. (VERSES 36-38)
1. His “works” refer particularly to His miracles.
2. They were a “greater witness than that of John” because they were seen and recognized more generally.
3. They were in effect, the Father’s witness, because the Father gave them to the Son, and the Son finished them.
4. In these miracles, God Himself was to be “heard” and “seen.” (Verse 37)
C. THIRDLY, THERE WAS THE WITNESS OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. (VERSES 38-40)
1. They had the sacred Scriptures in their hands, but sadly, not in their hearts. (Verse 38)
a) This was a judgment upon them, as Jesus here points out.
b) The proof that the Word did not abide in them was their present rejection of Him. The present miracle which God gave to bear Him witness, they condemned as unlawful.
2. They scrupulously studied the Scripture, but missed Christ in them. (Verse 39)
a) “Search the scriptures” can be either an imperative or a declarative; a command, or a statement of fact.
b) They were busy searching the Scripture, and they did this thinking by that discipline to gain eternal life.
c) This they did, and yet missed the great revelation of those Scriptures. “They are they which testify of me.”
d) Those very Scripture declare the person and work of Jesus Christ.
3. For them, this was a great moral contradiction. (Verse 40)
a) They studied the Scriptures but did not come to Christ.
b) They sought life and rejected Him in whom life is found.
c) They most willingly refused Christ. “Ye will not come to me.”
III. JESUS DIRECTLY CONDEMNED THE UNBELIEF OF THESE JEWS. (VERSES 41-47)
A. HE EXPOSED THE CAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF. (VERSES 41-44)
1. Their desire for popularity and the praise of men lay at the heart of it. (Verse 41, 42)
a) On the one hand we see Christ, Who seeks not man’s approval or praise. (Verse 41)
b) On the other hand are men whose foremost and supreme desire is the applause and good opinion of men.
2. This vanity proves an entire lack of love for God. (Verse 42)
3. This vanity lay at the heart of these Jews’ rejection of Christ. (Verse 43a)
4. This vanity would leave them vulnerable for future deception. (Verse 43b) (History records many false Messiahs who gained a following with the Jews between the crucifixion of Christ and the destruction of the Temple.)
5. This vanity shut them up to unbelief. (Verse 44)
B. HE NEXT SHOWED THE TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR UNBELIEF. (VERSES 45-47)
1. They were condemned by that very law they claimed to love. (Verse 45)
a) Jesus would not be their accuser, but Moses.
b) The one they professed to honor, and on whom they pinned their hopes will proves their undoing.
2. They were exposed as unbelievers both of the Law and the Gospel. (Verse 46)
a) They believed neither Moses nor Christ.
b) This is proven by the fact that Moses wrote of Christ.
3. They were shown to be deniers of the sacred Scriptures in that they did not believe Jesus’
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