A Study of John's Gospel

John 5:15-18: Jesus Says He is God

A study of John 5:15-18

"The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." 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."

‭‭John‬ ‭5‬:‭15-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Definitions of the original language in the context of this passage:

-Were Persecuting: "ἐδίωκον", "ediōkon"; verb, imperfect, active, indicative, third person, plural - pursue, persecute; in any way whatever to harass, trouble one.

-Jews: "Ἰουδαῖοι", "Ioudaioi"; adjective, nominative, plural, masculine - Jewish as respects birth, race, religion; a Jew; in John 5:10,18: Those who (not only at Jerusalem, but also in Galilee, cf. John 6:41, 52) opposed his (John's) divine Master (Jesus) and his Master's cause — especially the rulers, priests, members of the Sanhedrin, Pharisees — he does not hesitate to style οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, since the hatred of these leaders exhibits the hatred of the whole nation toward Jesus.

-Jesus: "Ἰησοῦς", "Iēsous"; noun, nominative, singular, masculine - Jesus = "Yahweh is salvation"; the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, God incarnate.

-The Sabbath: "Σάββατόν", "Sabbaton"; noun, nominative, singular, neuter - the seventh day of each week which was a sacred festival on which the Israelites were required to abstain from all work.

-Father: "πατήρ", "Patēr"; noun, nominative, singular, masculine - father; God is called the Father; the Father of Jesus Christ, as one whom God has united to himself in the closest bond of love and intimacy, made acquainted with his purposes, appointed to explain and carry out among men the plan of salvation, and (as appears from the teaching of John) made to share also in his own divine nature;

-(I am) Working: "ἐργάζομαι", "ergazomai"; verb, present, either middle or passive, indicative, first person, singular - to work, labor, do work; opposite to inactivity or idleness.

-Equal: "ἴσον", "ison"; adjective, accusative, singular, masculine - equal in quantity or quality.

Observation/Summary (short explanation of what the passage says in your own words):

A short time after Jesus miraculously and instantaneously healed a man who had been an invalid for 38 years, He found him in the temple and told the man to "sin no more" so that nothing worse would happen to him. Then, the man told the Jewish leaders it was Jesus who had healed him on the Sabbath and told him to pick up his bedroll and walk. And this is why the Jewish leaders were persecuting Jesus, because He had healed a man on the Sabbath and told the man to pick up his bedroll; a task that violated the man made traditions that had been added to the requirements for not working on the Sabbath. However, in response to the accusations of the Jewish leaders, Jesus said, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." The Jewish leaders understood that by saying that Jesus was making Himself equal with God, and for this reason they wanted to kill Him even more.

Implication (what does this mean to us):

In the verses previous to this passage, Jesus miraculously healed a man who had been disabled for 38 years. But He healed the man on the Sabbath, and told the man to stand up, pick up his bedroll and walk. At this point a crowd began to form and Jesus slipped away before the man could learn His name. Shortly after this, the Jewish leaders confronted the man and told him it was unlawful to carry his bedroll on the Sabbath. He immediately told them the man who healed him had said to pick up his bedroll and walk, but he did not know Jesus' name. Later, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you." This was a loving warning from Jesus that habitual, unrepentant sin leads to a fate far worse than any temporary physical infirmity in this world.