Introduction
In the article “Jesus Worked on the Sabbath – John 5:17“, we will seek to understand the context in which Jesus made this statement and what it really means. Many people interpret this verse as a justification for disregarding Sabbath observance, but is this what Jesus was trying to teach? By examining the events surrounding this passage, such as the healing performed by Christ and the reactions of the Jews, we will be able to uncover the true meaning of this statement. We will also explore the role of Jewish tradition, the concept of work on the Sabbath, and what Jesus was truly defending with His response.
Jesus Worked on the Sabbath
John 5:17 – “”And Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work“
The above verse has been somewhat controversial for some people. Some claim that Jesus was showing that under the new covenant, Sabbath-keeping would no longer be in effect and, therefore, permitted work on that day. Based on this text, such people have argued that Jesus did on the Sabbath what was not permitted by the Law, since the commandment says, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work” (Exodus 20:9-10).
Analyzing the Context: Jesus and the Sabbath
To know if this is indeed what Jesus was trying to show, we need to keep the context in mind. What happened in the verses preceding this passage? Let us read the main verses of the story described in the context above:
John 5:8-11 – “Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk.’ Immediately the man was made well; he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. Then the Jews said to him who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.’ He answered them, ‘He who made me well said, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’’“
When we read the context of the preceding verses, we realize that this man was paralyzed, as he was lying down and needed others to carry him to the pool to cure him of his illness, according to the belief of the time. The text mentioned above shows that Jesus appeared before this man and healed him, ordering him to get up, take up his bed, and walk. At that very moment, the man got up and “was made well“, and such an event occurred on the Sabbath day. Did Jesus work on the Sabbath because He performed this act?
The Man Had Been Sick for 38 Years!
A man had been sick for 38 years, but Jesus miraculously healed him. What kind of behavior would we expect from the people who were contemporary with this sick man when they saw him cured of the problem that had tormented him for almost four decades? Certainly, one of the reactions we would expect would be happiness. However, the biblical account describes a completely different response. Instead of expressing joy for his healing, they immediately criticized him, saying that he was “a foolish man” for carrying his bed on the Sabbath, which they believed was not lawful. For these people, they thought that Jesus had worked on the Sabbath, performing actions that were not permitted!
Jesus Orders the Sick Man to Carry His Bed
The people’s attention was focused on the fact that he was carrying his bed on the Sabbath. As we read in the commandment, the Sabbath forbids “any work” (Exodus 20:11). However, Jesus ordered the sick man to take up his bed and walk. For the Jews of that time, the commandment restricted all forms of work on the Sabbath, including the simple act of carrying something. History shows that the Jews themselves created many rules for the “correct” observance of the Sabbath. These rules eventually became part of the interpretation of the Law over time. Many of these rules were not part of God’s will but were, in fact, “doctrines and precepts of men” (Matthew 15:9).
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated that He did not come to destroy or abolish the Law but to fulfill it, and that “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17,19). Therefore, by ordering the sick man to take up his bed and walk, Jesus was not leading him to transgress God’s Law. The fact that He carried His bed on the Sabbath day was not a transgression, even in the eyes of the men of His day. This means that Jesus worked on the Sabbath, but not from the same perspective as the Pharisees had in His time.
Works That Are Permitted on the Sabbath
The entire context shows a healing that Jesus performed on the Sabbath, and, as we read in Matthew 12:12, the performance of beneficial works on this day is permitted by the Law. By reading the passages that precede and follow the text in question, we will better understand why Jesus made such a statement. Let us examine them:
John 5:16-18 – “And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father works until now, and I work.’ Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because not only did he break the Sabbath, but also said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God“
Part of the issue was related to the works that Jesus was performing on that day. Because these works did not align with their tradition and understanding of Sabbath observance, they wanted to apply the penalty of the Law to Jesus. In response to this misunderstanding, Jesus explained that the works He was doing were in harmony with the Law because His Father also performed such works.
To be more precise, Jesus did not perform the healings and miracles on His own power; rather, the power to perform these works came from His Father. If God had not granted Jesus the power to perform such miracles at that time, Jesus, as a human being, could not have done so. Therefore, it is clear why Jesus mentioned that He worked in the same way that His Father had worked up until that time.
What was Jesus’ profession?
Another point that many people overlook is the text in Mark 6:3, where the Jews mention Jesus’ profession:
Mark 6:3 – “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and of Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him“
Jesus was a carpenter. If He had indeed been working in a secular manner on that day, contrary to what the Law commanded, He would have been performing some kind of carpentry work, not works of righteousness as He was doing on that occasion. Therefore, we can confidently say that Jesus did not work on the Sabbath-at least, not according to His profession.
Conclusion: Jesus Worked on the Sabbath
It follows, therefore, that the work of Jesus mentioned in John 5:17 was not the secular work that the Law restricted, but rather the work that the Father had appointed Him to do. These works were in harmony with the Law of the Sabbath commandment.
May God bless the reader.
