John 5:26-27
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes that the Son possesses life within Himself, mirroring the Father's self-existent life, not as a delegated power but as an inherent attribute given to Him. This highlights that Jesus' ability to give life is not merely functional but a direct outflow of His divine nature, communicated by the Father, especially in His incarnate role.
Jesus is explaining his authority to heal and judge, directly challenging the religious leaders who question him. He emphasizes that his actions are not self-initiated but empowered by the Father, and that he has been given the ultimate authority to grant life and judge all people.
We all experience life, but where does it truly come from? This verse reveals a profound truth about God's very nature.
Jesus states that the Father 'has life in himself.' This isn't just about existence; it's about being the ultimate, self-sufficient source of all life. God doesn't receive life from anyone or anything; He is life. This attribute of self-existence, of being the absolute origin of life, is central to His divine being. It's a life that is not contingent, not borrowed, but inherent and eternal. This is what makes Him uniquely God.
Jesus then draws a direct parallel between the Father and Himself. What does this mean for our understanding of the Son?
The crucial second part of the verse states, 'so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.' This is a staggering declaration! The Father, the unorigent source of life, has given this same quality—to have life in Himself—to the Son. This isn't about the Son being a lesser recipient of life, but about the Father sharing His own essential, self-existent life with the Son. This points to the Son's divinity and His equality with the Father. It's a gift that establishes His own independent, eternal capacity to give life, mirroring the Father perfectly.
Understand the original words
zōē en heautō · Greek Noun phrase
The essential attribute of God as the self-existent Source of all existence; it denotes that God possesses life inherently and does not depend on anything external for His existence.
exousia · Greek Noun
The right, power, or prerogative to act, command, or judge. In the New Testament, it often refers to the delegated authority given by the Father to the Son.
krisis · Greek Noun
The act of pronouncing a judicial decision, particularly the final verdict passed by God upon humanity regarding their moral actions and relationship with Him.
huios anthrōpou · Greek Noun phrase
A messianic title derived from Daniel 7:13-14, referring to the heavenly figure who receives dominion, glory, and a kingdom. It emphasizes both the humanity and the divine authority of Jesus Christ.
This verse directly echoes John 5:26, stating 'In him was life, and the life was the light of men,' highlighting the Son as the inherent source and manifestation of life.
John 6:57Jesus declares, 'As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me also will live because of me,' drawing a parallel between His own life derived from the Father and the life He imparts to believers.
Philippians 2:6-7This passage speaks of Christ, though 'in the form of God,' emptying himself and taking 'the form of a servant,' which aligns with the concept of His divine life in Himself being a gift for His mediatorial work.
Colossians 1:19It states that 'in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,' underscoring the Son's inherent possession of divine attributes, including life, which supports the idea of Him having life in Himself.
ellicottJohn 5:26: "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;"
(26) Hath he given to the Son. —Better, gave He to the Son also. Life in himself.—The Son has spoken of the dead hearing His voice and living, but this giving of life to others can only be by one who has in himself an original source of life. This the Father has, and this the Son also has. To the Son in His pre-existent state it was natural, as being equal with the Father. To the Son who ha…
calvinJohn 5:25-29: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."
- Verily, verily, I say to you, That the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. 26. For as the Father hath life in himself, so also hath he given to the Son to have life in himself. 27. And he hath given him power to execute judgment also, because he is the Son…
The verse emphasizes that the Son possesses life within Himself, mirroring the Father's self-existent life, not as a delegated power but as an inherent attribute given to Him. This highlights that Jesus' ability to give life is not merely functional but a direct outflow of His divine nature, communicated by the Father, especially in His incarnate role.
Jesus is explaining his authority to heal and judge, directly challenging the religious leaders who question him. He emphasizes that his actions are not self-initiated but empowered by the Father, and that he has been given the ultimate authority to grant life and judge all people.
Jesus is explaining his authority to heal and judge, directly challenging the religious leaders who question him. He emphasizes that his actions are not self-initiated but empowered by the Father, and that he has been given the ultimate authority to grant life and judge all people.
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"For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man." — The verse emphasizes that the Son possesses life within Himself, mirroring the Father's self-existent life, not as a delegated power but as an inherent attribute given to Him. This highlights that Je…
