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and the Father is said to "give". Truly a fulness dwells in this word. The next section
deals with the relationship that existed between Christ and His forerunner John the
Baptist:--
"He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all . . . . .
He Whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by
measure unto Him" (John 3: 25-36).
This second statement shows the full enduement of our great Apostle for Service.
Another aspect of the service of the Sent One is exhibited in John 4: 4: "He must needs
go through Samaria." Why? The woman wondered why, the disciples marvelled, but the
Lord revealed why He must needs go through Samaria.
"His disciples prayed Him, saying, Master, eat . . . . . Jesus saith unto them, My meat
is to do the will of Him that sent Me" (John 4: 31-34).
Here, then, is revealed His great unseen Sustenance. The next set of occurrences is
connected with one of the great signs of John's Gospel--the healing of the impotent man
at the pool of Bethesda. The outcome of the opposition that this miracle brought to the
surface is expressed by the words, "He said also that God was His Father, making
Himself equal with God" (John 5: 18). To this the Lord replied: "The Son can do
nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do" (verse 19), and, after showing that
this extended to judgment and equal honour, focuses the argument in the words:--
"He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath setn Him . . . . .
He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life"
(John 5: 23, 24).
Here we have demonstrated the true "equality" of the Son with the Father. The
centurion who said "I also am a man under authority", recognized the full power of the
Lord as "The Sent One", and manifested a faith that had not been seen in all Israel
(Matt. 8: 5-13). The Lord proceeds to the great power of resurrection. This authority is
given Him because He is the Son of man, the Sent One.
"I can of Mine own self do nothing . . . . . I seek not Mine own will, but the will of
Him that sent Me" (John 5: 30).
Here in this divine sending is the Lord's Authority. Next comes the Lord's appeal to
the Witness that He had:--
"I have a greater witness than that of John, for the works that the Father hath given
Me to finish, the same works that I do bear witness of Me that the Father hath sent Me,
and the Father Himself, which hath sent Me, hath borne witness of Me . . . . . and ye
have not His word abiding in you: for Whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not"
(John 5: 36-38).
Both the witness of the Father and the Word of God testify of Christ, and the Lord's
indictment was: "And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life" (verse 40).
Chapter 6: is devoted to the feeding of the five thousand with five loaves and two small