How does John 5:26 affirm Jesus' divine authority and relationship with the Father? Verse at a Glance John 5:26: “For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.” Life in Himself: Shared Divine Self-Existence • “Life in Himself” describes the unique, self-existent nature that belongs only to God (cf. Exodus 3:14). • The Father and the Son each possess this self-existence; it is not a created or acquired life but intrinsic, eternal life. • The word “granted” does not imply inferiority or a moment in time when Jesus lacked life; it reflects the eternal Father-Son relationship in which the Son forever receives and shares the same divine essence. • By stating that Jesus has the same kind of life the Father has, the verse affirms Christ’s full deity. Authority Grounded in Divine Life • Because Jesus shares the Father’s self-existent life, He possesses equal authority to give life to others (John 5:21). • The surrounding context links this life to judgment: “And He has given Him authority to execute judgment” (John 5:27). Only One who holds divine life can impart life or pronounce final judgment. • Jesus’ miracles (John 5:8-9) and His power to raise the dead (John 5:28-29) flow from this same intrinsic life. • His authority is therefore not delegated in a limited sense but flows naturally from who He is. An Intimate, Eternal Relationship • The verse highlights unity without confusion: Father and Son are distinct Persons, yet perfectly one in essence (John 10:30). • “Granted” underscores eternal communion—what the Father is, the Son is; what the Father does, the Son does (John 5:19). • The relationship is loving and continuous (John 17:24); the Father delights to reveal and exalt the Son, and the Son delights to honor the Father (John 17:1). • This mutual glorification assures believers that trusting Christ is trusting God Himself (John 14:1,9). Supporting Scriptures • John 1:1-4 — “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” • John 11:25 — “I am the resurrection and the life.” • John 17:3-5 — eternal life defined by knowing the Father and the Son who shared glory “before the world existed.” • Colossians 1:15-19 — “in Him all things hold together,” pointing to divine self-existence. • Hebrews 1:3 — “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature,” sustaining all by His powerful word. |
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