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What does πάντα (all things) mean in John 13:3?
εἰδὼς ὅτι πάντα ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ εἰς τὰς χεῖρας (NA27)
knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands (John 13:3 ESV)
While the full verse is:
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,… (John 13:3 ESV)
This seems to be too much of an absolute statement for Jesus being anyone other than God. What does all things mean?
As has been discussed on this site many times, "panta" means all things in a class or category. Unfortunately, John 13:3 does not have an implied class or category. So we must rely on closely related references in an attempt to infer such.
The verb "ἔδωκεν" (= has given) is Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. The aorist tense means we must proceed with caution because it does not necessarily imply a completed act (as the English often implies.)
As with Perry Webb's previous question on this topic, let me restate that I firmly believe in the divinity of Christ, but agreeing with the caution of Paul (1 Cor 4:6) not to go beyond what the Bible actually says, let us examine other parallel passages.
In my view, this final reference, a common theme in the NT is the key. Jesus had been placed in charge of "all things" as all enemies would be placed under His feet. This "now but not yet" tension that runs through the NT is displayed here. Only Jesus will rule over "all things" in an uncategorical sense meaning absolutely all things.
However, I am not so sure that this is an evidence of Jesus' divinity as others are given similar gifts by the Father (Rev 3:21).
John often writes as if 'what will be' 'already is'. The other gospels offer a more present tense message that looks forward to what will be.
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world 3:13
and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man 5:27
Obviously this judgement would commence at a later time, but John writes as if Jesus has already supremely accomplished his mission and the next stages are already unfolding.
Jesus fully understood what his mission was under the loving and righteous hand of his Father and God. He understood the glory that would be his and how he would glorify the Father when he succeeded the final test. He knew that he would be given great authority and nothing would be left outside of his domain.
The 'all things' are that prize of doing the Father's will against all power to draw him into sin. No doubt, this buoyed Jesus as he faced every temptation and bowed to the Father's will on every occasion - even if he did waver at the final hours before a terrifying death.
This is nothing to do with Jesus being God. If he was God, he wouldn't need to 'inherit all things' as they were already his!
Heb 1:2 ‘in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world’ (no, he didn't make the world, it should be 'ages'. Just as he wasn't 'returning' to the Father, as he was never IN 'heaven' to begin with)
That he was 'appointed' heir, speaks volumes of his subordinate relationship with God, as do many other texts that how Jesus is certainly not = with the Father/God.
Got to watch out for all those added/mistranslated words
Suppose someone has a large dilapidated house [fallen universe] and they are infinitely powerful and able. They could spend months employing master craftsmen to renew it or even have the satisfaction of doing it themselves. If all things are in their hands then that and every other choice is theirs. They could make a gradually unfolding story or they could complete the New Heavens and the New Earth instantaneously, being out of time they see the completed whole either way. The Father sent the Son into time, 1000,s of years after Adam and Eve walked this earth because of God's timing.
God does whatever He wills including timing. All things in His hands means that He has a holy motive behind everything that happens. When His story requires obedience or disobedience He gives or withholds grace to make it happen.
If God chooses to let it look as if the Devil is getting away with things then, if that is the story God is constructing, if the story line is His alone then all things are in His hands.
If God lets it look for 7000 years as if the Devil was autonomous because that suits His story line, and, if the final acts recorded in the last four chapters of the Bible have not happened but will happen because it is His choice that they happen then all things are in His hands absolutely, not partially.
For me all things are in His hands but God appears to delight in making it appear that the opposite is true. Thus giving the opportunity for His promises and the faith He gives us to be proved against appearances.
This is a brief overview of how a Christian hard-determinist might see "all things in His hand".
