John 5:18

“Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”

Context:Let’s study John 5:18 in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. The verse you mentioned is as follows:

This verse is part of a larger passage in the Gospel of John where Jesus interacts with the religious leaders in Jerusalem. In this specific verse, the Jews, referring to the religious leaders, were seeking to kill Jesus for two reasons:

1. Breaking the Sabbath: The religious leaders accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath, which was a violation of their strict interpretation of the law. According to their understanding, any work performed on the Sabbath was considered a transgression. Jesus had performed miracles on the Sabbath, such as healing the sick, which the religious leaders deemed as violating the Sabbath.

2. Claiming Equality with God: The second reason the Jews wanted to kill Jesus was that he claimed God as his Father, thereby asserting equality with God. This claim was considered blasphemous in their eyes because they understood it as Jesus making himself divine, essentially equating himself with God.

These two accusations against Jesus were central to the conflict between him and the religious leaders. The religious leaders were not only concerned with the apparent violation of their religious practices but also with what they saw as Jesus making himself equal with God, which they viewed as a threat to their authority and understanding of the divine.

It is important to note that throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus repeatedly asserts his relationship with God the Father, claiming to be one with the Father and the Son of God. His claims challenged the religious leaders’ traditional beliefs and teachings, leading to hostility and opposition.

This verse sets the stage for the ongoing conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities, which ultimately culminated in his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. It highlights the radical nature of Jesus’ claims and the reaction they evoked from the religious establishment of the time.