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(1)
All things were made by Him (1: 3).
(2)
All things were known by Him (2: 24; 4: 25, 29, 39; 16: 30; 18: 4; 19: 28; 21: 17).
(3)
All things were committed to Him (3: 35; 5: 22, 28; 13: 3; 17: 2).
(4)
All things that the Father had were His (16: 15; 17: 10).
These four sets include the whole creation, all things whatever that the Father does or
has, all flesh, all judgments, all that are in the graves. In the face of this testimony, the
question as to the Son's equality with the Father dies before it can be uttered. If these
things do not mean equality, then there is no possibility of demonstrating the meaning of
the word. He, for our sakes, left the glory which He had before the world was
(John 17: 5); He left the riches that He had (II Cor. 8: 9); He divested Himself of the
form of God, wherein His equality with God was evident (Phil. 2: 6, 7) and took upon
Him the form of a servant, wherein that equality was veiled (Phil. 2: 7) and it is in the
gradual unfolding of His glory as "the Son", with special reference to His words and
works, that the revelation is made that this "Sent One", though, according to the flesh, of
Israel and Man, is nevertheless "over all, God blessed for ever" (Rom. 9: 5).
The Father "showed" all things that He did to the Son.
This word deiknuo, shewed, occurs seven times in John's Gospel. It is used of a sign
(John 2: 18); of good works (John 10: 32); and of the Lord's pierced hands (John 20: 20).
It presupposes vision in the beholder that corresponds with the vision granted. When the
disciples said "Shew us the Father" (John 14: 8), they were asking for something which
could not be granted to them without mediation, but there is no suggestion that any
mediation was necessary when the Father "shewed" the Son whatever He was doing, for
the Son declared that He "saw" all things.
Man can see the things of man:
"For what man knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him?
even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" (I Cor. 2: 11).
"No man hath seen God at any time" (John 1: 18).
He therefore that could "see" all things, "know" all things, "possess" all things,
"make" all things, must be God:
"For every house is builded by some one; but He that hath built all things is God"
(Heb. 3: 4 R.V.).
The works which had commenced with the miraculous signs wrought by Christ, were
to go on with increasing greatness until the evidence was complete that "Jesus was the
Christ, the Son of God".
"Marvel not", said Christ to Nicodemus, "that I said unto thee, Ye must be born
again" (John 3: 7).
"And He will show Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel" (John 5: 20).
"Marvel not", said Christ, at the fact that "All judgment hath been given unto the Son"
(John 5: 22, 28 and 29).