"From HImself" To You and Me

"Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner'....I and the Father are One."  (John 5:19 & 10:30)

As far as I can see in various sources, the most accurate translation of John 5:19 is, "....the Son can do nothing from Himself...."  This is a very different meaning than, "of Himself."  The latter implies that the Son can do nothing in His own power; the former reveals the relationship within The Blessed Trinity.  I believe, "from Himself," reveals the submission relationship within the Trinity.  Their "heart" and "mind" is One, as in, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One!"  Just a reading of the whole of John 5 substantiates this.

Note another example.  In John 8:28 we read, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things."  Yes, you guessed it; the Greek word for, "of," is the exact same word translated, "of," in 5:19 by most current translations. But notice what the NASB does with John 8:28, "....I do nothing on My own initiative...."  In other words, in accurate Biblical Theology, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in union.  The Interlinear translates the same Greek word in 5:19 and 8:28 as, "from."  Again, such a seemingly "small" change in wording can give an entirely different "concept."  I believe our Lord is saying to us that I and My Father are One in such a way that everything we do as well as "everything" we Are is One. 

At best, translations are tainted, i.e., it is very difficult to just allow the Bible to be the Bible without our tainted ability to accept some Biblical concepts which just seem to be beyond our comprehension.  Please forgive the theologian in me, but I believe that what we have discussed today is of primal importance in our relationship in God as well as our relationship in the Church and the world.  Now I know that some may be thinking, "What kind of devotional is this?  It does not help me with what I am going through."  Yes it does, because only the right belief about Jesus will enable you and me to make it through the sojourn of this life.  I greatly regret how current Christendom has marginalized Jesus in "worship songs," in the message of modern Christendom, and by far, far too many individuals.  This is cultural curse, not the Biblical, "faith of Jesus."

I encourage you to read and read again, over and over the Bible.  You will see that what the messenger told Joseph is the Foundational Truth of the Universe, "'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'"  Which means, Jesus Christ is "God with [you]"!  Merry Christmas.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much that You have told me that it even goes further--- You in me.  Amen.

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DC Mission, December 17

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2