John 5:20 kjv
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.
John 5:20 nkjv
For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
John 5:20 niv
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
John 5:20 esv
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.
John 5:20 nlt
For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.
John 5 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 3:35 | "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand." | Father's comprehensive giving to the Son. |
| Jn 5:19 | "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do..." | Son's complete dependence and observation of the Father. |
| Jn 5:21 | "For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He wills." | Son's shared power in resurrection and giving life. |
| Jn 5:22 | "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son." | Son's shared power in judgment. |
| Jn 6:39-40 | "This is the will of the Father... that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life..." | Son's role in granting eternal life based on Father's will. |
| Jn 8:28 | "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things." | Son acts and speaks based on Father's teaching/revelation. |
| Jn 10:30 | "I and My Father are one." | Affirmation of unity and equality. |
| Jn 14:10 | "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority..." | Father working through the Son. |
| Jn 14:12 | "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do..." | Promise of "greater works" through believers (Spirit's work). |
| Jn 15:15 | "No longer do I call you servants... but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." | Son reveals Father's truths to disciples. |
| Jn 17:6 | "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world." | Son revealing the Father. |
| Mt 11:27 | "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son..." | Mutual, exclusive knowledge between Father and Son. |
| Lk 10:22 | (Similar to Mt 11:27) | Divine wisdom and knowledge passed to the Son. |
| Is 42:1 | "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights!" | God's affection for His chosen Servant (Messiah). |
| Is 48:6 | "...I have told you new things from this time, even hidden things, and you have not known them." | God reveals His hidden plans. |
| Dan 2:28 | "...there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets..." | God as the ultimate revealer. |
| Am 3:7 | "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." | God reveals His plans, here supremely to the Son. |
| Col 1:13 | "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." | The Son as the object of Father's love. |
| Heb 1:3 | "who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power..." | Son fully reflects Father's nature and power. |
| 1 Pet 1:11-12 | "...inquiring what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." | Spirit revealing Christ's future glories. |
John 5 verses
John 5 20 Meaning
John 5:20 reveals the profound intimacy and functional unity between God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. It declares that the Father has a deep, affectionate love for the Son, so much so that He reveals to the Son all things that He Himself is doing. Furthermore, this revelation will extend to even "greater works" than the healing Jesus had just performed, specifically pointing to the Son's power over life and death, culminating in the resurrection and judgment. The ultimate purpose of these ongoing revelations and displays of power is for those observing to marvel, prompting a recognition of Jesus' divine authority and an invitation to faith.
John 5 20 Context
John chapter 5 begins with Jesus healing an invalid man on the Sabbath at the pool of Bethesda. This act provoked the Jewish leaders, who criticized Him not only for healing on the Sabbath but more profoundly because He claimed that God was His own Father, "making Himself equal with God" (Jn 5:18). Jesus' discourse in verses 19-47 is a direct response to these accusations, explaining the unique nature of His relationship with the Father and His divine authority. Verse 20 elaborates on Jesus' statement in verse 19 that He only does what He sees the Father doing, emphasizing the intimate and active nature of the Father's love and revelation towards Him, which empowers Him to perform works that are distinctively divine. This sets the stage for the specific "greater works" of resurrection and judgment, which are detailed in the subsequent verses (Jn 5:21-30). The overall chapter aims to assert Jesus' co-equality and co-authority with God, challenging the Jewish leaders' monotheistic understanding by demonstrating a distinct yet unified Godhead.
John 5 20 Word analysis
- For (γάρ, gar): This conjunction links the verse directly to John 5:19, where Jesus states His complete dependence on the Father. It indicates that John 5:20 provides the reason or explanation for Jesus' earlier declaration, establishing the intimate Father-Son relationship as the foundation for His works.
- the Father (ὁ Πατήρ, ho Patēr): Identifies God as the ultimate source of all action and authority, distinct yet united with the Son. The title "Father" emphasizes a relationship of intimate authority and filial connection with Jesus.
- loves (φιλεί, philei): While often translated as "love," philei denotes a deep, personal affection, fondness, and friendship. Unlike agapao (unconditional, principle-based love), philei here highlights the intimate, relational aspect of the Father's tender affection for the Son, underpinning the complete revelation that follows.
- the Son (τὸν Υἱόν, ton Huion): Jesus is identified in His unique filial relationship to the Father, indicating His divine origin and pre-eminent status. This Son is not merely a prophet or servant but shares the very nature of God.
- and shows Him (καὶ δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ, kai deiknusin autō): This signifies an active, deliberate, and direct revelation. It's not just passive observation by the Son, but the Father proactively demonstrating and teaching the Son, sharing divine insights and operations.
- all things (πάντα, panta): This conveys totality and comprehensiveness. There are no limits to what the Father reveals to the Son. This points to the Son's omniscient knowledge and omnipotent power derived from the Father.
- that He Himself is doing (ἃ αὐτὸς ποιεῖ, ha autos poiei): This phrase emphasizes the direct participation and co-operation between the Father and the Son. The Son sees and then performs the very actions of the Father, ensuring perfect unity in will and action.
- and greater works than these (καὶ μείζονα τούτων ἔργα, kai meizona toutōn erga): "These" refers to the healing just performed. "Greater works" anticipates acts of even more profound divine power, such as raising the dead (Jn 5:21) and executing judgment (Jn 5:22). These are functions reserved solely for God, underscoring Jesus' deity.
- He will show Him (δείξει αὐτῷ, deixei autō): The future tense indicates an ongoing, progressive revelation and demonstration of divine power through the Son, reaching its climax in events like resurrection and final judgment.
- that you may marvel (ἵνα ὑμεῖς θαυμάζητε, hina hymeis thaumazēte): This is a purpose clause. The Father's revelation to the Son, culminating in these "greater works," is intended to evoke astonishment and wonder from the Jewish audience. This "marveling" is designed to lead them to acknowledge Jesus' divine claims and believe in Him. It’s a call to profound recognition and conviction.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "For the Father loves the Son": Establishes the foundation of the relationship: profound, intimate divine love (phileo), which precedes and underpins the Son's capabilities.
- "and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing": Describes the perfect unity of purpose, knowledge, and action between the Father and Son. The Father shares His entire agenda and power with the Son. This implies full divine commission and authorization.
- "and greater works than these He will show Him": Points to the unfolding of God's redemptive and judgmental plan through the Son. It elevates the discussion from specific miracles to universal divine prerogatives, particularly resurrection and judgment, which will truly demonstrate Jesus' divinity.
- "that you may marvel": Reveals the pedagogical and evangelistic intent of God's revelation and the Son's works. The signs are not just displays of power but invitations for humanity, specifically the questioning Jewish leaders, to recognize and submit to Christ's divine authority.
John 5 20 Bonus section
The context of the healing on the Sabbath in John 5 is critical because it highlights the fundamental tension between Jesus' divine authority and the rigid interpretation of the Mosaic Law by the Jewish religious leaders. By performing "greater works" like giving life to the dead, Jesus demonstrates an authority that transcends human understanding of the Sabbath and any earthly law. His acts are not violations but divine prerogatives exercised by Him because He is God. The expectation that "you may marvel" (ἵνα ὑμεῖς θαυμάζητε) points to the intentionality of God's self-revelation. It's designed not just to inform but to astound and convict, aiming to break through skepticism and bring people to a transformative faith. The sequence of seeing the works, marveling, and then believing (or not believing) forms a theological framework throughout John's Gospel.
John 5 20 Commentary
John 5:20 provides crucial insight into the Trinitarian nature of God and the operational unity within the Godhead. It reinforces Jesus' claims of equality with God by showing not merely shared power but an ongoing, intimate exchange of divine knowledge and activity rooted in mutual love. The "greater works" are pivotal; they refer specifically to the resurrection of the dead and the final judgment, prerogatives that belong to God alone. Jesus is not simply mirroring God, but actively participating in and revealing the Father's will and power in real-time, escalating to future ultimate acts. This verse explains how the Son does nothing of Himself yet performs divine works: because the loving Father reveals and enables all things to Him. The entire unfolding drama, from healing to resurrection, serves to unveil Christ's divine identity and challenge unbelief, intending to elicit profound recognition and faith from observers. This profound cooperation means that in Jesus, one encounters the very power and wisdom of the Father.