John 5:17-23 - Homiletics

Our Lord's vindication of his conduct.

It is summarized in a single significant sentence: "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."

I. THE TRUE MEANING OF OUR LORD 'S DECLARATION .

1 . His Father ' s life is characterized by unceasing activity. He may have ceased to put forth power in the way of creative energy, but he is still active in the spheres of providence and redemption.

2 . Christ ' s work is coordinate with that of the Father, and not merely dependent upon it. The assertion implies equality of operation.

3 . The sabbath miracle just performed was part of his Divine activity, but not on that account inconsistent with the sabbath law.

II. THE JEWISH INTERPRETATION PUT UPON OUR LORD 'S DECLARATION . "Therefore sought they 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." The interpretation was perfectly just, and, accordingly, Jesus, instead of repudiating it, uses four arguments to confirm its truth.

1 . First argument. His perfect Sonship involves identity of will and operation with the Father. "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."

2 . Second argument. The love of the Father to the Son leads to his communicating to the Son "all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel."

3 . Third argument. The Son is joined with the Father in quickening the dead. "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will."

(a) in raising Lazarus, the son of the widow of Nain, and the daughter of Jairus;

(b) in the conversion of many souls during his ministry;

(c) and will be still more gloriously manifest in the final resurrection of the dead.

(d) He is sovereign in the exercise of his power: "The Son quickeneth whom he will."

( α ) Yet his will is not independent of the Father's will, for he quickeneth all whom the Father hath given to him.

( β ) But the salvation that springs out of this quickening is not of works, nor of him that runneth, but of him that showeth mercy.

4 . Fourth argument. Judgment belongs to the Son. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son."