Trinity proof texts: John 5:18

Trinity Proof Texts


	John 5:8-18 Jesus said to him, "Arise, take up your pallet, and walk." 9 And immediately the man became well, and took up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. Therefore the Jews were saying to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Take up your pallet and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and walk'?" But he who was healed did not know who it was; for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you." The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. And for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

	The irrefutable argument stated: Jesus quite clearly taught that he was equal to God. This was the clear impression that Jesus listeners had of Jesus' teaching, and they wanted to stone him for it.
Comments:	It is important to note that Jesus breaking the sabbath was the first recorded controversy that John records in the single most important chapter in the gospel of John to prove the deity of Christ. The sabbath controversy allowed Jesus to give one of the most compete statements of his divine nature. No where does the Bible say that Jesus did not break the sabbath.

Anti-Trinitarian rebuttals:


Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #1	"Another scripture offered as support for the Trinity is John 5:18. It says that the Jews (as at John 10:31-36) wanted to kill Jesus because "he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God." But who said that Jesus was making himself equal to God? Not Jesus. He defended himself against this false charge." (Jehovah's Witnesses, Watchtower, "Should You Believe in the Trinity?")
Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #1 refuted	Jehovah's Witnesses know they are in deep trouble with this verse and resort to tricks. They imply that Jesus did not teach he was equal with God, but the Jews said this as a false charge because they misunderstood what Jesus was actually saying. Problem is that it is John the apostle who said Jesus was "calling God his Father, making himself out equal with God." This in fact is true! "So take careful note that John, as the narrator the Gospel of John, flat out states that Jesus was "calling God his Father, making himself out equal with God."

Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #2	The passage says that Jesus "not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God". Jesus obviously didn't break the Sabbath so neither was Jesus actually claiming to be equal with God. On both counts, the Jews MISUNDERSTOOD Jesus.
Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #2 refuted	Anti-Trinitarians really only have this one argument which states that Jesus did not break the Sabbath law. Well in fact Jesus did break the sabbath law, yet without sin. First we notice that Jesus never denies breaking the sabbath. Second we notice that every argument Jesus uses to defend himself justifies breaking the sabbath without sin. In fact he gives several examples of others who broke the sabbath without sin. This is a significant observation that cannot be overlooked and drives us to the unavoidable conclusion that Jesus knew he was breaking the sabbath, yet without sin. After all it was the Father who was the co-worker in the miracle. Look at the extensive notes that follow below for details.

Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #3:	It is argued that the Jews accused Jesus of merely breaking Jewish legal tradition in the 39 articles of the "Mishnah, Shabboth", not the actual law of the Sabbath. Jesus merely broke Pharisaic Jewish tradition, not the actual law of Moses.
Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #3 refuted:	The Mishnah and Talmud of the tractate Shabbat list and discuss the 39 melakhot at length in an attempt to define and characterize each one of its corollaries and to distinguish that which is forbidden from that which is permitted. We agree that sometimes Jesus would be accused of breaking pharisaic laws of human origin. An example of this was when Jesus was accused of not washing his hands before he ate in Mk 7:1-13. Jesus accused them back of breaking God's law in order to keep their human tradition. However, all the examples of Jesus breaking the sabbath were found in the law of Moses: Jer 17:21-22 ; Neh 13:15-22. In these cases of Sabbath breaking, Jesus broke both the Law of Moses and the "Mishnah, Shabboth". In fact, most of the 39 articles of the "Mishnah, Shabboth" accurately represent the law of Moses without any dispute at all. And Jesus actions were specifically covered in both the Mishnah and the Law of Moses: Jer 17:21-22 'Thus says the Lord, "Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 "And you shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers. Neh 13:15-22 "In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. v15"

"Situation ethics" and Jesus breaking the sabbath:

In our war against "situation ethics" where liberals argue that all moral laws "ethics" can be broken, given the right "situation", we have thrown the baby out with the bath water. There are no situations when moral laws can be broken without sin. The sabbath law (the fourth commandment) was a ceremonial law, and God himself gave many examples of when it can be broken right in the law of Moses. (priests in temple for example) It is important to note that we can consistently and powerfully argue that "situation moral ethics" is a false doctrine, while arguing that Jesus was able to break the sabbath without sin. We might call this a type of "situation ceremonial ethics". Moral laws never change and have always existed. Ceremonial laws change and have a beginning and ending point. In other words, while lying has always been sin, the sabbath did not exist before Ex 16 and was abolished at the cross. Therefore lying is always sin and it should not surprise us that there are occasions when the ceremonial law can be broken without sin. In fact this is exactly how Jesus argues to defend his breaking of the sabbath. The ceremonial law of circumcision of another example of a temporary law of Moses that we are permitted to break. (see Acts 15:1-4) Jehovah's Witnesses believe they can Lie for God! Although we completely disagree with this cultic view of morality, Jehovah's Witnesses are really unable to counter our argument on John 5:18 because the Watchtower actually teaches them that they can lie to "enemies". If the Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus, Rahab and Abraham could lie/deceive for the "greater good", how much more could they break a lower ceremonial law like the sabbath! So in fact, our argument, that Jesus broke the sabbath, without sin, is irrefutable by JW's! Jehovah's Witnesses teach and practice "situation ethics". We find it troubling and puzzling that Jehovah's Witnesses actually teach "situation moral ethics" but will argue that Jesus couldn't break the sabbath without sin. The watchtower magazine teaches that Jw's are permitted to lie to the public in order to hide the true of their false gospel from the enemies of their god. Typical of a Jehovah's Witnesses dismal comprehension of doctrinal consistency, Jehovah's Witnesses teach that they can lie and deceive without sin any time they need to hide their apostate doctrine from true Christians, but Jesus could not break the sabbath without sin, under any circumstances. Worse yet, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus could lie to his opponents without moral sin, but he would sin any time he broke the ceremonial sabbath law. If Jehovah's Witnesses were honest, they would at least admit that they really have no way of countering our argument that Jesus broke the sabbath without sin. But hey! We already know Jehovah's Witnesses are liars! What do you expect? Here are the quotes right out of the Watchtower magazine:

"As a soldier of Christ he is in theocratic warfare and he must exercise caution when dealing with God's foes. Thus the Scriptures show that for the purpose of protecting the interests of God's cause, it is proper to hide the truth from God's enemies." (Watchtower; 6/1/1960; p. 352)
"While malicious lying is definitely condemned in the Bible, this does not mean that a person is under obligation to divulge truthful information to people who are not entitled to it. ... Evidently the course of Abraham, Isaac, Rahab, and Elisha in misdirecting or in withholding full facts from non-worshipers of Jehovah must be viewed in the same light.-Ge 12:10-19; chap 20 [Abraham lying to Pharoah and Abimelech]; 26:1-10 [Issac lying to Abimelech]; Jos 2:1-6; Jas 2:25 [Rahab lying to king of Jericho]". (Insight on the Scriptures, it-2 245, Note: bracketed text [ ] added. It would be interesting to see how JW's view Noah's example of getting drunk and Lot's example of incest.)
"Rahab--Declared Righteous by Works of Faith, What about Rahab's misleading words to pursuers of the spies? God approved of her course. (Compare Romans 14:4) She took a risk in order to protect his servants, giving evidence of her faith. While malicious lying is wrong in Jehovah's eyes, a person is not obligated to divulge truthful information to people who are not entitled to it. Even Jesus Christ did not give full details or direct answers when doing so could have brought unnecessary harm. (Matthew 7:6; 15:1-6; 21:23-27; John 7:3-10) Evidently, Rahab's course of misdirecting the enemy officers must be view in that light." (Watchtower 114:24, Dec. 15, 1993, p. 25)

Excepted without any specific exception clause in the law?

How can we argue that the "law itself does not extend to the given case" if there are no specific exception clauses in the law of Moses? Jesus gave us the answer: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" OR Jesus argued, "sometimes the law of God is set aside, when the humanitarian circumstances of mercy demand such". If you look closely at what Jesus argued, you will see that we have correctly represented HIS argument.

1.We must remember, THERE WAS NO EXCEPTION in the Law to be found for any of the examples Jesus quoted!
2.No written exceptions in the sabbath law for David eating the shewbread, a man lifting man or an animal out of a pit on the sabbath to save its life, or a man carrying the load of his bed on the Sabbath. The priests were in absolute technical violation, there was no exception given! You cannot point to the exception any more than the rest of the Pharisaic laws that went too far!
3. When they accused Jesus of doing something unlawful, Jesus did not deny he had done something unlawful, He pointed to the fact that David also did something unlawful, then said, if David was considered innocent when he broke the law, so was Jesus likewise innocent when He broke the Sabbath law. There is no escaping that this was how Jesus argued!
4. According to Jewish tradition in the list of 39 violations of the sabbath law in the "Mishnah, Shabboth", it was ok to carry a sick man on a pallet on the sabbath day, but sin if you carried the same man on the same pallet after he died. We merely bring to your attention that there was no stated exception in the law of Moses for carrying a sick man on a pallet on the Sabbath day. Yet we have Jesus as proof that such exceptions existed in the mind of God when He argued that lifting an injured son who had fallen into a pit and carrying him to a doctor or home was not a violation of the sabbath. So although there was no provision in the Mosaic system for the "medical exception" it existed in the mind of God and was revealed through the general, "mercy over sacrifice" law of Hos 6:6 etc. In the same manner, there is no stated exception in the "Highway Traffic Act" in Ontario Canada, that allows police, ambulance and fire vehicles to run red lights. Yet we know that unless running the red light caused an accident, they would never get a ticket. The same "running the red light" exception applies to all citizens in true medical emergencies. Yet there is no stated exception for this either.
5. Thus we can see that in every civil code there are exceptions to law, not explicitly stated in writing. The Old Testament law is no exception as Jesus himself explained when he "broke the letter of the Sabbath law" for medical necessity and was counted sinless.
Summary of evidence from six texts:

Mt 12:1-14; Mk 2:23-3:6; Luke 6:1-11; Luke 13:10-17; Luke 14:1-6; John 5:8-18; John 7:19-24; John 9:14-16

Jesus referred to these examples of breaking God's law without sin:

David twofold broke the law by eating showbread without sin. It was a direct violation the law of Moses, yet David was excepted because of humanitarian needs of the moment. When the Jews accused Jesus of violating the law, Jesus pointed to David as an example of the same thing. We really have no choice but to conclude that God himself, did not count it against David, for then Jesus would be arguing, "Hey, if David got away with sin, why can't I?" Rather Jesus argued, "David was excepted because "mercy over sacrifice" is God's law! God's LAW of respect for HUMAN LIFE came in direct conflict with the SABBATH LAW and the sabbath law gave away to the higher law of MERCY. This is very similar to Mt 4:4 "living by every word of God" "the sum of they word" and Jesus argued, "on the other hand Satan it is written" When two laws come into conflict, one must give way. That is what we see here.

The priests breaking the Sabbath in temple work without sin. Jesus outright said that the priests break the Sabbath. The work of the priests in the Temple is "work" in the rabbinical sense, but it is justified by its holy purpose. The circumstance of the divine service excepted the man from the law. God's LAW of divine service of the priests came in direct conflict with the SABBATH LAW and the sabbath law gave away to the higher law of divine service. If the same priest did the same work at his private home, he would be stoned as a Sabbath breaker.

You could break the Sabbath to save the life of a sheep without sin, how much more a man.

Farmers routinely break the Sabbath by leading his ox or donkey from the stall to drink water, when the animal is in need without sin.
A man could break the Sabbath by lifting his son or an ox out of a well on the Sabbath day without sin. A man lifting a donkey out of a pit on the sabbath to save its life. This was in clear violation of the law of Moses, but the "MERCY OVER SACRIFICE" kicked in and excepted the man. Note that if the same man lifted the same donkey out of pit when the animals life was not in danger, he would be stoned! The circumstance the need of the donkey's life "MERCY OVER SACRIFICE" excepted the man from the law. God's LAW of respect for life of animals came in direct conflict with the SABBATH LAW and the sabbath law gave away to the higher law of MERCY. The identical train of logic would apply to a man lifting his son out of a pit on the sabbath day. The man carrying his bed on his back on the Sabbath was a clear violation of the sabbath law. (Jer 17:21-23, Neh 13:15-18) The man's reply to those who charged him with sabbath breaking replied in other words, "The man who gave me the strength to carry my pallet also told me how to use it." He certainly reasoned to himself that if Christ was the source of healing and life, he was also the source of law. Yet, if the same man, carried the same pallet, the same distance, the next Sabbath he would have been stoned. The circumstance of the healing "MERCY OVER SACRIFICE" excepted the man from the law. God's LAW of DOING GOOD came in direct conflict with the SABBATH LAW and the sabbath law gave away to the higher law of DOING GOOD. It is interesting that carrying a dead man on a pallet was considered by Jewish tradition to break the sabbath, while carrying the same man before he died on the same pallet was ok. The law of Moses spoke nothing about any of these matters or exceptions. All the examples above were VIOLATIONS of one code of law of the sabbath, but were overruled or EXCEPTED because they came in conflict with a higher law. Another example of this is Mt 5:23-24 "If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering." The man still made the offering, just that peace with a brother is more important than the sacrifice. If a man was unable to make peace on the day the offering was to be made, (perhaps it would take a few days) the sacrifice could not be made on the appointed day. Jesus used these arguments of why He could break the Sabbath without sin:

First we notice that Jesus never denies breaking the sabbath. Second we notice that every argument Jesus uses to defend himself justifies breaking the sabbath without sin. In fact he gives several examples of others who broke the sabbath without sin. This is a significant observation that cannot be overlooked and drives us to the unavoidable conclusion that Jesus knew he was breaking the sabbath, yet without sin.

Jesus argued that He was greater than the temple. If the physical temple allowed the Priests to break the Sabbath, how much more the true spiritual temple (Jesus) would allow his disciples (New Covenant priests) to break the Sabbath when they are with Jesus.

Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6, "I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice" as justification for breaking the Sabbath.

Jesus stated the Sabbath was made to help man not man to serve the Sabbath, meaning that if the Sabbath was a hindrance to the life of a man, it could be broken!

Jesus called himself the "Lord of the Sabbath" meaning that Jesus stood above the sabbath law as its Lord and is as little bound by it as the Father. This title also means that Jesus knew, as the ultimate judge of the mankind, when the "law of greater good" was correctly applied and when it was not. Such matters of Judgement belong only to God, and not much wonder they wanted to stone Jesus! Jehovah's Witnesses, however, believe they can Lie for God because of the "greater good principle", how much more could Jesus break the lower sabbath law because of the "greater good principle". On a side note for Sabbatarians, only ceremonial laws are subject to being nullified by the "greater good principle", true moral laws are never nullified. Jehovah's Witnesses have it totally backwards (as usual) in that they believe that lying (higher moral law) is sometimes OK but breaking the sabbath (lower ceremonial law) may never be broken. Mt, Mk and Lk each record Jesus statement that He is Lord of the Sabbath", whereas John does not. However the synopsist's statement that Jesus is "Lord of the Sabbath" is the foundational concept that John builds his case for the deity of Jesus when he records, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." They are the same argument from two different angles.

When charged with working (breaking the Sabbath) Jesus replied, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." This is quite remarkable, since we would have expected Jesus to say, "My work does not break the sabbath" or "I am not working." But Jesus' reply implicates the Father in also breaking the sabbath along side of Jesus. Now we have both the Father and the Son breaking the sabbath. It was well understood by the Jews, that God is not idle on the Sabbath, but upholds the worlds by His mighty power continuously. The specific argument that Jesus is using here is that the Sabbath does not stop God's own work he does and since Jesus is doing God's work in healing, the obligation for Jesus may be set aside, he Himself being divine as well. Although there was a time when God on day seven of Creation, rested, there is no evidence that God continues to rest every seven days. It was this category of work on the sabbath that Jesus applies both to the Father and Himself. Why not? Jesus himself is the actual creator and sustainer of the universe, Heb 1:1-3. The Jews understood Jesus' claim of equality with God and rejected it as blasphemy. Several times when Jesus was charged with sabbath breaking, he would defend his actions by giving other examples of works of mercy that were acceptable. In these Jesus would stand beside David, the priests, a shepherd or a man whose son fell into a pit. In John 5, however, Jesus took much higher ground. Instead of arguing that He has done the same as other righteous men, in John 5, Jesus elevates himself well above these men and places himself in oneness with God. This is why John records, "He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." Jesus' actions of healing crossed the domains of the physical world man lives in and the supernatural world the Father lives in. This is a clear example of where Jesus invoked one of His divine prerogatives when His work on earth spanned both physical and spiritual realms. Just as the Father doesn't cease from work on the Sabbath, so also the Son, in regards to salvation, healing and compassion. The Jews comprehended the full import of Jesus claim, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." as Jesus classing himself above men in the divine circle of things. Again, this is why John records the inward thoughts of the Jews where they accurately understood that Jesus was, "making Himself equal with God." It is important to note that there are no examples in scripture of any other miracle occurring on a sabbath day, except those performed by the divine Jesus. If there were, the Jews would not have considered the miracles Jesus performed to break the sabbath, since they would already be familiar with several Old Testament examples of such. But as it is, Jesus is the only man in the Bible who ever performed miracles on the sabbath. That is because he is equal with God, being divine. Jesus is the creator not a creature.
Exposition of parallel texts: Mt 12:1-14; Mk 2:23-3:6; Lk 6:1-11:
In Mt 12:1-14; Mk 2:23-3:6; Luke 6:1-11: Eating standing grain that was not your crop was permitted as a general rule, (Deut 23:24-25) but then so was gathering wood, yet both were forbidden on the Sabbath day. Jesus justified gathering food on the Sabbath day, which violated Ex 16:22-30, by using the following argument: David eating showbread in 1 Sam 21:1-6, was a double violation of the law of Moses because first, only the priests could eat it and second, the "day old" showbread was to be burned never eaten. (Lev 8:31; 24:9; Ex 29:33-34) The priests would break the Sabbath by their temple work because slaughtering animals is very hard and heavy work. It is interesting to note that the common Jew was forbidden to work, but then in the same passage, the priests were told do the work for them in Num 28:9-10; 18-19). So the same work on the sabbath day brought stoning to the common Jew and blessing to the Priests. In John 7:19: Jesus justified working/healing on the Sabbath by appealing to the priests who also break the Sabbath by performing circumcision on Sabbath day. The priests broke the Sabbath law by kindling fire (Ex 35:3) and baking new showbread (food preparation was forbidden Ex 16:23). Next Jesus stated that He was "greater than the temple". By this, Jesus meant that the holiness of the temple overshadowed and allowed the priests to break the Sabbath and do their work. Jesus is the true temple "that He will tear down and raise up in three days". Just as the priests were permitted to break the Sabbath because they were in the presence of the physical Jewish temple, Jesus' disciples were permitted to break the Sabbath in their gathering of food because they were in the presence of Jesus himself, the true spiritual temple. Not much wonder the Jews wanted to stone Jesus when he said HE was personally greater than the physical temple.

Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6, "I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice". The only way to interpret this passage in the context of Sabbath breaking, is that the Sabbath law (sacrifice) could be overruled by the human need of the moment. (compassion- "situation ceremonial ethics") In common law today, this principle is known as the "law of greater good". It means that a civil law can be suspended if there is a greater good achieved by breaking it. Examples of the "law of greater good" are that police and ambulance drivers are allowed to break the law by going through red lights. For that matter, in any emergency medical situation, any man is permitted to go through red lights if there is a pressing medical need that may be a matter of life or death. No one would wait at a red light for 60 seconds, just because it is red, when someone is dying in the back seat and needs to get to the hospital. This is exactly what Jesus argued when he defended the disciples breaking the Sabbath.

Jesus stated "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath", meaning the Sabbath was made to help man, not man to serve the Sabbath. This statement shows that the God's purpose of the Sabbath was to serve man and better his life. Mk 2:27 is a bold statement of the humanitarian view; the Sabbath law is to be interpreted according to human needs and possibilities. After all the purpose of the sabbath law was to recharge the human body after 6 days of hard labour! On a side note for Sabbatarians, only ceremonial laws are subject to being nullified by the "greater good principle", true moral laws are never nullified. Remember, that the Sabbath Law did not exist before Exodus 16 and was abolished on the cross in Col 2:16. Moral laws have always remained constant.
Jesus called himself the "Lord of the Sabbath", meaning that he was OVER the Sabbath law perhaps even its author, and knew exactly what constituted breaking the Sabbath in God's mind. Jesus, as the perfect judge of all men (John 5:22), understood what was permitted on the Sabbath and what was not. He also knew, when the "law of greater good" was correctly applied and when it was not. Then all three narratives tell what happened on another Sabbath as a continuation of the previous thought: Jesus was asked: "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Jesus replied yes and justified by showing that you could break the Sabbath to save the life of a sheep, how much more a man. If a man lifted a sheep out of a pit when its life was not in danger, that man would be stoned. But if the same man lifted the same sheep out of the same pit when its life was in danger, he was excepted from the Sabbath law and not considered a sinner! Texts of Mt 12:1-14; Mk 2:23-3:6; Luke 6:1-11:

Mt 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him,
Mk 2:23-3:6 And it came about that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to Him, Lk 6:1 Now it came about that on a certain Sabbath He was passing through some grainfields; and His disciples were picking and eating the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said,

"Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath." "See here, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" "Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"

3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he became hungry, he and his companions; 4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? 25 And He *said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and became hungry, he and his companions: 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he gave it also to those who were with him?" 3 And Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, 4 how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?"

5 "Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath, and are innocent? - -

6 "But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here. - -

7 "But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent. - -

- 27 And He was saying to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. -

8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." 28 "Consequently, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." 5 And He was saying to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

9 And departing from there, He went into their synagogue.
3:1 And He entered again into a synagogue; 6 And it came about on another Sabbath, that He entered the synagogue and was teaching;

10 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. and a man was there with a withered hand. and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.

And they questioned Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"—in order that they might accuse Him. 2 And they were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, in order that they might accuse Him. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see if He healed on the Sabbath, in order that they might find reason to accuse Him.

- 3 And He *said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise and come forward!" 8 But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise and come forward!" And he rose and came forward.

11 And He said to them, "What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it, and lift it out? 12 "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 4 And He *said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?" 9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?"

- But they kept silent. -

- 5 And after looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, 10 And after looking around at them all,

13 Then He *said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" And he stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. He *said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. He said to him, "Stretch out your hand!" And he did so; and his hand was restored.

14 But the Pharisees went out, and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. 6 And the Pharisees went out and immediately began taking counsel with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. 11 But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

Five Additional texts:

Text of Luke 13:10-17 And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. 12 And when Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your sickness." 13 And He laid His hands upon her; and immediately she was made erect again, and began glorifying God. 14 And the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the multitude in response, "There are six days in which work should be done; therefore come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day." 15 But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall, and lead him away to water him? 16 "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?" 17 And as He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire multitude was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.

Comment on Luke 13:10-17: In Lk 13:10-17: The synagogue official accused the disciples with breaking the sabbath because of the work involved in travelling to the synagogue on the sabbath day. In this instance, they focused on the effort the people were making to get to Jesus, not simply Jesus' act of healing itself as in other texts. Jesus justified the people "working to get to him" on the sabbath by coming to Him for healing on the Sabbath day by comparing them to a man breaking the Sabbath by leading his ox or donkey from the stall to drink water. Every Sabbath the Jews would lead their animals to water and feed them. Yet such was forbidden for humans! Obviously the work the people were going to, in order to get to Jesus and be healed on the Sabbath day, was an acceptable breaking of the Sabbath.

Text of Luke 14:1-6 And it came about when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching Him closely. 2 And there, in front of Him was a certain man suffering from dropsy. 3 And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?" 4 But they kept silent. And He took hold of him, and healed him, and sent him away. 5 And He said to them, "Which one of you shall have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?" 6 And they could make no reply to this.

Comment on Luke 14:1-6: In Lk 14:1-6: Jesus justified working/healing on the Sabbath day, by appealing to a man who lifts son or an ox out of a well on the Sabbath day. If the same man lifted the same son out of the well because he was working to repair the well, the man would be stoned as a Sabbath breaker. But because the son's life was in danger, the same work of lifting the son out of the well was an acceptable breaking of the Sabbath law in God's and man's eyes.

Text of John 5:8-18 Jesus *said to him, "Arise, take up your pallet, and walk." 9 And immediately the man became well, and took up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. Therefore the Jews were saying to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Take up your pallet and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and walk'?" But he who was healed did not know who it was; for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you." The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. And for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Comment on John 5:8-18:
In John 5:8-18: What the man did was a clear violation to the sabbath law: Jer 17:21-22, Neh 13:15-22. Jesus justified carrying the pallet which broke the Sabbath law, by answering that both Jesus and the Father are working together, proving that such was an acceptable exception to the Sabbath law. If the same man carried the same pallet the next Sabbath, he would be stoned by Jesus as a Sabbath breaker! Jesus statement, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." is quite remarkable, since we would have expected Jesus to say, "My work does not break the sabbath" or "I am not working." But Jesus' reply implicates the Father in also breaking the sabbath along side of Jesus. Now we have both the Father and the Son breaking the sabbath. So anti-Trinitarians can have their pick: Either Jesus was making an outright claim of deity, or the Father and the Son were equally guilty of breaking the sabbath! (yet without sin)
· Jer 17:21-22 'Thus says the Lord, "Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 "And you shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers. · Neh 13:15-22 "In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. v15" On a side note, we cannot be sure if there is some connection by "anti-type" with the fact that the man had been stricken the same length of time as the Jews were smitten by God in the wilderness. Jesus did say to the man, "do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you." indicating that the man's sickness may have been God chastening him (Heb 12:4-13), just as God chastened the Jews in the wilderness for their sin. Deut 2:14, ""Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea, until we crossed over the brook Zered, was thirty-eight years; until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them." But 38 years, may be nothing more than interesting speculation.

Text of John 7:19-24 "Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?" 20 The multitude answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?" 21 Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel. 22 "On this account Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 "If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

Comment John 7:19-24: In John 7:19: Jesus justified His working/healing on the Sabbath by appealing to the priests who also break the Sabbath by performing circumcision on Sabbath day. (See Mt 12:5) where Jesus refers to this specifically. Not only did God command the priests to break the Sabbath law by performing circumcision, when the 8th day fell on a sabbath, but also the priests kindled fire (forbidden: Ex 35:3) and baked new showbread (food preparation was forbidden: Ex 16:23). Jesus argued therefore, that his breaking of the sabbath was acceptable to God in the same manner.

Text of John 9:14-16 Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15 Again, therefore, the Pharisees also were asking him how he received his sight. And he said to them, "He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see." 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." But others were saying, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And there was a division among them.

Comment on John 9:14-16 Jesus healed on the Sabbath day and is charged with breaking the Sabbath. In this text, there is no record of Jesus defense.
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Mt 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him,	Mk 2:23-3:6 And it came about that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to Him,	Lk 6:1 Now it came about that on a certain Sabbath He was passing through some grainfields; and His disciples were picking and eating the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said,
"Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath."	"See here, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"	"Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"
3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he became hungry, he and his companions; 4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?	25 And He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and became hungry, he and his companions: 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the* high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he gave it also to those who were with him?"	3 And Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, 4 how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?"
5 "Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath, and are innocent?	-	-
6 "But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.	-	-
7 "But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.	-	-
-	27 And He was saying to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.	-
8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."	28 "Consequently, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."	5 And He was saying to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

9 And departing from there, He went into their synagogue.	3:1 And He entered again into a synagogue;	6 And it came about on another Sabbath, that He entered the synagogue and was teaching;
10 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand.	and a man was there with a withered hand.	and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
And they questioned Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"—in order that they might accuse Him.	2 And they were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, in order that they might accuse Him.	7 And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see if He healed on the Sabbath, in order that they might find reason to accuse Him.
-	3 And He said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise and come* forward!"	8 But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise and come forward!" And he rose and came forward.
11 And He said to them, "What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it, and lift it out? 12 "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."	4 And He *said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?"	9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?"
-	But they kept silent.	-
-	5 And after looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart,	10 And after looking around at them all,
13 Then He *said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" And he stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.	He *said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.	He said to him, "Stretch out your hand!" And he did so; and his hand was restored.
14 But the Pharisees went out, and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.	6 And the Pharisees went out and immediately began taking counsel with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.	11 But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.