The Deity, Authority & Power of Jesus

The New American Commentary: John 1–11 (3) The Sabbath, the Man’s Defense, and the Rise of Conflict (5:9b–29)

As God’s agent, Jesus received direct insight from the Father and acted in accordance with the Father’s wishes. The actions of Jesus, therefore, were the actions of the Father because in Jesus the Father was in fact acting. One of the great heresies among Christians is to split Jesus from God in such a way that somehow God does not participate in the work (and death) of Jesus. However one interprets the great mystery of the incarnate work of Jesus, it must never be separated from the fact that Jesus was the agent of God. The surprising revelation to humanity is that greater works were to be revealed through the Son, undoubtedly related to salvation (5:20). Readers of John will also recall the striking similar statement that comes in the Farewell Cycle to the effect that believers would “do even greater things” because Jesus was returning to the Father (14:12). That statement should again be related to the expansion of God’s working in the world—God’s mission through believers, who are to pattern their lives on Jesus, the model agent of God.

The New American Commentary: John 1–11 (3) The Sabbath, the Man’s Defense, and the Rise of Conflict (5:9b–29)

The first gar (“because” in the NIV) reminds the reader that the Father is the model for the Son’s activity (5:19). The point is that the Son copied the Father. Paul employed a similar idea in the theme of imitation to suggest that Christians were to copy him and his model of authentic life (cf. Phil 3:17; 1 Cor 4:16) as he copied or imitated Christ (1 Cor 11:1

Introduction:

In , Jesus heals a lame man by the pool at Bethesda on the Sabbath day and also commands the lame man to carry his mat. Both violations of two of the 39 rules the Scribes and Pharisees had come up with for the Sabbath. They were angry enough that he was breaking all their rules about the Sabbath day by healing a lame man, but the claims Jesus made after the miracle ratcheted up the anger so much they were now threatening to kill Jesus. (vv.17-18)

These statements by Jesus here shook the world of the Jews and the religious elites. He begins his statements in verse 19 with a double amen or “Verily, Verily” or “Truly” I tell you. This phrase literally at the time meant a saying with absolute no contradiction whatsoever. This is for emphasis so as to leave no doubt about what he is saying. The claims Jesus is making here in and following would serve to further God’s redemptive plan as the religious leaders were energized now to have him put to death. Let’s look at these claims. First of all Jesus claimed:

Jesus the God-Man (v.19-21)

Jesus is perfect deity enshrined in perfect humanity. This was unfathomable to his opponents during his earthly ministry and is still a stumbling point to people today.

“Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man in one person, and will be so forever.”

C.S Lewis, “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. . . . Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God.”

In , , , , , . These clearly refer to Jesus as God. The Greek words “theos” and “kyrios” are also used to refer to Jesus. Theos for God and kyrios for Lord. Kyrios is used over 6,814 times in the Greek New Testament to refer to Jesus. Logos, the greek word used for the word in also would have indicated not just the powerful and creative word of God in creation but also to refer to what held everything in place in the universe. Jesus is what makes sense of and holds the universe together.

Identified with the Father in Action

“the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing.” In the incarnation, the God-head or Trinity is not divided. Jesus, while a separate person (three persons of the Trinity, Father, Son & Holy Spirit) but by unity with the Godhead therefore does nothing that the Father does not do. If we want to see what God the Father is doing, we only need to look at Jesus. Those who walked with Christ during his time on this earth saw the Father at work. In Christ we see the likeness of God the Father.

“As God’s agent, Jesus received direct insight from the Father and acted in accordance with the Father’s wishes. The actions of Jesus, therefore, were the actions of the Father because in Jesus the Father was in fact acting. One of the great heresies among Christians is to split Jesus from God in such a way that somehow God does not participate in the work (and death) of Jesus.”

, “In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.”

, “ For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ.”

Jesus’ claim to be God still confronts people today, and many reject his claim.

C.S Lewis, “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. . . . Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God.”

Jesus is equal with God in his person, work and power.

Jesus also claimed:

The Orthodox Jew believed that God was the “judge of all the earth” and for anyone to claim the title of Judge or claim the authority to judge would have been a blasphemous claim to be God. Of course, this is exactly what Jesus is saying.He is God.

The Universal Judge (v.22-23)

I think of when you enter a courtroom, there is a certain respect. When the judge comes in what is said, “All rise”. There is an honor and respect given to the courtroom and the proceedings because the judge is in the room. Jesus’ words in v.23, “so that all people may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who has sent him.”

His Righteous Judgment (v. 27, 30)

v. 30, “and my judgment is just...”

The Eternal Punishment for Unbelief

Lastly he claimed to have:

At the great white throne judgment, those who are not saved will stand before Christ not as Savior, but as the one true and final judge of all men. The opportunity for salvation will be lost forever and eternal torment and separation from God will be the reality.

Because Jesus is God, he has authority to judge you for all of eternity. It is not enough to say that you respect Jesus or that you think he is a great teacher or role model. God did not sent Jesus to die so that you would think highly of him. I hear people all the time talk about how they think highly of Jesus or that he is a really cool guy. Listen, Jesus is God and as such you must throw yourself at his feet and plead with him to rescue you from the penalty of your sin.

Lastly he claimed to have:

Jesus the Life Giver (v.24-25; 29)

, “In him was life...”

These first signs or miracles of Jesus are pointing to the raising of Lazarus in chapter 11 and ultimately the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus to point out the power to give life.

A Spiritual Resurrection (vv.24-25)

The walking dead and the spiritual life that only God can give. A spiritual resurrection is in view in verses 25-26 and not a physical one. I have been to a great number of funerals and have officiate my share of them, and I have never seen a dead person stand up and say amen.

, “ And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus.”

We often ask people to ponder the question, “Is there life after death?” Of course the answer is yes, either with God or separated from him. The real question we should be asking people today is “Is there life after birth?”

, “I am the way, the truth and the life...”

The language of verse 24 is present tense active. It is happening now as people hear the voice of God and hare made alive by faith. The Samaritan woman was made alive…you could argue that the lame man at the pool was made alive…Nicodemus..etc.

If you don’t have Jesus Christ you don’t have life, you are dead.

2. A Physical Resurrection (vv.28-29)

These verses are referring to a future time. Everybody will be raised. Anyone who has ever lived and died will be raised. All that are in the graves will be raised alive, to a physical and literal resurrection. At death, the soul is immediately either in heaven or hell.

Passages like this should put a nail in the coffin (no pun intended) that lays to rest (again no pun intended) the idea that life essentially ends at death. That at death you simply cease to exist. There will not only be a resurrection, one for the righteous and one for the wicked, but this resurrection will be followed by judgment.

His Abundant Grace (v.24)

“Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.”

The Opportunity for Everyone

The Simplicity of the Gospel

The Eternal Benefit of Believing

At the great white throne judgment, those who are not saved will stand before Christ not as Savior, but as the one true and final judge of all men. The opportunity for salvation will be lost forever and eternal torment and separation from God will be the reality.

The Deity, Authority & Power of Jesus

I. Equality with God

II. The Authority of Jesus

II. The Authority of Judgment

III. The Power to Give Life