Jesus' Father and He Work - John 5:17

John the apostle wrote how Jesus told a man who was crippled to “rise, take up your bed and walk”, and “immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for you to carry your bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up your bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto you, Take up your bed, and walk? And he that was healed did not know who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, you are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day”, and in chapter five and verse seventeen of his book, John shared how Jesus and His Father work where we read:

But Jesus answered them, My Father works hitherto, and I work.

The verse reads, “But Jesus answered them, ...”. John began with the words, “But Jesus” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation” “answered them” which means “responded and began to speak to the Jews who persecuted Him”. John shared how Jesus responded to the Jews who were persecuting Him with the following words.

The verse continues, “... My Father works hitherto, and I work.” John added the words, “My Father works” which means “My, Jesus', Father in Heaven who is God labors, produces and ministers about” “hitherto” or “even unto and as far as He desires”, “and I work” which means “and I, Jesus, labor, produce and minister”. John shared how Jesus told the persecuting Jews that He and His Father God work and labor.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus responded to the Jews who were persecuting Him and desired to have Him killed. He told them He and His Father were working, and the idea was that no one would stop them. Though the Jews wanted Jesus dead and they persecuted Him for healing on the “sabbath day”, Jesus was going to “work” regardless of how the Jews felt about it. God's desire is to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they submit themselves to Him as their “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life in Heaven. This is the “work” of God the Father and His Son Jesus and no one shall prevail against them.

Next time see John shares how, “the Jews sought the more to kill him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".