17 Aug (John 5)

The Gospels: Jesus is the Son of God

John 5

(v.6) We can't make doctrine or assumptions about what isn't in the text, but I find it odd that Jesus asked a man who was immobile for 38 years, if he wanted to be made well...isn't that an obvious answer of yes! Perhaps Jesus knew this man was of faith, or perhaps this man didn't do the one thing that Jesus was waiting for...a cry out to Him for help.

(v.14) Since we are all sinners, and are imperfect, this statement by Jesus would bring great trepidation upon me if He made me well and said Sin no more. What I point out to my kids, is that God doesn't expect us to be perfect (only Jesus is) but He does expect us to abandon our sinful habits and lifestyles that prevent us from growing in the LORD.

Sins of the flesh are temporary pleasures that can become our god. If we don't put God first, then these sins can push Him down on a list. God doesn't just want to be #1 on our lists, but He wants to be the only thing on our lists!

(v.16) The Pharisees keep showing their hypocrasy and obsession with rules. The Sabbath was a day of rest, but not because God needed rest after creating the universe. He established it to spend a day to honor and glorify Him. We spend the whole week, working and doing things with our kids, and God knew that if we don't regularly spend at least one day a week in worship, then we would fall away from Him. The Pharisees didn't know the reason for the Sabbath, for if they did, they would have rejoiced that a man was able to walk on the day they were supposed to honor God!

(v.18) When skeptics claim that Jesus never said He was God, they show their ignorance of not only multiple examples of Him saying it, but they don't understand the Jewish culture of the time either.

In our culture today, if we go to a business called Smith and Son, and we are attended to by the son, then we don't feel like he has the final say on things. However, in Jewish culture, the son has equal authority as the father, so that is why the Jews said that Jesus was calling Himself God. For to be the Son of God is the same in their culture as saying He is God.

(v.24) Jesus reveals God's plan of redemption in one sentence...the Father sent Him to save the world. The Father gave Jesus the authority to own and preside over all the creation...after all, it was Jesus who created everything!

(v.37) This verse gives us a little better understanding of the Holy Trinity. The Father has never been heard nor seen...that includes by Moses and Abraham. Who they saw, was the physical embodiment of God...Jesus. We saw numerous occasions where the Angel of the LORD appeared in the Old Testament...that was Jesus!

It helps me to try to comprehend the Trinity this way:

The Father ~ Mind or Heart

The Son ~ Body or Power

The Holy Spirit ~ Spirit or Soul

If we read the greatest commandment:

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart (Father), with all your soul (Spirit), and with all your strength (Son). Deut 6:5

(v.39) Jesus shows us that if we read the Old Testament, we see that they describe Him, and His purpose to save us from our death in sin.

(v.46) The Jews revered and admired Moses, and Jesus tells them that Moses spoke of Jesus as the Messiah. Deut 18:15