The Authority of The Son

Intro

We all have people who are in authority of us. Our bosses, parents, teachers etc. With these people we respect them and listen to them and when they tell us what to do we obey. In this passage we are going to see how Jesus has authority over everything even our own life.

so let me give you some background. As Jesus finishes his third Miracle in John 5 the religious leaders begin to persecute Jesus. The religious leaders are furious that Jesus would break the law that he would work on the Sabbath however Jesus teaches an important lesson to the pharisees about His authority that God the Father has given Him.

The Son has Authority because He is Equal to the Father

Jesus starts his discourse in verse 17 by explaining that God is His father and that His father is working which meant that he is working also. This has such an impact on Jewish law at the time because the Jews had such strict religious laws because they believed form their understanding of Scripture that God rested on the Sabbath so that meant that they needed to rest on the sabbath as well. Jews understood Gen. 2:2 as implying that God’s sabbath following creation continues to the present. However Jesus shows that is not true. Because Jesus just told these religious leaders that God was working on the Sabbath. We learn from Mark 2 that the Sabbath was made for man. this means that in Genesis God rested not for His benefit but for ours. God was the example of how we should live. God showed that we needed a day of rest.

This did not make the Jews very happy. Not only did Jesus break the Sabbath he was also claiming God as His own father which made Jesus equal with God which to them was blaspheme. again, the Jews are missing the point Jesus is not claiming independence from God but just the opposite Jesus is claiming total dependence to God. This brings us to Verses 19-30. Jesus’ discourse with the Jews will show them that The Son has the authority because of the relationship that he has with The Father

The Son has Authority because He and The Father are in perfect Harmony

Jesus continues his argument in verse 19 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” Jesus shows the Pharisees that the Father and the Son are in perfect harmony. The works that we see the Son do he does not do on his own will. Jesus is equal to God which is why they are in such harmony that each action they do it is harmony with each other. Jesus is in such harmony with The Father that Son does not want to do anything except what The Father wants to do. The things that Jesus does He can only do because God can do it. In a similar way to how a father teaches his son how to do things in Jesus’ case Jesus became a carpenter because Jesus saw his earthly father Josephs build things and Joseph taught his son how to be a carpenter because parents teach their kids, and they do what they see their parents do. When I was growing up my dad was in the Army so I had a lot of toys of army men and a little army uniform because I saw my dad working and I wanted to do what he did. Not only does Jesus See what God is doing but Verses 20 says that God shows the Son what to do “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.” Jesus tells the Pharisees that because of the love that The Father has for The Son ,The Father not only shows Jesus what He is doing as we have discussed in the last verse but God also loves Jesus so much that in Jesus’ ministry Jesus will do so much more greater works. All the miracles that have seen have been healings. Now I am not trying to diminish the miracles of Jesus but what Jesus is telling the Pharisees that The Son will do greater things so that you may marvel. What Jesus is doing here is foreshadowing that these small miracles are nothing in comparison to what will be done. These miracles that Jesus are referring to is the fact that Jesus will raise people from the dead is probably one of the greatest miracles so that people can marvel.

The Son has Authority because The Father Gave Him the Right to Judge

In Verses 21-23 we see that God gives Jesus’ authority gives Him the right to be Judge and life giver. By saying he is equal with God what Jesus is saying is that He has power that is also equal with God. so in verse 21 Jesus has the power to give life to whom he wants because God has that same power. Verse 22 we also see that Jesus has the power to Judge. The father Judges no one but he gave all the judgement to Jesus. this again shows that Jesus is equal to God and again has perfect Harmony with each other that Jesus again does the will of His Father that God, The only person who has the power to judge, gives it to the son. Because The father and the son are one. Jesus is saying that he is God. Jesus’ main goal was not to judge during his first coming but when the final days come that will be Jesus’ ultimate goal to judge everyone. The purpose of this is so people will Honor Him. and not just Honoring Jesus but Honoring God the Father as well. This was the reason of giving Jesus this important task of judgment is so all will pay honor to the Son and The Father. This makes since because we have not only seen that Jesus is equal to God in Nature, or the works that he does in power and sovereignty and in judgment but they are also equal in reviving the honor. I want to make sure that you understand giving honor The father does not diminish the Honor the Son receives. It is enhanced. and it goes both ways when we Honor the Son we Honor the Father. Jesus ends this thought in verse 24 by saying that eternal life is welcomed to a person if they only believe that the Words that Jesus said and believe that God the Father sent Him. That is the key to salvation. believe in Jesus. we need to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he is coming back again and that he has conquered Sin and death. because of the sacrifice of Jesus we have Hope in the Resurrection and we are just passing through this life until we are home with Jesus.

The Son has Authority because the Son has the Power of Resurrection

Speaking of the hope in the Resurrection, Jesus starts a new topic in verse 25 with “Truly Truly I say to you” showing the start of a new point. Jesus has the authority of the Resurrection As verse 21 The Son can give life whom he wishes in verses 25-29 Jesus explains the authority the son gets from the Father involving the Resurrection. Jesus states that the Hour is coming and now is talking about the resurrection. This can be broken down into two different types of resurrections one being spiritual and the other being a physical resurrection. Verse 25 seems to be talking about a spiritual resurrection. The reason that Jesus can give this life is because the father has life so God gave Jesus the life in Him as well. Those who hear the voice of Jesus will live. Jesus then goes on and tells the Jews that God has given The Son authority to execute Judgment because he is the son of man. again the perfect Harmony that the Father and the Son has because their wills are in perfect sync and then we also see that the Son is also The Son of man. this title for Jesus focuses on His humanity and it is because of his humanity that Jesus has the ability to give life and judgment. Jesus being fully God and Fully man is why he can judge us because he was a man and was tempted in every way that we were. He was able to life and not sin. Jesus again tells the Jews not to Marvel that this is going to happen and again tells them that the dead in their tombs will hear his voice and come out of their tombs and they will face the judgment of God and the Good will revive the resurrection of life and and those who did evil will revive the resurrection of Judgment. The purpose of these resurrection is to fulfill judgment and give life which is what God the Father entrusted to The Son to do. This passage ends the same way it began with Jesus talking about His dependence on The Father and being in perfect Harmony with the Father Not doing anything on His own accord but instead relying on The Father.

Closing

Jesus is the only one who truly understands us as humans. because of Him we have Hope, we are saved, we are forgiven. Jesus lived a life that we could not so we can be saved. It’s no wonder It is no wonder Jesus was given complete authority Matthew 28:18 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” that means our lives are His. If you have never asked Jesus into your heart then I encourage you as the we close to please give your life to Him and let Him be the one who is in control of your life and give Him the authority of your life. If you already have a relationship with Jesus and you need to just give something to Jesus or you need to pray about something I invite you to come and do whatever you need to do at the alter.