The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 362

II. 'l'HE JEWISH INTF.RPRF.TATION' PUT UPON OUR UJRD18 DECLARATION. "Thcre-- roro Rought they tho moro to kill him, bccaueo he not only had broken the ssbhatb, b11t sni<l alBo that God was bis Fathor, making himself equal with God." The interpreta- tion wns porfeotly just, and, accordingly, Jesus, instead of repudiating it, uses foor nrgumonts to confirm its truth. 1. .I!'irat arguTMnt. Hi, pe-r/~t Somhip involvu identity of will and operation with tM Father. "The Son can do nothing of himself but whnt ho scoLh the Father do: for whnt things eoover he <loeth, theae also doeth the Son likowiso." (1) 'fhe Arian infers from the words, "The Son can do nothing of himself," thnt Christ is not equal to the Father. (2) But the Lord B88erts that separate action ill impossiblo on account of the unity of the Fathel' and the Son; and (:I) that the action of Father and Son is coextensive in virtue of the samene!ll! of nature. 2. Second argument. The l011e of tM Father t<> the Son Z,,rvJs to hi.a rommunicating to tlte Son "nil things that himself doeth: and he will Khnw him greater works than these, that ye mny marvel." (L) The 1''ather's love to the Son i11 bnscd on their essential nature. (2) Love is the perfect revelation of the Father, anrl is therefore communicative in its very nature. (3) It is through the Son thi.~ love of the Father streams downward to believers (eh. xvi. 27). (4) The greater works yet to be done might excite the wonder of the Jews, and leave them without excuse in their unbelief. Wonder ought to excite to faith. 3. Third argume-r,t. The Son is joined with the Father in quickening the dead. "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will." (1) This work is an act of omnipotence possible to God only. If Christ can do it, he most be God. (2) The work is impossible to man, whether it be regarded as referring io the resurrection of the dead at the judgment-da.y, or to the apiritual resurrection of ainnera in the present life. (3) Christ'11 power was manifest (a) in raising Lazarns, the son of the widow of Nain, and the daughter of Jairue; (b) in the conversion of many souls during his ministry; (c) and will be still more gloriously manifest in the final resurrection of the dead. (a) He is sovereign in the exercise of his power: "The Son qnickeneth whom he will." (11) Yet his will is not independent of the Father's will, for he quickeneth all whom the Father bath given to him. (/J) But the salvation that springs out or this quickening is not of workR, nor or him that runneth, bot of him that ehoweth mercy. 4-. Fourth argument. Ju,dgment belongs to the Son. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to tho Son." (1) The Father is, in a true sense, Judge of all the earth, but he does not judge without the Son; for he will yet jndae the world in righteousness by his Son (Acts xvii. 31). (2) Yet he has committed the judgment to the Son of man. This prerogative of ju~ament implie;1 eqnality or Father o.nd Son. (3) 'l'he desigu of this arrangement. "'fhat all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." '!'his text condemns those Socinians who refuse to worship Christ as they worship the Father. (4) The Jews of our Lord's day, like the Sociuians of our day, dishonour the Fnther in the very act of refusing due homage to the Son. "He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father who bath sent him." Divine honour can only be given to a Divine person. "My glory will I not give to another," saith God. Vers. 24-30.'--The two resurrections and, tM twojudgments by tM Son. The views hitherto expressed in a summary form are now exhibited at length in their concrete aspects. L TBB- NA.TUBE AND RESULT OF TBE BPmlTUAL BEBUBRECTION. "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not ilito condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." 1. The two conditiuns of eternal life. (1) Knowledge of Ch1ist's will. "He that heareth my word." (a) Christ ii; the Author of revelo.tion; as the Word, he makes known the Father's mind and will for our salvation. (b) It is a word for hearing, becauso "faith cometh by hearing, and hoo.ring by the Word of God n (Rom. x.17). "He that bath ears to hear,let him hear." "The Word first began to be spoken by him, and afterwards by them that heard him" (Heb. ii. 3). (2) l<'aith in God. (a) 'fhis implies more than belief in God's existence. (b) It Implies a heartfwt trust in him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (c) Faith in God implies faith in Christ (John xiv. 1); (11) because the Father speaks through tho Son; (S) beo!\nse the Father's love reaches man through the Son; (-,.) because "our  226 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [cH. v. 1-U,