John 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that יהוה was his Father, making himself equal with יהוה.
Now I don’t know who you, the reader, specifically are, but I would guess you believe that the Messiah never broke any part of the torah given to Moses by Yahweh. Most people that I know don’t at least.
However, we do have those people who wrongly believe this. They accuse Messiah falsely of blatantly breaking Yahweh’s commands.
But let's see what the Messiah had to say about himself (his words always in italics):
Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the torah, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Now this verse (and the ones afterwards) are sometimes interpreted to mean the opposite of how I am going to use them, but we will see who's interpretation holds up.
Verse 17 is sometimes interpreted to mean he didn't necessarily destroy it, but did it so we don't have to do it the conventional way (which is a play on words to mean he really destroyed it in a "nice way"). I believe this is wrong. To "fulfill" means to “make repleteâ€Â, or "abundantly supply". To make full use of. To fill it up. To make the most of it. The base word that is used here (pleroo) is also used here (among many passages):
John 15:11
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
The Greek word pleroo. Of course, our Messiah didn't mean that his disciples should have all the joy perfectly so they could finally not have joy anymore, or that their joy changed.
And again, the "law" (Greek word nomos) does not specifically refer to what came from Sinai from Yahweh to Moshe. It can mean the Psalms (John 10:34; John 15:25) and the other writings too (Romans 3:10-19). It can also mean a principle, such as "law of faith" (Romans 3:27). So let us not let our biases against torah here overtake us into misinterpreting this passage. For further details on what he meant and how I view this, you can read the study “How Did Messiah Fulfill The Torah/Law?†in “Wavy’s Views†(check the signature).
Also, he stated that whoever breaks the least of these commandments (in torah, the context of what he is talking about) he will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. Many say these commandments refer to the ones he mentions afterwards, but here is a clear rebuttal of that notion:
However, he does in the following verses interpret the torah in a different (and true and righteous) manner other than the interpretations of the teachers of that day. Many try to say he is directly changing torah mitzvot here. I believe this is untrue. At the end of his teaching, the people were amazed because he did not teach as the scribes, not because he violated or changed the torah (Matthew 7:29).
Considering lastly verse 20, the righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes is not true torah obedience (as some want to teach as an argument against torah observance) but hypocrisy:
Matthew 23:1
Then spake יהושׁע to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Matthew 23:2
Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
Matthew 23:3
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Matthew 23:4
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Matthew 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the torah, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
SO WHAT ABOUT JOHN 5:18???!!!
Well, here we go now that we have some form of background:
John 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that יהוה was his Father, making himself equal with יהוה.
What just happened? He was at a place called Beth Chesed (meaning "house of goodness/mercy") which had five porches (for the five books of torah and their goodness/mercy as far I’ve been told). This was on the Sabbath, of course.
There was a man who had some type of disease. Yahshua saw him and asked him if he would be made well. Yahshua told him to take up his quilt/pallet/bed and walk.
The Jews saw him and told him it was not lawful for him to carry his bed. He replied that the man that healed him told him to do it. They wondered who. He didn't know but ran into Messiah later in the temple. He went and told the Jews who asked him and they wanted to kill Yahshua after they found out. The bible says:
John 5:17
But יהושׁע answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
What does this mean? Many like to take this out of context and say he meant he was violating the Sabbath by working on it and that he was admitting he had done this. But what was his work?
The healing of the man. Miracles of healing to restore the nation spiritually and physically (Isaiah 53:4; Hosea 6:1-2; Matthew 8:17). He always defended himself when doing good as commanded by his Father, giving glory to him, such as in these examples:
John 10:32
יהושׁע answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
John 14:10
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
As is seen in these examples (there are many more) the context was always healing or some miracle. He never meant he was working on the Sabbath to violate it. All he was doing was healing. This, in essence, is what he was saying in John 5:17. In addition, by analogy, if he was working like his Father then he could not have been breaking the Sabbath because the Father in heaven couldn’t possibly be breaking it.
Many then say that he was most certainly breaking it because John, under the inspiration of the Spirit, wrote it himself that he was. But does this mean from the dogmas of Jewish law or from true torah obedience?
The Jewish fences around torah were considered just as equally authorative, and sometimes more authorative than the written torah.
Here's an excerpt about Mishna that is interesting:
But what was Messiah breaking? What was his crime? What were they accusing him of? What had he done? Mercifully healed man? Told the man to carry his bed? Is that a true violation and the definition of a "burden" as defined in Jeremiah (a popularly used scripture to say the Sabbath was indeed broken here)?
Jeremiah 17:21
Thus saith יהוה; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
If we look at the context, we see bringing things through the gates of the city (which indicates buying/selling/trading). Is carrying a mere mat/quilt/pallet a true burden? Let's see how Jewish tradition outlines what is forbidden on the Sabbath:
As we so plainly see, some of this is absolutely ridiculous nonsense!!!
This is what they accused him of based off of their standards. John meant he was breaking the Sabbath according to this. Then some say, "why didn't he defend himself?" He did defend himself. He said he was working (to heal and restore Israel - Hosea 6:1-2) as his Father commanded him and does through him.
He also denies their accusation of him being equal with the Father by submitting himself humbly and telling them the truth:
John 5:19
Then answered יהושׁע and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 5:20
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.
And are the works in verse 20 the kind that violate the Sabbath? No, of course not. The works are healing and the greater works that are marvelous are these:
John 5:21
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
This is about giving life: healing the nation and raising them up, as per Hosea 6:1-2. These are not forbidden on the Sabbath. It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. If his point was that it was okay to break it by saying "My Father work's until now and I work", then in all other instances when he was accused of breaking it he would have said "it is lawful to break and do [occupational] work on the Sabbath".
The word for "broken" here in John 5:18 is the Greek word luo, meaning "to loose".
Yahshua said:
Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the torah, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
The word here is kataluo, a compound of the words kata (down) and luo (break/loose), so it means "to break/loosen down". He did not come to do this. That's why he said:
Matthew 5:19
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The word for "break" here? Luo. He couldn’t possibly have charged us with this if he was going to luo things himself. The Jews that accused, ridiculed and disbelieved Messiah were not truly torah obedient:
John 5:45
Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
John 5:46
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
John 5:47
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
John 7:19
Did not Moses give you the torah, and yet none of you keepeth the torah? Why go ye about to kill me?
We have to be extra careful not to equate the way the unbelieving Jews of that generation (under the corrupt Jewish leaders) viewed and applied the torah, to the way the torah is supposed to be understood. Messiah was not against the good way of torah. He was against deceit, hate, falsehood and manmade tradition that hid and destroyed the truth. I think this is where the fatal mistake of believing the "law is done away with" ultimately comes from: looking at it through the eyes of the corrupt Jews, thinking it was true torah obedience, and then thinking Messiah is against true torah obedience.
If Messiah broke the Sabbath or attempted to tell the healed man that he could break the Sabbath (or any other law), he’d be in violation of Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (specifically verse 5), and therefore condemned as a false prophet. He would not be the Messiah, and our faith would be a sham.
I am still learning and growing. So I will not teach commandments and press on people commandments that I do not keep myself. But I am simply conveying this principle:
Proverbs 28:9
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the torah, even his prayer shall be abomination.
And the calling of Yahweh to go back to the good derech/way, to the torah (Jeremiah 6:16-19). Do not be one of the people from this passage who say "we will not listen or walk in that way".
Yahshua wants to bring us back to the good way and torah through himself and his teaching (Matthew 11:28-30).
He is not like the Sanhedrin with their fences and traditions. His new wine cannot fit into their old bottles.
Thus I hold all "John 5:18 Accusers" as refuted.
Peace and love in ha Moshiach Yahshua.
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that יהוה was his Father, making himself equal with יהוה.
Now I don’t know who you, the reader, specifically are, but I would guess you believe that the Messiah never broke any part of the torah given to Moses by Yahweh. Most people that I know don’t at least.
However, we do have those people who wrongly believe this. They accuse Messiah falsely of blatantly breaking Yahweh’s commands.
But let's see what the Messiah had to say about himself (his words always in italics):
Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the torah, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Now this verse (and the ones afterwards) are sometimes interpreted to mean the opposite of how I am going to use them, but we will see who's interpretation holds up.
Verse 17 is sometimes interpreted to mean he didn't necessarily destroy it, but did it so we don't have to do it the conventional way (which is a play on words to mean he really destroyed it in a "nice way"). I believe this is wrong. To "fulfill" means to “make repleteâ€Â, or "abundantly supply". To make full use of. To fill it up. To make the most of it. The base word that is used here (pleroo) is also used here (among many passages):
John 15:11
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
The Greek word pleroo. Of course, our Messiah didn't mean that his disciples should have all the joy perfectly so they could finally not have joy anymore, or that their joy changed.
And again, the "law" (Greek word nomos) does not specifically refer to what came from Sinai from Yahweh to Moshe. It can mean the Psalms (John 10:34; John 15:25) and the other writings too (Romans 3:10-19). It can also mean a principle, such as "law of faith" (Romans 3:27). So let us not let our biases against torah here overtake us into misinterpreting this passage. For further details on what he meant and how I view this, you can read the study “How Did Messiah Fulfill The Torah/Law?†in “Wavy’s Views†(check the signature).
Also, he stated that whoever breaks the least of these commandments (in torah, the context of what he is talking about) he will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. Many say these commandments refer to the ones he mentions afterwards, but here is a clear rebuttal of that notion:
Expositor's Bible Commentary: said:
However, he does in the following verses interpret the torah in a different (and true and righteous) manner other than the interpretations of the teachers of that day. Many try to say he is directly changing torah mitzvot here. I believe this is untrue. At the end of his teaching, the people were amazed because he did not teach as the scribes, not because he violated or changed the torah (Matthew 7:29).
Considering lastly verse 20, the righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes is not true torah obedience (as some want to teach as an argument against torah observance) but hypocrisy:
Matthew 23:1
Then spake יהושׁע to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Matthew 23:2
Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
Matthew 23:3
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Matthew 23:4
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Matthew 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the torah, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
SO WHAT ABOUT JOHN 5:18???!!!
Well, here we go now that we have some form of background:
John 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that יהוה was his Father, making himself equal with יהוה.
What just happened? He was at a place called Beth Chesed (meaning "house of goodness/mercy") which had five porches (for the five books of torah and their goodness/mercy as far I’ve been told). This was on the Sabbath, of course.
There was a man who had some type of disease. Yahshua saw him and asked him if he would be made well. Yahshua told him to take up his quilt/pallet/bed and walk.
The Jews saw him and told him it was not lawful for him to carry his bed. He replied that the man that healed him told him to do it. They wondered who. He didn't know but ran into Messiah later in the temple. He went and told the Jews who asked him and they wanted to kill Yahshua after they found out. The bible says:
John 5:17
But יהושׁע answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
What does this mean? Many like to take this out of context and say he meant he was violating the Sabbath by working on it and that he was admitting he had done this. But what was his work?
The healing of the man. Miracles of healing to restore the nation spiritually and physically (Isaiah 53:4; Hosea 6:1-2; Matthew 8:17). He always defended himself when doing good as commanded by his Father, giving glory to him, such as in these examples:
John 10:32
יהושׁע answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
John 14:10
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
As is seen in these examples (there are many more) the context was always healing or some miracle. He never meant he was working on the Sabbath to violate it. All he was doing was healing. This, in essence, is what he was saying in John 5:17. In addition, by analogy, if he was working like his Father then he could not have been breaking the Sabbath because the Father in heaven couldn’t possibly be breaking it.
Many then say that he was most certainly breaking it because John, under the inspiration of the Spirit, wrote it himself that he was. But does this mean from the dogmas of Jewish law or from true torah obedience?
The Jewish fences around torah were considered just as equally authorative, and sometimes more authorative than the written torah.
Here's an excerpt about Mishna that is interesting:
But what was Messiah breaking? What was his crime? What were they accusing him of? What had he done? Mercifully healed man? Told the man to carry his bed? Is that a true violation and the definition of a "burden" as defined in Jeremiah (a popularly used scripture to say the Sabbath was indeed broken here)?
Jeremiah 17:21
Thus saith יהוה; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
If we look at the context, we see bringing things through the gates of the city (which indicates buying/selling/trading). Is carrying a mere mat/quilt/pallet a true burden? Let's see how Jewish tradition outlines what is forbidden on the Sabbath:
The 39 activities are (Mishna Shabbat 7:2): said:
As we so plainly see, some of this is absolutely ridiculous nonsense!!!
This is what they accused him of based off of their standards. John meant he was breaking the Sabbath according to this. Then some say, "why didn't he defend himself?" He did defend himself. He said he was working (to heal and restore Israel - Hosea 6:1-2) as his Father commanded him and does through him.
He also denies their accusation of him being equal with the Father by submitting himself humbly and telling them the truth:
John 5:19
Then answered יהושׁע and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 5:20
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.
And are the works in verse 20 the kind that violate the Sabbath? No, of course not. The works are healing and the greater works that are marvelous are these:
John 5:21
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
This is about giving life: healing the nation and raising them up, as per Hosea 6:1-2. These are not forbidden on the Sabbath. It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. If his point was that it was okay to break it by saying "My Father work's until now and I work", then in all other instances when he was accused of breaking it he would have said "it is lawful to break and do [occupational] work on the Sabbath".
The word for "broken" here in John 5:18 is the Greek word luo, meaning "to loose".
Yahshua said:
Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the torah, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
The word here is kataluo, a compound of the words kata (down) and luo (break/loose), so it means "to break/loosen down". He did not come to do this. That's why he said:
Matthew 5:19
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The word for "break" here? Luo. He couldn’t possibly have charged us with this if he was going to luo things himself. The Jews that accused, ridiculed and disbelieved Messiah were not truly torah obedient:
John 5:45
Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
John 5:46
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
John 5:47
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
John 7:19
Did not Moses give you the torah, and yet none of you keepeth the torah? Why go ye about to kill me?
We have to be extra careful not to equate the way the unbelieving Jews of that generation (under the corrupt Jewish leaders) viewed and applied the torah, to the way the torah is supposed to be understood. Messiah was not against the good way of torah. He was against deceit, hate, falsehood and manmade tradition that hid and destroyed the truth. I think this is where the fatal mistake of believing the "law is done away with" ultimately comes from: looking at it through the eyes of the corrupt Jews, thinking it was true torah obedience, and then thinking Messiah is against true torah obedience.
If Messiah broke the Sabbath or attempted to tell the healed man that he could break the Sabbath (or any other law), he’d be in violation of Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (specifically verse 5), and therefore condemned as a false prophet. He would not be the Messiah, and our faith would be a sham.
I am still learning and growing. So I will not teach commandments and press on people commandments that I do not keep myself. But I am simply conveying this principle:
Proverbs 28:9
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the torah, even his prayer shall be abomination.
And the calling of Yahweh to go back to the good derech/way, to the torah (Jeremiah 6:16-19). Do not be one of the people from this passage who say "we will not listen or walk in that way".
Yahshua wants to bring us back to the good way and torah through himself and his teaching (Matthew 11:28-30).
He is not like the Sanhedrin with their fences and traditions. His new wine cannot fit into their old bottles.
Thus I hold all "John 5:18 Accusers" as refuted.
Peace and love in ha Moshiach Yahshua.
