John 5:18

Sought the more

(μαλλον εζητουν). Imperfect active of ζητεω, graphic picture of increased and untiring effort "to kill him" (αυτον αποκτεινα, first aorist active, to kill him off and be done with him). John repeats this clause "they sought to kill him" in John 7:1; John 7:19; John 7:25; John 8:37; John 8:40. Their own blood was up on this Sabbath issue and they bend every energy to put Jesus to death. If this is a passover, this bitter anger, murderous wrath, will go on and grow for two years.Not only brake the Sabbath

(ου μονον ελυε το σαββατον). Imperfect active of λυω. He was now a common and regular Sabbath-breaker. Λυω means to loosen, to set at naught. The papyri give examples of λυω in this sense like λυειν τα πενθη (to break the period of mourning). This was the first grudge against Jesus, but his defence had made the offence worse and had given them a far graver charge.But also called God his own Father

(αλλα κα πατερα ιδιον ελεγε τον θεον). "His own" (ιδιον) in a sense not true of others. That is precisely what Jesus meant by "My Father." See Romans 8:32 for ο ιδιος υιος, "his own Son."Making himself equal with God

(ισον εαυτον ποιων τω θεω). Ισος is an old common adjective (in papyri also) and meansequal

. In Philippians 2:6 Paul calls the Pre-incarnate Christ ισα θεω, "equal to God" (plural ισα, attributes of God). Bernard thinks that Jesus would not claim to be ισος θεω because in John 14:28 he says: "The Father is greater than I." And yet he says in John 14:7 that the one who sees him sees in him the Father. Certainly the Jews understood Jesus to claim equality with the Father in nature and privilege and power as also in John 10:33; John 19:7. Besides, if the Jews misunderstood Jesus on this point, it was open and easy for him to deny it and to clear up the misapprehension. This is precisely what he does not do. On the contrary Jesus gives a powerful apologetic in defence of his claim to equality with the Father (verses John 5:19-47).