I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. These articles will not run contiguously on this blog but peppered throughout and in the midst of other articles (though some might be posted consecutively). I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.
JOHN 5:17-23
17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
The LORD had just healed a lame man who was in that condition for nearly four decades, but He did it on the Sabbath day, and because of this the religious authorities persecuted Him and intended to kill Him (JOHN 5:16)!
So we pick up where we left off before and witness the LORD's testimony concerning the Father and Himself.
The LORD Jesus Christ, referring to God Almighty, Eloheim YHWH as His Father, was claiming equality with God; of course in the minds of the religious authorities, this was blasphemy and therefore their intent on killing Him became all the more resolute!
Scripture testifies of this truth everywhere:
JOHN 1:1-3,14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
JOHN 10:30
I and my Father are one.
JOHN 17:11
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
COLOSSIANS 1:14-16
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
1 TIMOTHY 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
HEBREWS 1:1-8
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
See also JOHN 14:7-10; MATT 16:16; COL 2:9; 1 TIM 6:14-16.
For more on this, see this TTUF series on the Deity of Christ:
JESUS IS GOD – The WORD Incarnate a.k.a. the MESSIAH of Israel - Part ONE
Getting back to our text:
JOHN 5:19
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Some have suggested that the Son here is inferior to the Father, because He can't do anything apart from the Father. If understood correctly however, He is testifying of their unity. There can be no unity if there is disparity. If the Father is exactly like the Son, and the Son is exactly like the Father - in nature, actions, words, heart - then it would be impossible for One to act differently than the other: the same goes for the Holy Spirit. This is why the LORD Jesus said, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." Because in nature and in being, they are identical.
God and His Word are both the embodiment of truth (DEUT 32:4; JOHN 17:17); truth is an essential to the very nature of God. Truth cannot be self-contradictory, and God likewise cannot contradict Himself - in any of the Three Members of the Godhead.
JOHN 5:20-21
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
They are One in nature, as well as ability - both are capable obviously of raising the dead: 1 KINGS 17:22-23; JOHN 11:25,41-44. In Revelation the LORD Jesus declares that He now possesses the keys of hell and death - He wields all authority in these (REV 1:18)!
All of the members of the Trinity are co-equal in their abilities and actions. All were involved in the creation, in the inspiration and instruction of the Word, in raising Christ from the dead and many other things. For more on this, see this K-house article: One God or Three: The Trinity.
JOHN 5:22-23
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Throughout the Old Testament, time and time again, the LORD God (YHWH Eloheim) is declared as the Judge of all the Earth. And the Eternal One Who dwells outside of time and space has committed "all judgment" to the Son - If everywhere the Old Testament Scriptures which are the immutable, unchanging and eternal Word of God declares God as the Judge, and here in JOHN's Gospel we see that the Father has committed judgment to the Son, we may reasonably induce that the Son is God - Who is the Judge of all the Earth.
The Father and Son are so alike, truly identical, that to honor the One is to honor the Other.
Some perceive that the terms "Father" and "Son" automatically equates to a superior/inferior position, because any father naturally assumes a higher position, one of greater authority and even power.
Something that must be understood is that the LORD Jesus Christ is referred to not as "one of the begotten of God" but the ONLY begotten of the Father:
JOHN 1:14,18
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. See also JOHN 3:16,18; 1 JOHN 4:9.
In the creation, God demonstrated a principle - that each living creature would procreate after their own kind, and that this would never vary. Chimpanzees bring forth more Chimps, parrots bring forth more parrots, whales bring for more whales and humans bring forth more humans. And the same with the plant kingdom. Each after their own kind.
So the only begotten of the Father would be of the same kind as the Father, but with a difference: all creatures of this world necessarily have to procreate in order to perpetuate their kind; because of death this is a necessary function for as long as we exist in this space/time continuum.
Yet the Father is Eternal, not subject to time at all; His begotten would be exactly like Him: eternal and possessing the same nature, attributes, virtues, powers, etc.
The truth behind the Father and the Son is not a revelation of a superior to an inferior but simply the designation of roles. A father may actually be inferior to his son in any number of ways, but it's only right that the son would be submissive to his father's authority.
Likewise the Son, particularly since He took on flesh, would prove to be the quintessential example of an obedient, dutiful, loving Son to the Father; an example that, by the Spirit of grace we are empowered to follow:
1 JOHN 2:5-6
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
1 PETER 1:13-15,22
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
So, as obedient children of God, adopted into the family of our heavenly Father, let us be like Him and glorify the name of the LORD through our lives (ROM 8:15,23; 9:4; GAL: 4:5; EPH 1:5).
The LORD bless and keep you all in the glorious and holy Name of the LORD Jesus Christ!
Next time we will look at JOHN 5:24-29: Uncondemned With LIFE Sentence!
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