And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
persecute.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Acts 9:4,5 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? …
and sought.
John 5:13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
John 7:19,20,25 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? …
John 10:39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
the Jews began to persecute Him
The term "the Jews" often refers to the Jewish religious leaders, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were influential in the Sanhedrin. Their persecution of Jesus was rooted in His perceived violation of the Sabbath and His claims of divine authority, which they saw as blasphemous (John 5:18). This opposition is a recurring theme in the Gospels, illustrating the growing conflict that would eventually lead to Jesus' crucifixion. The persecution also fulfills Old Testament prophecies about the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53:3), and it foreshadows the trials faced by early Christians as they spread the Gospel.
- The verse opens with a word that ties us directly to the events that have just taken place in John 5:1-15, where Jesus healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda.
- Scripture reports this sequence as factual history (Luke 1:1-4). We are meant to read what follows as the literal continuation of that moment.
- “These things” points back to the miraculous healing and the command, “Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8-9).
- Miracles validated Jesus’ divine authority (John 3:2; Acts 2:22).
- His works always served the Father’s purpose (John 4:34), revealing compassion and confirming His identity as the promised Messiah (Isaiah 35:5-6).
- The Sabbath command was given for rest and worship (Exodus 20:8-11).
- Jesus never violated God’s Law; He challenged human traditions that distorted it (Mark 7:8-9).
- He declared Himself “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28), affirming that doing good and giving life are fully in harmony with God’s intent for that day (Matthew 12:11-12).
- The term refers to the religious leaders who had authority over synagogue life (John 9:22).
- They saw Jesus’ actions as a threat to their system (John 11:47-48).
- Persecution here includes:
• Questioning His motives and authority (John 5:18, 7:1)
• Seeking ways to silence Him (Mark 3:6)
• Plotting eventual execution (John 11:53)
- Ironically, their hostility fulfills prophecy about the suffering Servant (Psalm 22:6-8; Isaiah 53:3).
John 5:16 records the moment hostility against Jesus crystallized because He healed on the Sabbath. By literally recounting the events, Scripture shows: Jesus’ miracles were deliberate acts of mercy, fully lawful under God’s design; religious leaders opposed Him not for breaking God’s Law, but for upending their traditions; and this rising persecution set in motion the redemptive plan that would culminate at the cross (Acts 4:27-28).
(16) The words, "and sought to slay Him," should be omitted. They have been inserted in some MSS. to explain the first clause of John 5:18. For "He had done," read He was doing. The word is in the imperfect tense, expressing continuance or custom. It is either that from this one instance they generalise a law of practice to justify their persecution, or that some of the earlier unrecorded miracles were also performed on the Sabbath. (Comp. Luke 6:1-11.)