Jesus and His Father worked each and every Sabbath

[Robert]

John 5:16 That is why the Jews were out to get Jesus - because he did this kind of thing [i.e., He healed a man] on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus defended himself. "My Father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I." 18 That really set them off. The Jews were now not only out to expose him; they were out to kill him. Not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was calling God his own Father, putting himself on a level with God.

[Robert]

Another version: 17 Jesus answered them, "My Father is always working, and I too must work." 18 This saying made the Jewish authorities all the more determined to kill him; not only had he broken the Sabbath law, but...

What does this mean? I can tell you that Jesus wasn't just talking about healing. Jesus came to work. He came to save the world. So He worked everyday for approximately 33 years. And His Father too!

[Lineman]

Another version: 17 Jesus answered them, "My Father is always working, and I too must work." 18 This saying made the Jewish authorities all the more determined to kill him; not only had he broken the Sabbath law, but...

What does this mean? I can tell you that Jesus wasn't just talking about healing. Jesus came to work. He came to save the world. So He worked everyday for approximately 33 years. And His Father too!

First thing that came to mind was, "the Sabbath was made for man", not for God, but that was just me being a smart so and so. What is meant here is that "working" for someone else's good is what we are suppose to be doing on the Sabbath. The other days are for us to use as we need to, but the Sabbath was made for us to lay aside the stuff that we do just for ourselves and concentrate on the good of others, and on the Creator's goodness. It is important for us to take our minds off of ourselves and what we think is really important.

God is always working for our good, never for selfish work/pleasures like we do sometimes.

[Robert]

Originally Posted By: Robert

Another version: 17 Jesus answered them, "My Father is always working, and I too must work." 18 This saying made the Jewish authorities all the more determined to kill him; not only had he broken the Sabbath law, but...

What does this mean? I can tell you that Jesus wasn't just talking about healing. Jesus came to work. He came to save the world. So He worked everyday for approximately 33 years. And His Father too!

First thing that came to mind was, "the Sabbath was made for man", not for God....

Good point....The Sabbath is a symbol of God's completed work. Both God the Father and God the Son worked day and night for approximately 33 years to save the fallen race. Upon the death of Christ, their job was completed. As Jesus said, "It is finished". What was finished? The work of redemption. That is when God rested. He rested from His work "in Christ".

So unlike our rest, God's rest is eternal. Yes, He rested upon the 7th day when the redemption of the human race was complete. But in His rest He didn't start working the next day. Again, His rest was eternal.