John 5:19-47 The Son’s Equality With The Father

Verse 19

The Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing – Jesus was the perfect agent of the divine purpose and the complete revelation of the divine nature

Verse 20

The Father loves the Son… Continuous disclosure indicates love!

Greater works… Giving life and pronouncing judgment.

Verses 21-23

Just as the Father…so the Son gives life – The Jews acknowledged that only God could raise the dead.

“Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people.” Ezekiel 37:13

He has given all judgment to the Son – The Father and the Son both give life, but the Father has committed all judgment to the Son. John 3:17 explains the reason for the Son’s incarnation.

That all may honor the Son – Subordination usually results in less honor. The Father has guaranteed that the Son will receive equal honor with Himself! Note Isaiah 42:8

Verse 24

How do we escape judgment and receive the life that Jesus has the authority to offer? BELIEVE!

To believe Him who sent Me - To believe the Father is to believe the Son because of their unity.

Has passed out of death into life – Our basis of eternal security and our assurance of eternal life both rest on the promise of the Son!

Verses 25-26

An hour is coming and now is – Resurrection life, now in part, but fully realized in the future.

Life in Himself - Jesus is the self-existent source of life. Another attribute He shares with the Father.

Verse 27

He is the Son of Man – A clear reference to Daniel 7:13-14! This is a title that represents Jesus as both the Anointed One sent from God and also stresses His humanity.

Verses 28-29

Jesus is the one who summons the dead to resurrection. From Daniel 12:2 the Jews knew that God was the one who promised resurrection. See also Revelation 20:4-6 Lazarus was a type in John 11:43.

Those who did good – life!

Those who did evil – judgment! To do good is to believe in the Son, John 6:29. To do evil is to reject the Son, John 3:19-20.

Verses 30-47 The Father’s Witness to the Son

In this section we see five witnesses to the identity of Jesus:

**The Father – Verses 31-32 *John – Verses 33-35 *Jesus’ Works – Verse 36 *The Father’s witness in Scripture – Verses 37-44 Moses – Verses 46-47

Verse 30

This verse transitions from Jesus’ explanation of His equality with the Father to the Father’s testimony about His Son.

Verses 31-32

The Father – Jesus’ union with the Father was the authority for His witness. Jesus claimed the truth of His witness in John 8:14 because He knew from where He came.

Verses 33-35

John the Baptist – He bore witness of the light – 1:7

He proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God - 1:29

He proclaimed Jesus as the Christ – 3:28

Verse 36

The works of Jesus –

His activities, including his signs. His life of perfect obedience.

His work of redemption on the cross.

Verses 37-44

The Father’s witness in Scripture –

If another shall come… Having rejected Jesus they would follow false messiahs. Rejection of what is true always makes one susceptible to counterfeits! 2 Timothy 4:1-4

Verses 45-47

The Witness of Moses –

The one who accuses you is Moses – “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you…And the LORD said…I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” Deuteronomy 18:15-19

The Jews hoped to earn salvation by keeping the Law and thought that as Jews they had a special advantage. They foolishly hoped in Moses rather than in the One to whom Moses pointed.

In their spiritual blindness the Jews rejected Jesus: You do not believe Him whom He sent – 38; You are unwilling to come to Me – 40; You do not believe his writings - 47