The second reason was the severity of divine judgment: because, as is said below in chapter nine, for judgment I came into this world, etc. Because therefore from this the wicked were blinded unto procuring Christ's death, which was our salvation, while the good were enlightened to believe that he was the one who had given the Law and could dissolve it: therefore, etc.
The third reason was common necessity, because then the poor and simple gathered at the synagogues, whom the Lord was obliged to attract through miracles.
34. Question IV. Likewise it is asked concerning what the Lord answered: My Father works until now, and I work.
Against: Genesis 2: God rested from all the work that He had done: therefore it seems that there is a contradiction.
I respond: It must be said that there is the work of the first establishment, and this consists in the creation of those things which pertain to the completion of the universe, and it includes in itself creation, distinction, and adornment: and this was completed in six days. From this work God rested. Another is the work of conservation, and because things cannot be preserved in themselves, since they are by nature apt to be corrupted, this work consists in transmutation and propagation and the creation of souls: and by this work God works and cooperates with cooperating nature. And He speaks here of this work, from which He does not cease on the Sabbath.
35. Jesus therefore answered, etc. Above, the miraculous healing and its calumniation were described: here begins the third part of the chapter, in which the refutation of the calumniation is treated. For the Lord refutes the Jews who calumniate Him concerning the work of healing: and this by showing His omnipotent power in working.
And this part is divided into two, because first His power is shown and declared in general: second, in particular, at: Amen, amen, I say to you, that he who hears My word.
The power of the Son of God is therefore declared and manifested in this order. First, the origin of power is noted: second, the magnitude of power: third, the declaration of the magnitude: fourth, the reason for the declaration.
36. (Vers. 18. 19.). First, therefore, the origin of the power of the Son of God is noted. For the Son of God says that He does not have the power of working from Himself, but from the Father. Therefore He says: Jesus therefore answered and said to them, namely to the Jews who were persecuting and calumniating Him: Amen, amen, I say to you, that is, truly and with certainty, the Son cannot do anything of Himself. For just as He does not have being from Himself, but from the Father, so neither does He have working from Himself, but from the Father: below in chapter eight: "Of Myself I do nothing." Except what He has seen the Father doing, that is, He can do only that which He received from the powerful Father, so that He might be able: below in chapter eight: "The things that I have seen with My Father, these I speak." And thus, whatever He can do, He can do from the Father, and He can do nothing else except what He received from the Father, so that He might be able.
37. For whatsoever etc. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the greatness of power, in that although the Son receives power from the Father, nevertheless He has as great power as the Father. Therefore He says: For whatsoever: I rightly said that the Son does "what He sees the Father doing"; for whatsoever things He does, these the Son also does likewise: likewise, uniformly and harmoniously: likewise, because equally powerfully. Whence in Colossians 1 it is said of the Son: "All things were created through Him and in Him"; because, as is said above in chapter 1, "without Him was made nothing." And the reason for the indivision in work is the indivision in essence and in love. Therefore He says:
38. (Vers. 20.). For the Father loves the Son. I rightly said that the Son can do all things which the Father also does: For the Father loves the Son. Therefore He supremely loves, because supremely one: below in chapter 10: "I and the Father are One": and because supremely one, therefore He communicates all things to the Son: therefore He adds: And He shows Him all things that He Himself does: He shows all things, that is, He communicates the power of every operation. And the reason for this communication is unity and love: above in chapter 3: "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand."
39. And greater things than these etc. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the declaration of the greatness of power, which is made through the greatness of the works which the Lord was going to show the Jews through the Son. Therefore He says: And greater things than these, supply: which have been shown to you, He will show Him works, that is, through Him He will show you, that you may marvel, at the greatness, supply: below in chapter 10: "Many good works I have shown you." And what these works are, He shows: namely the raising of the dead. Whence He says:
40. (Vers. 21.). For as the Father raises the dead and gives life, through omnipotent power: so the Son also gives life to whom He wills, through power equal to Him: below in chapter 11 is found the raising of Lazarus in body, and concerning the raising in soul it is said: "I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in Me, even if he has died, shall live." An example of bodily raising is found likewise in Luke 7.
41. (Vers. 22.). For neither does the Father judge anyone. Here the fourth point is touched upon, namely the reason for declaring His power: why, that is, God declares His power in the Son and through the Son. To show that He is equal to Himself and equally to be honored: and therefore He grants judgment to the Son. On account of which He says: For neither the Father: I rightly said that "He will show greater works than these, that you may marvel," because also for this reason He grants judgment. Therefore He says: For neither does the Father judge anyone, namely by appearing in judgment, but has given all judgment to the Son: Acts 10: "He is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead." And the reason for this is rendered as the honoring of the Son; whence He says:
42. (Vers. 23.). That all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. On this, Proverbs seven: "My son, honor the Lord, and you shall prevail; fear no stranger besides Him." The Son of God is to be honored and feared by reason of His judicial power, because "He can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna," Matthew ten. And the reason why the Father wills the Son to be honored: because the honor of the Son is the Father's; therefore He says: He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent Him: below in chapter eight: "I honor My Father, and you have dishonored Me." Augustine: "If the Son were believed to be less than the Father, the Father would be dishonored, because either as envious He would not have willed to beget an equal, or as weak He could not have done so."
QUESTIONS.
43. Question I. The inquiry concerns what He says: The Son cannot do anything of Himself.
To the contrary: He who can act of himself is more powerful than he who acts from another; but the Father can act of Himself, the Son from another; therefore the Father is more powerful than the Son. — If you say: The greatness of power consists in virtue, not in the mode of having, and to have from oneself denotes only the mode of having, not the virtue, and thus it does not follow that the Father is more powerful than the Son: it is objected that what is had from oneself is had in a nobler mode than what is had from another; therefore if the Father has power from Himself, He has it in a nobler mode than the Son, who has it from another.
The response to this is that to have from another is in two modes: by participation, namely, or by emanation alone. To have from another by participation is a less noble mode, for the mode of participation is not equal to the mode of having by essence. In the other mode, to have from another is only by emanation, such that he who emanates has it by essence, just as he who gives; and this posits no ignobility whatsoever, but rather complete equality. For to have from the Father is as much a mark of nobility in the Son as to beget is in the Father. And thus the point is clear.
44. Question II. Likewise, the inquiry concerns what He says, that the Son can do nothing except what He has seen the Father doing; and again, that the Father shows the Son whatever He does.
1. Therefore, if by nature something exists before it is seen, the Father operates first, and afterwards the Son operates according to His operation as to an exemplar.
2. Likewise, if the Father can do absolutely nothing without the Son operating, how does He say that the Son operates as He sees the Father operating?
I respond: It must be said that the same thing is said when it is said: the Father shows to the Son, and: the Son sees the Father working; the only difference is with respect to the terms. It must be understood, however, that these words are transferred from creatures to God. Now the word showing implies a twofold property, and likewise the word seeing. One, namely, is the emanation of knowledge: because I see you working in this way, knowledge of working is left in me; the other is the exemplarity of antecedence: thus your operation and demonstration precedes my knowledge as an exemplar. I say therefore that by reason of the first condition it is transferred to the divine, namely by reason of emanation, but not by reason of antecedence. Hence, for the Father to show to the Son does not mean that the Father knows before the Son, but that the Father gives to the Son; likewise, for the Son to see the Father working does not mean that the Father works before, but that the Son has from the Father.
45. Question III. There is a question about what he says: Whatever the Father does, these things the Son likewise does.
To the contrary: 1. The Father generates the Son: therefore the Son generates the Son.