Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 5:18

διὰ τοῦτο. See on John 5:16. Μᾶλλον shews that ἐδίωκον in John 5:16 includes attempts to compass His death. Comp. Mark 3:6. This is the blood-red thread which runs through the whole of this section of the Gospel; John 7:1; John 7:19; John 7:25; John 8:37; John 8:40; John 8:59; John 10:31; John 11:53; John 12:10.

ἔλυεν. Was loosing or relaxing, making less binding; solvebat. Not a single occasion, but a general principle, was in question. Comp. John 7:23, and see on John 10:35 : Matthew 5:19; Matthew 18:18.

ἴσον ἑ. π. τ. θ. They fully understand the force of the parallel statements, ‘My Father is working; I am working also,’ and the exclusive expression ‘My Father,’ not ‘our Father’ (John 8:41). ‘Behold,’ says S. Augustine, ‘the Jews understand what the Arians fail to understand.’ If Arian or Unitarian views were right, would not Christ at once have explained that what they imputed to Him as blasphemy was not in His mind at all? But instead of explaining that He by no means claims equality with the Father, He goes on to reaffirm this equality from other points of view: see especially John 5:23.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 5:18

Old Testament

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