Scripture: John 5:26 (ESV) – “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.”
This verse unveils a profound truth about the nature of Christ: just as the Father is self-existent, the very source of all life, so too the Son possesses life in Himself. This is not a life that is derived or borrowed—it is a divine quality shared fully and eternally within the Godhead.
William Gouge, reflecting on this passage, emphasizes the doctrine of eternal generation—that the Son has been eternally begotten of the Father, not made, and thus shares fully in the divine essence. To say the Son has “life in himself” is to declare that He is God, coequal with the Father, possessing all the attributes of deity, including the power to give life.
This verse is crucial in confirming that Jesus does not merely mediate life or serve as a conduit for it—He is life (John 14:6). His ability to give eternal life is not granted in time but is grounded in His divine identity. And though the language here—“granted to have life in himself”—speaks to the eternal relationship within the Trinity, it in no way implies inferiority. Rather, it reveals the perfect unity and distinction between Father and Son.
For the believer, this means that life flows from Christ not as a gift He was handed like a tool, but as His own to give. When Christ calls a man to life, He does so as the Author of it. When He sustains a soul in faith, He does so not by pleading to another, but by the power of His own person.
Reflection Questions:
- What does it mean that the Son has life “in Himself”? How is that different from us or any created being?
- How does this deepen your confidence in Christ’s ability to give and sustain eternal life?
- How does this verse help you worship Jesus not just as Savior, but as truly and fully God?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the source of all life—eternal, uncreated, and divine. Help me to rest in the truth that the life You give is grounded in who You are. Teach me to worship You with deeper reverence, knowing that You share fully in the glory of the Father. May I find my life, my breath, and my hope in You alone. Amen.
This devotional is based on John 5:26 and guided by William Gouge’s reflections on the divine nature of Christ and the eternal unity of the Trinity.
Covenant Presbyterian Church 