February 18: Like Father, Like Son

Most of us have probably been greeted with a phrase like this. "I would know you anywhere. You look just like your father," or mother, sister, or whatever. That's fine until grandpa's big ears show up on a pretty little girl, or grandma's big nose on a little boy. In a way, though, family resemblances are a joy to us. How much more refreshing to note when family moral traits appear in succeeding generations. The intimate connection between Jesus and the Father never ceases to amaze us.

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

•First, Jesus is like the Father because He is Lord of the Sabbath (vv. 17-18). Jesus' conflict with the Jews came about when Jesus healed on the Sabbath (v. 9) a man who had been an invalid for 38 years (v. 5). Even worse, He commanded the healed man to rise, gather his bedroll, and walk, acts prohibited by Jewish laws of the time. Jesus later antagonized the Jews further by defending His actions on the basis that His Father was working on the Sabbath and so was He. He thereby made Himself equal with God, as the Jews correctly understood.

•Second, Jesus is like the Father in that He is the co-worker with the Father (vv. 19-20). Jesus made no attempt to evade the accusations they made against Him. He also enraged them by asserting that He watched what the Father is doing and repeated those actions. His actions actually reflected the Father's activities.

His next statement must have horrified the Jews. He affirmed a profound love of the Father for the Son. As a result, the Father reveals His actions to the Son and would reveal even greater, amazing works.

•Third, the Son is entitled to co-honor with the Father (vv. 21-23). This honor arises from two powers reserved for deity alone. The first is God's sovereignty over death. He raises the dead and gives them life. The Father delegates to the Son the power to give life to anyone He desires. This power was evident when Jesus raised three people from the dead, including Lazarus in John's Gospel (11:43, 44). Second, the Father has committed all judgment to the Son. As a result anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father.

•The high estate given the Son is verified by the Father (vv. 36-42). We know the first evidence from the Father came at the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (1:33, 34). Jesus then alluded to a second proof of His standing, the works which the Father assigned Him to finish. The ultimate work was accomplished on the cross on which He died as the atonement for sin. Additionally, the Scriptures inscribed in what we call the Old Testament also testify of Him. We can think of such marvelous prophesies in Isaiah 7:10-14; 52:13-53:12.

•To clinch His standing as God's Son He pointed out He was prophesied by Moses (vv. 46-47). Moses authored the first five books of the Old Testament, commonly called the Law. Many prophesies stand out. Genesis 3:15 identifies the Messiah as the Seed of the woman. Genesis 12:3 and 18:18 trace the lineage through Abraham. In 49:10 He was to come through the tribe of Judah and, more broadly from the seed of Jacob (Numb. 24:17, 19). Moses also spoke of One who would fulfill a role similar to his, whom Moses identified as "that prophet" (6:14 with Deut. 18:15).