8 For this cause therefore 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. 19 Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. 20 For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires. 22 For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgement to the Son, 23 that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He who doesn’t honour the Son doesn’t honour the Father who sent him.
24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life. 25 Most certainly I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. 27 He also gave him authority to execute judgement, because he is a son of man. 28 Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement. 30 I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgement is righteous, because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.
John 5:18 - 30World English Bible
My thoughts for today —
A brief look into the accusations by the Jews against the Lord Jesus and our Lord's reply and explanation recorded in John 5:18 - 30 WEB :
In verse 18 we read that the Jews sought to kill the Lord Jesus not only because he broke the sabbath, but also because he called God his Father, making himself equal with God.
Our Lord took pains to explain in his reply to them that calling God his Father did NOT make him equal with God. (v19 Jesus THEREFORE answered them . . .)
When we look through verses 19 to 30 of this passage today, we can point out a number of things that our Lord says about himself in relation to God his Father in Heaven.
Firstly, our Lord tells the Jews that he can do nothing by himself (v19, 30). Instead, it is the Father who shows him all the things that he does (v 20).
Secondly, of all the many things our Lord is doing among the Jews, one thing in particular shown by the Father for our Lord to do is the giving of life to man. Just as the Father "raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he will." (v31).
Thirdly, we read that that besides the giving of life, the Father has also given our Lord the authority to execute judgment (v22, 27)
Fourthly, we see in verse 26 that just as the Father has life in Himself, He has also given our Lord to have life in himself.
Finally, in verse 30, our Lord reiterates that he can do nothing by himself, and that he does not seek his own will but the will of God, the Father who has sent him.
Besides the four points we have observed from verses 18 to 30 above, we also read in verse 36 and 37 that God has given our Lord works to accomplish, that those very works testify that God has sent our Lord Iesus.
This is all summed up in one verse further down in John chapter 5:43a
I have come in my Father's name . . .
A related post that I wrote about sixteen years ago.
