Thoughts on the Gospel of John (57) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, My Father has been working until now, and I have been working. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
John 5: 15 - 18.

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (57)
It was the Sabbath, and Jesus healed a sick man. Instead of rejoicing there was much criticism, the Jews insisting that the law regarding Sabbath had been broken. Was their criticism justified? No, God's wish was that no work should be done on the Sabbath Day. He had rested after the six days of creation. It was not His intention that additional commandments should detract from the original meaning and blessing of the Sabbath law.

In all the observers' criticism, the worst was: they sanctified the Sabbath, but tolerated evil. That God could not accept. Was His "Sabbath rest" not disturbed, when Adam sinned, and sin passed on to everyone? We see our heavenly Father acting in grace in all that He has done in the world, so as to redeem people from sin and death. Therefore the Lord could say, "My Father has been working until now."

Jesus' incarnation gave the Father's "working" a new dimension: .

(to be continued next Sunday)

Today‘s reading: 1 Kings 16: 8 - 28 · John 11: 17 - 31