“I Can of Myself Do Nothing”

This was Jesus’ own testimony about Himself in the days of His flesh. John 5:19, 30. Why could He do nothing of Himself? Because He had partaken of the same flesh as ours; because He had a self-will like ours; because He had renounced being like God.

For this reason He was utterly dependent upon the Father, and, in the deepest and fullest sense, He could not rely on Himself. He spoke and did only those things which He heard and saw the Father do. The time the Pharisees came with the woman who had been caught in adultery is an example of this. Jesus wrote on the ground while He waited for the right answer from the Father.