18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
The truth is this is another example of how teachers take verses out of context to teach something that is not there, Jesus NEVER claimed to be God or equal to God in power or majesty, he simply stressed to the Jews that he is the son of God, he was of God which means he was righteous and holy which made the Jew Pharisees very angry and envious of him, they knew in their hearts who he was but they sought to kill him because messiah was a threat to them so they looked for any possible way of accusing messiah of blasphemy.
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself,
Does that sound like he is claiming to be God almighty? lets keep reading.
but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Jesus explained to the Jews that what the father does Jesus himself does in other words Jesus is copying the fathers actions and teachings because it is the father who gives him the words and actions, it is the father who creates the laws, it is the father's will not Jesus.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
It is interesting to note that in verse 23 the father sent Jesus, if Jesus and the father are one in Godhood (part of the trinity) then it would mean Jesus plan is the fathers plan which would result in both of them sending Jesus not the father alone would send him, not to mention that the holy spirit is rarely mentioned, it is usually the father and the son. why would the father send Jesus if they are both God almighty? is the father greater than the son? if he is than they cannot be considered as one because they are not equal parts of a whole. of course we know from scripture that the father is much greater than the son, messiah himself stresses this to his disciples numerous times in (John 14:28),John 8:28, 1 Corinthians 11:3we continue in verse 24
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Messiah continues that whoever has faith in the father has faith in messiah and vice versa because what messiah taught is the same thing God taught since the beginning of the world, to keep the commandments of God!
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Once again it is the father who gives life, Jesus cannot make anything of himself out of his own authority without the father.
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
God the father gives messiah authority, Jesus does not take any thing by his own right, some claim that Jesus was stripped completely off his Godhood when he became a man which of course brings a whole new bunch of problems and contradictions.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me
Again messiah explaining that he himself is powerless, EVERYTHING he does comes from the father. doesn't sound like he is claiming to be God almighty does it? in the same chapter he is claiming to be equal to God in power and authority but also saying that he cannot do anything without the father? isn't that a contradiction? of course it is and sadly so many teachers teach this type of doctrines without following up with the rest of the context of the chapter and what is even more sad that the people in the churches who listen to these pastors are led astray because they themselves don't read the scriptures and find on their own what they mean, the people get their doctrine from the church and pastor and the pastor gets his doctrine from Christian scholars and the scholars are deceived by the evil one.
So as we can see from these verses alone Jesus DID NOT claim to be equal with God in power but rather in teaching and actions, he was definitely not claiming to be God almighty, I don't even believe that the Jews really believed that is what messiah was claiming, they simply were outraged that he was claiming to be the "son of God" calling God his "father" for them this alone was blasphemy, imagine how the pharisees would react if Jesus would go around Jerusalem and claim to be God almighty in human flesh, he would be stoned on the first day of his ministry!!
This is the reason why Messiah was not found guilty when he was judged by the council after his betrayal by Judah, even with all the false witnesses they could not find any guilt in him!
Matthew 26:59
59Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 60But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none
The only thing messiah ever claimed to be is the son of God the messiah.
63But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Now you see how the teaching of John 5:18 claiming Jesus is God as completely false? Jesus never claimed such thing as being God almighty in flesh, the Jewish leaders and even the common folk would be outraged of such claims, and the council would definitely find enough witnesses to accuse him and find him guilty, but since Jesus never claimed to be God they could not condemn him.
I will end with a passage about Jesus doing the exact opposite from what trinity believers claim he did, in Mark 12:28-34 Jesus completely agrees with the Jewish scribe about the most important commandment and the true identity of God, notice that the scribe is in complete agreement with Jesus that God almighty is a HE.
28And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31And the second is like, namelythis, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
Peace and understanding to you all.
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