Devotional - John 5:16-23

Passage To Study:

John 5:16-23

[16] And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. [17] But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. [18] Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. [19] Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. [20] For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. [21] For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. [22] For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: [23] That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

What are the facts of the passage?:

Because of the healing done on the Sabbath the Jewish Leaders now sought to kill Jesus.
Jesus responds by comparing Himself and His works to the Father and to the Father's works.
The Jewish Leaders, understanding what Jesus was saying, sought the more to kill Him because He was making Himself equal with God.
Jesus responds by saying that He can only do what the Father enables Him to do.
Further, judgement has been committed to the Son so that all men will honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father.

What do those facts mean?:

The first idea is that there are consequences to our actions. We must think that Christ knew the results that would follow the healing of the man by the pool. The road to the cross began early. The hatred of the Jewish Leaders began almost as soon as His ministry began. Christ was one with the Father and so knew all that there was to know. He wasn't surprised or taken unawares by the actions of these ungodly hypocrites. He knew what would happen, all along, from eternity past, and yet H-e went ahead and healed the man anyway!

So many people have difficulty understanding that Jesus claimed to be God clearly and unequivocally. Even the unredeemed Jewish leaders understood that this what He was claiming.

There is little doubt that the central truth in all of the Scripture is that if men refuse to honor Christ, they cannot honor the Father. There can also be little doubt as to what ''honor" means. It can only mean what this passage indicates it means. It refers to believing that Christ and the Father are equal. Anyone who does not believe this cannot truly worship the Father.

How do those facts apply to my life?:

It makes a great deal of difference in the witnessing arena. I cannot give the impression that anyone who does not honor the Son in the fashion this passage demands can still be a Christian. Actions have consequences and, at times, those consequences are foreseeable, even inevitable. Just as Christ healed this man knowing that He would incur the hatred of the Jews that eventually lead to His crucifixion so we, also, must be willing to preach the Gospel that can and will offend and incur the wrath of many who hear it.

What should I do in response?:

Preach the true and clear Gospel!

Day

Trouble With The Jewish Leaders