SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:17
¶ Y Jess les respondi: Mi Padre hasta ahora obra, y yo obro.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 5:17
Verse 17. My Father worked hitherto, and I work.] Or, As my Father worketh until now, &c., kaqwv being understood. God created the world in six days: on the seventh he rested from all creating acts, and set it apart to be an everlasting memorial of his work. But, though he rested from creating, he never ceased from preserving and governing that which he had formed: in this respect he can keep no sabbaths; for nothing can continue to exist, or answer the end proposed by the Divine wisdom and goodness, without the continual energy of God. So I work-I am constantly employed in the same way, governing and supporting all things, comforting the wretched, and saving the lost; and to me, in this respect, there is no sabbath.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. But Jesus answered them , etc.] Being convened before them, and charged by them with the violation of the sabbath, he vindicated himself in the following manner, saying; my Father worketh hitherto : he who is my Father, not by creation, or adoption, but by nature, though he ended all his work on the seventh day, and rested from what he had done; yet he did not cease from working at all, but has continued to work ever since, on sabbath days, as well as on other days; in upholding and governing the world, in continuing the species of beings, and all creatures in their being; in providing for them, and in dispensing the bounties of his providence to them; in causing his sun to shine, and showers of rain to descend on the earth; and in taking care of, and protecting even the meanest of his creatures: and much more men; and still more his own people: and I work ; or also I work; as the Syriac and Arabic version reads; i.e. in conjunction with him, as a co-efficient cause in the works of providence, in the government of the world, in upholding all things in it, in bearing up the pillars of the earth, in holding things together, and sustaining all creatures: or I also work in imitation of him, in doing good both to the bodies and souls of men on the sabbath day, being the Lord of it: I do but what my Father does, and therefore, as he is not to be blamed for his works on that day, as none will say he is, no more am I. So Philo the Jew says f240 , God never ceases to work; but as it is the property of fire to burn, and of snow to cool, so of God to work. And what most men call fortune, he calls the divine Logos, or word, to whom he ascribes all the affairs of providence f241 .
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-23 - The Divine power of the miracle proved Jesus to be the Son of God, an he declared that he worked with, and like unto his Father, as he saw good. These ancient enemies of Christ understood him, and became mor violent, charging him not only with sabbath-breaking, but blasphemy, is calling God his own Father, and making himself equal with God. But all things now, and at the final judgment, are committed to the Son purposely that all men might honour the Son, as they honour the Father and every one who does not thus honour the Son, whatever he may thin or pretend, does not honour the Father who sent him.
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ ιησους 2424 N-NSM απεκρινατο 611 5662 V-ADI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM ο 3588 T-NSM πατηρ 3962 N-NSM μου 3450 P-1GS εως 2193 CONJ αρτι 737 ADV εργαζεται 2038 5736 V-PNI-3S καγω 2504 P-1NS-C εργαζομαι 2038 5736 V-PNI-1S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. Worketh. The discussion turned on work on the Sabbath. The Father's work in maintaining and redeeming the world has continued from the creation until the present moment (ewv arti): until now, not interrupted by the Sabbath.And I work (kagw ergazomai). Or, I also work. The two clauses are coordinated. The relation, as Meyer observes, is not that of imitation, or example, but of equality of will and procedure. Jesus does not violate the divine ideal of the Sabbath by His holy activity on that day. "Man's true rest is not a rest from human, earthly labor, but a rest for divine, heavenly labor. Thus the merely negative, traditional observance of the Sabbath is placed in sharp contrast with the positive, final fulfillment of spiritual service, for which it was a preparation" (Westcott).
