Sermon Tone Analysis

Jesus Defends His Deity (Part I) (Show Slide 1)

Scripture Passage: John 5:19-29

Opening Prayer

Let’s pray as we prepare our hearts to hear from God’s Word today.

Lord Jesus, as we open the Scriptures today, please allow the Holy Spirit to stir our hearts and minds and teach us the truth found in your Word.

Bring clarity to any doubts that may exist, build our faith and confidence in you and lead us to action.

Help us to believe and to put our faith and trust in you, for in you and you alone there is life everlasting.

Amen.

Introduction

Last week we were introduced to the incident and indictment toward Jesus by the Jewish authorities.

Let’s quickly review what caused this conflict.

In the early part of chapter 5, Jesus goes to Jerusalem to attend a feast and while there he heals a lame man.

The man had been crippled for 38 years and his situation seemed hopeless.

Taking the initiative, Jesus was concerned for the man’s well-being and commands him to “Get up, pick up your mat and walk” (5:8-9).

Jesus’ words had power and as the man obeyed, his body was completely restored.

John tells us in verse 9 that this miracle or “sign” took place on the Sabbath.

According to Jewish law, no one was allowed to do any kind of lifting, carrying or similar type of “work” on the Sabbath (Ex.

20:8-11).

This incident angered the religious leaders and upon finishing their investigation they accused started to persecute Jesus for breaking the Sabbath law.

In his earthly ministry we find out that the Sabbath was a central issue that brought lots of opposition between Jesus and the religious elite (Mark 2:23; 3:4).

Jesus’ theology on the topic of the Sabbath was contrary to the teachings of the religious leaders.

In Mark 2:27 he had taught that the Sabbath was intended to benefit mankind.

In it’s original intent, it was to be a holy day, a time for worship, prayer, joy and rest from daily “routine” work.

The Sabbath laws that were added later on by the Jewish leaders had obscured or concealed the real intent of God’s Law.

The original meaning had been lost and the rules had become “very complicated and burdensome.”(See

Ref. 6) Edwin.

A Blum, in his commentary wrote this: “The Jews’ rigid tradition (not in the O.T.) taught that if anyone carried anything from a public place to a private place on the Sabbath intentionally, he deserved death by stoning.

In this case the man who was healed was in danger of losing his life.”

That is why he was quick to point to Jesus, the one who had told him to “carry” his mat.

In the process of accusing Jesus, the Jews had failed to realize the life-changing power Jesus possessed.

Jesus’ response to them in verse 17, added more fuel to the fire and caused this conflict to intensify.

Here is what Jesus said: “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

To the religious leaders this statement was blasphemy against God.

Jesus was not just calling God his Father, but he was also claiming that His work was God’s work.

Notice the language that Jesus uses in the response.

Jesus uses the phrase “My Father” thus claiming a special relationship with God the Father.

He didn’t used the term “your Father” or even “our Father” (used often by the Jews) but uses a pronoun that clearly claims His deity (See Ref. 6).

Jesus’ response regarding the unique Father-Son relationship made matters worse.

“The Jews believed in the one true God, a God infinitely greater than any human being.

Thus, for any person to claim to be God or to be like God was an insult to this one true God.

According to the Jewish law, the punishment for such blasphemy against God was death (Leviticus 24:16).”

(See Ref. 5) This claim upset the Jews because to them Jesus was only a man.

They failed to see the big picture.

They focused more on their man-made laws that they were blinded to see the power of God in the healing of the lame man.

In John 5:16-18, we are told the reasons for such growing hostility and dissension, which led to Jesus facing persecution and even death (as the Jews were seeking to kill Him).

(Show slide 2)

Two things that led to this conflict:

1. Jesus breaking the Sabbath (v.16, 18)

2. Jesus claiming equality with God (v.

17, 18)

This is the context for our story today.

In today’s passage, we are going to focus on the 2nd part of this chapter verses 19-29 and look at Jesus’ defense in response to the indictment by the Jewish leaders.

Jesus’ supernatural power that was displayed publicly in the man’s immediate cure revealed his true identity that He was more than human, He was the Messiah, the Christ.

In this miracle, Jesus is fulfilling the words of the prophet Isaiah who had prophesied that in the days of the Messiah the lame would “leap like a deer” (Isaiah 35:1-7).

The Jewish leaders should have picked up on this one.

As we look closer at our text verse 19-29, we find out how Jesus supports His claims of equality with God.

This long discourse with the Jewish leaders goes till the end of the chapter.

Today, we will reflect at part 1 of His defense, where we find out that Jesus provides 3 major claims in supporting His deity and equality with God.

Each claim begins with the expression…

(Show slide 3)

“Truly, Truly, I say to you.” (v.

19, 24, 25 NASB)

In my study, I found out that Jesus used the word “truly” often in his teachings.

In the Gospel of John, this repetitive phrase is used 25 times.

The Greek word used in the text is amen which means truly, and has other translations (See Ref. 1 & 2)

(Show slide 4)

“Truly, Truly” is recorded 25 times in the Gospel of John

The transliteration from the original Greek word is the word (amḗn)

The word "amen" means truly

Translated also as “verily, most assuredly and so be it”

The Late R.C. Sproul, an American Reformed Theologian and pastor, referred to “Truly, Truly” statements as the “double Amen” (Ref.

1; Ref. 3).

He wrote this: “Whenever we read in the text of Scripture our Lord giving a statement that is prefaced by the double ‘amen’, it is a time to pay close attention and be ready to give our response with a double amen to it.

He says “amen” to indicate truth; we say it to receive truth and to submit to it.”-R.C.

Sproul (See Ref. 1)

In the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), Jesus used a single word amen in over 50 sayings, where as in John, he doubles it down.

Why is that?

In using these “Truly, truly” statements, Jesus was proclaiming truth and challenging His audience to listen with the intent to understand His true identity.

If he used the word twice, it meant that it was twice as important.

Usually, we use the word “amen” at the end of a prayer or statement or when we agree with the preacher (Amen!).

The N.T writers often used it at the conclusion of their writings.

In this text, however, Jesus does the opposite.

Jesus’ claims will be his defense as to who He is and why He does these things.

John in this passage will allow the very words of Jesus to support the purpose of His Gospel: “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

(John 20:31)

So, let’s unpack these claims and learn how they reveal and support his true identity and equality with God.

This brings us to our 1st claim.

The question we are going to answer is this:

(Show Slide 5)

How is Jesus equal with God the Father?

Jesus is Equal in His Authoritative Works (vv.

19-23)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

(v.

19 NASB)

Let’s pick up at verse 19.

This claim is in response to what Jesus had already mentioned in verse 17… “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

In the eternal realm, the Godhead has been working in perfect harmony with one another.

From chapter 1 of Genesis and of John’s Gospel, we learn that Jesus was present and working from the very beginning.

He is the Creator God.

Throughout O.T. history, we see the Triune God actively working through the nation of Israel, to bring salvation to a fallen humanity.

In the N.T. we see Jesus, carrying out that plan to fulfillment.

In His humanity, being fully God and fully man, he lived a perfect life and did the works of the Father in complete obedience.