John 5:20
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that Jesus’ authority and power stem not from an obligation, but from the Father's deep, intimate love for Him, a love that compels the Father to share everything He does. This shared life means Jesus doesn't just see the Father's works; He is destined to perform even greater ones, leading His audience to marvel, even if not to believe.
Jesus has just healed a man who had been an invalid for 38 years on the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders are furious because he did it on their holy day. In response, Jesus explains that his authority and actions are intrinsically linked to the Father; just as he sees the Father doing things, he also does them. He then promises that he will continue to do even more remarkable deeds, indicating that the healing of one man is just the beginning of his powerful work.
Ever wondered how Jesus knew exactly what to do, especially when facing opposition? It wasn't guesswork, but a deep, divine connection.
The Father's love for the Son is the bedrock of their unity and shared mission. This isn't just a gentle affection, but an intimate, essential bond.
The Father's Impartation
Because the Father loves the Son, He reveals all His own actions to Him. This means nothing is kept hidden; the Son has complete insight into the Father's will and work. This perfect transparency is a direct result of their profound love.
The Son's Obedience
This love creates a 'moral necessity' for the Son to act in perfect alignment with the Father. As John 5:19 says, 'The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing.' This isn't a limitation, but a powerful demonstration of their unified purpose.
Jesus mentions 'greater works' coming. What could be greater than healing the sick and performing miracles right before people's eyes?
The miracles Jesus was performing were just the beginning. The Father promised to show the Son even greater works, leading to amazement.
What are the 'Greater Works'?
Scholars point to specific, monumental acts: the resurrection of the dead (as John 5:21 directly states) and the judgment of the world (John 5:22). These are cosmic acts of power far beyond earthly healings.
The Purpose: Amazement
The Father shows the Son these greater works so that the onlookers will marvel. This marveling, however, is complex. For some, it's a moment of astonished disbelief, a witness to undeniable power. For others, it's an invitation to faith, a sign that prompts deeper belief, like in the case of Lazarus' resurrection.
Understand the original words
agapaō · Greek Verb
The Greek 'agapaō' often used to describe the divine, unconditional, and self-sacrificial love of God. It signifies the intimate, eternal bond between the Father and the Son within the Trinity.
This verse immediately preceding John 5:20 provides the crucial context, explaining that the Son does only what He sees the Father doing. This highlights the intimate unity and shared purpose between the Father and the Son, which is the basis for the Father showing the Son all His works.
Colossians 1:15-17This passage describes Jesus as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, and the one through whom all things were created and are held together. It underscores the Son's supreme authority and intimate knowledge of the Father's works, echoing the idea in John 5:20 that nothing is hidden from the Son.
Hebrews 1:3This verse states that the Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, upholding the universe by his word. This divine relationship explains why the Father would show Him all that He is doing, as the Son is intrinsically connected to and active in all divine operations.
John 10:37-38Here, Jesus says, 'If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.' This reiterates the theme from John 5:20 that the works are proof of the Father-Son unity and divine commission.
Matthew 3:17ellicottJohn 5:20: "For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel."
(20) For the Father loveth the Son. —Do men deny His divinity? God is His Father. There is, therefore, oneness of essence. The unity of His work with God’s work has for its basis the Eternal Love, which showeth to the Son all that the Father doeth. As the relation of Son implies moral inability to do anything apart from the Father, so the…
barnesJohn 5:20: "For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel."
The Father loveth the Son - This authority he traces to the love which the Father has for him - that special, ineffable, infinite love which God has for his only-begotten Son, feebly and dimly illustrated by the love which an earthly parent has for an only child. Showeth him - Makes him acquainted with. Conceals nothing from him. From apos…
The verse highlights that Jesus’ authority and power stem not from an obligation, but from the Father's deep, intimate love for Him, a love that compels the Father to share everything He does. This shared life means Jesus doesn't just see the Father's works; He is destined to perform even greater ones, leading His audience to marvel, even if not to believe.
Jesus has just healed a man who had been an invalid for 38 years on the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders are furious because he did it on their holy day. In response, Jesus explains that his authority and actions are intrinsically linked to the Father; just as he sees the Father doing things, he also does them. He then promises that he will continue to do even more remarkable deeds, indicating that the healing of one man is just the beginning of his powerful work.
Jesus has just healed a man who had been an invalid for 38 years on the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders are furious because he did it on their holy day. In response, Jesus explains that his authority and actions are intrinsically linked to the Father; just as he sees the Father doing things, he also does them. He then promises that he will continue to do even more remarkable deeds, indicating that the healing of one man is just the beginning of his powerful work.
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The declaration at Jesus' baptism, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,' emphasizes the Father's profound love for the Son. This love is the foundation mentioned in John 5:20 for the intimate sharing of all the Father's activities with the Son.
"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." — The verse highlights that Jesus’ authority and power stem not from an obligation, but from the Father's deep, intimate love for Him, a love that compels the Father to share everything He does. This s…
