*' seeth" tLs Father doing. For the Father and the Son are so united, — one God though two Persons, — that whatsoever the Father does the Son does also. The acts of the Son therefore are not His own independent acts, but the acts of His Father also.
The Greek word which we render "likewise" must not be supposed to mean nothing more than '' also, as well." It is literally " in like manner."
Bishop Hall paraphrases this saying of our Lord thus: — "1 and the Father are one indivisible essence, and our acts are no less inseparable. The Son can do nothing without the will and act of the Father ; and, even as He is man, can do nothing but wliat He seeth agreeable to the will and purpose of His heavenly Father."
Barnes remarks, — " The words ' what things soever ' are with- out limit ; all that the Father does, the Son likewise does. This is as high an assertion as possible of His being equal with God. If one does all that another does, or can do, then there is proof of equality. If the Son does all that the Father does, then, like Him, He must be almighty, omniscient, all-present, and infinite in every perfection ; or, in other words, He must be God."
Augustine remarks, — " Our Lord does not say, whatsoever the Father doeth the Son does other things like them, but the very same things. ...1{ the Son doeth the same things, and in Hke man- ner, then let the Jew be silenced, the Chri-tian believe, the heretic be convinced ; the Son is equal with the Father."
Hilary, quoted in the ^' Catena Aurea" remarks, — " Christ is the Son because He does nothing of Himself He is God because whatsoever things the Father doeth, He doeth the same. They are One because They are equal in honour. He is not the Father because He is sent."
Diodati remarks, — "The phrase, 'what He seeth the Father do,' is a figurative term, showing the inseparable communion of will, wisdom, and power, between the Son and the Father in the internal order of the most holy Trinity."
Toletus remarks, — " When it is said ' the Son can do nothing of Himself,' thi-^ does not maan want of power, bnt the highest pcwer. Just as it is a mark ot omnipotence not to be able to die, or to be worn out, or to be annihilated, because there is nothing that cm injure omnipotence, so, likewise, 'to be unable to do anything oi' Himself is no mark of impotence, but of the highest power. It means nothing less than having one and the same power with the Father, so that nothing can be done by tho One which is not equally done by the Other."
20. — ^The Father loveth the Son, c&c.] This verse carries on the