John 5:20
For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
Christ spoke these words defending his Sabbath healing at Bethesda against charges of Sabbath-breaking and of making himself equal with God by calling God his Father. In them he claims equal right with God to do a work equally sacred and of the same character as his Father, declaring his true station as the Son of God. The Father loves the Son and hides nothing from him, opening all his counsels to him, and the Son does nothing of himself but does likewise whatever he sees the Father do, two distinct persons united as one in nature, will and purpose. The greater works the Father will show him are greater than healing the sick, lame and blind, even raising the dead and giving life as the Father does and exercising the judgment committed to the Son, so that all honor the Son just as they honor the Father. His dependence on the Father is the pattern for God's children, who are bound to their heavenly Parent to do his work in cooperation with Christ rather than acting independently or exalting self.
Setting and Sabbath Defense
Jesus spoke these words to the Jews after He healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, when they found fault with Him for healing on the Sabbath day and sought to kill Him for breaking the Sabbath and for saying that God was His Father and thereby making Himself equal with God, following His declaration to them that His Father works and He works. In this reply He claimed equal rights with God to do a work equally sacred and of the same character as His Father's work in heaven. By that claim He declared His true station as the Son of God.
His healing honored the holy Sabbath rather than violating it, because it shares the Father's unceasing Sabbath activity of upholding life and caring for people, which does not cease on the Sabbath. That divine work includes relieving human suffering and granting the increased prayers, requests and blessings sought by His people on that day. His healing at Bethesda, done in perfect harmony with the Father's plan, was therefore evidence of divine power, not a transgression of the day. The Father and the Son are not opposed, for the Father loves the Son and reveals His works to Him, so the Son's mighty works display God's power and not Satan's, and to separate the Father from the Son obscures who Jesus is.
Father and Son United
The Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself does, holding back nothing of what He does. All the counsels of the Father are opened to the Son, with nothing hidden from Him. This sharing reveals the distinct personality and individuality of the Father and the Son, and at the same time the unity that exists between them.
The Son does nothing of Himself, but does likewise whatever He sees the Father do. He does whatsoever things the Father does in like manner, by the exercise of like power and with like results, in perfect harmony with the Father. His healing work is therefore evidence of divine power working in unison with the Father rather than in opposition to Him.
The Father and the Son are two distinct persons with individual personality, yet united as one in nature, will, and purpose. The Son has been given an exalted position made equal with the Father, and this shared work and knowledge expresses that exalted position and equality. His relation to God forbade Him from working independent of God, and He could do nothing against God's will. He worked in harmony with the Father by being in right relation with Him to know His mind.
Greater Works and Application
The Father will show the Son greater works than the healings of the sick, the lame, and the blind already performed and witnessed, greater even than the healing that prompted the authorities' hostility. Those greater works include raising the dead and giving life to whom He will as the Father does, for raising the dead is one of the Father's greatest works and the Son has power in Himself to raise from the dead. They include also the judgment the Father has committed wholly to the Son, the Father judging no one, so that all honor the Son just as they honor the Father and His divine authority is revealed. All people will hear His voice and rise from their graves, some to the resurrection of life and some to the resurrection of damnation and judgment. This is an answer to denial of bodily resurrection, declaring the Son's power to raise the dead.
These greater works are given so that hearers may marvel, to astonish the scribes and Pharisees and rulers. Yet their proud, hard hearts will keep them from acknowledging the truth. The revealing was done on behalf of humanity, in the context of Christ taking humanity and serving as humanity's substitute and surety. He came to make known the Father's will and to show human beings what they must become in order to stand before God in the heavenly courts. This requires the same entire dependence on Christ and the same implicit obedience that Christ showed to the Father, learning and obeying the laws of God's kingdom with Christ at the head of humanity as example.
Christ's dependence on the Father is the pattern for God's children, for man also is inseparably bound to his heavenly Parent and responsible to God who holds all destinies in His hands. Man is appointed to do God's work and endowed with faculties and means for that purpose, so that while faithful to his high stewardship he may claim the blessings and promises of his Master. But if raised to sacred trust he becomes exalted in his own estimation, depending on his own wisdom and power, taking affairs into his own hands and separating himself from God, God will call him to account for his unauthorized acts as not worked in unison with his Commander. Believers are therefore to look to Christ, preach Him, heed His ways, study His teaching and copy Him so that they work wisely, and those who believe the works Christ did do the works of the Father in the same way, working in harmony with the Father by being in right relation with Him to know His mind, in cooperation with Christ for the souls He came to save.
Christ is therefore the Burden-bearer to come to directly instead of placing burdens on others, believing He is able and willing to meet the circumstances of every case. Those who come in contrition with faith in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour receive power through Him, and as they cast their helpless soul upon Him He gives peace and joy and strength and courage. Though He offers life, many refuse to come to Him. He is the source of joy and light, not a reason for gloom.