What is the Father’s Work? – A Deeper Look at John 5:17
In John 5:1-15, Jesus encountered a man who was crippled for thirty-eight years. He commanded the man to stand up and take his mat. The man obeyed and at that moment he was healed!
The Jewish leaders accused the man and Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. As reviewed in another article “Did Jesus Break the Sabbath?”, the Jewish leaders invented many rules which were not found in the Bible. One of them forbade people from carrying a mat in a public place. No such instruction is found in the Bible.
To begin His defense, Jesus said, “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). Some think that this verse means Jesus and the Father break the Sabbath. This certainly cannot be the case, and neither the Father nor the Son have ever sinned. What did Jesus mean when He discussed the Father’s work?
Some other verses of the New Testament will bring clarity to this subject:
“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent’” (John 6:29).
“3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3).
“For meat destroy not the work of God…” (Romans 14:20)
“And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.” (I Cor. 12:6).
“…Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead…” (Col. 2:12).
Consider for a moment what these verses call the Work of God: believing in the one God sent; miraculous restoration/healing (which is the context of John 5:1-17); God’s work of salvation in a person; the gifts of the Spirit; the sanctifying work of the Spirit; and God raising us up from death through baptism.
None of the things mentioned in these verses are earned through human labor and work. If we receive miraculous healing, what natural labor was involved? If the gifts of the Spirit are used at a gathering of believers, what work was done? There is no physical labor or work involved in these activities that violate His commandments.
God’s Spirit has intrinsic qualities that influence this world when introduced into a situation. We access this work of God by faith. His Spirit causes the change in us, which will result in transformation (2 Cor. 3:18). Our faith in God leads to good works, but it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath (see Ephesians 2:8-10, James chapter 2).
The man in John 5 still had to carry His mat. His action was a response to God’s supernatural work of healing. He did not violate a commandment of God by doing so. He also did not earn the healing he received.
As the Apostle Paul wrote: “He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Gal. 3:5). Later in the same book, he wrote: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Gal. 5:22-23).
There are no laws against the fruits of the Spirit. Why? The Spirit of God leads and guides us so that these characteristics manifest in our lives. They are good and do not lead us in violation of the Sabbath.
When we reach out to God in prayer for help, healing, manifestation of His gifts, teaching, and so forth, we are asking for Him to intervene. God’s work is to respond to the request by introducing His Spirit and power into the situation; He meets our need according to His riches (Philippians 4:19). Said another way, His transformative Spirit meets our faith (Gal. 3:14, 5:5).
During the first six days of the week, we engage in our work. We may have opportunities to engage in God’s work along the way. On Sabbath, our work is put aside, and we have a greater focus on God’s work. These are those things that only He can do for us and others by faith. However, He uses us to do them. He is Spirit and works through that Spirit to manifest Himself to us (John 4:24).
Another way to look at the situation is this – the work of God is that which has already been earned and paid for through the sacrifice of Jesus. No earthly work is needed. The works of God are supernatural manifestations which come through His Spirit and power. They are blessings from Him which we certainly do not earn.
What a reminder for us on the Sabbath, the day where we do not work or labor.