The Authority of the Son

TWO IMPORTANT THEOLOGICAL POINTS
Point # 1 The Son has the authority of God the Father himself and is equal with God the Father (16-18).

Point # 2 Nevertheless, the Son is functionally subordinate to the Father, though his functional subordination is grounded in his co-extensive action with the Father

Note the functional subordination of the Son to the Father:

• The Son can do nothing by himself (of his own initiative) (19).
• The Son can do only what he sees his Father doing (19).
• Whatever the Father does, the Son also does (19).
• The Father shows the Son all he does (20).
• The Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all might honour the Son as they honour the Father (22)
• The Father has granted the Son to have life-in-himself (26)
• The Father gives the Son authority to judge (27)
• The Son can do nothing by himself, he judges only as he hears (30)
• The Son seeks not to please himself, but the one who sent him (30)

TWO ETERNAL ENTAILMENTS FROM POINTS 1 & 2
Entailment # 1 The Son gives life to whomever he is pleased to give it (21).
Entailment # 2 The Son will judge you because he is a Son of Man (27-29).