Jesus was helpless without the father

JESUS WAS HELPLESS WITHOUT THE FATHER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 5:18-2018Forthis reasonthey tried all the
more to kill him; not only was he breaking the
Sabbath, but he was even callingGod his own Father,
making himselfequal with God. 19Jesusgave them
this answer: "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do
nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his
Father doing, becausewhatever the Fatherdoes the
Son also does. 20Forthe Fatherloves the Son and
shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even
greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
John 5:19 So Jesus replied, "Truly, truly, I tell you,
the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the
Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son
also does.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES

The FatherAnd The Son
John 5:19, 20
J.R. Thomson
Mostof our Lord's discourses concernman and his spiritual life, are moral
and practical. But this passageis, in the true and proper sense ofthe term,
theological, informing us of the relations betweenthe persons of the Godhead,
and revealing, so to speak, the inner springs of our Saviour's ministry, by
giving us a glimpse into the Divine nature and purposes.
I. THE FATHER IS EVER CARRYING ON BENEFICENT OPERATIONS
IN HUMAN SOCIETY. The whole discussionoriginated in the cure of the
infirm man at Bethesda;this being wrought on the sabbath occasionedthe
murmurings of the Jews, and elicitedthe defence of Jesus. Now, anordinary
physician, had he effectedsuch a cure, would have been rightly satisfiedto fall
back upon the fact that the man's sufferings were relieved, and that human
strength and comfort are an abundant justification for any measures not
morally wrong. But the Divine Physicianfell back upon the working of God in
the world and among men. What he says does not remove all mystery, for he
tells us nothing to explain the existence ofsin and of suffering. But he does
give us to understand that God is ever working among men in the very way in
which he - Jesus himself - had been working, when he had healed the
infirmities of the sick.
II. THE FATHER, LOVING THE SON, SHOWS HIM WHAT THINGS HE
IS EVER DOING. This language is, of course, accommodatedto our powers
of comprehension. Howeverthe world, or the Jews in particular, might hate
Christ, he was the beloved of the Divine Father, and as such was admitted to
the Father's intimate and affectionate confidence. Whata qualification for
him who came to this earth as Prophet, Priest, and King of humanity! How
wise a provision was thus made for our salvation! A perfect sympathy exists
betweenthe PersonalPowerofbeneficence in the universe and the Teacher,
Saviour, Lord of man.

III. THE SON, SEEING THE FATHER'S WORKS, DOES THE SAME IN
HIS EARTHLY MINISTRYAND IN THE EXERCISE OF HIS
MEDIATORIAL SOVEREIGNTY. Here was the all-sufficient vindication of
our Lord's miracles themselves, and also of their manner and circumstances.
The Fatheris everworking for man's welfare, on the sabbath as on other
days. Every day of the week his sun shines, his air passes gentlyover the
earth, his streams flow, his flowers bloom, his birds sing, his creatures rejoice
in his bounty and kindness. He is all day long and every day promoting not
only the bodily, but the intellectual and spiritual welfare of his dependent
children. And what the Father does, that the Son does, moving amongstmen,
seenor unseen, a Presenceofgrace and comfort, of inspiration and of peace.
Thus he everworks his Father's works, and forwards the cause which is dear
to the Father's heart. Where we see the triumphs of the Gospelin individual
hearts, in human society, let us recognize the tokens of the Saviour's holy and
benevolent ministry, and be assuredthat this is the work of God himself.
IV. THE PAST OPERATIONSOF DIVINE MERCY ARE A PLEDGE OF
GREATER AND MORE MARVELLOUS WORKS IN THE FUTURE. Our
Lord, unlike a human teacheror leader, always representedwhat he did as
only the promise of greaterand better things to come. This assurance ofhis
foreknowledgewas verified in the marvels of Pentecost, andin the fruits
which have been yielded throughout the long centuries of the spiritual
dispensation. - T.
Biblical Illustrator
The Son cando nothing of Himself, but what He seeththe Father do.
John 5:19-23
The unity of the Fatherand the Son
A. Beith, D. D.

The Jews soughtto kill Jesus in obedience to the law(1) because He wrought a
miracle on the Sabbath;(2) because He vindicated Himself on the ground of
His equality with God, who constantly works suchmiracles in His providence
on the Sabbath. So far from disclaiming the Jewishinference He here
confirms it. Note —
I. CHRIST'S RELATION TO THE FATHER IN ALL HE DOES (ver. 19).
1. Unity of operation. These words assertthat as it is impossible for the Sonto
do anything of Himself, so it is impossible that the Father cando anything
without the Son. The cure of the impotent man, therefore, was by both.
2. Distinction of persons. The Father shows, the Son sees;the Fatherpurposes,
the Sonexecutes.
3. Identity of works. Theydo the same, not similar things. The same Jesus
stands in the midst of us and says, "Wilt thou be made whole?" If we despise
Him speaking in His word we despise the greatGod with whom we have to do.
II. THE GROUND OF THIS RELATION (ver. 20).
1. Love is the expressionof the Father's feeling towardthe Son.
2. He communicates Himself to the Sonand makes Him His counsellor.
3. This relation Christ made known that they might marvel — admire God's
glorious manifestation of Himself and give Him glory.
III. INSTANCES OF THE WORKS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THIS RELATION.
1. (ver. 21). Resurrectionand quickening, including no doubt the physical, but
referring mainly to the spiritual process.(1)Raising up. Sin, as a frightful
incubus, rests on the soulexerting its paralysing influence. This spiritual
death is chasedaway.(2)Quickening. New life is imparted. Deathimplies
previous life. A tree cut down and withered is different from a stone. In Adam
the souldied; when the Son quickens a new and more glorious life is
communicated.(3)There canbe no considerationmore alarming than our
continuance in this death. How dreadful to pass away without having the

experience of this raising up and quickening, and to lie for ever in
condemnation as self-destroyed.
2. (vers. 22-23). Judgment.(1) To Him is committed the whole administration
of the gospel;and when His supreme government is assertedas here, it means
that the Father judgeth no man alone — both judge.(2) He will preside at the
eternal awards.
IV. IMPORTANT INFERENCESDEDUCEDFROM THIS RELATION.
1. If Christ is not worshipped God is not (ver. 23). Godmust be approached
according to the revelation He has made of Himself: we cannot do so unless
we know Him as the Father who sent the Son.
2. Salvationcomes by the word of Christ (ver. 24).(1)This hearing, no doubt,
includes listening with the outward ear; a greatand necessaryduty. But it is
also (ver. 25) of a kind which awakens to life, with the mind and spirit,
therefore, prompting to action, so that we become not hearers only, but
"doers."(2)Salvationis by resting on the true objectof faith — in God as
sending the Son not as the Creator, etc.(3)This salvationis everlasting life —
a greatsalvationtherefore. "How shall we escape if we neglectit."
(A. Beith, D. D.)
The Father's love to the Son
P. B. Power, M. A.
I. THE FATHER LOVETH THE SON. What has this to do with us What
have we to do with the Son? The answerto the latter will answerthe former.
If we are one with Christ the fact that God loves Him —
1. Will solve a number of curious and doubtful questions. Satanis always
trying to draw believers awayfrom what is simple. The Fatherloveth the Son.
Can Satandeny that? If not, then if I be the Son's, all the outgoings and
principles of God concerning me must be of love. Everything must be
consistentwith that.

2. Will lift us up above a number of depressions.
(1)Are we tried?
(2)lonely;
(3)poor;
(4)wearyand worn. Whoeverwas so tried as the beloved Son?
II. CHRIST RESTED IN THE FATHER'S LOVE, AND IN THE DEEP
CONSCIOUSNESS OF IT PUT FORTH IMMENSE POWER.
1. Whereverlove attains its highest form there is rest. It puts awayall ifs and
speculations, and goes downinto the oceandepths of certainties which are
beyond the reach of surface storms.
2. This should give us great power
(1)in prayer, passing into God's mind through an inlet of love; its answer
coming forth through the outlet of love;
(2)in faith;
(3)in hope.
III. CHRIST'S RELATION TO THE FATHER DETERMINESHIS
ADMINISTRATION OF THE FUTURE, AND OUR RELATION TO HIM
DETERMINES OUR PART IN IT. In present and future resurrectionand
judgment.
(P. B. Power, M. A.)
Christ's reply
F. Godet, D. D.
resembles Luther's: "I cannot do otherwise";or, to take a nearer example,
Jesus puts His work under the guarantee of the Father's, as the impotent man
had just put his under the shelterof Jesus.

(F. Godet, D. D.)
Christ's limitations
R. Besser, D. D.
Neither the man nor the angelexists who could dare to say of himself: "I can
do nothing of myself;" because no man's and no angel's selfis essentiallyand
inseparably one with the self of God. The creature cantear itself awayfrom
its Creator, and place its I in opposition to Him; it canseek its life in itself,
instead of in Him, and it canact "in its own name" (John 8:44); the Sonof
God, on the contrary, has nothing of His own, no self, which does not eternally
contain the same life which the Father has.
(R. Besser, D. D.)
The Fatherjudgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son. —
The delegationof judicial authority to Christ
J. Donne, D. D.
I. JUDGMENTAPPERTAINSTO GOD. It is His in criminal causes (Romans
12:19)and in civil things (Psalm82:1). No function of God is so often
reiterated. And He is the Judge of judges themselves. Judgment is so essential
to God that it is co-eternalwith Him.
1. He knows, and therefore naturally detests evil. We are blind, and need the
assistanceofthe law to know what is evil. And if a man be a judge what an
exactknowledge ofthe law is required of him — for some things are sins to
one nation which are not to another, and some things are sin at one time
which are not at another. Only Godhas a universal knowledge, and therefore
detestationof evil.
2. He discerns when thou committest evil. Hence you have to supply defects in
laws so that things done in one country may be tried in another. But God has

the powerof discerning all actions in all places. Earthly judges have their
distinctions and so their restrictions;some things they cannotknow — what
mortal can, and some things they cannot take knowledge of, for they are
bound by evidence. But nothing keeps God from discerning and judging
everything.
3. He knows how to punish evil. The office of a judge being not to contractor
extend the law, but to declare its true meaning. God hath this judgment in
perfection, for He made the law by which He judges. Who then can dispute
His interpretation? As, then, God is judge in all these three respects, so He is a
judge(1) without appeal;(2) without needing any evidence (Proverbs 24:12;
Proverbs 16:2; 1 Corinthians 4:4); and if so, not only I, but not the most
righteous man, nor the Church He hath washedin His own blood, shall
appear righteous in His sight.
II. How then, seeing that judgment is an inseparable characterofGod, can it
be said that THE FATHER JUDGETHNO MAN? Not certainly because
weary. He judges as God, not as Father. In the three greatjudgments of God
the whole Trinity judges.
1. Before all times in our election.
2. Now in separating of servants from enemies.
3. At the lastjudgment in separating the sheep from the goats.ConsiderGod
altogether, and so in all outward works, all the Trinity concurs, because all
are one God; but considerGod in relation, in distinct persons, and so the
severalpersons do something in which the other persons are not interested. So
the Sonjudgeth, the Father judgeth not, for that judgment He hath
committed.
III. TO THE SON HE HATH COMMITTED ALL JUDGMENT, the image of
the invisible God, and so more proportional unto us, more apprehensible by
us.
1. But doth He judge as Son of God or as Son of Man. Upon this the Fathers
and Reformers are divided. But take this rule, God hath given Christ this
commissionas Man, but Christ had not been capable of it had He not been

God too. The ability is in Him eternally, but the powerof actualexecutionwas
given Him as Man.
2. All judgment —(1) Of our election. If I were under the condemnation of the
law, and going to execution, and the king's pardon were presented to me, I
should ask no question as to motives and circumstances, but thankfully
attribute it to his goodness andacceptit; so when I considermyself as under
God's consideration, and yet by the working of God's Spirit I find I am
delivered from it I inquire not what God did in His cabinet council. I know
that He hath electedme in Christ. And, therefore, that I may know whether I
do not deceive myself I examine myself whether I cantruly tell my conscience
that Christ died for me, which I cannot do if I have not a desire to conform
myself to Him; and if I do that then I find my predestination.(2) Of our
justification, "for there is none other name," etc. Do I then remember what I
contractedwith Christ when I took His name at baptism? Have I fulfilled
those conditions? Do I find a remorse when I have not? Do I feel remissionof
those sins when I hear the gracious promises ofthe gospel to repentant
sinners? Have I a true and solid consolationwhenI receive the sealof pardon
at the Sacrament? Therefore this judgment is His also.(3)Of our glorification
(Revelation1:7). Then He shall come as Man and give judgment for things
done or omitted towards Him as Man, "for not feeding," etc. Conclusion:
Such is the goodnessofGod that He deals with man by the Sonof Man.
1. If you would be tried by the first judgment; are you electedor no? Do you
believe in Christ?
2. If by the second, are you justified or no? Do you find comfortin the Word
and sacraments ofChrist?
3. If by the third, do you expecta glorification? Are you so reconciledto Jesus
Christ now that you durst say now, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus"?then you
are partakers ofall that blessedness whichthe Father intended for you when,
for your sake,He committed all judgment to the Son.
(J. Donne, D. D.)

The Redeemerour Judge
H. Melvill, B. D.
That our Saviour was perfectGod and perfectman is a truth which cannot be
denied and Christianity not fall to the ground. But this very combination will
cause apparent inconsistenciesin the way in which He is spokenof. And it
should be remembered that what holds goodof Him in one capacitymay be
inapplicable to Him in another. As God judgment could not be committed to
Him. He had it by Divine necessityand right. But it is as Mediator, a Being in
which the two natures combine, that He is entrusted with the authority as
Judge.
I. HE WILL JUDGE AT THE LAST DAY. What are the qualifications
requisite for such an office?
1. Obviously no mere creature can fulfil that function. There must be
acquaintance with secreciesofcharacteras wellas open actions. Hypocrisy
must not pass undetected, nor unobtrusive merit fail of recompense. Angels
cannot be judges of human character, nor possessthemselves ofall the
necessaryevidence. Omniscience alone willsuffice.
2. But if we cannot approachan angelic judge with confidence, how approach
omniscient Deity? A createdjudge is immeasurably nearer than the Creator,
though of a different nature.
3. You ask, therefore, forone who shall have a thorough fellow feeling with
those brought to his bar, i.e., a man. But how canyou hope to have a man
who, qualified by sympathy, should yet possess the qualification of
omniscience?
4. This combination, however, does exist. A man sits on that "greatwhite
throne," "bone of our bone," but God to whom all things are nakedand open.
II. HE JUDGES NOW, forall judgment is committed to Him.
1. To this we are indebted for that tenderness which characterizesGod's
present judgments. Afflictions are not allowedto come together; "the rough

wind" is restrainedtill "the eastwind" has passedaway. Chastisementis very
different conceivedas inflicted by God and inflicted by the Mediator.
2. If this be so how heavy will be the final judgment! There will be no pleading
that our case wasnot thoroughly understood. All along we have been drawn
by the cords of a man; then the impenitent will be judged by the Man who
died for them and tried by every possible means to turn them from enemies
into friends. His presence itselfwill condemn, and they will call to the rocks,
etc., to hide them from not the thunderbolts of avenging Deity, but from the
face of Him who became man for their salvation. Anything might be better
borne than the glance of this face so eloquent of rejectedmercies.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
The judgment
W. H. Van Doren, D. D.
Men will have views very different from what they now have.
I. THE MISER will see a life spent in gathering gold with terror.
II. THE AMBITIOUS will wonder that he could barter his soulfor office.
III. THE SENSUALIST will dread to review his luxury and lewdness.
IV. THE SOPHIST will argue no more againstDivine truth.
V. THE IMPENITENTwill be amazed at his madness in clinging to his sins.
VI. THE MOCKER will jestno more about sacredthings,
VII. THE PROFANE will howl over the folly that resulted God.
(W. H. Van Doren, D. D.)
The judgment will be searching

Thomas Larkham.
I will tell you a dream of one of quality, related to myself by the dreamer
himself. Said he, "I dreamed the day of judgment was come, and all men
appearedbefore Christ. Some were white, others spotted. Methought," said
he, "I was all white, saving that I had one black spot upon my breast, which I
coveredwith my hand. Upon the separationof these two sorts I gotamong the
white on the right band. Glad was I; but at last a narrow searchwas made,
and one came and plucked away my hand from my breast; then appearedmy
spot, and I was thrust away among the spotted ones."
(Thomas Larkham.)
That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father. —
Equal honour to be paid to the Fatherand to the Son
J. W. Burn.
I. WHY?
1. Becausethe perfections of the Fatherare those of the Son (ver. 26).
Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, Holiness, Love, etc.
2. Becausethe works of the Father are those of the Son(ver. 19). Creation,
Providence, Redemption, Resurrection.
3. Becausethe administration of the Father is that of the Son (ver. 22).(1)Now
over kingdoms, cities, families, individuals.(2) At the greatday.
4. Becauseit is the specialdesire of both the Father and the Son.(1)Of the
Father, because on the honour of the Son the whole blessedness ofthe
universe is centred.(2)Of the Son, because the Father is only honoured
through the Son. God was not honoured in Judaism, witness its lapses into
idolatry and its ultimate formalism; nor by Mohammedanism, witness its
cruelty and licentiousness;nor in heathenism, where He is not known at all;
nor by Deism, as proved by its development into agnosticismand atheism.
Only in Christendom is God honoured, because Christis honoured.

II. How?
1. By admiring the perfections of the Divine Son. "The chiefestamong ten
thousand," etc.
2. By acknowledgingthe services ofthe Divine Son. We are His because He
made, preserved, and redeemedus; therefore we should glorify Him as our
Master, Friend, Saviour.
3. By co-operating with the rule of the Divine Son.
(1)By obeying it ourselves.
(2)By securing its recognitionin others.
4. By making the Supreme desire in the universe the masterpassionand
motive of our souls;doing all things with the one aim of securing the honour
of the Son and of the Father through Him.
III. Where?
1. At home.
(1)In secretprayer. This will test the purity and constancyof our motive.
(2)In our families, bringing them up to honour Christ by reverencing His
name, word, and ordinances.
2. In the sanctuary.
(1)By attentively listening to the Word.
(2)By regular attendance at His table.
(3)By heartiness in His worship.
3. In the world eschewing allbusiness, amusements, etc., likely to bring
dishonour on Him.
(J. W. Burn.)

He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father
W. H. Van Doren, D. D.
Amphilochus, Bishop of Iconium, entered the palace of Theodosius, and
bowed to the Emperor, but not to Arcadius his son. The Emperor reminding
him of his neglect, the good man still refused, and on his showing great
displeasure, Amphilochus replied, "O king, how much more will Jehovah
abhor those rejecting His Son!"
(W. H. Van Doren, D. D.)
Christ's demand of a man
NapoleonI.
Across a chasmof eighteenhundred years Jesus Christ makes a demand
which is beyond all others difficult to satisfy. He asks that for which a
philosopher may often seek in vain at the hands of his friends, or a father of
his children, or a bride of her spouse, ora man of his brother. He asks forthe
human heart; He will have it entirely to Himself; He demands it
unconditionally; and forthwith His demand is granted.
(NapoleonI.)
Christ claims Divine honours
H. W. Beecher.
"And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalemwith greatjoy." Did
they sin in worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ? After their long careerof
intimacy, did love to such a being, who had exhausted the symbolism of life to
express His life-giving relations to them; with every conceivable incitement,
reverence, and worship; with love, wonder, joy, and gratitude kindling their
imaginations towards Him; without a solitary word of caution lestthey should
be snared by their en- thusiasm, and bestow upon Him the worship that

belongedonly to God — did they sin in worshipping Him? If they did, was not
Christ Himself the tempter? If they did not, may not every living soul worship
Him?
(H. W. Beecher.)
The Secret of Jesus
Author: Ray C. Stedman
Read the Scripture: John 5:18-20
In three verses in the fifth chapter of the gospel of John we have Jesus' own
explanation for that incredible life which he lived among us. Studying through this
passage this past week I felt like a little boy who was given a bucket and told to
empty the Pacific Ocean before lunch! I have sat and stared at these verses and
seen things in them that made me wonder how I could make clear the beauty, the
profundity, and yet the simplicity of them.
In Verses 19 and 20 there is a truth far beyond Einstein's simple little formula, E =
m c2. Remember how thrilled and blessed you were when you discovered in
schoolthat E = m c2? Whether you knew it or not, that formula, which Einstein
came to after years of mathematical calculations and deep thinking about the
processes ofthe universe, has changed the modern world. In its utter simplicity,
that formula has proved to be the key that unlocked the world of nuclear power and
introduced us into a whole new age in the history of mankind. It stands behind
most of the technological achievements that startle us in our day. Yet it is as
nothing compared with the profound utterances of Jesus here.

Let us have them before us. John 5:18-20:
This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke
the sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own
accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son
does likewise. For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is
doing; and greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel." (John
5:18-20 RSV)
These verses follow immediately the accountof the healing of the impotent man at
the poolof Bethesda, when Jesus simply said to him, "Rise, take up your bed, and
walk," (John 5:8 RSV). Immediately the man got to his feet, took up his bed, and
walked! What a manifestation of the power of God! In the crowd which had
gathered around the porches of the poolthat day there must have been many who
saw this miracle with open-mouthed amazement, staggered by what they saw. But
there was a handful of men in the crowd, whom John simply calls, "the Jews" (he
means the leaders of the Jews, some of the Orthodoxpriests, members of the ruling
class of the Jews), who were not impressed. They looked on this occurrence with
narrowed eyes, whispering their displeasure among themselves, angered by what
Jesus had done.
Verse 18 discloses that they saw in Jesus a renegade who refused to obey the
Sabbath regulations, and a blasphemer against God:
This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke
the sabbath but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
(John 5:18 RSV)
This verse represents the Jews' misunderstanding of Jesus. They had watched a
weak, powerless invalid who had been sick for 38 years, suddenly stand on his feet
and walk, behaving in a normal fashion, having been made whole. Their reaction
to this was disgust; they were angered that Jesus had dared to violate the
regulations that they had added to the Mosaic laws about the Sabbath. They were
angry at One who would not conform to the status quo, to the conventional
approachto life. They regarded him as a blasphemer because he dared to say things

that made it sound as though he was equal with God. (By the way, this verse
answers those who challenge the fact that Jesus made a claim to Godhood.Jesus
clearly conveyed that claim to those who were listening to him on that day.)
In reply to that misunderstanding, Jesus explains himself. I do not think there is
anything more magnificent in the Word of God than this scene where Jesus
confronts these hostile priests and explains to them in the simplest terms how he
operates, yet he knew as he did it that they would twist and distort his words until
at last they resulted in his death. This was a courageous act. It took power, perhaps
as much power as did the healing of the impotent man. It is further confirmation of
what our Lord indicates is the secret of his power. That is what he is talking about -
- how he lived a life that was continually the point of release of the power of God
in whatever he said or did.
Jesus begins by what I call the formula of focused attention: "Truly, truly, I say to
you."
Whenever you read those words in the gospels, pay close attention to what follows.
Thosewords have the same effect as the old-fashioned 19th century theater posters
which had a hand with index finger pointing at certain words to highlight them.
This is Jesus' way of inviting his hearers to listen to truth that is absolutely
fundamental and basic: "Truly, truly, I say to you."
Now Jesus begins to unfold the secret. The first aspectof it is a recognition of the
total folly of self-sufficiency: "the Son can do nothing of his own accord."
That is probably the most radical statement in the entire Word of God, becauseit
indicates the first step in being a channel of the power of God:a recognition that
any effort made to use God'spowerfor one's own benefit will finally leave nothing
but a hollow, empty feeling; it will never achieve anything. You may mount to the
top of whatever heap you aspire to, and gain the admiration and attention of all the
world, but if you have not found this secret your life will be unsatisfying and
absolutely insipid to you, and of no use whatever to God. "TheSon can do nothing
of his own accord."
Jesus does not mean that it is physically impossible for him to do something apart
from the Father, any more than it is physically impossible for us to do things apart

from God. We can, and we do. And Jesus could have, too. Further on in this
account he says that the Father has given him power to act "out of himself." Jesus
could have created a whole universe over which he was God. He had the power to
do so. But the whole point of this is, he chosenever to exercise that power for his
own benefit. Never! This is the explanation of his behavior in the wilderness when
he was tempted by the devil to change stones into bread for his own satisfaction, to
leap from the temple to gain the applause of people, or to gain the whole world for
himself. He steadfastly refused to do so. That is the key. God gives his power to
those who will not use it for their own benefit. That is one of the mostprofound
secrets in Scripture. Jesus starts there: "The Son can do nothing."
The "can" is not one of physical, but of moral impossibility. I might say to some
man of sterling integrity -- let's say, Steve Zeisler -- "Steve, why don'tyou pad
your expense accountthis week and get an extra $40 so we can take our wives out
to dinner?" He would look at me with horror in his eyes, and say, "I can't do that."
He could, of course, but he will not; that is the point. He could do that. He could
cheat, lie, steal, whatever, all of us can, but it would violate his integrity; it would
cheapen his whole life; it would be a total contradiction of all he believes in. That
is what Jesus means when he says, "The Son can do nothing of his own accord."
He could, but he would not, and he never did.
What he did do was obey an inner vision. He says,
" ...the Son can do nothing of his own accord, butonly what he sees the Father
doing;" (John 5:19b RSV)
He is looking at God the Father with an inner vision, and, seeing what the heart of
the Father wants to do in a situation, he immediately obeys that.
I do not know quite how to describe this inner vision. Within his Spirit, somehow,
an impulse arose which Jesus knew was of the Father, because it was in line with
the character of the Father as he has revealed himself in his Word.
Many people today claim that God has told them to do something or other. We
even see accounts in the newspapers of men who have murdered, saying God told
them to do so. Not long ago there was an accountof a man who murdered his wife
and children, claiming that God had told him to do that. We must recognize that it

is dangerous to follow just any impulse from within our minds and think that God
is behind it.
The key, of course, is that no impulse ever arose in our Lord's mind that was not in
line with the external revelation of the Word of God. That is the guideline. "Test
everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:21 RSV) by the Scripture, we are told; what is in
line with what the Scripture says God is like, that impulse can be safely followed.
That is what our Lord did. In any given situation something within him indicated
what the Father wanted done, and immediately our Lord responded to will to do
that, to say the word, and his word had power.
We can see this principle at work in the incident at the poolof Bethesda. There was
a great crowd of invalids lying there -- lame, blind and paralyzed -- and yet when
our Lord's eyes fell on one man, just one man, he sensed within that here was a
man whom the Father knew had reached the end of his rope, whom the Father
understood was helpless and hopeless, ready to receive help and not to argue and
fight, and, perhaps, need to experience further pain. The Samaritan who found the
wounded man lying by the roadside sensed an impulse from within to help the
man. That was the Father at work, stirring him, moving him to respond with
compassionto a need he saw. That is the key -- that inner vision of what the Father
wants done. Two religious persons had already passed by this wounded man.
(Somebodyhas well said the reason they did not help him was that the man had
already been robbed!)But when the Samaritan saw him, he sensed within him
what God wanted done. At the poolof Bethesda when our Lord sensed within
himself what God wanted done there was an immediate response. He said the
word, "Rise," and the man was on his feet.
Notice how Jesus puts this: "the Son can do nothing of his own accord ('nothing
from me'), but only what he sees the Father doing ('everything from God')." Does
that sound familiar? Anybody who has read the writings of Paul will remember
that in the third chapter of the great Second Letter to the Corinthians the apostle
says something very similar: "This is the confidence we have in him, not as though
there were anything coming from us, but everything coming from God. (Nothing
from me, everything from God)," (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 RSV). That, Paul declares,
is the New Covenant, the new arrangement for life. On that basis the apostle did

that mighty work that has changed the courseof the history of the world in every
generation since that day.
Here is the secret of the release of the power of God -- nothing coming from me,
everything coming from God;nothing for or from me, but everything coming for
the Father and from the Father. Thus, the amazing import of this verse is: This is
what Jesus is modeling for us. We have the same relationship to him as the Son, as
he had to the Father. What the Father would do through him, the Son is prepared to
do through us.
I submit to you that is far greater in its impact than E = m c2. Simple, yet
absolutely profound -- releasing at any point of human need the power of God to
meet that need. Our Lord lived like this all the time. It was not merely in raising
men from sick beds that he employed the power of God. He did it when he spoke
to some lonely, heartsick, broken personand brought him to life and faith. It was
the same power that made his words full of impact and meaning to the woman at
the well who had had five husbands and was still trying to find satisfaction in
living with a man without marriage. Here is the secret of power, seen in the third
element of this formula for action. When you begin with a self-denial -- "I cannot, I
do not have anything in myself that can accomplish this thing, but God can, he
wants it done" -- and you obey that, it results in a visible release of power. Jesus
could say to the impotent man, "Stand up," and the man was immediately on his
feet.
Words are remarkable things. Right now I am speaking words to you. What are
they but little puffs of air and sound coming out of my mouth? Sometimes even
millions of words have no impact, no power. We are moving into an election year.
Think of all the words we are going to hear, pouring incessantly on our ears, with
little power behind them. Yet words can have tremendous impact. Sometimes a
single word can hit you in such a way it utterly changes your life from then on.
Last week I shared in a Navigators Pastors' Conference ministry in Colorado
Springs, with Howard Hendricks and Chuck Swindoll. There were 300 pastors
there from all over this nation, East Coastto West Coast, Canadian border to
Mexico -- young men, just beginning their ministry. What an exciting time, to be in
on the ground floor of setting the vision of their life and the reasons for their

ministry! Chuck, Howard, and I were so excited by the prospectwe were almost
bouncing off the walls. On the second morning, Chuck Swindoll said that, though
he was scheduled to speak on a certain subject, as he had been listening, and
watching, seeing God at work, he felt strangely moved to change his subject and
instead to speak on forgiveness. In a marvelous message, grounded in his own
experience, he shared with us the necessity for every relationship of life to be
based upon forgiveness -- forgiving one another, not being hard and demanding, or
asking for our pound of flesh, but forgiving one another. It was obvious that his
was a word of power; it touched us and blessed us. There was a fragrant spirit that
spread throughout the whole of the congress as that word of power came. He had
inwardly sensed (seen) what the Lord wanted, and, when he complied, his word
came with power.
Words are like sails on sailboats. If you go out in a sailboat on the bay on a still
day and raise the sail it will hang there, limp and powerless; the boat will just sit
there, becalmed. But lift that sail on a day when a strong breeze is blowing and it
will fill with wind; it will begin to strain and pull and the boat will move rapidly
through the water. Any sailboat will (especially if it is made in Australia)! That is
what a word is like. Words are insignificant in themselves, but if they are in line
with the working of God they are filled with impact and power. This is what our
Lord is modeling for us.
Our Lord gives further insight in Verse 20:
"Forthe Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and
greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel." (John 5:20 RSV)
Jesus will go on to detail later in the chapter two of those "greater works" that are
amazing and marvelous. Here he gives further revelation of what is behind this
divine process ofpower.
First, it flows out of the Father's love for the Son. The "Father" whom Jesus is
talking about is the Creator, the One whose brilliant mind conceived the glory of
nature, all the marvelous structures of life, the intricate blending and dovetailing
together of the processesofthe natural world. That creative Person"loves" the Son
and delights to communicate to him, in any given situation, a novel, creative
alternative to the things that would destroy, hurt, maim, and create sorrow.

So it is with our relationship with the Son. He is the Lord of life, the Lord of
nature, the Lord of the universe, the Lord of nations, and he loves us. It is his
delight to communicate to us creative alternatives to the situations in which we
find ourselves. This does not mean we are to be gilt-edged spooks,with wings
making a holy hum, half-angel and half-human. We are normal human beings who
have access to a power, a wisdom, a creative mind who can suggest new
approaches that seem simple in themselves, but, filled with the divine wind, are
like great sails that change the course and move the events of history. This is
greater by far than E = m c2.
Then the second step:This process is to be without limit -- "Forthe Father loves
the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing." The whole thing -- not all at
once, but ultimately it will include everything. The writer of Hebrewssays, "We do
not yet see everything in subjection to him [man]. But we see Jesus, who for a little
while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor..." (Hebrews
2:8b-9a RSV). We see Jesus crowned; eventually that is the end of all God wants
to show him.
As I suggested, the next line says this is going to be a gradual revelation: "greater
works than these will he show him." That is, it is a graduated process. Jesus the
Man is growing in his understanding and strength, and, as he does, he will
participate more and more in the works of the Father until he can say, "I have
finished the work which Thou hast given me to do," (John 17:4).
This is the process he is teaching us: God's poweris not handed to us as a package
deal that we can use for our own benefit and make a name for ourselves. If we
think it is, we will discover that, though we may win the applause of many, we will
remain hollow and empty in our hearts. God's poweris released only when we use
it as the Sondid -- for the glory of God, for the doing of the Father's will at any
given moment. When that happens, he gives us more power; we grow in our ability
to manifest the power of God. That is why a life that walks with God becomes
more beautiful, more free, more real as it grows. Life becomes richer and fuller,
even though it may be lived amidst hostile opposition, as in our Lord's casehere.
This is a pattern for us. God wants to teach us this very thing.

Finally, the third step: "... these he will show him, that you may marvel." Every
manifestation of the Father's power (or the Son's power released in us), will
awaken a sense of wonder on the part of those observing. A simple word, perhaps,
a deed of compassion, a cup of cold water given to somebodyin the name of the
Lord, will leave an impact that will make people marvel.
At Glen Eyrie last week, my wife and I walked up the mountain trail that leads to
the grave of Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators. The grave looks out
over beautiful Glen Eyrie, with its great castle that is the headquarters of the
Navigators. As we were standing there looking down at the grave, we talked of our
remembrances of Dawson. I was associated with him in Hawaii in the early days of
the Navigators' work in World War II, while Elaine was his secretary for a time in
Los Angeles. Little incidents about Dawson came to mind as we remembered those
days.
One of the young pastors at the conference came walking up the trail and joined us
as we were looking at the grave. He asked us if we had known Dawson, and we
told him, "Yes, we had." He said he had never met him, but he had read some of
his books. "I have to say," this young pastorcontinued, "that Dawson Trotman
changed my life. He has had a tremendous impact on me." When Dawson was 50
years old he was drowned in a boating accident in New York State while
attempting to save the life of a girl who could not swim. On his grave are written
the words, "Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his
friends." This young pastorsaid to my wife and me, "Would you pray that God
would give me something of the spirit of Dawson Trotman; that spirit that had such
a vast vision of the lostness and need of the world, and such a hunger to reach
people with the delivering word of the Living God." As we three stood there, I
prayed that God would indeed do that for this young man. I thought of the great
work of the Navigators that has now reached around the world. In almost every
country Navigators are discipling men and women, teaching them how to live as
God intended men and women to live. What an impact that one life has had! We
rightly marvel at what God did through him.
There is a verse in Romans 8 that follows a verse we often quote. We all know
Romans 8:28, that wonderful verse that steadies us in times of trial, "All things
work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to his

purpose." But the next verse says, "Whom he has predestined to be conformed to
the image of his Son, that he (the Son)might be the first born among many
brethren," (Romans 8:29 RSV). God is not content with having only one Son. He
wants many sons. Hebrews says (he has done all this) "that he might lead many
sons to glory," (Hebrews 2:10). Sons is a generic term: it includes men and
women. God did all this so that he might have many children who are like his Son.
He has "predestined" us, i.e., he is intent on it, he will not fail, he is at work on it.
The processesofchange are now happening in your life and mine in order to teach
us this very formula of behavior -- that we refuse to use God's powerfor our
benefit (he will take care of that), and willingly respond to the inner impulse of
compassion, mercy or love that we feel within us in any given situation; thus we
will learn to operate by the mighty power of God, the mightiest power in the
universe -- that we might be like his Son!
When you think that one day you are going to be, by God's graceand power,
conformed to the image of his Son, you are left with one question: how much
change are you in for in the days ahead? How much change am I in for? God is
going to change us, and change is painful. We want to be left alone in our comfort.
We do not like to be prodded and jabbed and made to think about things we do not
want to think about. But God is going to change us, and the change will be that we
might learn how to function according to the power of the Living God;how our
words can have impact that will fall, not only on the ears of those who hear us, but
perhaps for generation upon generation after we have left this earth, and our lives
will have eternal significance.
Is that what you want? I am sure you do want that. I have never met anybody who
does not have a hunger for life. This is what our Lord has modeled for us. He did it
perfectly. Yet God in his grace has made provision that, as imperfectly as we do it,
nevertheless we can learn to grow as his power is gradually granted to us that we
might leave an impact behind us.
COMMENTARIES

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(19) The Son can do nothing of himself.—The key to this and the following verses
is in the relation of Father and Son, from which they start. The Jews saw in this
equality with God blasphemy, and sought to kill Him. Men have since seen and
now see in it inferiority, and a proofthat Christ did not claim for Himself the glory
which the Apostle claims for Him in the prologue (John 1:1-18), and which the
Church has ever in reverent adoration placed as a crown upon His brow. The words
“Son,”“Father,” are the answer to both. Did they accuse Him of blasphemy? He is
a Son. The very essence of blasphemy was independence of, and rivalry with, God.
He claimed no suchposition, but was as a Son subject to His Father’s will, was as
a Son morally unable to do anything of Himself, and did whatever He saw the
Father do. Yea, more. He thought not His equality with God a thing to be seized,
but emptied Himself and became, as they then saw Him, in the form of a servant,
and in the likeness of men. (Comp. Notes on Philippians 2:6 et seq.)
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
5:17-23 The Divine power of the miracle proved Jesus to be the Son of God, and
he declared that he worked with, and like unto his Father, as he saw good. These
ancient enemies of Christ understood him, and became more violent, charging him
not only with sabbath-breaking, but blasphemy, in 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
think or pretend, does not honour the Father who sent him.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The Soncan do nothing of himself - Jesus, having stated the extent of his authority,
proceeds here to show its "sourceand nature," and to prove to them that what he
had said was true. The first explanation which he gives is in these words:"The
Son" - whom he had just impliedly affirmed to be equal with God - did nothing "of
himself;" that is, nothing without the appointment of the Father; nothing contrary

to the Father, as he immediately explains it. When it is said that he can "do
nothing" of himself, it is meant that such is the union subsisting between the Father
and the Son that he can do nothing "independently" or separate from the Father.
Such is the nature of this union that he can do nothing which has not the
concurrence of the Father, and which he does not command. In all things he must,
from the necessity of his nature, act in accordancewith the nature and will of God.
Such is the intimacy of the union, that the fact that "he" does anything is proofthat
it is by the concurring agency of God. There is no separate action - no separate
existence; but, alike in being and in action, there is the most perfect oneness
between him and the Father. Compare John 10:30; John 17:21.
What he seeth the Father do - In the works of creation and providence, in making
laws, and in the government of the universe. There is a special force in the word
"seeth" here. No person can see God acting in his works; but the word here implies
that the Son sees him act, as we see our fellow-men act, and that he has a
knowledge of him, therefore, which no mere mortal could possess.
What things soever - In the works of creation and of providence, and in the
government of the worlds. The word is without limit - all that the Father does the
Son likewise does. This is as high an assertion as possible of his being "equal" with
God. If one does "all" that another does or can do, then there must be equality. If
the Son does all that the Father does, then, like him, he must be almighty,
omniscient, omnipresent, and infinite in every perfection; or, in other words, he
must be God. If he had "this" power, then he had authority, also, to do on the
Sabbath day what God did.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
19, 20. the Soncan do nothing of himself—that is, apart from and in rivalry of the
Father, as they supposed.The meaning is, "The Soncan have no separate interest
or action from the Father."
for what things, &c.—Onthe contrary, "whatever the Father doeth that same doeth
the Son,"

likewise—"in the like manner." What claim to absolute equality with the Father
could exceed this: not only to do "the same things," but to do them as the Father
does them?
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Consider Christ as God, so he can do nothing but what the Father doth, that is,
nothing that respected created beings: for it is a known rule, That the works of the
Trinity out of itself are not divided; whatsoever one persondoth, the others do;
though, to denote the order of the Trinity’s working, some works are most
ordinarily ascribed to the Father, such are the works of creation and providence;
some to the Son, as redemption; some to the Holy Spirit, as sanctification; yet they
are not so ascribed to any Person, but that other Scriptures justify the cooperation
of all three Persons. Considerthe Sonas the Messias; so also it is true, that
the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do. Nor is this any
diminution to the glory of Christ, nor doth it speak any impotency in him, from
whence the Arians and Socinians would conclude his inferiority to his Father; but
rather his perfection, that he did only what pleased the Father: so that phrase, what
he seeth the Father do, is to be interpreted; and that term, can do nothing, signifies
no more than, he doth or will do nothing. See such a usage of the phrase, Genesis
19:22 Luke 16:2 John 12:39. From this he leaveth them easily to conclude, that
what he had done, in curing this impotent man upon the sabbath day, was the
Father’s work, though by him; for whatsoever the Father doth, or willeth, the same
doth the Son likewise. From hence will appear an easy solution to the difficulty
arising upon the first view of the words, viz. How these words can prove Christ
equal with the Father, when they rather prove the contrary, because he can do
nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do? Some seek a solution in the
words
can do nothing; he that cannot do those things which God cannot do, is equal with
God. Some seek it in the word seeth; which they say signifieth here an identity of
nature and will. Some seek the solution in the word do, which they say signifieth to

will and consent to. The bestsolution is to be taken from those words, of himself;
the Son hath done many things which he did not see the Father do, but he did them
not of himself. Our Saviour’s meaning is plainly this: The Son neither willeth nor
can do any thing, but what the Father willeth and doth in him; therefore he is one
in essence with the Father, and equal to him.
For what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise: the Son doth
those things which the Father doth; and, as the Messias, he doth those things which
the Father willeth to be done.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Then answered Jesus, and said unto them,.... They charged him with blasphemy for
calling God his Father, and making himself equal to him: and his answer is so far
from denying the thing, or observing any mistake, or misrepresentation of his
words, that he allows the whole, and vindicates himself in so saying:
verily verily, I say unto you; nothing is more certain; it may be depended on as
truth; I who am truth itself, the "Amen", and faithful witness, aver it with the
greatest assurance:
the Son can do nothing of himself; or he does do nothing of himself, nor will he do
anything of himself; that is, he neither does, nor will, nor can do anything alone or
separate from his Father, or in which he is not concerned; not anything without his
knowledge and consent, or contrary to his will: he does everything in conjunction
with him; with the same power, having the same will, being of the same nature,
and equal to each other: for these words do not design any weakness in the Son, or
want of power in him to do anything of himself; that is, by his own power: for he
has by his word of power spokeall things out of nothing, and by the same upholds
all things; he has himself bore the sins of his people, and by himself purged them
away, and has raised himself from the dead; but they express his perfection; that he
does nothing, and can do nothing of himself, in opposition to his Father, and in
contradiction to his will: as Satan speaks of his own, and evil men alienated from
God, act of themselves, and do that which is contrary to the nature and will of God;
but the Son cannot do so, being of the same nature with God, and therefore never

acts separate from him, or contrary to him, but always co-operates and acts with
him, and therefore never to be blamed for what he does. The Syriac, Arabic, and
Persic versions render it, "the Son cannot do anything of his own will"; so Nonnus;
as separate from, or contrary to his Father's will, but always in agreement with it,
they being one in nature, and so in will and work. He does nothing therefore
but what he seeth the Father do;not that he sees the Father actually do a work, and
then he does one after him, as the creation of the world, the assumption of human
nature, and redemption of man, or any particular miracle, as if upon observing one
done, he did the like; but that he being brought up with him, and lying in his
bosom, was privy to the whole plan of his works, and saw in his nature and infinite
mind, and in his vast counsels, purposes, and designs, all that he was doing, or
would do, and so did the same, or acted agreeably to them; and which still shows
and proves their unity of nature, and perfect equality, since there was nothing in
the Father's mind but was known to the Son, seen, and observed, and acted up to by
him: so Philo the Jew (e) says of the
"Father's most ancient Son, whom he otherwise calls the firstborn; that being
begotten, he imitates the Father, and seeing, or looking to his exemplars and
archetypes, forms species;''
that is, being conversant with the original and eternal ideas of things in the divine
mind, acts according to them, which he could not do if he was not of the same
nature with, and equal to his Father. Moreover, the Son sees what the Father does
by co-operating with him, and so does no other than what he sees the Father do, in
conjunction with him: to which may be added, that the phrase shows, that the Son
does nothing but in wisdom, and with knowledge; and that as the Father, so he
does all things after the counsel of his will:
for whatsoever things he doth, these also doth the Son likewise; the Son does the
selfsame works as the Father does, such as the works of creation and providence,
the government both of the church, and of the world; and he does these things in
like manner, with the same power, and by the same authority, his Father does, and
which proves him to be equal with him; the very thing the Jews understood him to
have asserted, and which they charged him with: and this he strongly maintained.
The Syriac version reads, "for the things which the Father does, the same also does

the Son"; and the Persic version, "whatsoever God has done, the Sonalso does like
unto it".
(e) De Confus. Ling. p. 329.
Geneva Study Bible
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son
can do nothing {d} of himself, but what he {e} seeth the Father do:for what things
soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son {f} likewise.
(d) Not only without his Father's authority, but also without his mighty working
and power.
(e) This must be understood ofthe personof Christ, which consists of two natures,
and not simply of his Godhead: so then he says that his Father moves and governs
him in all things, but yet nonetheless, when he says he works with his Father, he
confirms his Godhead.
(f) In like sort, jointly and together. Not because the Father does some things, and
then the Son works after him and does the same, but because the might and power
of the Father and the Son work equally and jointly together.
EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
John 5:19 ff. Jesus does not deny what the Jews attributed to Him as the capital
offence of blasphemous presumption, namely, that He made Himself equal with
God;but He puts the whole matter in its true light, and this from a consideration of
His whole present and future work, onward to John 5:30; whereupon, onwards to
John 5:47, He gives vent to an earnest denunciation of the unbelief of the Jews in
the divine witness to Himself.
John 5:19. Οὐ δύναται]denies the possibility, on accountof an inner necessity,
involved in the relationship of the Son to the Father, by virtue of which it would be
impossible for Him to act with an individual self-assertion independent of the
Father, which He could then only do if He were not the Son. Comp. Bengel, in

loc., and Fritzsche, nova opusc. p. 297 f. In ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ,, as the subject of the
reflexive is the Sonin His relation to the Father, there does not lie any opposition
between the human and divine wills (Beyschlag), nor an indistinct and onesided
reference to the human element in Christ (de Wette); but it is the whole subject, the
God-man, the incarnate Logos, in whom the Aseietas agendi, the self-
determination of action independently of the Father, cannot find place; because
otherwise He must either be divine only, and therefore without the subordination
involved in the economy of redemption (which is the case also with the πνεῦμα,
John 16:13), or else simply human; therefore there is no contradiction between
what is here said and the prologue (Reuss; comp. on the other side, Godet).
ἐὰν μή τι, κ.τ.λ.]refers simply to ποιεῖν οὐδέν, and not also to ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ. Seeon
Matthew 12:4; Galatians 2:16.
βλέπῃ τ. πατ. ποιοῦντα]a familiar description, borrowed from the attention which
children give to the conductof their father—of the inner and immediate intuition
which the Son perpetually has of the Father’s work, in the perfect consciousness of
fellowship of life with Him. This relation, which is not only religious and moral,
but founded on a transcendental basis, is the necessary and immediate standard of
the Son’s working. See on John 5:20.
ἃ γὰρ ἂν ἐκεῖνος, κ.τ.λ.]Proofofthe negative assertion by means of the positive
relationship subsisting.
ὁμοίως]equally, proportionately, qualifying ποιεῖ, indicating again the reciprocity
or sameness of action already expressed by ταῦτα, and thus more strongly
confirming the perfect equality of the relationship. It is, logically speaking, the
pariter (Mark 4:16; John 21:13; 1 Peter 3:1) of the category mentioned.
Expositor's Greek Testament

John 5:19. The fundamental proposition is οὐ δύναται ὁ υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφʼἑαυτοῦ
οὐδέν.“TheSon can do nothing of Himself.” This is not, as sometimes has been
supposed,a general statement true of all sons, but is spoken directly of Jesus.
δύναται is moral not physical ability—though here the one implies the other; but
cf. John 5:26. So perfect is the Son’s sympathy with the Father that He can only do
what He sees the Father doing. He does nothing at His own instance. That is to say,
in healing the impotent man He felt sure He was doing what the Father wished
done and gave Him power to do.—ἃ γὰρ … ποιεῖ, as Holtzmann observes, the
force of the repetition lies in ὁμοίως, pariter, “in like manner”.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
19. can do nothing of himself] It is impossible for Him to act with individual self-
assertion independent of God, becauseHe is the Son:Their Will and working are
one. The Jews accuseHim of blasphemy; and blasphemy implies opposition to
God:but He and the Father are most intimately united.
but what he seeth, &c.]Better, unless He seeth the Father doing it.
19, 20. Intimacy of the Son with the Father further enforced.
Bengel's Gnomen
John 5:19. Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω ὑμῖν, verily, verily, I say unto you) This affirmation
is thrice used in this discourse, John 5:24-25.—ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ οὐδέν, nothing of
Himself) This is matter of glory, not an imperfection. It cannot happen, that the
Son should do anything of Himself, or that He should judge, will, testify, or teach
anything separately from the Father, John 5:30, etc.; ch. John 6:38, “ForI came
down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me;”
John 7:16-17; John 7:28, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me. If any
man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or
whether I speak of Myself.—I am not come of Myself, but lie that sent Me is true;”
John 12:49, “I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave
Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak;” John 14:10, “I

am in the Father, and the Father in Me: the words that I speak unto you, I speak not
of Myself; but the Father, that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works:” or that He
should be believed in, and seen separately from the Father;” ch. John 12:44, “He
that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me.” These
declarations proceeded from His intimate sense of unity, by nature and by love,
with the Father. The Lord defended the work, which He had done on the Sabbath,
by the example of His Father, from which He does not depart. So concerning the
Holy Spirit, ch. John 16:13, “The Spirit of truth—shall not speak of Himself: but
whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak:” where also an antithesis follows,
most closely resembling this passage. But the devil speaketh of his own, ch. John
8:44 : and it is a characteristic of a false teacher to come in his own name, and to
speak or act on the promptings of his own heart: ch. John 5:43, “I am come in My
Father’s name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him
ye will receive;” Numbers 16:28, [Moses to Korah, Dathan, etc.] “The Lord hath
sent me to do all these works: for I have not done them of my own mind;”
Numbers 24:13, [Balaam] “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and
gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad
of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak.”—ταῦτα)these
things all, and these alone: [which are not at all liable to be slandered.—V. g.]—
ὁμοίως)likewise, forthwith.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 19-29. -
(b) Christ vindicated his equality with the Father. Verse 19, 20a. -
(a) He declares himself to be "the Son Verse 19. - Jesus therefore answered and
said to them; i.e. replied to their secret thoughts, and to the sentiments of animosity
and hostility which they did not conceal. He spake in language of extraordinary
solemnity and august claim. The Verily, verily, with which he prefaced the
opening sentence, and which he repeated (cf. vers. 24, 25, as in John 3:3 and
elsewhere) on subsequent occasions, denoted the high ground of authoritative

revelation on which he took his stand. He proceeded, without a break or
interruption, to assert, on the authority of his own consciousness,the true relation
subsisting between the Sonand the Father - the deep, eternal, sacred link between
them; in essence and in affection, in work and function; and gave several
illustrations of these matters, the verification of which was not beyond the capacity
of his hearers. These he made the basis of the argument of ver. 23, that all men
should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." What did he wish "the
Jews" to understand by "the Son"? Did he identify himself with the Son of whom
he here speaks? Surely this is unquestionably the case, for the "answer" here given
is one addressed to those who were seeking to slay him becausehe claimed for
himself that God was "his own Father." He had said," My Father worketh hitherto,
and I work." He justified the true reverence he felt for the Father when using this
language, by describing in various ways the functions, privileges, and work of "the
Son." Is "the Son," however, here the Eternal Son, the Logos, before and
independently of his incarnation? and are the doctrines here announced an appeal
to a pre-existing belief in such a sonship on the part of his enemies, so that he is
dealing, at least from vers. 19-23, with the internal relations of the Godhead? The
references to the recent ἔργον, and the moral effects which are to be produced upon
his hearers by further activity, make this view doubtful. Does he here speak simply
of "the Son of man" in his purely dependent, servile capacity, and earthly
manifestation? (Watkins). We think not; for the deeds and functions of "the Son"
are here so lofty and far reaching that this interpretation is inadmissible. Therefore
we conclude, with Meyer and others, that by "the Son" he did mean "the whole
subject, the God-Man, the incarnate Logos, in whom the self-determination of
action independently of the Father cannot find place." This view of "the Son"
involves the continuity of the Logos-consciousness, and not its obliteration; nor is
this (as Reuss urges, and even Godetappears in part to concede)incompatible with
the Logos-doctrine of the prologue. The Son is not able to do anything from
himself, in the great work of healing, life giving, and redemption, except that
which he seeth the Father doing. The Logos made flesh, the Sonwho has taken
humanity up into his own eternal being, is ever in full contemplation of the Father's
activity. He is in intimate and continuous and affectionate relations with the Father,
who in this capacity has sent his Son to be the world's Saviour. He sees the Father's
healing grace and omnipresent energy and ceaseless activity in regions where "the

Jews" fail to discern them. The incarnate Son does not set up a rival throne or
authority. He moves, lives, has his being, from the Father and not from himself.
Vincent's Word Studies
Verily, verily
See on John 1:51.
But what He seeth
Referring to can do nothing, not to of himself. Jesus, being one with God, can do
nothing apart from Him.
The Father do (τὸν πατέρα ποιοῦντα)
Rev., rightly, doing. The participle brings out more sharply the coincidence of
action between the Father and the Son: "the inner and immediate intuition which
the Son perpetually has of the Father's work" (Meyer).
Likewise (ὁμοίως)
Better, as Rev., in like manner. Likewise is popularly understood as equivalent to
also; but the word indicates identity of action based upon identity of nature.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
WILLIAM BARCLAY
5:19-20 This is the truth I tell you--the Son cannot do anything which
proceeds from himself. He can only do what he sees the Father doing. In
whateverway the Fatheracts, the Son likewise acts in the same way; for the
Father loves the Son, and has shown him everything that he does. And he will

show him greaterworks than these, so that you will be moved to wondering
amazement.
This is the beginning of Jesus'answerto the Jews'charge that he was making
himself equal to God. He lays down three things about his relationship with
God.
(i) He lays down his identity with God. The salienttruth about Jesus is that in
him we see God. If we wish to see how Godfeels to men, if we wish to see how
God reacts to sin, if we wish to see how God regards the human situation, we
must look at Jesus. The mind of Jesus is the mind of God; the words of Jesus
are the words of God; the actions ofJesus are the actions of God.
(ii) This identity is not so much basedon equality as on complete obedience.
Jesus neverdid what he wanted to do but always whatGod wanted him to do.
It is because his will was completely submitted to God's will that we see God
in him. Jesus is to God as we must be to Jesus.
(iii) This obedience is not basedon submission to power;it is basedon love.
The unity betweenJesus and God is a unity of love. We speak oftwo minds
having only a single thought and two hearts beating as one. In human terms
that is a perfect description of the relationship betweenJesus and God. There
is such complete identity of mind and will and heart that Father and Son are
one.
But this passage has something still more to tell us about Jesus.
(i) It tells us of his complete confidence. He is quite sure that what men were
seeing then was only a beginning. On purely human grounds the one thing
Jesus might reasonablyexpectwas death. The forces of Jewishorthodoxy
were gathering againsthim and the end was already sure. But Jesus was quite
certain that the future was in the hands of God and that men could not stop
what God had sent him to do.
(ii) It tells of his complete fearlessness.Thathe would be misunderstood was
certain. That his words would inflame the minds of his hearers and endanger
his ownlife was beyond argument. There was no human situation in which
Jesus would lower his claims or adulterate the truth. He would make his claim

and speak his truth no matter what men might threaten to do. To him it was
much more important to be true to God than to fear men.
ALBERT BARNES
Verse 19
The Son cando nothing of himself - Jesus, having statedthe extent of his
authority, proceeds here to show its “source and nature,” and to prove to
them that what he had said was true. The first explanation which he gives is in
these words: “The Son” - whom he had just impliedly affirmed to be equal
with God - did nothing “of himself;” that is, nothing without the appointment
of the Father; nothing contrary to the Father, as he immediately explains it.
When it is saidthat he can“do nothing” of himself, it is meant that such is the
union subsisting betweenthe Fatherand the Son that he can do nothing
“independently” or separate from the Father. Such is the nature of this union
that he can do nothing which has not the concurrence of the Father, and
which he does not command. In all things he must, from the necessityof his
nature, act in accordancewith the nature and will of God. Such is the
intimacy of the union, that the fact that “he” does anything is proof that it is
by the concurring agencyof God. There is no separate action - no separate
existence;but, alike in being and in action, there is the most perfect oneness
betweenhim and the Father. Compare John 10:30;John 17:21.
What he seeththe Father do - In the works of creationand providence, in
making laws, and in the government of the universe. There is a specialforce in
the word “seeth” here. No personcan see Godacting in his works;but the
word here implies that the Son sees him act, as we see our fellow-men act, and
that he has a knowledge ofhim, therefore, which no mere mortal could
possess.
What things soever - In the works of creationand of providence, and in the
government of the worlds. The word is without limit - all that the Fatherdoes
the Sonlikewise does. This is as high an assertionas possible ofhis being

“equal” with God. If one does “all” that another does or can do, then there
must be equality. If the Son does all that the Father does, then, like him, he
must be almighty, omniscient, omnipresent, and infinite in every perfection;
or, in other words, he must be God. If he had “this” power, then he had
authority, also, to do on the Sabbath day what God did.
CHRIS BENFIELD
I. The Preeminence of Christ (19-23)– Although Jesus spokein response to
the doubting legalists, we too must considerand respond to His preeminence
as well. Consider:
A. His Position(19) – Then answeredJesus and said unto them, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, The Son cando nothing of himself, but what he seeththe
Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Jesus confirms that He is not working independently. His works are consistent
with the will of God. He is working in cooperationwith His Father. This
openly declares His relation to the Father. It also confirms the deity of Christ.
Jesus is in essence saying that He and the Fatherare one.
 Many in Jesus’day could not acceptHis position as the secondperson
within the Godhead. They refused to embrace Him as the Christ, the Son of
the living God. The same is true in our day. This remains a major point of
contention for many. Salvation is impossible apart from Christ, and we must
see Him as He is!
B. His Power(20-21)– Forthe Fatherloveth the Son, and shewethhim all
things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greaterworks than these, that

ye may marvel. [21]For as the Fatherraiseth up the dead, and quickeneth
them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. Keep in mind the context of
the passage.The lame man had just been healed. Whether they wanted to
admit it or not, a greatmiracle had occurredin their midst. Jesus had simply
spokenthe word and the man was healed. His work was consistentwith the
will of the Father, and in cooperationwith Him.
P a s t o r C h r i s B e n f i e l d , F e l l o w s h i p M i s s i o n a r y B a p t i s t
C h u r c h
Page 2
 They marveled that such a physical miracle had takenplace. (I am sure we
would have as well.)However, Jesus declares thatHe will do greaterworks
than these. The Fatherhas powerto raise the dead and give life to whom He
chooses. Jesus declaresHe too shares that power. It is evident He is speaking
of spiritual miracles and work. We know Jesus has powerto raise the dead
physically, but the greatestof all miracles is that spiritual resurrection
brought about in salvation!John 17:2 – As thou hastgiven him power over all
flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hastgiven him
KEN BOA
John 5:19, “Therefore Jesus answeredand was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I
say to you, the Son cando nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees
the Fatherdoing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does
in like manner.” So He is really saying that He cannot actindependently of
God because ofthe uniqueness of the Father-Sonrelationship that He enjoys.
In ordinary father-sonrelationships, the love of the father for his son or the

obedience of the son to the father is not perfect. In this relationship the Son is
true to His Father’s word. You recallthe accusation, You are right in what I
say but here’s what I must do and if you’ll recall this concepthere is
something that we’ve seenagainand again-the liar, lunatic, Lord dilemma.
Recallthis idea that C.S. Lewis came up with in his book Mere Christianity.
“I’m trying here to prevent any one from saying foolishthings that people
often say about Him,” says Lewis. “I’m ready to acceptJesus as a greatmoral
teacherbut I’m not ready to acceptHis claim to be God. This is the one thing
we must not say.” Lewis writes, “A man who is merely a man and said the
sorts of things Jesus saidwould not be a greatmoral teacher. He would either
be a lunatic on the level with a man who says he is a poachedegg or else he
would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was
and is the Son of God or else a madman or something worse. Youcan shut
Him up for a fool. You can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon or you can
fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any
patronizing nonsense about Him being a greathuman teacher. That’s not an
option,” he says. “Look, He might be a liar. If He was wrong and He knew He
was wrong, He was lying. Or if He was wrong and He didn’t know He was
wrong, He was crazy, absolutely nuts. Or if He wasn’twrong, He was right,
then what does that make Him? He’s the living Lord.”
CALVIN
Verse 19
19.Jesus therefore answered. We see whatI have said, that Christ is so far
from vindicating himself from what the Jews asserted, thoughthey intended it
as a calumny, that he maintains more openly that it is true. And first he insists
on this point, that the work which the Jews cavilledat was a divine work, to
make them understand that they must fight with God himself, if they persist

in condemning what must necessarilybe ascribedto him. This passagewas
anciently debated in various ways betweenthe orthodox Fathers and the
Arians. Arius inferred from it that the Son is inferior to the Father, because
he can do nothing of himself The Fathers replied that these words denote
nothing more than the distinction of the person, so that it might be known that
Christ is from the Father, and yet that he is not deprived of intrinsic power to
act. But both parties were in the wrong. Forthe discourse does not relate to
the simple Divinity of Christ, and those statements which we shall
immediately see do not simply and of themselves relate to the eternal Word of
God, but apply only to the Son of God, so far as he is manifested in the flesh.
Let us therefore keepChrist before our eyes, as he was sent into the world by
the Fatherto be a Redeemer. The Jews beheldin him nothing higher than
human nature, and, therefore, he argues that, when he cured the diseased
man, he did it not by human power, but by a Divine power which was
concealedunder his visible flesh. The state of the case is this. As they,
confining their attention to the appearance of the flesh, despisedChrist, he
bids them rise higher and look at God. The whole discourse must be referred
to this contrast, that they err egregiouslywho think that they have to do with
a mortal man, when they accuse Christof works whichare truly divine. This
is his reasonfor affirming so strongly that in this work, there is no difference
betweenhim and his Father.
Verse 20
20.Forthe Fatherloveth the Son. Every body sees how harsh and far-fetched
is the expositionof this passagewhich is given by the Fathers. “God,” they
say, “loves himself in the Son.” But this statementapplies beautifully to Christ
as clothed with flesh, that he is beloved by the Father. What is more, we know
that it is by this excellenttitle that he is distinguished both from angels and
from men, This is my beloved Son, (Matthew 3:17.) For we know that Christ
was chosen, that the whole love of God might dwell in him, and might flow
from him to us as from a full fountain. Christ is loved by the Father, as he is

the Head of the Church. He shows that this love is the cause why the Father
does all things by his hand. Forwhen he says that the Father SHOWTHto him
this word must be understood to denote communication, as if he had said, “As
the Fatherhath given to me his heart, so he hath poured out his poweron me,
that the Divine glory may shine in my works, and — what is more — that men
may seek nothing Divine but what they find in me.” And, indeed, out of Christ
it will be in vain to seek the powerof God.
He will show him greaterworks than these. By these words he means that the
miracle, which he had performed in curing the man, was not the greatestof
the works enjoinedon him by the Father; for he had only given in it a slight
taste of that grace of which he is properly both minister and Author; namely,
to restore life to the world.
That you may wonder. By adding these words, he indirectly charges them
with ingratitude in despising so illustrious a demonstration of the powerof
God; as if he had said, “Thoughyou are dull and stupid, yet the works which
God shall afterwards perform by me will draw you, howeverreluctantly, into
admiration.” Yet this appears not to have been fulfilled, for we know that
seeing, they saw not; as Isaiahalso says that the reprobate are blind amidst
the light of God. I reply, Christ did not now speak oftheir disposition, but
only threw out a suggestionas to the splendor of the demonstrationwhich he
would soonafterwards give that he was the Sonof God.
STEVEN COLE
Is Jesus Crazy or is He God? (John 5:17-23)
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September 15, 2013
The Christian faith rests entirely on the correctanswerto Jesus’question
(Matt. 16:15), “Who do you saythat I am?” If Jesus is the promised Messiah
of Israel, the eternalSon of God in human flesh, who died on the cross in the
place of sinners, who was raisedbodily from the dead, and who is coming
againin powerand glory to judge the living and the dead, then everything else
is secondary.
There may be difficulties in the Bible that you cannot resolve, but that’s
secondary. You may struggle with hard questions, like, “Why do little
children suffer and die?” or “Why do some people never have the chance to
hear the gospel?”but those questions are secondary. You may struggle with
doubts because ofpersonaltrials or unanswered prayers, but those struggles
do not undermine the truth of Christianity. If Jesus is who He claimed to be
and who the Bible proclaims Him to be, then the entire Christian faith stands.
If He is not who He claimed to be, then our faith in Christ would be in vain
(see 1 Cor. 15:13-19).
You’ve probably heard liberal professors ortheologians saythat Jesus never
claimed to be God. The Jehovah’s Witnessesand Mormons hold Jesus in high
esteemand even claim to believe in Him, but they deny His true deity. There
are many others who think that Jesus was a greatmoral teacherand example,
but they do not affirm that He is God.
But C. S. Lewis slammed the door on that option in an often-quoted
statement. He said(Mere Christianity [Macmillan], p. 56):

A man who was merely a man and said the sortof things Jesus saidwould not
be a greatmoral teacher. He would either be a lunatic … or else he would be
the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Eitherthis man was, and is, the
Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a
fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet
and callHim Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing
nonsense about His being a greathuman teacher. He has not left that open to
us. He did not intend to.
So you’ve got to decide:Is Jesus crazyor is He God? And that decisionwill
have drastic effects on how you live your life and on where you spend eternity.
We’ve just studied the story of Jesus healing the man at the Poolof Bethesda
(John 5:1-16). It’s an interesting miracle for John to use in his Gospelof
belief, because there is no indication that the man believed in Jesus. He didn’t
even know who Jesus was whenHe did the miracle. When he found out, he
never thanked Jesus for healing him. Rather, he went to the Jewish
authorities to report Jesus, so that they could go after Him for violating their
Sabbath traditions. Since John wrote his Gospelso that we would believe in
Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, you have to ask, why did he include this
miracle where the healedman did not believe?
John included this story because it illustrates the irrational but growing
hostility of the Jewishleaders towardJesus that led to His crucifixion. They
beganto persecute Jesus becauseHe was doing these things on the Sabbath
(5:16). But also, the confrontationbetweenthe Jews and Jesus that erupted
because ofthis event set the stage for Jesus to make some of the strongest
statements for His deity in the Bible (5:17-47). J. C. Ryle states (Expository
Thoughts on the Gospels [Baker], 3:283):“Nowhereelse in the Gospels do we
find our Lord making such a formal, systematic, orderly, regularstatement of
His own unity with the Father, His Divine commissionand authority, and the
proofs of His Messiahship, as we find in this discourse.” The practicalbottom
line for us is:
Christ’s amazing claims to be God demand that we honor Him as God and
submit to Him as Lord.

When the Jews accusedJesusofbreaking the Sabbath, He could have pointed
out their error in interpreting the Sabbath laws, as He did on other occasions.
He could have said that it was right to do goodon the Sabbath. But rather, He
put His own activity on the Sabbath on a par with God’s activity (5:17). When
they then accusedHim of making Himself equal with God (5:18), rather than
denying it with horror, as even the greatestofthe Old Testamentprophets
would have done, Jesus goes onto affirm it emphatically. Our text reveals six
ways in which Jesus is equal with God:
1. Jesus is equal with God in His nature, but distinct from the Father as the
Son (5:17-18).
In response to the Jews’accusationthat Jesus was breaking the Sabbath and
to their persecution, Jesus answered(5:17), “My Fatheris working until now,
and I Myselfam working.” Johnexplains (5:18), “Forthis reasontherefore
the Jews were seeking allthe more to kill Him, because He not only was
breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making
Himself equal with God.”
First, Jesus calls God, “MyFather.” The Jews wouldsometimes speak of “our
Father,” or if they used “my Father,” they would add, “in heaven,” or some
other expressionto remove any suggestionof familiarity (Leon Morris, The
GospelAccording to John [Eerdmans], p. 309). But Jesus speaks ofGodas
His Fatherin the most intimate of terms. Leon Morris (p. 310, italics his)
states,
He was claiming that God was His Fatherin a specialsense. He was claiming
that He partook of the same nature as His Father. This involved equality.
Later, Jesus explicitly stated (John 10:30), “I and the Father are one.” As a
result, the Jews againsoughtto kill Him. When Jesus askedforwhich of the
many goodworks from the Father they were stoning Him, they replied
(10:33), “Fora goodwork we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and
because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” They understood
His claims!The problem was, they didn’t acceptHis claims.

While Jesus is equal with God in sharing the same nature, He is also distinct
from the Fatheras the Son. Jesus’existence as the Son of God does not imply
that there was a point in time in which He did not exist, and then He was
createdas the Sonof the Father. That was Arius’ heresy, whose modern
followers are the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Johnhas already made it clearthat the
Word existed in the beginning with God and that He createdall things that
have come into being (1:1-3). If Jesus came into being at a point in time, that
verse would be false. Nor did Jesus become the Sonof God when He was
conceivedin Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit.
Rather, Jesus has existed eternally as the Son of God in relation to God the
Father. Just as a human son shares his father’s nature, so Jesus shares the
same nature as God the Father. But just as a human son is a distinct person
from his father, so Jesus is distinct from the Fatheras the secondpersonof
the Trinity. In John 5:19-26, Jesus refers to Himself as “Son” nine times; He is
emphasizing His divine Sonship. As the Son, Jesus is equal to and yet
functionally subordinate to and distinct from the Father(as the following
verses show). Godis one God who exists as three Persons:the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
2. Jesus is equal with God in His works (5:17, 19).
By saying (5:17), “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am
working,” Jesus links His own activity directly with God’s activity. As D. A.
Carsonpoints out (The GospelAccording to John [Eerdmans/Apollos], p.
247), “Forthis self-defense to be valid, the same factors that apply to God
must apply to Jesus ….” The Jews acknowledgedthat after creationGod
workedon the Sabbath to sustain His creation. Jesus is saying, “To accuseMe
of Sabbath-breaking is to accuseGodof Sabbath-breaking, because He is My
Father and I work exactly as He works. The Fatherworks continuously,
including on the Sabbath; so do I.”
Also, implicit in Jesus’statementthat He is working right alongside the
Father is that He always has been working alongside the Father. The Bible is
clearthat all three members of the Trinity were involved in the work of
creation. John has told us specificallythat Jesus, the Word, was involved in

creation. Since He and the Fatherare one, Jesus has been working with the
Father since the beginning of time. Clearly, Jesus was claiming to be God!
The Jews gotit. They sought all the more to kill Him because He was making
Himself equal to God. Jesus responded(5:19), “Truly, truly, I say to you, the
Son cando nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father
doing; for whateverthe Father does, these things the Son also does in like
manner.” Jesus uses “truly, truly” three times in this discourse (5:19, 24, 25)
because He wants us to take specialnote of what He says.
The first thing he affirms is that “the Son cando nothing of Himself, unless it
is something He sees the Fatherdoing.” This is not a statement of weakness or
limitation, but rather of His absolute unity with the Father in nature and in
will. He is saying that it is impossible for the Son to act independently of the
Father because theyshare the same nature. What the Father does the Son
does and what the Son does, the Father does. There is a complete
correspondence intheir actions. In Jesus, we see God. When Jesus worked, it
was God working. WhateverJesus did was an actof God; whateverHe said
was the word of God. There was no moment of His life and no action of His
which did not express the life and action of the Father.
Yet at the same time, these verses revealthat as the Son, Jesus is always
subordinate to the Father in terms of carrying out the divine will. The Father
commands and the Son obeys. Jesus was sentto this earth by the Father(5:23)
to accomplishthe work that the Father gave Him to do (4:34), especiallythe
work of redemption on the cross (3:14; 12:27). But subordination in the
hierarchy of the Trinity does not in any wayimply inferiority. All three
Persons ofthe Trinity are equally and eternally God. But for the sake of
carrying out the divine plan, the Son is subject to the Father and the Spirit is
subject to the Fatherand the Son.
The lastpart of verse 19 explains why it is impossible for the Son to do
anything of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing: “for
whateverthe Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”
Carson(p. 251, italics his) explains the thought: “It is impossible for the Son
to take independent, self-determined action that would sethim over against

the Fatheras another God, for all the Son does is both coincident with and co-
extensive with all that the Father does.” So John’s point is that while Jesus as
the Sonof Godis subordinate to the Fatherand carries out His works in
obedience to Him, He is at the same time fully equal to the Father as God. No
lesserbeing could make the claim of verse 19.
3. Jesus is equal with God in His love and knowledge (5:20).
In verse 20, Jesus explains how the Son can do whateverthe Father does:“For
the Fatherloves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing;
and the Father will show Him greaterworks than these, so that you will
marvel.” The Father’s love for the Son is seenby His disclosing to the Son
everything that He is doing.
In a recent sermon, John MacArthur pointed out the startling implications of
this verse (“The MostStartling Claim Ever Made,” Part1, on gty.org):
It might shake you up to hear this, but at the heart of God’s redeeming work
is not God’s love for you, not God’s love for me. Not God’s love for the world.
Not God’s love for sinners. At the heart of redemption is … the Father’s love
for the Son and the Son’s love for the Father.
You say, “Didn’t Jesus die because He loved us?” In a secondarysense, but in
a primary sense, Jesusdied because He loved the Father. “Didn’t the Father
send Jesus to the cross becauseHe loved us?” In a secondarysense. In
primary sense He sent the Son to the cross becauseHe loved the Son. You say,
“How am I to understand that?”
You’re to understand it this way, that the whole purpose of redemption, the
whole purpose of creation, the whole purpose of the world, the universe,
human history is so that God cancollecta bride to give to His Son a bride
that’s an expressionof His love…. The Father … will give to the Sona
redeemedhumanity, collectedone day in heaven forever and everand ever to
praise and serve and glorify the Son and always be an everlasting expression
of the Father’s love.
Jesus’point in 5:20 is that the Father’s love for the Son is displayed by the
fact that He shows Him all that He Himself is doing. I understand that to refer

to the time when Jesus was onearth, since before He came to earth, Jesus and
the Fatherpossessedallknowledge inherently, so that there would have been
no need for disclosure. In Colossians 2:3, Paul says that in Christ “are hidden
all the treasures ofwisdom and knowledge.”These treasuresare disclosedto
us in God’s inspired Word, which is sufficient for all of life and godliness (2
Pet. 1:3). We don’t need to turn to the “wisdom” ofthe world for answers to
our personaland relationalproblems. The answers are in Christ and in God’s
Word.
The “greaterworks”thatJesus refers to in 5:20 are in the next two verses:
Giving life to whom He wishes and judging all people. We’ve seenthat Jesus is
equal with God in His nature, His works, and in His love and knowledge.
4. Jesus is equal with God in His sovereignpower(5:21).
John 5:21: “Forjust as the Fatherraises the dead and gives them life, even so
the Sonalso gives life to whom He wishes.” This verse is an example of how
Jesus does the works ofthe Father: He gives life to whom He wishes. It’s a
startling claim! What mere man could claim that he could give life to
whomever he wished? Either Jesus is crazy or He is God!
“Life” here refers on one level to Jesus’ability to raise the dead physically, as
He did on three recordedoccasions:The widow of Nain’s son(Luke 7:11-17);
Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:49-56); and Lazarus (John 11:1-44). Also, at the end
of the age, Jesus willgive the command and all the dead from all ages will
arise, either for judgment or eternal life (John 5:28-29).
But Jesus’miracles were illustrations of spiritual truth. His power to give
physical life to whomeverHe wills and to raise the dead physically at the end
of the age show us that He also has the sovereignpowerto give spiritual life to
those who are spiritually dead. In John 5:24 he says, “Truly, truly, I say to
you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternallife,
and does not come into judgment, but has passedout of death into life.”
As with many aspects ofsalvation, we see all three members of the Trinity
involved in the giving of life. Here we see that both the Father and the Son
raise the dead and give them life. In John 6:63 Jesus says, “Itis the Spirit who

gives life.” But clearly the giving of life is an activity that only God cando (1
Sam. 2:6).
And, Jesus asserts His sovereigntyin the giving of life. Leon Morris (p. 315)
says, “Menmay not command the miracle. The Son gives life where He, not
man, chooses.” As verse 24 states, to have eternallife we must hear Jesus’
word and believe in Him. But He initiates the process. We cannotbelieve in
Him or know the Father unless the Sonwills it (Luke 10:22). That way we
can’t take any credit for our salvation. He gets all the glory.
5. Jesus is equal with God in judgment (5:22).
John 5:22: “Fornot even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all
judgment to the Son ….” In verse 21, the roles of the Father and Sonare
parallel in giving life. But here, the Fatherhas delegatedall judgment to the
Son, because (as Jesus explains in 5:27), “He is the Sonof Man.” BecauseHe
took on human flesh and died for the sins of the world (1:29), the Father
delegatedall judgment to Jesus (Acts 17:31).
In John 3:17, we saw that Jesus did not come “into the world to judge the
world, but that the world might be savedthrough Him.” His purpose for
coming was to provide salvation. But those who reject Him are already under
condemnation because they have not believed in the only provision for their
sins that God graciouslyprovided (3:18). If they die in that condition, they will
face His eternal judgment.
Also, to be a just and fair judge, Jesus has to possess allknowledge ofall
people who have ever lived. If an earthly judge is missing keyfacts, he is likely
to make an erroneous judgment. To judge every person, Jesus has to know all
of their circumstances, their thoughts, and their motives. So again, to make
this claim, Jesus eitherwas crazy or He was God. Finally,
6. Jesus is equal with God in worship (5:23).
John 5:23: “… so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He
who does not honor the Son does not honor the Fatherwho sent Him.” If
Jesus is not fully God, then His words in verse 23 are nothing short of

blasphemy! What createdbeing could saythat we should honor him just as we
honor the Father? Clearly, Jesus is claiming to be God.
This means that you can testanyone’s claim to believe in God by their views
of Jesus. If they claim to believe in God, but they think that Jesus was justa
goodman, they do not believe in the living and true God. They only believe in
a god of their own making. If they do not honor Jesus, they do not honor the
Father.
John MacArthur (“The Most Startling Claim Ever Made,” Part 2, on gty.org)
recalls a conversationthat he had with Larry King after he had taped a TV
show one evening. Larry said, “You know, John, I’m going to be okay…going
to be okay.” Johnsaid, “What do you mean you’re going to be okay?” “I
think I’m going to make it to heaven.” John said “Basedon what, Larry?” He
said, and he named a certain evangelistand said, “He told me because I’m
Jewish, I’m going to be okay.” Johnconcludes, “Thatmay be the worst thing
that anybody told him. But to come from a Christian evangelistto tell him
that?”
No one will be okayon judgment day who has not honored and loved and
worshiped Jesus Christas God! As Calvin puts it (Calvin’s Commentaries
[Baker], p. 202), “The name of God, when it is separatedfrom Christ, is
nothing else than a vain imagination.” As John puts it (1 John 2:23),
“Whoeverdenies the Sondoes not have the Father;the one who confessesthe
Son has the Father also.” Jesus is equal with the Fatherin belief and in
worship.
Conclusion
Polls have shown that a majority of Americans believe that Jesus is God, but
that belief has not changedthe face of America. It’s not enough to believe that
Jesus is God intellectually. You must also trust in Him as your Saviorfrom sin
and judgment and live in submission to Him as Lord of all your life.
Remember, to believe in Jesus as merely a greatmoral teacheris not an
option. Either He was crazy or He was God in human flesh. Believe in Him as
your God and Saviorand you have eternallife!

Jesus was helpless without the father

Jesus was helpless without the father

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