“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,” (John 5:18, NASB).

When using this verse against the Jehovah’s Witnesses (and any other group that denies Jesus’ deity), the response they have is as follows.  They ask if Jesus actually sinned and broke the Sabbath.  Of course, He did not.  Then they try to point out that John the Apostle was commenting about what the Jews thought and not what Jesus was actually doing and claiming.  Therefore, they say, when it says that Jesus was ” . . . calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God,” they respond that that is what the Jews were thinking and not what John was saying.  The Jehovah’s Witnesses are quite wrong.

The context of this verse is John chapter five where Jesus had healed a lame man on the Sabbath and told him to take up his pallet and walk.  The Jews inquired about this man and why he was carrying the pallet.  He said that Jesus healed him and told him to walk.  It then says in John 5:16-18,

“And for this reason, the Jews were persecuting Jesus because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17But He answered them, ‘My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.  18For 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.”

Yes, Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Obviously, that was right for Him to do, but the Jews thought He was breaking the Sabbath. Therefore, when John says that Jesus was breaking the Sabbath, he was clearly saying that Jesus was breaking the Jews erring conception of the Sabbath and not the real Sabbath.  Then, in addition, John says that Jesus was calling God His own Father and making Himself equal to God. John is making two comments–one about the Jews erring claim and the other about Jesus claiming to be divine.  But these non-Christian groups will not accept this answer.  So, let’s analyze the issue some more:

If it was only the Jews who thought that Jesus was making Himself equal to God, then can the Jehovah’s Witness point out in the context of what Jesus said and did that would cause the Jews to think this?  If he cannot find the place in scripture, then the only thing left to conclude is that the comment is John’s and not that of the Jews.

But, someone might ask the Christian where and what it was that Jesus said that meant He was claiming to be equal with God.  The answer is simple:  calling God His own Father is claiming to be equal to God as John the Apostle says.  Nevertheless, let’s look at the chapters prior to John 5:18 for any clues to Jesus’ claims regarding His relationship to the Father.

- John 2:16, ” . . . stop making my Father’s house a house of merchandise.”
- John 3:16, Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of God.
- John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.”

What can we conclude from this information?  Quite simply, Jesus is the Son of God, and He calls God His own Father.  So, the problem is in understanding what the phrase Son of God means.  Apparently, in the biblical culture, it means to be equal with God–as John the Apostle stated.  But, again, the Jehovah’s Witnesses will say that the term Son of God means that Jesus is not God.  Okay, if that is so, then does the term Son of Man mean that Jesus is not a man?  Of course not.  If the term Son of Man means that Jesus is a man, then what does the term Son of God mean?

Why didn’t John correct the error?

Also, if Jesus was not God, why didn’t John the apostle clarify the situation?  After all, it is a perfect opportunity to do so.  Remember, John clarified other points.  Here is an example:

- “This saying therefore went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, ‘If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?’ (John 21:23, NASB).
- “The Jews answered and said to Him, ‘Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?  49Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.” (John 8:48-49).

John was definitely in the position to correct such a great error as Jesus being God in flesh, but He doesn’t do it.  This is not something you would let slide if you were writing a gospel about who Jesus really is.

Does the term "Son of God" mean that Jesus is not God? No, the term "Son of God" does not mean that Jesus is not divine. Think about it. If the term "Son of God" means that Jesus is not God, then does the term "Son of Man" mean that Jesus is not a man? Of course not. Instead, the term is used to describe the majesty and honor of Jesus, who was the Son of God.

- Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Matt. 26:63; Mark 1:1; John 20:31; Heb. 4:14).
- Unclean spirits would fall down before Jesus and say, "You are the Son of God" (Mark 3:11).
- "…the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35).
- Those who hear the voice of the Son of God shall live (John 5:25).
- Paul had faith in the Son of God (Gal. 2:20).
- Son of God has no beginning or end (Heb. 7:3).
- The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).
- Believing in the Son of God so that you may have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

We can see that Jesus is the Son of God, that unclean spirits fell down before him, that Paul had faith in him, that he has no beginning or end, and that in him we have eternal life. Clearly this is saying that he is more than just a man.

Finally, John 5:18 is significant.

> "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" (John 5:18).

Notice that saying that God was Jesus’ Father was to make himself equal with God. Therefore, we can see the term "Son of God" is not a denial that Jesus is God. Instead, it affirms it.

Jesus can be both God and the son of God because the terms don’t mean the same thing. When we say that Jesus is God (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8), we are saying that Jesus possesses the divine nature (as well as human nature, see hypostatic union). But the term "Son of God" does not mean that Jesus is not God. Think about it. If the term "Son of God" meant that Jesus is not God, then does the term "Son of Man" mean that Jesus is not a man? Of course not. Likewise, if the term "Son of Man" means that Jesus is a man, then does it not imply that when it says Jesus is the "Son of God" that he is God? We ought not look at the ancient words found in Scripture and judge them by modern thinking.

> "For this reason, 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," (John 5:18).

As you can see in this verse, Jesus was calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God. Therefore, the term Son of God is a designation of equality with God when it is a reference to Christ.

Jesus is the Son of God

The phrase "Son of God" occurs 44 times in the New American Standard Bible. Each time it is used of Christ. It is a title of his preeminence, holiness, and relationship to God the Father. In fact, we see that the Pharisees wanted to kill him for proclaiming he was the son of God

> "I and the Father are one." 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" 33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." 34 Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?" (John 10:30-36).

In this account we see the second instance of Jesus being threatened with stoning. The first one is a little earlier.

> "Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’ 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple," (John 8:58-59).

Jesus' words here are significant because he says he is the "I am." This is similar to what is found in Exodus.

> God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’" 15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial name to all generations," (Exodus 3:14-15).

When we combine all of this together, we see that Jesus was claiming the divine title for himself (John 8:58; Exodus 3:14-15) and that is why the Jews wanted to kill him (John 8:59 and John 10:31). The explanation given is that Jesus was claiming equality with God by claiming that he was the Son of God.

So, when we say that Jesus is God, we are saying that he is divine by nature. He is, after all, the second person of the Trinity. But when we say that Jesus is the Son of God, we are saying that he is also God since that is what the phrase means.

No, Jesus was not created as an equal being to God. After all, Jesus came into existence 2000 years ago. Let me explain. 2000 years ago, the second person of the Trinity, the Word, became flesh (John 1:1,14) and was born through the Virgin Mary. His name is Jesus. That event is called the incarnation. Furthermore, Jesus has two natures, God and man. We call this the hypostatic union. The union of those two natures did not occur until 2000 years ago. However, the divine nature of Jesus is eternal. But the human nature of Jesus had a beginning.  Furthermore, the attributes of both natures are ascribed to the single person. This is called the communicatio idiomatum.  So, the one person of Jesus would say, “I am thirsty,” (John 19:28) and “I will be with you always even to the end of the earth,” (Matt. 28:20). This is because He claimed the attributes of both humanity and divinity.

Now we can better answer the question, “Was Jesus created as an equal to God?” The answer is no. Jesus is not equal to God in the sense that He was created in order to be equal. After all, no created thing can be equal to the uncreated God. But, the nature of Jesus that is divine is, by nature, equal to God, and it that nature is not created. Now, the key is the word “created.” So, no He was not created to be equal because He already was equal in His divine nature – not in his human nature.

- John 5:18, “or this reason 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.”

- John 5:23, “so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

- John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.”

The Trinity

The Trinity is one eternal being who exists as three simultaneous, coeternal, distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When we say “persons” in the context of the Trinity, we mean the characteristics of having a will, being self-aware, aware of others, can love, hate, think, reason, etc. The Trinity is three of these, not three beings, not three Gods. After all, God is a triune being. If any of the three persons were removed, God would not be God. Think of a cube. It has height, width, and depth. If any one of those three aspects were removed, the cube could not exist. For more on this, please see the Trinity Chart.

So, Jesus is the union between the second person of the Trinity, the Word (John 1:1, 14), and human nature. This new union is not eternal, but the divine nature within it is eternal. So, Jesus was not created as an equal to God.