18

Jesus called God his Father making him equal

Last updated 07/19/15 this study is four pages long
Some say that when the Jews were persecuting Jesus they were correct in thinking he was equal with God, therefore
Jesus must be God.
John 5:18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he
was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
On the face of it this might seem like a valid argument, however I will show that this interpretation is an incorrect
conclusion and that John 5:18 does NOT show Jesus to be God.
Whether you agree or disagree, in part or in whole, big or small, please email me any feedback to help improve this
study. I would also appreciate any help with its logic, grammar, typos, editing etc.
Before analyzing the passage in question in John 5:18, and the relationship of Christ with God, I am going to provide
some evidence that has to be taken into account when interpreting our passage.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

The Jews Viewpoints are Invalid

John 5:18 Jesus said God was his Father
John 5:19-31 The following Context
Why were the Jews so Angry?

Part 1 The Jews Viewpoints are Invalid

The Pharisees, a certain group of Jews, had already made many mistakes when they were trying to identify him and
were so confused that their viewpoint really has little value at all. This was a certain group of people who had these
viewpoints, not all of the people.
Mathew 15:6-9 So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Jesus said the Jews teaching was in vain, their traditions had made void the word of God.
They called him a glutton and a drunkard,
They said he was out of his mind,
They said he was possessed by the Beelzebub,
They had persecuted him,
They called him a Samaritan, said he had a demon
They had him put to death

Mathew 11:19.
Mark 3:21.
Mark 3:22
John 5:16
John 8:48
Mark 15:13-20

In modern day language the Pharisees would be considered "hostile witnesses," or ones fabricating evidence in order to
bring down the recipient of the hostility. To take the view that they now knew what they were talking about in this
interpretation in John 5:18 is a highly irrational standpoint. The Pharisees clearly did not know who Jesus was
therefore their statement of belief in John 5:18 is worthless.
Summary:
The Pharisees had mistakenly thought that Jesus was a glutton, a drunkard, out of his mind, possessed by Beelzebub, a
Samaritan, had a demon and had persecuted him and put him to death.

It was the Pharisees traditional viewpoint that a person was equal to his father, in reality this is not true of any son
father relationship. Obviously Jesus disagreed with their viewpoint because he had repeatedly told them and others that
God was their Father.
The Pharisees viewpoint was incorrect so often, on so many subjects, that it makes no sense to assume it is correct on
this occasion.
Jesus view of the Pharisees was that their teachings had made void the word of God, and they worshipped God in vain

Part 2 John 5:18 Jesus said God was his Father

So what did Jesus really mean in John 5:18? John tells us the reason why the Jews wanted to kill Jesus. John is not
saying that he thinks, or agrees, that Jesus was breaking the Sabbath or claiming to be equal with God. He is not stating
his own viewpoint, he is stating theirs.
John 5:18 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.
Jesus is healing on the Sabbath because that is good in the sight of God, and he claimed that God was his Father,
making him a Son of God because that is what he wanted to claim. Both were good and not sinful under God's law, but
were sinful and outside of the law according to the Jews!
Through his many statements that others have God as their Father, which makes them "Sons of God," he obviously
disagreed with the Jewish viewpoint that being a son makes the son equal with the father. Jesus is known throughout
the gospels for regularly arguing and disagreeing with the Jewish laws. He had called them vipers, hypocrites, blind,
deaf and now they were proving that they were deaf because they were not listening to him again. If he had wanted to
say he was God he would have said so.
Summary:
Jesus was claiming that God was his Father, which meant he was a son of God because that is what he was and is,
nothing more.

Part 3 The Following Context

The following context has overwhelming evidence that the Son and the Father are distinct individuals who are not each
other or equal with each other.
John 5:19-31 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.
20 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.
21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
23 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.
24 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.
25 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.
26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the
resurrection of judgment.
30 I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will
but the will of him who sent me.
31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.

32 There is

another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

Vs19 The Son can do nothing on his own. The Son copies the Father. Does anyone seriously believe that the God of the
universe would say this?
Vs20 The Father shows the Son what to do. God does not need showing anything.
Vs21 The Father gives life to the dead. The Son copies the Father.
Vs23 People honor the Father, they will then honor the Son.
Vs24 The Father sent the Son.
Vs26 The Father allowed the Son to have life, no one allows God anything.
Vs27 The Son was given authority by the Father, God does not need giving authority.
Vs30 The Son can do nothing on his own. The Son has a separate will from the Father
Vs32 The Father is another.
Summary:
The text from vs19-32 begins "So Jesus said to them," he is about to explain why they were wrong in their beliefs. He
repeatedly explains how and why the Son is not equal to the Father and how the Son is not God. Jesus gives ten reasons
to validate his viewpoint which disagree with the Jews viewpoint.

Part 4 Why were the Jews so Angry?

Here are seven very specific reasons why the Jews were so angry with Jesus.
1/ The Jews wrongly understood God to have been resting on the Sabbath, Jesus said God was working.
2/ The Jews wrongly understood that people should rest on the Sabbath, Jesus was working on the Sabbath.
3/ The Jews wrongly understood a Son to be equal with his Father. John 14:28 The Father is greater than I - Jesus
4/ Jesus was claiming that he had been given direct authority from God.
5/ Jesus had called the Jews vipers, hypocrites, blind, deaf.
6/ As shown in the context of vs19-31 Jesus had upended numerous parts of their belief system.
7/ Jesus was claiming that only God was his Father, that he had no earthly father. This would mean Jesus had a higher
status than the rest of the Jews who considered themselves the legitimate sons of God and rulers of Israel.
Summary:
The Jews were angry, extremely annoyed, and in direct opposition to Jesus for at least the seven reasons stated here.
Each one would be enough on its own however all seven clearly drove them to the point of no return.
Summaries and Final Conclusion:
Part 1 The Jews had mistakenly thought that Jesus was a glutton, a drunkard, out of his mind, possessed by
Beelzebub, a Samaritan, had a demon and had persecuted him and put him to death.
It was the Jewish traditional viewpoint that a person was equal to his father, in reality this is not true of any
son father relationship. Obviously Jesus disagreed with their viewpoint because he had repeatedly told them and
others that God was their Father.
The Jew's viewpoint was incorrect so often, on so many subjects, that it makes no sense to assume it is correct
on this occasion.
Jesus view of the Jews was that their teachings had made void the word of God, and they worshipped God
in vain
Part 2 Jesus was claiming that God was his Father, which meant he was a son of God because that is what he was
and is, nothing more.

Part 3 The text from vs19-32 begins "So Jesus said to them," he is about to explain why they were wrong in their
beliefs. He repeatedly explains how and why the Son is not equal to the Father and how the Son is not God.
Jesus gives ten reasons to validate his viewpoint which disagree with the Jews viewpoint.
Part 4 The Jews were angry, extremely annoyed, and in direct opposition to Jesus for at least the seven reasons stated
here. Each one would be enough on its own however all seven clearly drove them to the point of no
return.
Final Conclusion:
Because of the facts stated here nothing in John 5:18 says that Jesus is God
There is an in depth analysis 02E Jesus has no equality with God linked here
Scripture List
P1
Mathew 15:6-9
So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
P2
John 5:18 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.
P3
John 5:19-31
Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord