John 5:19–30

 ¹⁹ Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. ²¹ For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. ²² For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. ²⁴ “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. ²⁵ Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷ and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. ³⁰ I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

Commentary

Vs. 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Since the Jews took great offense at Jesus both working on the Sabbath as well as making Himself out to be equal with God, Jesus now gives this profound discourse about Himself and His Authority and position with God. Therefore, if the Jews took offense at Jesus’ working on the Sabbath, they should know that Jesus’ Father; whom they say is they’re God; first sets the example which He Himself follows. For that is what Jesus is saying here that just as the Father does, so does His Son!

Vs. 20 “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.”

Therefore, because the Father loves the Son, He shows Him all things that He Himself does. Nothing then of the Works of God are kept back from Jesus! For God the Father wants Jesus Christ the Son to know and do these very same things so that we may all marvel, marvel at the glory and majesty and power and grace and love of God towards us all!

Vs. 21 “For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.”

Since God the Father has Power to raise the dead and give life to them, He has also given this Authority and Power to His Son, to give life (Holy Spirit, and thus everlasting life) to whom He will! No one then attains to this life apart from Jesus Christ!

Vs. 22-23 ²² For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

God the Father than has not only exalted His Son, but He Himself has seated His Son Jesus Christ on His Throne of Judgment (vs. 22). Thus, the Son of God has both the Authority and Power to redeem and condemn. Now God has done this so, “that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” ^{Vs. 23} Therefore if the Jews, or anyone else thinks that they can know God and are worshiping or serving Him apart from honoring His Son, then they are only then being deceived by their own hearts desires to adhere to their own traditions or ideas about God! For if these do not have the Lord Jesus Christ as the point and pinnacle of all things, for honor, glory, and majesty, then they are neither honoring God, nor His Son whom He sent! And thus, they only worship God in vain, if they do not believe in His Son whom He sent!

Vs. 24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

In no uncertain terms then the Lord Jesus Christ makes it clear that anyone and everyone who hears His Word and believes in Him who sent Him has everlasting life, thus He links faith in Himself, in His Person and Word, with faith in God His Father. For neither God the Father nor God the Son and His Word can be separated. Therefore, if anyone hears Jesus’ Word and believes in Him who sent Him, they have everlasting life! Not that they will have everlasting life by doing something, but they now have everlasting life! And so, because we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ we shall not come into judgment, but we have passed from death, i.e. spiritual death to now Spirit life! For we were once spiritually dead in our sins and transgressions, but now we been brought to Spirit life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Vs. 25 “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.”

The Lord Jesus Christ now reaffirms His own Authority and Power to bring to life everyone and anyone who hears the voice of the Son of God will live! Hearing then is not just with the ear; for one can hear with the ear and quickly dismiss what was once heard; rather it is with the heart and soul for it is there where faith is born, and thus where Christ Himself resides in any and every believing heart and soul who hears His voice will live!

Vs. 26-27 ²⁶ For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷ and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

Now that the Father has granted the Son to have life in Himself once again indicates Jesus’ equality with God the Father, for there is no one but the Son of Man who has life in themselves, and thus the ability to not only sustain Himself, but also to give life (everlasting life) to everyone who believes in Him (John 17:3). 

Vs. 28-29 ²⁸ Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

Having just revealed some incredible things, that both Life and Judgment comes through the Son, and has been committed to God’s Son, Jesus now tells us all not to marvel at this; “for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

Jesus now moves from telling us how He gives us Spirit life to His giving life at the resurrection of the dead. And so, at the appointed time everyone who is deceased, from the beginning of creation to the Day of redemption, will hear His voice and come forth, and rise to either the resurrection of life, or to the resurrection of condemnation! Thus, the lives that we now live matter, because no one who claims to believe in God and yet continues to live an unholy, ungodly, and or unrighteous life will rise to the resurrection of life, but only to the resurrection of condemnation! Do not be deceived then because the the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor. 6:9-11 NKJ). Thus, with salvation through the grace of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ comes a fundamental change of our person. If then there is no real good fruits in one’s new life as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ then it must be assumed there has been no regeneration of that person, that person has not been born-again by the Spirit of the Lord!

Vs. 30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

Here then the Lord Jesus reveals that He does not act, nor speak independently of the Father, for as He hears from the Father so He judges. Therefore, His Judgment is righteous, because He does not seek His own Will (as man always does) but the Will of the Father who sent Him. Only Jesus Christ then is not moved by self-interest, nor swayed by personal biases or preferences or loyalties on or about anyone or anything! You can trust His Judgment! Now of course the Lord Jesus Christ has loyalties, He is loyal to His Father and to His own Word, for these He will never violate. And thus, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we find His loyalty towards us through the Promises of His Word spoken to us!

Scripture Quotations 

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson.