John 5:17-47 | What's happening (and who's involved)?
Directly following the last account we went through, Jesus responds to the angry Jewish leaders who are accusing Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. What we ultimately see is a clashing on different understandings of the Sabbath, but it leads into an incredible discourse from Jesus where He highlights some very important things about Himself.
Concerning the equality, this is ultimately what the Jews of the time sought to accuse Jesus of blasphemy over. The issue with Jesus "disobeying" the Sabbath was one matter. Jesus' response was another one. Jesus had the authority to heal and to instruct the man to take up his mat. Jesus makes the allusion very clear in highlighting Himself as the Son of God, and He does this is a way that makes Him distinct from the children of Israel. He is not simply a Son because He belongs to these people that the Lord has taken under His wing. He is the Son of God. This gives Him right and authority over all that is in the Father's hands. The consequences of this means that if they really believe in the Father, then they will believe Him. Then if they reject Him, they reject the Father.
To further His case, He highlights various witnesses that testify of what He says. It is important that we understand what qualifies as a witness. "15 One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established." (Deut. 19:15) These witnesses are not just people. It can be physical evidence as well. Take a murder trial as an example. The murder weapon being in possession of a particular individual serves as a witness against them. A person who saw the event unfold would be a witness against him. A boot print that matches the exact pattern of his boot would also serve as a witness. So even though there was only one person who could testify, there were three witnesses that rise against him.
Jesus brings up four witnesses that testify of who He is.
To continue to reject Jesus upon what He says is then to reject all of the above. Jesus' claim is exactly that. They are rejecting Him and these witnesses.
What observations are you making about this passage?
- Equality with God in Nature, Power, and Authority
- The Witnesses of this fact
Concerning the equality, this is ultimately what the Jews of the time sought to accuse Jesus of blasphemy over. The issue with Jesus "disobeying" the Sabbath was one matter. Jesus' response was another one. Jesus had the authority to heal and to instruct the man to take up his mat. Jesus makes the allusion very clear in highlighting Himself as the Son of God, and He does this is a way that makes Him distinct from the children of Israel. He is not simply a Son because He belongs to these people that the Lord has taken under His wing. He is the Son of God. This gives Him right and authority over all that is in the Father's hands. The consequences of this means that if they really believe in the Father, then they will believe Him. Then if they reject Him, they reject the Father.
To further His case, He highlights various witnesses that testify of what He says. It is important that we understand what qualifies as a witness. "15 One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established." (Deut. 19:15) These witnesses are not just people. It can be physical evidence as well. Take a murder trial as an example. The murder weapon being in possession of a particular individual serves as a witness against them. A person who saw the event unfold would be a witness against him. A boot print that matches the exact pattern of his boot would also serve as a witness. So even though there was only one person who could testify, there were three witnesses that rise against him.
Jesus brings up four witnesses that testify of who He is.
- John the Baptist (v. 31-35)
- Jesus' own works (v. 36)
- The Father (v. 37-38)
- The Scriptures (v. 39-47)
To continue to reject Jesus upon what He says is then to reject all of the above. Jesus' claim is exactly that. They are rejecting Him and these witnesses.
What observations are you making about this passage?
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2026
January
John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
February
Passage of the Week: John 17John 17 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 17 | What's the connection?John 17 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 17 | What's the lesson for me today?John 17 | What am I going to do about it?John 17 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:1-11John 18:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:1-11 | What's the connection?John 18:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:12-40John 18:12-40 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:12-40 | What's the connection?John 18:12-40 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:12-40 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:12-40 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:12-40 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 19John 19 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 19 | What's the connection?John 19 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 19 | What's the lesson for me today?John 19 | What am I going to do about it?John 19 | Prayer Prompts
March
Passage of the Week: John 20John 20 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 20 | What's the connection?John 20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 20 | What's the lesson for me today?John 20 | What am I going to do about it?John 20 | Prayer PromptsJohn 21 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 21John 21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 21 | What's the connection?John 21 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 21 | What's the lesson for me today?John 21 | What am I going to do about it?Passage of the Week: Hebrews 1:1-4Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What is a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 1:5-14Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:5-14 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the connection?
April
Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 2:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:5-9Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the connection?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the lesson for me today?
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