ACC ~ John 5 v20

THE FATHER’S LOVE PROVES THE SON’S WORKS ARE APPROVED

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: For if the Father loves the Son completely, it is plain that the Son loves his Father, not in a way that would disappoint him but in a way that would bring his Father joy in what his Son does and works. And so it is pointless for them to persecute him when he refuses not to show mercy on the sabbath…. The Father would never have loved him if he had gone contrary to the will of his Father as if he were accustomed to doing things on his own and doing whatever he wanted by himself. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.6. [1]

[1] LF 43:254-55*.

TWO CRAFTSMEN?

AUGUSTINE: Again mortal thought is troubled. The Father shows the Son what he himself does. “Therefore,” someone says, “the Father does [his work] separately so that the Son may be able to see what he does.” Again there occurs to human thought two craftsmen, as it were, as though an artisan would teach his son his artistic skill and show him whatever he does so that [his son] also may be able to do it himself. He says, “He shows him all that he himself does.” Therefore when the Father does something, is it that the Son does not do [that same thing] so that he can see what the Father is doing? [1] This, at any rate is certain, that “all things were made through him and without him was made nothing.” [2] From this we see how the Father shows the Son what he makes, although the Father makes nothing except what he makes through the Son. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 21.2.2. [3]

[1] Augustine expects this hypothetical question to be answered no.

[2] Jn 1:3.

[3] FC 79:179-80*. See also Sermon 126.10 (WSA 3 4:276).

OBJECT AND REFLECTION IN A MIRROR

BASIL THE GREAT: Let us rather, in a sense befitting the Godhead, perceive a transmission of will, like the reflection of an object in a mirror, passing without note of time from Father to Son. “For the Father loves the Son and shows him all things,” so that “all things that the Father has” belong to the Son, not gradually accruing to him little by little, but are rather with him all together and at once. ON THE SPIRIT 8.20. [1]

[1] NPNF 2 8:14.

THE FATHER DEPICTS HIS OWN WORKS IN THE WORKS OF HIS SON

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Father again shows the Son what he himself does, not as though setting before him things depicted on a tablet or teaching him as though ignorant (for he knows all things as God). Rather, the Father depicts himself wholly in the nature of his Son and shows in his Son his own natural properties in order that from these properties he [the Father] has and shows, the Son may know what and who his Father is that begat him by nature. Therefore Christ says that “no one knows who the Son is but the Father, or who the Father is, but the Son.” [1] For the accurate knowledge of each is in both, not by learning but by nature. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.6. [2]

[1] Lk 10:22.

[2] LF 43:255-56*.

JESUS ALLUDES TO THE RESURRECTION AND LAST JUDGMENT

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: He said that “greater works than these”—evidently greater than the healing of the paralyzed man—had to be shown by him so that they would be astonished. Here he alludes to the general resurrection and to those things that he will do when he appears [again] to stand in judgment of all things. When he does this, there will be no denying his dignity. At that time, they will be astonished—and for good reason—learning who he [truly] was and what role he has been given. Undoubtedly, after seeing that, they will agree concerning the nature dwelling in him. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 2 5.20-21. [1]

[1] CSCO 4 3:114. See also Eusebius Proof of the Gospel 9.13 (POG 2:179-80), where he connects Jesus’ words with the prophecies of Is. 35:4, 61:2; Ps 72:1.

THE FATHER ENJOYS OUR AMAZEMENT

BASIL THE GREAT: He says that “the Son can do nothing of his own accord.” Where is the source of his perfect wisdom? “The Father… has himself given me his command of what to say and what to speak.” [1] Through all these words he guides us to the knowledge of the Father; he directs our amazement at everything he has made so that we may know the Father through him. The work of the Father is not separate or distinct from the work of the Son. Whatever the Son “sees the Father doing… that the Son does likewise.” The Father enjoys our awe at everything which proceeds from the glory of the Only Begotten. He rejoices both in his Son who accomplishes such deeds and in the deeds themselves, and he exults in being known as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, “for whom and through whom all things exist.” [2] ON THE SPIRIT 8.19. [3]

[1] Jn 12:49.

[2] Heb 2:10.

[3] OHS 39*.

Jn