John 5:30 I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will… This verse is a conclusion of this part of Christ's apology for His curing of the man, and commanding him to carry his bed on the Sabbath day, and for His asserting His unity and equality with the Fathel; wherein, from the former purpose, be sums up these conclusions: 1. That He is inseparable from the Father in operation (ver. 19), having no private power of His own (as they conceived of Him as a mere man); but the same in essence, power, and operation with Him. 2. That He is in all the Father's counsels, and hath the power of administration of all things communicate to Him from the Father, which is pointed out under the name of hearing, as it is verse 19, by seeing, to hold forth the spirituality of the way of communicating, and His infinite comprehension of all that is communicate, as hearing and seeing all. 3. That His government and administration is most just, as seeking no satisfaction to any will of His own, contrary to, or diverse from the Father's, as He is God; and that He doth this not only as God simply, but as God now incarnate also, being the same still With the Father, and acting in all things according to the will of God. And though as man, He have a will distinct from His will as God, and so diverse from the Father's will, yet that did act in subordination to the will of God (Matthew 26:39).Whence learn: 1. The divinity of Christ is a truth that may no ways be quarrelled with, and doth call for our second and serious thoughts; therefore doth He recapitulate His apology, that this truth may be inculcate. 2. Such is the strict conjunction and perfect unity of the Father and the Son, that the Son neither doth, nor can do anything without the fellowship of the Father; so that in all His working the Father is to be seen and taken up; for "I can of Mine own self do nothing," saith He. 3. Christ, in the administration of all things, and executing of His purposes in this life, and at the day of judgment, is upon the Father's counsel, acting from Him, and all Christ's administrations are upon counsel and conclusion taken betwixt the Father and the Son, for, saith he, "As I hear, I judge." 4. Christ's administrations and sentences are all just and right, doing injury and violence to no man, nor ought they to be stumbled at by any, for, "My judgment is just," saith He. 5. The reason of the justice of Christ's judgment is because it is agreeable to the will of the Father, with whom He is one, and whose will is the rule of justice, as being supreme and absolute Lord; which will Christ, being incarnate and God-man, did conform Himself unto in all things, for, "My judgment is just, because I seek not Mine own will" (nor have any will, contrary to, or diverse from His, as hath been explained), "but the will of the Father, which hath sent Me." (G. Hutcheson.) Parallel Verses KJV: I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. |
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