S – ¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 

¹⁸ This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 

John 5:17–18 CSB

O – Commentary:

But Jesus pointed to the continuous work of God as a justification for His Sabbath activity. God sustains the universe, begets life, and visits judgments. It is not wrong for His Son to do works of grace and mercy on the Sabbath. The words My Father should be noted. Jesus did not say “your Father” or even “our Father.” His opponents did not miss His claim to Diety.

5:18. The Sabbath controversy was enough to cause them to hate Jesus, but the implication of His claim that God is His own Father was impossible for them to accept. To them, God has no equals. Jesus’ claim, in their thinking, was a monstrous blasphemy. To be equal with God suggested, they thought, two gods and therefore polytheism. To make oneself “equal with God” was a claim of arrogant independence.

 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 290.

A – The Jews were right – God has no equal.  But, they were wrong, Jesus is God in human flesh.  Who would be so arrogant to act like they were God?  We do that today.  God has given us direction in the Bible and his Holy Spirit to help us live a life that honors God.  There are those who reject Jesus all together and those who acknowledge him but live life by their own rules and standards.  The big question we will answer is what did we do with Jesus.  He said, “I am the way, truth and life.”

R – Heavenly Father, you are God.  We acknowledge that Jesus is God and so is the Holy Spirit.  Jesus’ role is to be our savior and we accept him.  We also choose to live a life according to your word and promptings.  Empower us to do that today.