Charles Ellicott Commentary John 5:20

"For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and greater works than these will he show him, that ye may marvel." — John 5:20 (ASV)

For the Father loveth the Son. — Do people deny His divinity? God is His Father. There is, therefore, oneness of essence. The unity of His work with God’s work has for its basis the Eternal Love, which shows to the Son all that the Father does. As the relation of Son implies moral inability to do anything apart from the Father, so the relation of Father implies moral necessity to impart all to the Son.

Greater works than these. — The works which He had done could only be explained by the unity of His work with that of the Father; but in the development of His own human nature and His mediatorial work, there will be shown to Him, and He will show to people by doing them among them, works of which these are merely the first signs. The “ye” is emphatic, and the word “marvel” should also be noticed. “You who seek to kill Me will yourselves see works which, against your will, will be wonders to you; but against your will they cannot be signs. You will marvel, but you will not believe!”