Greetings & Introduction
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, may you have peace, joy and grace in the holy name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Praise be to him forever and ever, who always obeys the Father and who is an example for us. And may he be like him.
The verse we have taken for our Verse of the Day today is John 5:19. Where the Lord Jesus says: “The Son can do nothing of himself, but does only what he sees the Father doing.” These words are profound and life-changing. Here Jesus shows us that every action and every decision he made was connected to the will of the Father. He did not act in his own strength, nor did he put his own will first, but in everything he did the will of the Father.
Have you ever wondered what this means for our lives? Can we do everything on our own, in our own strength and wisdom? Or should we also surrender our lives to the will of the Father in the same way as our Lord Jesus did? This is what we will understand more deeply in this verse today. We will see how this wonderful unity of the Father and the Son inspires us and how it applies to our daily lives.
{tocify} $title={Table Of Content}
Title : Living in Perfect Unity with the Father
Book : Gospel of John
Author: John
Chapter: 5
Verse : 19
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 also does in like manner. John 5:19 (NKJV)
Bible Verse in Different Versions
KJV: 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.
NASB: Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way.
ASV: Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner.
NIV: Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
ESV: So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
John 5:19 - Context
In John 5:19 Jesus makes clear the deep relationship between Himself and God the Father. This statement comes after Jesus heals a man who had been sick for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders are upset because the healing took place on the Sabbath and accuse Him of breaking the law. When they ask who told Him to do this, He calls out Jesus by name, which further antagonizes the Jewish leaders, because they realize that Jesus is not only breaking the law but also making Himself equal to the Father by calling Himself God’s Son.
Jesus defends Himself by saying, “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 also does in like manner.” This statement makes it clear that Jesus is following the Father’s will in everything He does and does nothing of His own. Also, he points out that he has the same power and authority as the Father, so healing on the Sabbath was not a violation of the law but a divine act.
This special relationship between Jesus and the Father is important in understanding the doctrine of the Triune God, where the Son is completely one with the Father and His actions are always in accordance with the Father's will and plan. Thus John 5:19 establishes Jesus' divine authority and His perfect unity with the Father in response to the accusations of the Jewish leaders and proves that He is not just an ordinary man but the Son of God.
John 5:19 - Commentary
Then Jesus answered and said to them - The Jews were accusing Jesus of calling God His Father and making Himself equal to Him. This was a blasphemy to them. But Jesus did not back down in His answer, nor did He explain that the Jews were misunderstanding Him. Rather, He held fast to His claim and explained it. These opening words reveal His courage and the seriousness of His claim.
Most assuredly, I say to you - When Jesus repeats this sentence, it is a declaration of a very serious truth. This is not just a general teaching, but a firm and unshakable truth. He Himself is “the truth,” and His saying this is beyond any doubt. The Jews should understand that what He is going to say next is the most reliable and certain thing.
The Son can do nothing of Himself - This phrase does not mean that the Son lacks power or is weak. The real meaning of this is that the Son never does anything independently of the Father, or in opposition to Him. The relationship between the Father and the Son is so close that the Son’s actions are completely bound up with the Father’s will and nature. This does not mean weakness but perfection—because the Son does not consider His will to be separate from the Father’s will. Satan and man act on their own and often go against God’s will, but the Son can never do that. In short, if the Son were to act independently of the Father, it would be a direct contradiction of the Biblical teaching of monotheism and the Lord Jesus would show that the Father and He are not just different persons but two different Gods, which would be heresy.
But what He sees the Father do - The word “seeth” here must be understood very carefully. It is not the usual view that the Father does something first and then the Son imitates it. It means that the Son knows the Father’s complete plans, thoughts, and purposes, because He has always been with the Father. He is in the Father's bosom, in His proximity, and fully aware of His deep plans and counsels. Therefore, whatever the Father wants and does, the Son does the same. This “seeing” shows the closeness, common nature, and unity between them.
for whatever He does - There is no limitation here. Whether it is creation, the governance of the world, the salvation of mankind, or the care of the church—whatever the Father does, the Son also does. This is a claim of absolute equality. If the Son is doing everything that the Father does, then there is no difference in their power, wisdom, and authority. The Jews regarded this as blasphemy, but in fact this is the greatest proof of His divinity.
The Son also does in like manner - There is not only similarity of work, but also similarity of manner. The Son does the same work, does it in the same way, and does it with the same power as the Father. This means that their works are not separate or divided, but they work together and jointly. This is why Jesus healing on the Sabbath was equal to the Father's work. He was not acting independently, but was carrying out the Father's will and power.
Summary Thought
Taken together, these phrases clearly show that Jesus did not deny the blasphemous charge against Him, but rather strengthened it. He was not saying that He was less than God, but that His will and work were never separate. He Himself is omnipotent, but He never separates His will from the Father's. This is His perfect nature and His perfection.
This teaching makes it profoundly clear that the relationship between the Father and the Son is neither one of competition nor of separate works. It is a relationship in which the same power, the same will, and the same work are manifested in both at the same time. The word "equally" shows that the Father and the Son work as equals, jointly, and in perfect equality.
John 5:19 - Applying in Life
This verse teaches us first of all that we should avoid the tendency to show ourselves separate, independent and above others in life. Jesus, even though He is the Son of God, never shows Himself separate from the Father, but always lives and works in His will. This teaches us the path of humility and obedience.
Whenever we make decisions in our lives, we should understand that our purpose is not to fulfill our own will, but to know and act according to God's will. Just as Jesus worked in complete unity with the Father, we should see in every small and big work of our lives whether we are connected with God's will or are only entangled in our own plans.
This verse also shows us that Jesus never did any work by Himself, but did it together with the Father. This means that only when we do our works in partnership with God, will there be lasting blessing in them. Efforts made on our own may seem successful for a short time, but works done under God's will and guidance bear lasting fruits.
The most profound message is that our actions and the direction of our lives must be in accordance with God's will. When we surrender our plans to God's plans, our lives experience the unity and peace that exists between Jesus and the Father. This is true spiritual growth and is the path we follow to make our lives meaningful and fruitful.
John 5:19 - Prayer
O Heavenly Father, I thank you for this new morning. This day is a proof of your mercy and compassion for me. I believe that just as the sun has risen again today, you have also renewed my life. Lord Jesus, you are the true light that protects my feet from stumbling, today I want to walk in your light.
O Lord Jesus, just as you said in the Word that the Son does not do anything on his own, but does what the Father does, in the same way I dedicate my heart to you that I too do nothing in my life apart from your commands and will. May my thoughts, my decisions and my actions be according to your will and when I start walking on my own strength, then stop me and help me to return to your voice. Keep me humble in myself and teach me that every step has to be taken with your support.
I pray to you for my family and my loved ones. May you be their support and protector in their health, safety and every need of life. Just as you do everything in unity with the Father, let your power and guidance be manifest in our lives too. Protect us from all evil and keep us in your peace.
Lord, I thank you that you never do anything in isolation from the Father and always do what the Father wants. Seeing this wonderful unity, I also pray to you that my life also becomes one with your will. Connect me more deeply with you, so that every day of mine is lived for your glory.
Amen.
Post a Comment