(REFLECTIONS ON John 5:17-30)

Although the Jews were mainly concerned with Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath in John 5, Jesus was concerned with greater things, that is the work of His Father. It reminds us that our faith is dealing with greater matters than we often times “use” it for. Our life of faith should take our attention away from life on earth, which leads to death, to eternal life, which is life in Christ.

Once again, when we live a life of faith focused on our life on earth, this leads us to focus from life to death, but when we turn our focus on Jesus and the things of the Father, which are His kingdom and His righteousness, that turns things around to eternal life, this leads to death into life.

That is why while the Jews were persecuting Jesus for doing work on the Sabbath, which is focused on life on earth, Jesus was focused rather on eternal life, that is death into life.

Jesus said,

24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Jesus also speaks of a judgment, that the dead will be judged according to their deeds.

28 Do not be amazed at this; for a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come out: those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the bad deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

Those who did the good deeds are those that heard Jesus’ word, believed in Him who sent Jesus, and have eternal life. These will face a resurrection of life, because through eternal life, they will have passed out of death into life.

Brothers and sisters, let us not be distracted as the Jews were by our life on earth, because if our faith is only about life on earth, then it will be a rejection of the eternal life that Christ offers, and we will be living from life to death, rather than death into life.

Let us not also think that the good and bad deeds refer only to good and bad behavior, because that again is focusing on just life on earth, but rather understand that good and bad deeds are more about our acceptance or rejection of the eternal life Christ offers through God, which is death into life.

Let our faith be a faith from death into life, and may it be a faith not just to be “used” for life on earth, but rather a faith that brings us into eternal life.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: John 5