For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He Himself is doing. And greater works than these will He show Him, so that you may marvel.

— John 5:20

24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory that You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know You, I know You, and these know that You have sent Me.

26 I made known to them Your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

— John 17:24-26

4 When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one believing in Me, even if he should die, he will live.

26 And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

— John 11:4, 25, 26

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace and mercy to you from the Lord Jesus.

Jesus and His Father remained harmoniously united while He was sent to the earth to carry out God’s redemption plan and works. Jesus explained this mysterious relationship in three ways.

First, love defines the relationship between the Father and the Son. Through Christ, this deep, personal love extends to all whom the Father has given Him. Second, the Father and the Son share complete, mutual knowledge and full disclosure about all matters. All the Father does, the Son knows, shares, and does as well. Jesus does state that some things rest with His Father’s discretion. The timing of His return, for example, is His Father’s business. Third, greater works of divine power were yet to come. The Sabbath-day healing foreshadowed even greater signs of Jesus’ oneness with His Father. This likely refers to Jesus’ power over death, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the birth of the Body of Christ, the Church.