Based on John 5:16-29 (New King James Version)
“For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.’ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.’”
In this passage, we see a couple of reasons for why the Jews wanted to kill Jesus; because of doing things they considered unlawful to do during the Sabbath, and because He said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. But there was another more powerful reason that was eating away at their own soul, because they were full of evil. The Apostle John had noticed the two reasons of which he wrote, but incredibly enough, an unbelieving man had noticed the most important one; which was envy. For it is written: “Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” Matthew 27:17-18. Envy was the root of all the hate they felt for the Lord. This was the evil that was born in their heart that stimulated them to kill God’s only Son, the same God they said they were following. Why?
They hypocritically justified their hatred with Biblical reasons. It was true that the Sabbath had to be respected (although Jesus as God could do whatever He wanted). It was true that no one should make themselves equal to God because the penalty for that was death (although it was true that He was the only begotten Son of God). But, their wrath grew within them because they did know that the Lord was truly the only begotten Son of God, and that He was truly God. They knew it and believed it, but not for repentance and conversion, but rather, hatred and envy surged. They hated the idea that the Lord was able to do things they were not able to. They hated the idea of the multitudes following Him. They hated the idea that they were not the focus anymore, but rather, that the Son of God became the focus. No matter how farfetched this sounds, this was the truth.
We see someone else in history that was also driven by envy; Satan. The Bible teaches us about the envy and the hatred that Satan (before known as Lucifer) felt against the Almighty Himself, for God the Father. For it is written: “How you are fallen from heaven, o Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.” Isaiah 14:12-15. Satan, as he filled himself with groundless pride, He came to envy God, and that was what the cause of his fall. He did not know how to accept the reality that he was not like God, nor could he ever be like God, and that he could never take the Most High’s legitimate place. This was the same evil the Jews that killed the Lord had within them. They wanted to be like the Lord, but they could never be that, and that ate their soul up. There are people that have God complexes, and this evil is much more common than you think.
Although we were made in God’s image and likeness, the issue is that no one can be like God, under any circumstance. It’s naturally impossible. And at the same time, not even the most remote feeling, nothing that could even resemble wanting to be like God should exist in our heart. And more over, and this is the culmination of today’s thought, the only begotten Son of God, Jesus, must become the everything in our lives. Jesus can not only be our Savior and Lord, but He must also be our God. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of David, the Messiah, was and is God. And if that realization does not exist within us, without our very heart, our soul, our mind, our entire being, then there is nothing. The Bible teaches us this: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36.
So then, this is what we need to keep in mind: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-4. Jesus is the Word. Jesus existed since the beginning. Jesus made all things. Jesus is the life and the light. Jesus made man, for it is written: “Then God said, ‘Let Us [plural God] make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” Genesis 1:26a. Jesus (or God) made Himself flesh. God was with man on this earth. God was mocked and beaten. God was crucified. God descended to the depths of the earth. But, God was raised from the dead at the third day. And now, God is seated on His legitimate throne, in the highest place in the heavens, where Satan wanted to be. And God will come for His people and judge the nations. God will condemn to eternal punishment all those that did not accept Him as such. And God will reign forever and ever, Amen.
Now, have you acknowledged and accepted Jesus (God) for what He is? Or, are you part of those that envy Him, trying to make yourself like Him? Lord bless! John