Thoughts on the Gospel of John (58) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

Then Jesus answered and said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do; for whatever he does, the Son does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does; and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
John 5: 19.20.

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (58)
When Jesus spoke to His critics about His Father, they became very annoyed. They considered His words to be a blasphemous assertion and consequently wanted to kill Him. The Lord took the opportunity to speak about His relationship to the heavenly Father.

Although Christ was here on earth as true Man, He was nevertheless not an independent being with the same rights as God, another God, so to speak, who acted as he saw fit. He was one with the Father, even though a human in subjection to Him. "The Son can do nothing of himself" is not to be understood as an admission of incompetence or inferiority within the Godhead, but rather as confirmation of His unlimited deity.

Christ was the One who saw the Father's dealings. No human being could ever maintain that. Jesus of Nazareth was a Person of the Godhead equal with the Father; otherwise He could not have done what the Father did.

Jesus Christ: God and Man in one Person - in this way alone could God the Father reveal Himself to mankind. If the Jews saw the Son, they saw the Father. By rejecting the Son, they rejected the Father (cf. ).

What wondrous equality, fellowship and unity existed between the Father and the Son! All was done in perfect agreement, motivated by the same thinking and the same love.

(to be continued next Sunday)

Today‘s reading: 1 Kings 19: 11 - 21 · John 12: 37 - 50