The Deity of Christ
Study No. 11 - Verses 16 – 30
In the section of scripture which forms the basis of this study we are presented with an account of some angry Jewish leaders confronting Jesus.
A man who had lain for years by the pool of Bethesda was healed by Jesus, who then told him to roll up his mat and carry it. He was accosted by the Jewish leaders in the temple who told him to stop; he was breaking the Sabbath law. He replies that the one who healed him TOLD him to do it.
So, their anger is based, first on hearsay. When they approach Jesus they confront Him with ‘working on the Sabbath’. Their wrath is kindled to the point of murder when Jesus refers to God as His own Father.
The resulting dialogue from Jesus likely went right over their heads. It did not appease their anger in the least and likely aggravated them even further.
The Deity of Christ is certainly the principle subject of this section of scripture. This section of scripture probably means much more to Christians than it ever did to the Pharisees.
The considerations to be examined include
(a) The humanity of Christ
(b) The pre-existence of Christ
(c) The apparent ‘one-ness’ of Christ with the Father
(d) The insinuation of Christ and the Father being ‘separate entities’
(e) The apparent subordination of Christ to the Father.
(f) The equality of Jesus with the Father
(g) The concept of the Trinity
Verse 18 ‘Making Himself equal with God’. Notice the Jews are not accusing Jesus of claiming to BE God. They have no reason to suspect the concept of the pre-existence of Christ. They see Jesus as proclaiming Himself as a parallel equal. They were willing to bring charges against Christ for being a law-breaker, but now they charge him with blasphemy. Both sins were punishable by death when Israel was a free entity.
V19. ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself…’ We must take Jesus’ words literally here. He is speaking
(a) NOT as a matter of permission (i.e. The Son may do nothing on His own). This would imply inferiority to the Father.
(b) as a matter of ability. He is so connected with the Father, He literally CANNOT act on His own. He does what the Father does. This does not mean that He copies the Father. It does not mean that the Father raises someone from the dead, and so the Son copies and also performs a resurrection. It means that the Father and Son are doing the same action at exactly the same time.
V20 The Father loves the Son. “For God so loved the world that He gave …” The Greek word used in John 3:16 for love is Agape’. This is often referred to as the strongest word for love. This is the word Jesus used when he asked: “Peter, do you love me more than these?” Peter replied, “Lord you know all things, You know that I love you” but Peter used a different word for love, he used the word ‘phileo’. This is the word used in verse 20. Why?
The connection between the Father and the Son is not only of a joined unity/equality but it is also a connection of true emotional bonding.
V23 ‘all should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father’ these must be hard to understand words for those who reject the deity of Christ. No wonder some of them write their own bibles.
A person who insists on honouring the Father only, is in fact failing to do even that. The Father only receive honor that does not seek to by-pass Christ. This is the same as trying to ‘get into the sheepfold’ without going through the door. John 10.1,9
V24 This verse is speaking particularly about:
a. whether Jesus is in fact sent from God.
i. This is His word on the matter and
ii. it is the Father’s word.
b. Everlasting life as a present possession
c. The type of judgment from which true believers are exempt.
Verses 25 – 29 are speaking about the ‘life-giving powers’ which Jesus possessed while He was in the flesh and also which He continues to possess.
1. “The hour now is”. Jesus spoke life into the crippled man at the poolside. Jesus will literally speak life into others who have died.
2. This authority is tied in with the right to judge v27
3. Two resurrections are indicated in verses 28 and 29.
1. Life. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
2. Condemnation. Re 20:11 ¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away;
What is the purpose of ‘resurrecting’ them. Where were they and where will they be going? Will they get a second chance?
The ‘oneness’ of Jesus with the Father is underscored in verse 30. As part of the God head in Heaven he could do nothing of Himself. Now, as the Son of Man, He carried the limitations of the flesh. In this condition he affirms that He only does what He hears.
The occasion that angered the Jews becomes an occasion of amazement to us. What an awesome God we serve.
In the section of scripture which forms the basis of this study we are presented with an account of some angry Jewish leaders confronting Jesus.
A man who had lain for years by the pool of Bethesda was healed by Jesus, who then told him to roll up his mat and carry it. He was accosted by the Jewish leaders in the temple who told him to stop; he was breaking the Sabbath law. He replies that the one who healed him TOLD him to do it.
So, their anger is based, first on hearsay. When they approach Jesus they confront Him with ‘working on the Sabbath’. Their wrath is kindled to the point of murder when Jesus refers to God as His own Father.
The resulting dialogue from Jesus likely went right over their heads. It did not appease their anger in the least and likely aggravated them even further.
The Deity of Christ is certainly the principle subject of this section of scripture. This section of scripture probably means much more to Christians than it ever did to the Pharisees.
The considerations to be examined include
(a) The humanity of Christ
(b) The pre-existence of Christ
(c) The apparent ‘one-ness’ of Christ with the Father
(d) The insinuation of Christ and the Father being ‘separate entities’
(e) The apparent subordination of Christ to the Father.
(f) The equality of Jesus with the Father
(g) The concept of the Trinity
Verse 18 ‘Making Himself equal with God’. Notice the Jews are not accusing Jesus of claiming to BE God. They have no reason to suspect the concept of the pre-existence of Christ. They see Jesus as proclaiming Himself as a parallel equal. They were willing to bring charges against Christ for being a law-breaker, but now they charge him with blasphemy. Both sins were punishable by death when Israel was a free entity.
V19. ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself…’ We must take Jesus’ words literally here. He is speaking
(a) NOT as a matter of permission (i.e. The Son may do nothing on His own). This would imply inferiority to the Father.
(b) as a matter of ability. He is so connected with the Father, He literally CANNOT act on His own. He does what the Father does. This does not mean that He copies the Father. It does not mean that the Father raises someone from the dead, and so the Son copies and also performs a resurrection. It means that the Father and Son are doing the same action at exactly the same time.
V20 The Father loves the Son. “For God so loved the world that He gave …” The Greek word used in John 3:16 for love is Agape’. This is often referred to as the strongest word for love. This is the word Jesus used when he asked: “Peter, do you love me more than these?” Peter replied, “Lord you know all things, You know that I love you” but Peter used a different word for love, he used the word ‘phileo’. This is the word used in verse 20. Why?
The connection between the Father and the Son is not only of a joined unity/equality but it is also a connection of true emotional bonding.
V23 ‘all should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father’ these must be hard to understand words for those who reject the deity of Christ. No wonder some of them write their own bibles.
A person who insists on honouring the Father only, is in fact failing to do even that. The Father only receive honor that does not seek to by-pass Christ. This is the same as trying to ‘get into the sheepfold’ without going through the door. John 10.1,9
V24 This verse is speaking particularly about:
a. whether Jesus is in fact sent from God.
i. This is His word on the matter and
ii. it is the Father’s word.
b. Everlasting life as a present possession
c. The type of judgment from which true believers are exempt.
Verses 25 – 29 are speaking about the ‘life-giving powers’ which Jesus possessed while He was in the flesh and also which He continues to possess.
1. “The hour now is”. Jesus spoke life into the crippled man at the poolside. Jesus will literally speak life into others who have died.
2. This authority is tied in with the right to judge v27
3. Two resurrections are indicated in verses 28 and 29.
1. Life. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
2. Condemnation. Re 20:11 ¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away;
What is the purpose of ‘resurrecting’ them. Where were they and where will they be going? Will they get a second chance?
The ‘oneness’ of Jesus with the Father is underscored in verse 30. As part of the God head in Heaven he could do nothing of Himself. Now, as the Son of Man, He carried the limitations of the flesh. In this condition he affirms that He only does what He hears.
The occasion that angered the Jews becomes an occasion of amazement to us. What an awesome God we serve.