Jesus did not fit into the expectations of the Jewish leaders. They thought that the Messiah would affirm their interpretations of righteousness and redemption. How wrong they were! Jesus knew what was in their hearts, and it was far from the Kingdom of God. While the Jewish leaders were concerned with external righteousness and their own glory, Jesus was concerned solely with doing the will of His Heavenly Father.
The Jewish leaders persecuted Jesus because He had violated their interpretation of the Sabbath. What was supposed to be God’s provision for a day of rest was distorted into a legalistic tradition. The command for Sabbath-keeping in Exodus 20:8-11 begins by stating, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Holiness precedes rest. Taking the time out of a busy week to rest is good and, in fact, necessary. We need time to recharge, to connect with our families and friends, and to refocus our eyes on Christ. However, if Sabbath-keeping interferes with the practice of holiness, it becomes self-serving to an unhealthy degree. In Mark 3:4, Jesus healed a withered hand of a man on the Sabbath day and pointedly asked the Jewish leaders, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” The desire to do the will of the Father and to seek His Kingdom and righteousness must always override any legalistic traditions or desire for self-glorification.
A core theme of this passage is Jesus’ relationship with the Father. Jesus clearly emphasizes that God is His Father and that He is His Son. There is no ambiguity here. Jesus was not merely a prophet or a good moral teacher. He is the divine Son of God incarnated in human flesh. Furthermore, it is also clear that Jesus submitted Himself to the will of the Father. He does not move ahead of the Father, but is obedient to what His Father commands. And it is through the Father that Jesus has the authority and power to heal the sick, to judge the living and the dead (v. 28-30), and to grant eternal life (v. 21, 24-27). Finally, Jesus states that it is only through the Son that one can honor and worship God (v. 23).
On what basis does Jesus make these claims? He first noted that John the Baptist’s entire ministry was to testify about Jesus and His redemptive mission for humanity and Creation (v. 31-35). Jesus then implored the Jewish leaders to bear witness to His works; the miracles that He performed which also pointed to both the physical and spiritual restoration that His Kingdom would bring (v. 36). It could only be through the power and authority of the Father that Jesus could perform these works. And if the testimony of John the Baptist and Jesus’ works were not enough, God Himself though His Word bears testimony to Jesus as His Son (v. 37-40). These three sources should have been more than enough for the Jewish leaders to accept that Jesus was and is who He said He is: God’s own Son, the Messiah.
And yet the Jewish leaders refused to acknowledge this truth. By acknowledging that Jesus is the Messiah, that would have meant admitting that their interpretation of the Scriptures were wrong and submitting themselves to the authority of God. But the Jewish leaders craved the adulation of the people for their displays of piety and knowledge. They craved the power and authority they had invested in themselves as the guardians of the Law. Their hearts were far away from the love of God and, ultimately, desire for self-glorification led to spiritual pride and blindness.
Jesus’ claims about His Sonship are unambiguous and absolute. And they demand a response.
Who do you say Jesus is?
Read the passage prayerfully a few times over and then answer the questions: John 5:16-47
Questions:
- How does Jesus describe His relationship with the Father and what do you learn from this? (John 5:16-30)
- Why is it important to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God? (cf. 1 John 2:23, 5:12, Galatians 4:4-5, John 14:6, Hebrews 1:12)
- How does Jesus address the pride and spiritual blindness of the Jewish leaders? (John 5: 31-47)
Application:
- Who is Jesus to you? How does your belief in who Jesus is affect your everyday life?
- How can you guard yourself against spiritual pride?
Conclusion & Heart Prayer:
Lord, what are You saying to me? And what are You calling me to do about it?
