So Jesus answered and stated to them, “Amen, amen I state to you, the Son is able to do nothing from himself except something he may see the Father doing because those things which that one may do these things also the Son does likewise.”
This carefully recorded statement of Jesus – with its “Amen, amen” beginning – is unusual, to say the least. In these days when world leaders are all claiming the power “to do whatever it takes” to deal with every problem under the sun, this man states his inability. He “is not able to do anything from himself.”
For me, this statement of Jesus is absolutely wonderful. Jesus had “made well” this totally sucked-out-for-38-years man “because” that sort of thing is the sort of thing that he has seen Almighty God his Father do. Yes, the God and Father above, creator of all, actually “makes well” total failures.
“Because the Father loves-in-friendship the Son and shows him all things that he himself is doing. And greater works than these he will show him in order that you may be astonished.”
Jesus then explains the reason why the Father is showing him what he, the Father, is doing – things like making well a dead-beat man. It’s because of “love-in-friendship” of Father and Son. Given that fact, it’s not surprising that Jesus tells his persecutors – those who want to kill him – that they will be “astonished” to see what the Father does when they see the “greater works” which Jesus will, soon, do. What “works” are those? He explains.
“Because just as the Father raises up the dead ones and makes alive, in this way also the Son makes alive those he desires.”
It’s not only that he will raise several from the dead. That he will indeed do. But those who persecute and kill him will also see him made alive again – by the Father - from the dead. By that all will know that “the Son makes alive whomsoever he wants.”
“Because not even the Father judges anyone but has given every judgment to the Son, in order that everyone may honour the Son, just as they honour the Father. The one not honouring the Son is not honouring the Father who sent him.”
|