How does John 5:18 connect with other scriptures affirming Jesus' divinity? Opening the Text “Because of this, 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.” (John 5:18) Key Observation The religious leaders rightly understood Jesus’ claim: to call God “My Father” in this unique way is to claim equality with God Himself. Scripture presents this as literal truth, not metaphor or exaggeration, and it threads the same truth through the rest of the New Testament. Echoes in John’s Gospel • John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” • John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” • John 8:58 – “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!” • John 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.” • John 20:28 – Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” Witnesses in the Pauline Letters • Colossians 1:15–17 – Christ is “the image of the invisible God… in Him all things hold together.” • Philippians 2:6 – Jesus, “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” • Titus 2:13 – We wait for “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Testimony from Hebrews & Peter • Hebrews 1:3 – “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.” • 2 Peter 1:1 – “To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Old-Testament Titles Applied to Christ • Isaiah 9:6 – “For to us a child is born… and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God.” • Psalm 110:1 quoted in Matthew 22:44 – “The LORD said to my Lord…” Jesus identifies Himself as David’s “Lord,” sharing Yahweh’s throne. Revelation’s Final Word • Revelation 1:17 – “I am the First and the Last.” • Revelation 22:13 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Putting It Together • John 5:18 anchors the claim: Jesus openly takes the prerogatives, titles, and rights of God. • The same claim surfaces repeatedly, independent of location, author, or audience. • Each passage treats Jesus’ divine identity as fact, not symbol, forming a consistent, Spirit-breathed chorus proclaiming His full deity. Takeaway John 5:18 is no isolated statement. It harmonizes with a sweeping biblical narrative that presents Jesus unambiguously as God the Son—co-equal, co-eternal, worthy of the same honor, worship, and obedience due to the Father. |
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