Equal With God – John 5:16-24

To be subordinate means to be in a lower position of authority than another, whereas to be inferior means to be of lesser quality than another.  Is it possible to be subordinate without being inferior?  Does the rank of Sergeant make one inferior to a Lieutenant?  Jesus seems to be claiming equality with the Father while at the same time being subordinate to the Father.

And because of this the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he did these things on the Sabbath.  But Jesus responded to them, “My Father is working until now and I too am working.”  For this reason then the Jews began seeking rather to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was saying God was his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Jesus answered them, therefore, saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son is not able to do anything by himself, but only what he sees the Father doing, for whatever he sees Him do, these things he likewise does.  Because the Father loves the Son and has shown him what He Himself does, and greater works than these He will show him so that you might be amazed.  For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also to whomever the Son chooses he gives life.  For the Father does not judge anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all might honor the Son even as they honor the Father.  The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.  Truly, truly I say to you that the one who hears my word and believes in the One who sent me has eternal life and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”  (John 5:16-24)

John explains that the Jewish leaders had two reasons to persecute Jesus, the first being he contradicted their traditions about work on the Sabbath and the second that he claimed to be God.  Does God work on the Sabbath?  Of course He does as He maintains and rules over His world, but Jesus claims to be working just like His Father is working.  If Jesus were not God, this would be blasphemy.

Jesus highlights this ‘subordinate equality’ by explaining how, like any son to his father, this Son imitates His Father, has intimate relationship with His Father, will be shown by the Father greater works to do even than He has shown to date, can give life like the Father and has been handed judgment of the world by His Father.  This being the case, faith in the Son results in eternal life.

Jesus pictures eternal life as a present possession for those who believe Him and His Father, the process (“passed” from Greek metabaino, most often translated “departed”) being like one who leaves or departs one place for another.  Our confidence that we have eternal life is not in ourselves but in the One who declared it was so if we believe.  Jesus gives no other requirement for departing death for life than believing in him and his Father.

Discussion Questions

1. Describe any kinds of persecution you have experienced, that is, unfair treatment motivated by wrong thinking.
2. What was the motivation for the Jews to persecute Jesus?
3. If Jesus was not God would the persecution of the Jews be justified?
4. How is it that Jesus could be subordinate to the Father and yet still equal to Him in every sense?
5. Can you argue one way or another from the word “passed” or “departed” from death to life as to whether salvation is a process or a momentary/point of time conversion?
6. How do you know that you have passed from death to life?