Page 53 - The Gospel of John - Student textbook
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The 39 Prohibited Activities

            As based on the Mishnah Tractate Shabbat 7:2, the 39 activities are:


                                                                Flaying
            Sowing                 Beating wool                 Tanning
            Plowing                Dyeing wool                  Scraping hide
            Reaping                Spinning                     Marking hides
            Binding sheaves        Weaving                      Cutting hide to shape
            Threshing              Making two loops             Writing two or more letters
            Winnowing              Weaving two threads          Erasing two or more letters
            Selecting              Separating two threads       Building
            Grinding               Tying                        Demolishing
            Sifting                Untying                      Extinguishing a fire
            Kneading               Sewing stitches              Kindling a fire
            Baking                 Tearing                      Putting the finishing touch on an object
            Shearing wool          Trapping                     Transporting an object between a private domain and
            Washing wool           Slaughtering                 the public domain, or for a distance of 4 cubits within
                                                                the public domain.


            See http://www.thenazareneway.com/sabbath/39_prohib_sabbath.htm for more details.

                         Before we move on, I want to sound a word of caution. Sometimes we are not as different from
                         the religious leaders as we might think. Whenever we equate our “sacred traditions” with
                         Scripture we are following the example of Jesus’ opponents here. The kind of narrow thinking
                         that equates tradition with Scripture blinds us to seeing God’s work among His people.

            Jesus Is Equal to God in His Works
            John 5:19 Then Jesus replied, “I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He
            sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way.   For
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            the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than
            these so that you will be amazed.

            Jesus Is Equal to God in His Power and Sovereignty
            John 5:21 And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to anyone He
            wants to.

            Jesus Is Equal to God in His Judgment
            John 5:22 The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son,

            Jesus Is Equal to God in His Honor
            John 5:23 so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the
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            Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.   “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him
            who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

            Stop for a few moments and seriously consider the following six claims. Think of the best person in all of history
            (other than Jesus Christ), living or dead. Imagine him or her standing before you to make a speech having these
            six points:

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