Albert Barnes Commentary John 5:16

"And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath." — John 5:16 (ASV)

Persecuted Jesus. They opposed him; attempted to ruin his character; to destroy his popularity; and probably held him up before the people as a violator of the law of God. Instead of making inquiry whether he had indeed given proof that he was the Messiah, they assumed that he must be wrong, and ought to be punished. Thus every bigot and persecutor does in regard to those who differ from them.

To slay him. To put him to death. This they attempted to do because it was directed in the law of Moses, Exodus 31:15; Exodus 35:2; Luke 6:7, 11; Luke 13:14.

1. How full of enmity and how bloody was the purpose of the Jews. All that Jesus had done was to restore an infirm man to health—a thing which they would have done for their cattle (Luke 6:7; Luke 13:14), and yet they sought his life because he had done it for a sick man.
2. Men are often extremely envious because good is done by others, especially if it is not done according to the way of their denomination or party.
3. Here was an instance of the common feelings of a hypocrite. He often covers his enmity against the power of religion by great zeal for the form of it. He hates and persecutes those who do good, who seek the conversion of sinners, who love revivals of religion and the spread of the gospel, because it is not according to some matter of form which has been established, and on which he supposes the whole safety of the church to hang. There was nothing that Jesus was more opposed to than hypocrisy, and nothing that he set himself more against than those who suppose all goodness to consist in forms, and all piety in the shibboleths of a party.