Jesus is Fully God

Recap the Book of John so far

Chapter 1 Prologue and John’s ministry, calling the disciples

Chapter 2 Jesus turns water into wine and cleanses the Temple - both indicative of his ministry

Chapter 3 Nicodemus, New birth, and John the Baptist exalts Christ

Chapter 4 Samaritan woman, familiarity with Jesus (and he’s fully man), and Jesus heals an official’s son

Chapter 5 Jesus heals a man crippled for 38 years (on the Sabbath!)

John 20:30-31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Why Was Jesus Persecuted?

John 5:16–17 ESV

And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

Interesting that John inserts these two editorial remarks back-to-back

What began likely as a dispute over what is and is not allowable on the Sabbath, quickly morphed into Jesus authority over the Sabbath.

Jesus doesn’t back down from the fight - pretty clear claim to deity

“these things” probably referring to other healings that Jesus did on the Sabbath that are recorded in the other Gospels

John 5:18 ESV

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.

"Breaking” the Sabbath was bad enough, but Jesus is calling God his own Father, putting himself on the same level‌

Pharisees can’t rejoice that the lame man was healed - they fixate on Jesus’ “work” on the Sabbath

How often do we get in the way of what God is doing by our religious preferences?

Why was Jesus killed? One because that’s what he came to do, die as a propitiation, but Two because he was claiming to be God.

What the Father Does, The Son Does

John 5:19–23 ESV

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

“Truly, truly” followed by four “For” statements

Circle or underline those and it’s a little easier to see how the text logically unfolds

In this context, sons do what their fathers do. If your dad was a carpenter, you were a carpenter. If your dad was a fisherman, you were a fisherman, and so on.

God the Son and God the Father are no similar- whatever the Father does, the Son does the same thing.

we don’t believe in three gods, but a Trinity - “tri-unity”

most metaphors for the Trinity are helpful in what the Trinity isn’t

“The American Banking Association has a training program that exemplifies this aim of the author. Each year it sends hundreds of bank tellers to Washington in order to teach them to detect counterfeit money, which is a great source of a loss of revenue to the Treasury Department. It is most interesting that during the entire two-week training program, no teller touches counterfeit money. Only the original passes through his hands. The reason for this is that the American Banking Association is convinced that if a man is thoroughly familiar with the original, he will not be deceived by the counterfeit bill, no matter how much like the original it appears. It is the contention of this writer that if the average Christian would become familiar once again with the great foundations of his faith, he would be able to detect those counterfeit elements so apparent in the cult systems, which set them apart from biblical Christianity.” - Kingdom of the Cults, Walter Martin

Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible (John 5:19–30)

The allusion to “greater works” (5:20) echoes the statement to Nathanael (1:50). This is an example of a frequently employed narrative element in the FG, whereby layers of interpretation are built up incrementally. The first impression following 1:50 is that the “greater things” are represented by the wine miracle at Cana. Now we see that something yet more spectacular is being alluded to, namely, the raising of the dead (5:21).

most cults get the full deity and/or full humanity of Jesus wrong - BUT - there are organizations and movements that may be doctrinally orthodox on paper, but the way they treat people both inside and outside the organization shows that by their fruit that they aren’t following Christ

They may have a Jesus of their own invention

It is possible to have orthodox Christology and still devour the weak

Pick up on “marvel” in v. 20 - also v. 28

Jesus predicts that the disciples will be amazed at his works - but also to not be amazed that Jesus will accomplish his mission

Jesus at different points tells people that they will marvel; at other points that they should not marvel.

Healing of the official’s son - John 4:48 “So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.””

“y’all”

Hearing and Belief

John 5:24 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Salvation doesn’t come by us doing something to get into the kingdom, it comes by “hearing with faith”

Gal 3:2 “Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?”

“has” - present tense

“has passed” perfect tense

Eternal life begins now for the believer

John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

Why John is writing his gospel:

John 20:30-31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The Son’s Future Work

John 5:25–29 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

“Here…the coming hour already is: the resurrection life for the physically dead in the end time is already being manifest in life for the spiritually dead. It is the voice of the Son of God that calls forth the dead, and those who hear will live.

(Carson, Pillar Commentary p. 256)

See both the terms, “Son of God” and “Son of Man”

The Son of Man motif in the Book of Daniel - Dan 7:13 ““I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.”

Jesus points the disciples and to not only his salvation in this world, but his salvation in a future sense.

The “Done good” and “done evil” in verse 30 does not somehow create a works-centered salvation on the heels of salvation by faith. Jesus is perfectly just as God the Father is perfectly just.

The same Jesus that comes and dies for us is the same Jesus that holds our eternity.

Will you come to Christ today?

Do you marvel at what Christ has done?

Do you trust your theology (or lack of one) at the expense of knowing Christ?

Do you know enough basic theology to refute arguments from cults?

Have you been in church situations where orthodoxy may be proclaimed, but love for one another is not cherished?