John 5:17-30 – Equal With God

Read John 5:17-30

1) What is the Sabbath? (See Genesis 2:1-3, Exodus 16:23-31, Exodus 20:8-11, Exodus 31:12-17).

2) What things were prohibited activities on the Sabbath? (Exodus 20:8-10, Exodus 35:1-3, Nehemiah 13:15-22, Jeremiah 17:20-22)

3) What things did Jesus say were permissible on the Sabbath in Matthew 12:1-14?

4) Compare Jesus’ attitude toward the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-14, Luke 4:16, and Luke 13:15-16) with the kind of person described in Amos 8:4-6. Were the Pharisees justified in thinking that Jesus was profaning the Sabbath? Why or why not?

5) According to Isaiah 58:13-14, what was lacking in their Sabbath observance? How do Jesus’ activities on the Sabbath compare in light of this scripture?

6) In what sense has God been working until now? (See Acts 17:24-25, Romans 8:28-, Ephesians 1:11-12)

7) How do these issues impact Christians today? (Hebrews 4:1-11)

8 ) How did the Jews determine that Jesus was making himself equal with God?

9) In verse 19, Jesus says that he can do nothing of himself. Based on the information in verses 17-19 (see also John 1:1,14, John 10:30, 1 John 5:7), why is this so?

10) If Jesus CANNOT act independently of the Father, what additional reason does he given in verse 20 that he would not WANT to act independently of the Father?

11) With these last two questions in mind, compare Satan’s temptation of Eve (Genesis 3:1-6) with his temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). Why did he succeed in derailing Eve and fail with Jesus?

12) While we do not share Jesus’ divine nature, in what way can his example help us in those times when we are tempted to act independently of the Father? (See also verse 30 and John 15:1-15)

13) What are the greater works that Jesus will do that will cause these Jews to marvel? (verses 21-23) What should these things have told them about Jesus? (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6, Genesis 18:25)

14) From verses 24 and 25, how is it that we honor the Son? What are the results when we do honor him in this way?

15) Jesus offers one more proof of his identity in verse 26. Based on what Jesus has said in this passage of scripture, what does it mean for us that Jesus has life in himself?

16) What is the final proof we have that Jesus Christ is indeed the one who has authority, as he says in verse 27, to execute judgment on men? (Acts 17:30-31, Romans 1:4)

17) According to verse 24, what is the difference between the person who has believed on Jesus and the person who has not? (Also see Ephesians 2:1-7)

18) There are some who would say that Jewish theology never included the idea of everlasting punishment or the Christian concept of Hell. Look up Daniel 12:2 and Isaiah 66:24 and compare with verse 29, Mark 9:42-48, Revelation 20:4-6, and Revelation 20:11-15. What would you tell someone who held to that idea?

19) In verse 29 Jesus says that he will raise people to the resurrection of life or the resurrection of damnation based on whether they have done good or done evil. Is this salvation by works? Why or why not? (see verses 23-24, as well as 1:12-13, 3:14-21)

20) According to the following scriptures, what is the relationship of good or evil works to salvation?

a) John 3:20-21

b) John 15:5-6

c) Galatians 6:7-8

d) Ephesians 2:8-10

e) James 2:14-26