Make No Mistake: The Supremacy of the Son

John 5:18-29

The Jews were now seeking to kill Jesus

No longer was it simply “persecuting”

They were no longer interested in discrediting Him, slandering Him, humiliating Him, or even kicking Him out of the synagogue. They wanted Him to be killed and therefore be silenced forever.

There is a note of irony here

They are seeking to kill the only One who could give them life

They are claiming to be the authorities of worship to the same God whose very Son they want to slaughter

They are trying to put an end to the only One who always was and always will be, and who sustains them by the Word of His power

They are trying to put to death the One who cannot take His life from Him

John 10:18- No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

At the very point when they are trying to kill Him, He uses it to bear witness to who He is

Perfect submission to the Father

(v. 19) Jesus can do nothing of His own accord

He can do nothing except for what He sees the Father doing

There is a specific way that the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit works in the Trinity

It is not a free-for-all

There is the authoritative will of the Father and the perfect submission of the Son

We see this on display in the Garden before Jesus’ crucifixion

Luke 22:41-42- And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

He wants them to see that He is not a rogue counterpart to God

He is not disjointed from God

He is NOT the Father, but He IS the Son who perfectly submits to everything that the Father wills

(v. 20) The Father shows Him all that He is doing

He is keeping with perfect submission, but now shows that He knows all that the Father wills, and therefore He wills all that the Father wills

The Father showing all that He wills to do, and the Son’s submission to it both originate from the perfect love that they share

He is distinct from the Father, but He is completely unified with Him

John 10:30- “I and the Father are one.”

Perfect unity and equality with the Father

Act in perfect unity (vv. 19-20)

Greater works than these

He is saying that even greater works than this healing of the paralytic will happen, and they will marvel at what He will do

Perfectly united in giving life (v. 21)

The Father is the life-giver

The Jews would have understood this from the OT

(Naaman the Leper sent by the King of Assyria)

2 Kings 5:6-7- And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?

and so also the Son gives life

This is certainly ought to make us think of Lazarus and Jesus’ power to physically raise the dead

However, the primary meaning is that He will raise the dead and give life eternally at the final judgment

He gives live to whomever He will

He is not constrained by anything outside of Himself, He always acts in accordance with His wisdom and will ALONE

Perfectly united in judgment (vv. 22-23a)

God is holy and judgment must be carried out

The Father and the Son have no disagreements about how the world ought to be judged or how each man ought to be rendered judgment

They are perfectly united in uploading justice

The judgment of the Son is for the honor of the Son

All things are working for the glory of God

This finds its climax in the everlasting glory of the Son of God- crucified, risen, and reigning on His throne forever in heaven

Jude 24-25- Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Perfectly united as the object of belief (v. 23b)

There can be no separation made between these two persons of the Trinity because they are God

Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father

John 14:6- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Perfectly united as the self-existent God (v.26)

He needs nothing outside of Himself

He existed in eternity past with no needs or deficiencies

He will always exist as fundamentally unique as the only One who is independent, the sustainer of all that exists

Make no mistake, Jesus is the Supreme Son of God

There is no other

There is no other ruler of the universe

There is no other life-giver

There is no other righteous judge

There is no other God

He has all authority, power, and glory

If we believe this it will inevitably change our very hearts

It will move our hearts away from preferring other things, to valuing most highly Him who is most valuable

It will move our hearts from loving ourselves to loving Him who gave Himself for us

It will move our hearts from fearing the future to trusting Him who rules the world in power

It will move our hearts to be captivated by the Son of God who reigns Supreme

If our hearts are changed, then it will change the way that we live

No longer will our Christian life mainly be lived on Sunday mornings, but Jesus will begin to be the reason for everything that we do.

1 Corinthians 10:31- So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.