NOTES for Joh 5:30-47

Jesus has just spoken of His inseparable unity with the Father, yet now He declares that He seeks the will of the Father who sent Him and can do nothing of His own accord. Here is another apparent contradiction, revealing the mystery of the Son's self-abasement, the mystery of His union with human nature. Having become human, He voluntarily placed Himself in obedience to the Father and went through earthly life as any of us does. In doing so, however, He enabled us human beings to see how one can walk through life, what a person free from sin could be like.

Jesus accepts and confirms John the Baptist's testimony about Him; His words about John are full of respect. At the same time, however, Christ points out the limitations of those who wanted to rejoice around John for a little while but drew none of the necessary conclusions from his ministry. As we know, remarkable spiritual ascetics who lead people to the truth quite often become dear to their disciples and followers for their own sake, regardless of where they called them to go. It would be unjust to attribute to them a desire to create an atmosphere of adulation and idol worship around themselves: they are not to blame for it. Great is the human weakness that prevents us from keeping a proper measure even in what is good in itself. But saints and spiritual ascetics came not in their own name, but in God's Name. We should not forget Him, especially while honoring His faithful servants.

And the warning that someone who comes in his own name will be accepted is still relevant. Often this is precisely why he is accepted: it is so easy to understand…