Christ's Limitations
John 5:19-23
Then answered Jesus and said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do…


Neither the man nor the angel exists who could dare to say of himself: "I can do nothing of myself;" because no man's and no angel's self is essentially and inseparably one with the self of God. The creature can tear itself away from its Creator, and place its I in opposition to Him; it can seek its life in itself, instead of in Him, and it can act "in its own name" (John 8:44); the Son of God, on the contrary, has nothing of His own, no self, which does not eternally contain the same life which the Father has.

(R. Besser, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

WEB: Jesus therefore answered them, "Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise.




Christ's Demand of a Man
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