John 5:26

The 26th verse partly explains the apparent impossibility. ὥσπερ γὰρ … ἔχειν ἐν ἑαυτῷ. “The particles mark the fact of the gift and not the degrees of it” (Westcott). As the Father has in Himself, and therefore at His own command, life which He can impart as He will: so by His gift the Son has in Himself life which He can communicate directly to whom He will. ἐν ἑαυτῷ [similarly used Mark 4:17; John 4:14, etc.] excludes dependence for life on anything external to self. From this it follows that what is so possessed is possessed with uninter rupted fulness, and can at will be imparted. ἔδωκε, “the tense carries us back beyond time,” says Westcott. This is more than doubtful; although several interpreters suppose the eternal generation of the Son is in view. That is precluded both by the word “gave” [which “denotat id quod non per naturalem generationem, sed per benevolam Patris voluntatem est concessum,” Matthew 28:18; Luke 1:32; John 3:34; John 6:37, Lampe] and by the context, especially by the last clause of John 5:27. The opinions of the Fathers and Reformers are cited in Lampe. See further Stevens, Johan. Theol., p. 60.