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Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

John 5:19-20

This is the truth I tell you--the Son cannot do anything which proceeds from himself. He can only do what he sees the Father doing. In whatever way the Father acts, the Son likewise acts in the same way; for the Father loves the Son, and has shown him everything that he does. And he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be moved to wondering amazement.

This is the beginning of Jesus' answer to the Jews' charge that he was making himself equal to God. He lays down three things about his relationship with God.

(i) He lays down his identity with God. The salient truth about Jesus is that in him we see God. If we wish to see how God feels to men, if we wish to see how God reacts to sin, if we wish to see how God regards the human situation, we must look at Jesus. The mind of Jesus is the mind of God; the words of Jesus are the words of God; the actions of Jesus are the actions of God.

(ii) This identity is not so much based on equality as on complete obedience. Jesus never did what he wanted to do but always what God wanted him to do. It is because his will was completely submitted to God's will that we see God in him. Jesus is to God as we must be to Jesus.

(iii) This obedience is not based on submission to power; it is based on love. The unity between Jesus and God is a unity of love. We speak of two minds having only a single thought and two hearts beating as one. In human terms that is a perfect description of the relationship between Jesus and God. There is such complete identity of mind and will and heart that Father and Son are one.

But this passage has something still more to tell us about Jesus.

(i) It tells us of his complete confidence. He is quite sure that what men were seeing then was only a beginning. On purely human grounds the one thing Jesus might reasonably expect was death. The forces of Jewish orthodoxy were gathering against him and the end was already sure. But Jesus was quite certain that the future was in the hands of God and that men could not stop what God had sent him to do.

(ii) It tells of his complete fearlessness. That he would be misunderstood was certain. That his words would inflame the minds of his hearers and endanger his own life was beyond argument. There was no human situation in which Jesus would lower his claims or adulterate the truth. He would make his claim and speak his truth no matter what men might threaten to do. To him it was much more important to be true to God than to fear men.

Life, Judgment And Honour (John 5:21-23)

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See also John 5:19-20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse John 5:19. _THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF_] Because of his inseparable union with the Father: nor can the Father do any thing of _himself_, because of his infinite unity with the Son. _WHA...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF - Jesus, having stated the extent of his authority, proceeds here to show its “source and nature,” and to prove to them that what he had said was true. The first expl...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The Healing of the Impotent Man. (John 5:1 .)_ 2. The Opposition of the Jews. (John 5:10 .) 3. His Unity with the Father. (John 5:19 .) 4. The Present Hour. Believers Delivered from...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SON'S DEPENDENCE ON THE FATHER. JUDGMENT AND LIFEGIVING. To the charge of blasphemy He answers that a son can only do what he has learned to do by watching his father, who out of love shows him ho...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    THE GLORY OF THE SON. 19. Then answered Jesus. To their charge that he was guilty of blasphemy in making himself equal with God. In his answer he abates nothing from the high claims he has just made...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THEN. Therefore. VERILY, VERILY. The fifth occurance. See note on John 1:51. DO. His works were like His words. See note on John 7:16. NOTHING. Greek. _ou ouden._. double negative. OF. from. Greek...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Intimacy of the Son with the Father further enforced_....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    John 2:13 TO JOHN 11:57. The Work We here enter on the second portion of the first main division of the Gospel, thus subdivided: The Work (1) among _Jews_, (2) among _Samaritans_, (3) among _Galilean...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _can do nothing of himself_ It is impossible for Him to act with individual self-assertion independent of God, because He is the Son: Their Will and working are one. The Jews accuse Him of blasphemy;...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    19, 20. _Intimacy of the Son with the Father further enforced_....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΟΥ̓ Δ. Ὁ ΥἹῸΣ Π. ἈΦ' Ἑ. ΟΥ̓ΔΈΝ. It is morally impossible for Him to act with individual self-assertion independent of God, because He is the Son: Their Will and working are one. It was to this indepen...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE DISCOURSE ON THE SON AS THE SOURCE OF LIFE...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE PREROGATIVES AND POWERS OF THE SON OF GOD...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    VER 19. THEN ANSWERED JESUS AND SAID TO THEM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY TO YOU, THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF, BUT WHAT HE SEES THE FATHER DO: FOR WHAT THINGS SOEVER HE DOES, THESE ALSO DOES THE SON L...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _THE AUTHORITY OF THE SON OF GOD -- JOHN 5:19-30:_ In a lengthy reply to the Jews Jesus gave proof of His deity and ministry. Jesus declared that the Son can do nothing on His own. As the Son of God,...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΠΟΙΕΊΝ _praes. act. inf. от_ ΠΟΙΈΩ, _см._ John 5:18. ΒΛΈΠΗ _praes. conj. act. от_ ΒΛΈΠΩ (G991) видеть, ΠΟΙΟΎΝΤΑ _praes. act. part. от_ ΠΟΙΈΩ делать, ΠΟΙΉ _praes. conj. act. от_ ΠΟΙΈΩ делать. _Conj....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THEN ANSWERED JESUS,— Jesus did not deny the conclusion in John 5:18 but shewed that, in all things, he acted agreeably to the will of God the Father, and that he was equal in power to God, doing what...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE DEITY STATED _Text 5:19-23_ 19 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what thing...

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN John 5:16-30 We present our customary Analysis of the passage which is to be before us. It sets forth the absolute equality of the Son with the Father:— There is an...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son l...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    10 The day on which the cure was effected indicates that its fulfillment will find place in that great sabbatism that remains for God's people of the Circumcision (Heb_4:9). As a pallet was a mere bun...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BETHESDA. CHRIST AND THE SABBATH 1-47. A miracle at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath Day, and a controversy arising therefrom. This miracle may be regarded as a parable illustrating the deadly effe...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOHN TELLS THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS GOSPEL OF JOHN _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 5 JESUS CURES A SICK MAN 5:1-15 V1 After this, Jesus went to *Jerusalem for another *Jewish *festival. V2 There was a p...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF. — The key to this and the following verses is in the relation of Father and Son, from which they start. The Jews saw in this equality with God blasphemy, and sought...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 13 JESUS LIFE-GIVER AND JUDGE. “The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. And for this cause did the Jews persecute Jesus, because He did these things o...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The fundamental proposition is οὐ δύναται ὁ υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ οὐδέν. “The Son can do nothing of Himself.” This is not, as sometimes has been supposed, a general statement true of all sons, but is...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE FATHER WORKING THROUGH THE SON John 5:19-29 The relationship of our Lord to the Father was such that He felt Himself competent to fulfill all the functions of the Divine Being. Is it God's prerog...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    It was at this time that the conflict between Christ and His enemies, which culminated in His Cross began. A miracle wrought on the Sabbath gave rise to this first outbreak. Throughout this chapter we...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing (d) of himself, but what he (e) seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth th...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    The Son cannot do any thing of himself, [5] but what he seeth the Father do. In like manner, (ver. 30.) Christ says, I can do nothing of myself. As I hear, so I judge. Again (Chap. viii. 28.) I do not...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    CHAPTER 13 THE POOL OF BETHESDA John 5:1-47. _“After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.”_ You always find the phraseology in the Bible, _“Go up to Jerusalem.”...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    SECOND PART: THE DEVELOPMENT OF UNBELIEF IN ISRAEL. 5:1- 12:50. UP to this point, decided faith and unbelief have been only exceptional phenomena; the masses have remained in a state of passive indiff...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    ADDITIONAL NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR. XXVIII. Vv. 19-29. 1. The reference in John 5:19 ff., to the union between the Son and the Father is to the complete union in working, which is founded upon...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    VER. 19. “ _Jesus therefore answered and said unto them: Verily, verily_, _I say unto you: the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing. For the things which he doeth, these d...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    FIRST SECTION: 5:1-47. FIRST OUTBREAK OF HATRED IN JUDEA. 1. The miracle, occasion of the conflict: John 5:1-16; John 2. The discourse of Jesus, commentary and defense of the miracle: John 5:17-47....

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    II. THE DISCOURSE OF JESUS: JOHN 5:17-47. In this discourse which is designed to vindicate the act which He has just performed, the three following thoughts are developed: 1. Jesus justifies His work...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. (16) And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The opening verses (John 1:1-18) introduce the most glorious subject which God Himself ever gave in employing the pen of man; not only the most glorious in point of theme, but in the profoundest point...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _SUBMISSION AND SERVICE_ ‘Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verliy, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth,...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    19._Jesus therefore answered. _We see what I have said, that Christ is so far from vindicating himself from what the Jews asserted, though they intended it as a calumny, that he maintains more openly...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    chapter 5 contrasts the quickening power of Christ, the power and the right of giving life to the dead, with the powerlessness of legal ordinances. They required strength in the person that was to pro...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THEN ANSWERED JESUS, AND SAID UNTO THEM,.... They charged him with blasphemy for calling God his Father, and making himself equal to him: and his answer is so far from denying the thing, or observing...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son li...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Jesus answered_ “By _the Jews_, who in the preceding verses are said to have persecuted Jesus, we are to understand the rulers, as appears from John 5:33, where Jesus, speaking to the persons who sou...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    OF HIMSELF; in opposition to, or without the concurrence of the Father, which was the crime with which they charged him. He denied the charge, and asserted, that instead of opposition, as they contend...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE RELATION BETWEEN THE FATHER AND THE SON. Jesus gives the Jews an answer:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THEN ANSWERED JESUS AND SAID UNTO THEM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF, BUT WHAT HE SEETH THE FATHER DO; FOR WHAT THINGS SOEVER HE DOETH, THESE ALSO DOETH THE SON LI...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    AGAIN IN JERUSALEM: THE POOL OF BETHESDA (vs.1-15) Once more we find the Lord Jesus visiting Jerusalem, and as in Chapter 2:13 the feast is called "the Jews' Passover" rather than the Passover of Jeh...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    17-23 The Divine power of the miracle proved Jesus to be the Son of God, and he declared that he worked with, and like unto his Father, as he saw good. These ancient enemies of Christ understood him,...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Consider Christ as God, so he can do nothing but what the Father doth, that is, nothing that respected created beings: for it is a known rule, That the works of the Trinity out of itself are not divid...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian Against Praxeas It was the Son, therefore, who was always seen, and the Son who always conversed with men, and the Son who has always worked by the authority and will of the Father; becaus...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    John 5:19 Then G3767 Jesus G2424 answered G611 (G5662) and G2532 said G2036 (G5627) them G846 Most...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JESUS CONFIRMS THEIR VIEW OF HIS EQUALITY WITH GOD AND POINTS TO THE RESURRECTION (JOHN 5:19). Jesus now expands on His claim to be co-equal with the Father. He does not want them to be in any doubt,...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Jesus answered and said to them, “In very truth I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does the Son does in the same way. For the Fat...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    The performance of the miracle of healing on the sabbath had roused the active opposition of the Jews to Jesus, and that again had led to the great declaration contained in John 5:17, in which Jesus a...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    John 5:19. JESUS THEREFORE ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM. We have already found Jesus replying to those who did not receive His utterance of a truth by a repeated and more emphatic declaration of the ve...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    THE SON (ο υιος). The absolute use of the Son in relation to the Father admitting the charge in verse John 5:18 and defending his equality with the Father.CAN DO NOTHING BY HIMSELF (ου δυνατα ποιε...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    John 5:1. _After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem._ For he had respect to the Law. As long as the Law lasted, Christ observed it. Oh, that we were as careful to obey...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus answers the Jews. The four-fold witness to Jesus. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, infirm man, John the Baptist, Moses. CONCLUSION: Jesus Christ, th...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    John 5:2. _Now there is at Jerusalem a pool, called Bethesda,_ which signifies a house of mercy, beneficence, or alms. The pool was situate at too great a distance from the temple to be a place for wa...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    19-21. SO JESUS ANSWERED THEM. He answers their charge of blasphemy by showing there is the closest cooperation between the Father and the Son. THE SON DOES NOTHING ON HIS OWN. This is said directly a...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do_ THE UNITY OF THE FATHER AND THE SON The Jews sought to kill Jesus in obedience to the law (1) because He wrought a miracle on th...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:19 THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIS OWN ACCORD. God the Father and God the Son have different roles. The Son is subject to the Father in everything he does, yet this does not deny the...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 5:1 Chapters John 5:1 tell of escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. As Jesus defends his ministry, he cites several major witnesses on his behalf....

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    1-47 CHAPTER 5 _After these things,_ &c. Observe, John here omits many things which Christ did in Galilee, but which Matthew records from the 4th to the 12th chapter of his Gospel. For what Matthew...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    _Verily, Verily,_ &c... _cannot_ : "not from defect of power," says Euthymius, "but on account of inseparability. For it is impossible that the Son should do anything which the Father does not." So S....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTES_ John 5:19. THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF.—This statement refers back to and justifies that of John 5:17. He is still speaking of the eternal relation in which He s...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION Here commences the second division of the Gospel (John 5:1) II. THE CONFLICT WITH THE CHOSEN PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM, GALILEE, AND JERUSALEM, TO THE

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn in our Bibles to the fifth chapter of the gospel of John. John has just recorded in the fourth chapter the ministry of Jesus in the Galilee when He was at the city of Cana and the noblem...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 15:12; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 12:10;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Verily, verily. See on 1 51. But what He seeth. Referring to can do nothing, not to of himself. Jesus, being one with God, can do nothing apart from Him. The Father do [τ ο ν π α τ ε ρ α π ο ι ο υ ν...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The Son can do nothing of himself — This is not his imperfection, but his glory, resulting from his eternal, intimate, indissoluble unity with the Father. Hence it is absolutely impossible, that the S...

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Old Testament