What works does the Father show the Son according to John 5:20? Context and Translation John 5:20: “For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these.” The verse follows Jesus’ healing of the paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15) and introduces a discourse on His unity with the Father. Immediate Literary Setting 1. Healing on the Sabbath (John 5:1-9) 2. Controversy with the religious leaders (5:10-18) 3. Jesus’ self-revelation of shared divine prerogatives (5:19-30) The “works” are everything the Father is doing—past, present, and future—now mediated through the Son. The Verb “Shows” (Greek δείκνυσιν) Greek continuous present; the Father is in the constant act of displaying His works to the Son. This implies an eternal, unbroken communion, not a one-time briefing. Scope of “All the Works” 1. Creation (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17). 2. Providence—upholding the universe (Hebrews 1:3). 3. Redemptive miracles—in John: water to wine, healings, multiplication of loaves, walking on water, giving sight, raising the dead. 4. Judgment—authority to judge all humanity (John 5:22). 5. Final resurrection (5:28-29). 6. The atoning death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Himself (10:17-18; 20:27-29). Works of Creation and Sustenance John’s prologue identifies the Son as co-Creator; therefore the Father’s creative works are eternally shown to and executed through the Son. Genesis 1’s fiat creations and ongoing cosmic order (e.g., fine-tuned physical constants) manifest design consistent with Romans 1:20. Miraculous Signs in the Public Ministry Each Johannine sign is a “work” modeled after what the Father does: • Turning water into wine mirrors divine provision (2:1-11). • Feeding 5,000 echoes manna (6:1-14). Archaeological verification of the Bethesda pools—unearthed beneath St. Anne’s Church in 1956—confirms the historical setting of John 5 and undergirds the reliability of the account. Works of Giving Life and Resurrection John 5:21: “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.” Illustrations: Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5), the widow’s son (Luke 7), and Lazarus (John 11). These prefigure both Jesus’ own empty tomb—defended by multiple early, independent resurrection testimonies—and the universal resurrection at the end of the age. Works of Judgment and Authority John 5:22: “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” This includes present spiritual judgment (3:18-19) and final eschatological judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). Revelatory Works—Teaching and Prophecy Jesus’ doctrine is said to be what the Father taught Him (John 8:28), guaranteeing absolute reliability (cf. Deuteronomy 18:18). Fulfilled prophecies—e.g., Zechariah 9:9’s entry on a colt, Psalm 22’s crucifixion description—constitute “shown works” validated in history. The “Greater Works” Yet Future 1. Cross and Resurrection—the climax (John 12:31-33). 2. Outpouring of the Spirit (John 7:39; Acts 2). 3. Global evangelization (John 14:12—believers doing “greater works” in extent). 4. Consummation: new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21). Historical and Manuscript Corroboration Earliest papyri (P66 c. AD 175, P75 c. AD 200) exhibit John 5 with negligible variation, reinforcing textual stability. Early Christian writers (Ignatius, c. AD 110) already quote John, demonstrating the account’s circulation within living memory of eyewitnesses. Theological Implications for Christology The Son’s ability to perform identical works confirms His full deity, yet His being “shown” them preserves personal distinction within the Godhead. The verse undergirds Trinitarian doctrine: one divine nature, three persons acting in perfect harmony. Practical and Devotional Application Believers can trust the Son completely; He acts only in concert with the Father’s loving purpose. Assurance of future resurrection and judgment calls for repentance and aligns the purpose of life with glorifying God through obedient faith in Christ. |
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