Total Submission

Lesson #84

We saw in the last lesson that the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus because he was breaking the Sabbath and because he was referring to God as his Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus doesn’t let up but responds with, “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. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will” (John 5:19 – 21 ESV).

I have read these verses many times in the past, but never stopped to really think of what was being said. Repeating “truly” implies what follows is very important. Looking at the three translations I usually work from we find that the Son “can do nothing of his own accord” (ESV); “can do nothing of his own initiative” (NET); “can do nothing of Himself” (NASB). Jesus doesn’t decide to act independent of his Father. When I was growing up on my dad’s dairy farm, I didn’t do anything on my own without first receiving directions from my dad. I had to act in accordance with the will of my dad. By the nature of the union between Jesus and his Father, he did nothing he was not commanded to do and that which he did he sees the Father doing. The connection between them is so strong that whatever the Father does, the Son does and whenever the Father acts, Jesus acts. This working together; this union between them is based on the Father’s love for his Son. It is a love that shares all and includes Jesus in everything. It is that love which glues them together to act as one. In saying this Jesus was clearly saying he was one with the Father and thus he was God.

Jesus has turned water into wine, healed the official’s son and now this man. God performed miracles in the Old Testament and so Jesus is not doing anything on his own. Jesus continues by saying that even greater works will done. As his Father, God in the Old Testament raised the dead and thus don’t be surprised that the Son can and will give life to whom he will.

Consider your union with Jesus. How independent are you in what you do or is there a union of obedience to his commands based on love? This union is to be as close as two oxen yoked together pulling a load.

Prayer

Father, what a lesson this is in singleness of purpose. To see this union of purpose in love between you and your Son is an example to me of how I am to relate to you as your child. I confess that I have much to learn before I realize that perfect submission I will experience in heaven. Forgive my self-centeredness and encourage me to greater submission as revealed in this lesson.