JESUS: Son of God, God the Son - John 5:16-24

 Jesus, the Son of God, God the Son

John 5:16-24

Introduction:  How many of you have ever served on jury duty? I have a brother who is an attorney, and he would echo the old saying that anyone who would act as his own attorney in court has a fool for a client. (Of course, since he is a lawyer, he is probably not impartial!). If someone who takes up his own defense in court is a fool, what would we say about someone who would bring charges against the Judge of the universe? John’s gospel uses the language of the courtroom in several key passages, including this section of John 5.  Ironically, the trial is going on at two levels. Though this is not a formal “trial” by any means, the language of the courtroom is used as the Jewish Leadership “persecutes” Jesus. They see themselves as the prosecution and “bring charges” against Jesus. And, at one level Jesus, in His response, sets forth His defense. The phrase “Jesus answered them” in v.17 and v.19 is phrased in a way that would be used for a defendant responding to charges against him. In coming weeks we’ll see several “witnesses,” especially in vv. 31-47 that “testify” in his defense.  But at another level, the truth is that it is the leaders who are on trial, and Jesus is the Judge. The Father has committed all “judgment” to the Son, and one day all will be judged based on how they respond to Him (v.24). The failure of the leaders to recognize who Jesus is exposes their dead hearts. They are on trial, proving themselves guilty of unbelief.

The Big Idea: Honor Jesus, the Son of God, God the Son; and find true life in Him! We’ll use our three questions once again as we work through today’s passage, 1) Who is Jesus?; 2) Why did He come? And 3) What does it mean to believe in Him?

I. Who is Jesus? A Charge is made against the Son (16-18). “For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus… [first of all, v.16] because he did these things on the Sabbath…”  That was where we left off last week, it was an initial and ongoing point of controversy—the blindness of the leaders to what the miracles of Jesus revealed their hearts—They could only see that he didn’t fit into their idea of being a good Jew.  

16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.  17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working."  18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

       The initial persecution of Jesus was in response to Him not abiding by the traditions regarding the Sabbath (5:16). But the “answer” of Jesus to them raises an even more serious issue: Jesus calls God “My Father.”  He did not say “our Father” indicating that he was a child of God in the sense of other believing Jews, but clearly was claiming a special, unique, kind of Sonship, identifying the work that He was doing with the ongoing work of God. The leaders received this as essentially identifying Himself as equal with God, and so, in 5:18, the “…were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.”  For us, as reader’s of John’s Gospel, this is not a surprise, it is reinforcement of what we have heard from the start:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was in the beginning with God.  3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:1-3).

And then in 1:18 John tells us…

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Later in chapter 1, John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is the Son of God (1:34), as does Nathaniel (1:49). And then at the end of chapter 3 we have the powerful statement…

John 3:35-36,  35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.  36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Who is Jesus? That question is central to John’s message. He started with a dramatic statement of the ontological unity between the Father and the Son. Later Philip will ask, “Show us the Father, and it will be enough for us…” (John 14:8). Jesus answers,

John 14:9-11  "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?  10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

The ontological unity, oneness of being in the Godhead, is not a simple doctrine to grasp, but it is clearly affirmed by Jesus. He is “one” with the Father, undivided unity in their essence. Jesus also affirms in 5:17-18 what theologians call the “economic unity” between His work, and the work of the Father…

17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working."  18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

At one level He is saying something that many of them likely agreed with, God’s work didn’t stop on the Sabbath. Jesus affirms that the Father continues to work on the Sabbath: Though God’s creative activity ended on the sixth day, he continued to “work” as the Lord of all creation, providentially maintaining the universe and working out his plan in history.  There was a stream of Judaism the first century that taught this same truth. God never has a “day off”! That’s Good News, is it not?

The Sabbath traditions were so deeply ingrained that this third point is what perhaps was the greatest offense, in that Jesus claimed such an “economic unity” with the Father in that as God uniquely was exempt from Sabbath restrictions to his good work, so was the Son.  “…therefore the Jews sought [“were seeking”] all the more to kill him…” Ongoing, intentional, and intensifying planning, based on two counts:

     1. “..he broke the Sabbath…” Strict adherence to their ideas of “sabbath keeping” was more important than the miraculous healing of the man and what that work revealed about Jesus. They were strict legalists rather than grace oriented seekers of God. 

     2. In calling God “…my Father…” he was claiming a unique kind of sonship, an economic unity with the Father that was so shocking, they concluded “…he was making himself equal with God…” They were hearing this as blasphemy. For anyone else it would be. But Jesus is unique, He is the Truth, Emmanuel, God with us. 

     The leadership reacts to this with violent intentions against Jesus, they’ve made up their minds that this Sabbath breaker could not possibly be from God, and so they “were seeking all the more to kill him…” Of course as Paul would later say to the Philippians of those who were persecuting them, “This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God” (1:28b).  So, we are called to *Honor Jesus, Son of God, God the Son; and so to find true Life in Him!

II. Why did He come? To do the Father’s will, to give true life through faith (19-21).

19 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.  20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.  21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

       The scene comes across as an attempted prosecution, and Jesus’ reply also is a rebuttal, a testimony, has that language of a courtroom. In v. 19, and again in v.24, He’ll use the phrase, “Amen, Amen,” or as the ESV translates, “truly, truly.” He is the Truth, and all He speaks is true, and He seems to use this phrase to highlight an especially important declaration or summary statement. John, the writer, adds emphasis as well that we miss in the ESV translation, “So Jesus said to them…” Two verbs are used to introduce Jesus’ speech here, “So Jesus answered and said to them…” Commentators highlight this as an unusually solemn introduction, highlighting the importance of what follows.  Listen to what Jesus says in v. 19,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise…”

      They are charging Jesus with breaking their understanding of the Sabbath law. Jesus says, I am not acting independently here, I am acting in complete unity, absolute agreement with the Father. A key statement in these verses is the second half of verse 19: “Whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” This is different from saying: Jesus chooses some things to do that he sees the Father doing and so only does what the Father is doing. It says, “Whatever the Father does,” Jesus does. When the Father acts, Jesus acts. This is the sort of thing the Jews heard Jesus say. And they concluded rightly: Jesus spoke as if he were equal with God. As if for God to act is for Jesus to act—as if there is some kind of essential connection or union. The next two verses begin with the word “for,” indicating the reason and outworking of that unity…

20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.  

First, He highlights again the unique relationship between the Father and the Son, He loves the Son. John will say a couple of times in his first letter, God is love. That is expressed as an attribute of God, and essential aspect of His person and being. It was true from eternity past in the fellowship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And it continued to be true in the incarnation. And so, the Father shows the Son “all that he himself is doing.” And they continue to work as one, in unison. And a hint of His unity in purpose can be seen in the next verse,

21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

Death came because of the Fall. The Good News is that Jesus came to undo the curse, to make possible life for those who believe. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life! Here the sovereignty of the Son is emphasized: “…the Son gives life to whom He will…” This is similar to the language Paul uses in Ephesians 2:4-5,

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…”

Why did He come? To carry out God’s work, planned in the Godhead in eternity past, to graciously provide a way for sinners to be reconciled to God, to make it possible for us to experience the true life, the abundant life, for which we were created. That’s the *Big Idea: Jesus is uniquely the Son of God, God the Son; He is the Lord of Life!

III. What does it mean to believe in Him? Recognize who He truly is, and honor Him. Our response reveals we believe God and have New Life in Him (22-24).

22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,  23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.  24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

       I see echoes of Psalm 2 all over the Gospels, this context is yet another. Psalm 2 begins describing the nations in futile rebellion against the LORD and His Anointed. Then we read in Psalm 2:6-9,

6 "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."  7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you.  8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.  9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

We see the Son given dominion and sovereignty over the nations. He is Lord! And He is the coming Judge. In the Great Commission Jesus seems to reflect this saying, “All authority has been given to me, in Heaven and on Earth…” Psalm 2 goes on to say,

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.  11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him (Ps 2:10-12).

Now look back to our passage, John 5:23, the Father has given all judgement to the Son, “…that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever doesn’t honor the Son, doesn’t honor the Father who sent Him.”  

A little further ahead in this gospel, in another context where Jesus is talking about his special relationship with the father, he says in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.”  He tells Philip “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Such is the unity in the Godhead! Paul says that in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily!

       This is a key parameter for judging any faith system that would claim to show the way to God — What do they do with Jesus?  What say you of this man who claimed to be God? Later in John, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one come to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Many cults are guilty of downplaying or denying the divinity of Christ. They never arrive at the place where John starts his gospel: “…the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  John show us clearly and emphatically who Jesus is, and invites us to believe.

       “Hearing” and “Believing” are evidence of authentic spiritual life (v.24). Elsewhere it is clear that faith is the means God uses to save, here John is saying that listening to Jesus and believing Him is evidence that one has eternal life.

What is God saying to me in this passage? Jesus is uniquely the Son of God, God the Son; He is the Lord of Life! That is reflected in John’s statement of purpose in John 20, 

“Many other signs did Jesus in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these have been written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His Name.”  

The evidence is clear, it is compelling: Jesus is the Son of God, God the Son. Will you honor Him as the Lord of life? He who has the Son has life! 

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? 

1) Here Jesus says “…he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”  Have you heard his voice in this passage? Have you believed who He is, and trusted what he has done for you? Then give Him the honor that He is due!

2) In communion, let’s pause to remember who He is, and be reminded that the Son of God became man: to die for sinners, to make a way for humans to be reconciled to our Creator. We are also reminded that as we celebrate communion, we show for His death until He comes. The King is coming! Let us honor Him with our worship. AMEN.