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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will." Yet "can do nothing of Himself" is opposed to "whom He will": since if He quickeneth "whom He will," He can do something "of Himself," (for to "will" implies power,) but if He "can do nothing of Himself," then He cannot "quicken whom He will." For the expression, "as the Father raiseth up," showeth unvarying resemblance in Power, and "whom He will," Equality of Authority. …
Cyril of Alexandria
For as the Father raiseth the dead and quickeneth them, so the Son too quickeneth whom He will. See again in these words clear proof of His Equality. For He That worketh equally in respect of the reviving of the dead, how can He have inferiority in ought? or how shall He be of another nature and alien to the Father Who is radiant with the Same Properties? For the Power of quickening, which is in the Father alike and the Son, is a Property of the Divine Essence. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Then He says: "As the Father raises the dead, so the Son also gives life to whom He wills." Thus, the Son raises "as the Father." By this He shows the indifference of power, and by the words "whom He wills" — the equality of authority. The Arians set all this against the glory of the Son, but we, the Orthodox, understand it in favor of it.
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
"And greater works than these will He show Him, that ye may marvel." Here again we are embarrassed. And who is there that may worthily investigate this so great a secret? But now, in that He has deigned to speak to us, Himself opens it. For He would not speak what He would not have us understand; and as He has deigned to speak, without doubt He has excited attention: for does He forsake any whom He has roused to give attentive hearing? …
Hilary of Poitiers
For to will is the free power of a nature, which by the act of choice, resteth in the blessedness of perfect excellence.
Thomas Aquinas
761 Now he explains in more detail the life-giving power of the Son by indicating those greater works which the Father will show the Son (v 21). Here we should point out that in the Old Testament the divine power is particularly emphasized by the fact that God is the author of life: "The Lord kills, and brings to life" (1 Sm 2:6); "I will kill, and bring to life again" (Dt 32:39). …
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