John 5:19,20 - Doing what the Father does

5:19

So many religious leaders today seem to equivocate when faced with a controversial issue. Jesus was not one of them, instead He proclaimed the truth all the more clearly. We see this pattern in several places in John’s gospel. an issue arises that upsets the Pharisees, Jesus responds by going even further down the line that they don’t like.

Here Jesus expands on His relationship with the Father. The importance and veracity of what He is about to say is emphasised by the “truly, truly”. Jesus can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing.

Jesus and the Father are one. They are distinct, but are completely united, working and living in perfect harmony. We get a taste of this in a good marriage, or whenever two or more people work together as one. Each is unique and distinct, but working together in harmony.

5:20

The Father and the Son are perfectly open with each other. The Father shows the Son all that He does. This is a demonstration or outworking of the love that the Father has for the Son. Later on in John we will see that the Father and the Son want to be one with us as they are with each other. The intended model for the relationship between God and us is one of openness. In Genesis we see that we were made in His image, there was fellowship between the God and man. Sin broke this relationship, from that point on we would rather hide from God, He is now seen as someone to fear (in the wrong way). But God’s plan has always been to restore that relationship. Later on He calls Abraham His friend and reveals His plans to Him (Gen 18:17).

The miracles that Jesus had already done were only the beginning. Greater things would happen. This could refer to later miracles, such as the feeding of the five thousand and the raising of Lazarus, and supremely to the resurrection.