John 5:26

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

For {G1063} as {G5618} the Father {G3962} hath {G2192} life {G2222} in {G1722} himself {G1438}; so {G2532}{G3779} hath he given {G1325} to the Son {G5207} to have {G2192} life {G2222} in {G1722} himself {G1438};

For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has given the Son life to have in himself.

For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.

For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:

John 5:26 (KJV) declares a profound truth about the divine nature and authority of Jesus Christ: "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;"

Context

This verse is part of Jesus' powerful defense following His healing of a man on the Sabbath at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-9). The Jewish leaders were persecuting Him, not only for performing work on the Sabbath but, more significantly, for calling God His own Father, thereby making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). In this discourse (John 5:19-30), Jesus systematically explains His unique relationship with the Father, His shared authority, and His role in giving life and executing judgment.

Key Themes

  • Divine Authority and Equality: The verse asserts that Jesus possesses the same inherent, self-existent life that the Father has. This is a foundational statement of Jesus' divinity and co-equality with God the Father. It's not a borrowed life, but a life that is intrinsic to His being.
  • Source of Life: Both the Father and the Son are presented as the ultimate sources of life. The Father, being the origin, has "given" or imparted this unique capacity to the Son, demonstrating a perfect unity of will and purpose within the Godhead. This power extends to giving eternal life to believers.
  • Delegated Yet Shared Power: While the Father "gave" this ability to the Son, it doesn't imply a lesser status for the Son. Rather, it highlights the divine order and the Son's perfect obedience and oneness with the Father. The Son acts with the Father's full authority and nature.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "life in himself" translates the Greek zoen en heauto (ζωὴν ἐν ἑαυτῷ), which emphasizes a self-originated, independent, and inherent quality of life. Unlike created beings who receive life, the Father possesses life as part of His essence. By stating that the Father has "given to the Son to have life in himself," Jesus claims this same essential, non-derived, and eternal life, underscoring His unique identity as God incarnate.

Practical Application

This verse offers profound comfort and assurance. Because Jesus has "life in himself," He is fully capable of imparting spiritual and eternal life to all who believe in Him. His authority over life and death means that He is the ultimate hope for salvation and resurrection. Understanding this truth reinforces faith in His power and His unique identity as the Son of God, who shares the very essence and authority of the Father.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 11:26

    And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

  • John 1:4

    In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

  • Exodus 3:14

    And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

  • John 14:6

    Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

  • John 17:2

    As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

  • John 17:3

    And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

  • Jeremiah 10:10

    But the LORD [is] the true God, he [is] the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

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