John 5:26 - Adventist Pioneers and others that followed, quoted and believed in this verse from the Apostle John
(you will not hear this from the pulpit today because it goes against Fundamental Belief #2, the Trinity
C. C. Lewis, 1884:
“God himself is the only source of life; he only ‘hath life in himself,’ and ‘he hath given to the Son to have life in himself.” John 5:26 – Review & Herald, September 16, 1884
E.J. Waggoner, 1889
“As the Son of God, he must partake of the nature of god ‘As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26 – Bible Echo & Signs, Oct. 1, 1889
R.A. Underwood, 1889
For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26 shows clearly that the Son of God received his life, and all his mighty creative power as a gift from the Father.” – Review & Herald, Aug. 6, 1889
Ellen White, 1898
“The humble Nazarene asserts His real nobility. He rises above humanity, throws off the guise of sin and shame, and stands revealed, the Honored of the angels, the Son of God, One with the Creator of the universe. His hearers are spellbound. No man has ever spoken words like His, or borne himself with such a kingly majesty. His utterances are clear and plain, fully declaring His mission, and the duty of the world. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him.... For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man.”
- Desire of Ages, p. 210.1, 1898
W. W. Prescott, 1919
“…..Christ’s attributes, what he was, was subordinate to the Father in this sense, that it was derived from the Father, but not that it was any less.” – Bible Conference transcripts, July 6, 1919
George W. Rine, 1926
“Jesus Himself testifies as follows: As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26 An, we have a Saviour to whom eternal life-immortality-is original, native, inherent!” - Signs of the Times, March 30, 1926
J. Adams Stevens, 1929
“Immortality is a fact, but it is an inherent characteristic of God alone, which He has shared with His Son, Jesus the Christ…. It was Christ Himself who said: ‘For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” – Signs of the Times, Jan. 15, 1929
G.F. Enoch, 1934
“the Son is subordinate to the Father. He has ‘life in Himself,’ but this attribute is the gift of the Father.” John 5:26 – Eastern-Tidings, Southern Asia Division, June 1, 1934
C.H. Watson, 1934
“In our Savior… He is invested with the right to give immortality. ‘For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26 – The Atoning Work of Christ, 1934
W. R. Carswell, 1937
“How did Jesus speak of His life—giving power and from whom was this power derived? ‘Just as the Father has life in Himself, so He has also given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26 – Weymouth, Signs of the Times, August 2, 1937
J.L. Shuler, 1939
“In other words, Jesus had the power of an inherent life. He said: ‘As the Father hath life in Himself (underived, inherent) so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26
- Review & Herald, Nov. 2, 1939
Alma E. McKibbin, 1945
“The Son has ‘life in Himself.’ So also has the Father. But it is said of the life of the Son that it was given to Him by the Father.” John 5:26 – Signs of the Times, Jan. 16, 1945
Dallas Youngs, 1949
“Daniel 7:9….Here Daniel calls God the Father the Ancient of Days. This would seem to indicate priority in point of time, over any other being in the universe. He is the source of all life, light, and power. He enjoys absolute, unconditional immortality. He has life unborrowed and underived. That is to say, He is dependent upon no other for His continuance of life. John 5:26 ‘As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.’ There is no other in the universe who has ‘underived’ life.” – Signs of the Times, Feb. 15, 1949
Jerry Lien, 1950
“God, ‘who only hath immorality,’ possesses inherent eternal life. The Father has given this eternal life to Jesus. ‘As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26 – Signs of the Time, Jan. 31, 1950
Canadian Signs of the Times, 1954
“He (Christ) belongs to the divine family because He is the only begotten Son of God. God gave His Son all the powers and prerogatives of deity. “For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26