The Authenticity of Faith in the Unseen God Is Demonstrated Only Through Our Practical Attitudes Toward Those We Can See
“For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 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. 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. 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. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:22–29).
(1) Today, I would like to meditate on John 5:22–29, the second-to-last section of our study of John 5:19–29, whose theme is “The Authority of the Son” (as titled in the Korean Revised Version). When I read John 5:22–29 in both Korean and Greek, the first thing that caught my attention was that words related to “judgment” [κρίσις (krisis)] appear a total of five times: twice in verse 22, once in verse 24, twice in verse 27, and once in verse 29. At the same time, I would like to meditate on the following two statements and consider their meaning and the lessons they teach us: “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” [οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ κρίνει οὐδένα, ἀλλὰ τὴν κρίσιν πᾶσαν δέδωκεν τῷ υἱῷ (oude gar ho patēr krinei oudena, alla tēn krisin pasan dedōken tō huiō)] (v. 22). “And has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man” [καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ κρίσιν ποιεῖν, ὅτι υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐστίν (kai exousian edōken autō krisin poiein, hoti huios anthrōpou estin)] (v. 27).
(a) John 5:22–29 follows the passage we previously studied concerning the Son’s authority to give life, and now proclaims another absolute authority possessed by the Son: the authority to judge. Within this short passage, the Greek noun krisis (κρίσις), meaning “judgment,” and the verb krinō (κρίνω), meaning “to judge,” appear repeatedly, a total of five times. This is powerful evidence of how seriously and importantly the apostle John addresses this subject. Why did God the Father commit all judgment to the Son? What are the central meanings and lessons of the gospel proclaimed in verses 22 and 27? Artificial intelligence has explained them from three perspectives (Internet):
1. Verse 22: The Complete Delegation of Judgment and the Requirement of “Equal Honor” (“For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.”)
In Jewish theology, the only final Judge was Jehovah God Himself. Yet Jesus declares that God the Father has given the Son complete authority over judgment [τὴν κρίσιν πᾶσαν (tēn krisin pasan), “all judgment”] as a gift [δέδωκεν (dedōken), perfect tense].
Theological meaning: When we connect this with our previous meditation, we see that the Father entrusted all judgment to the Son because the two share the same divine essence [ὁμοούσιος (homoousios)]. As verse 23 makes clear, the purpose of entrusting the Son with complete authority over judgment is “that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father.”
The lesson for us: This statement is a solemn warning directed toward the Jews who were accusing Jesus of breaking the Sabbath and condemning Him. Jesus warned them that although they claimed to serve God faithfully, their rejection of Jesus, the Son of God, was an act of spiritual suicide: they were insulting the very Judge who would judge them. The only One who will determine our eternal destiny is Jesus Christ.
2. Verse 27: The Authority to Judge Because He Is the “Son of Man” (“And has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.”)
God gave Jesus the authority [ἐξουσίαν (exousian), “legitimate authority”] to judge, and the reason is very distinctive: Jesus is the “Son of Man” [ὅτι υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐστίν (hoti huios anthrōpou estin), “because He is the Son of Man”].
Theological meaning: Here, “Son of Man” refers both to the divine heavenly Deliverer prophesied in Daniel 7:13–14 and to Jesus as the truly human One who came to this earth clothed in the same human nature and flesh as ours.
The lesson for us: When God judges humanity, He does not judge merely as a stern, transcendent Being who knows nothing of human suffering, weakness, or temptation. The Judge is the “human Jesus,” who experienced hunger just as we do, was tempted, suffered pain, and personally endured the condemnation of the Jews and the agony of death. This gives us an immense spiritual lesson. The Lord’s judgment is righteous and full of compassion because He has perfectly experienced and understood all our weaknesses. Because He experienced the full range of human limitations, His judgment is the fairest and most perfect judgment, one for which no one can offer an excuse.
3. An Integrated Lesson for Our Lives
The solemn truth that Jesus is the One who exercises all judgment requires two very important attitudes from us as we live on this earth today.
First, enjoy complete freedom from the condemnation of people—the judgments of human beings.
The man who had been ill for thirty-eight years in John 5 was afraid of the Jews’ disapproving looks and condemnation, and ultimately chose to report Jesus to them. We, too, often find ourselves intimidated and suffocated by the judgments, criticisms, and evaluations of others—the “courtroom of human judgment”—as we go about our daily lives. But this passage proclaims that God the Father has given the authority to judge to no one else; He has entrusted it to Jesus alone. Therefore, we need only stand before the judgment seat of the Lord who saved us. Rather than fleeing into hypocrisy or seeking a place of safety because we are concerned about the opinions of the world and other people, we need “gospel-centered boldness”: we must fear and seek the approval of the Lord, the one and only Judge.
Second, we must lay down the “stones of judgment and condemnation” in our hands.
If all authority to judge belongs exclusively to Jesus, the Son of Man, then condemning and judging other members of the body of Christ or our neighbors in our daily lives and Christian walk is a terrible act of pride: it is an attempt to seize the Lord’s exclusive authority. The sin we must guard against throughout our lives is becoming a judge ourselves and casually passing judgment on others. We must remember that we are merely channels through which the life and love given to us by the Lord flow to others. We have no right to judge anyone. We must therefore live in complete humility.
Conclusion: The Paradox That the Judge Is My Savior
The most beautiful gospel paradox in John 5:22 and 27 is this: the fearsome Judge who will one day judge all creation is none other than Jesus, my Savior, who bore the cross for me and called me by name to bring me to life (v. 21).
Holding this wonderful secret of the gospel in our hearts, may we live glorious lives as disciples who stand boldly before the condemnation of the world each day while humbly laying down the sword of condemnation when confronted with the faults of our neighbors (Internet).
(i) Here, I would like to meditate more specifically on the purpose for which God the Father entrusted all authority to judge to His Son, Jesus, as stated in verse 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.” It is also interesting that the Greek verb for “honor,” timaō (τιμάω), appears as many as four times in this single verse. I would like to reflect on what Jesus means when He says that we must “honor” Him and on the heart of God the Father, who desires that His Son, Jesus, receive honor. The following is the response provided by artificial intelligence: “Your meditation clearly summarizes why the controversy in John 5 arose, while at the same time uncovering the Father’s deepest desire hidden behind the ‘authority to judge’ in verses 22 and 27. The fact that the Greek verb timaō (τιμάω), meaning ‘to honor,’ is used four times in succession within verse 23 is an astonishingly powerful emphasis. For the Jews, this declaration was like a bomb that shook the very foundations of their entire religious system. The true meaning of ‘honor’ in this verse and the heart of God the Father, who desires that the Son be honored, can be examined in depth from three perspectives.
a. The Meaning of Timaō (τιμάω): Fully Recognizing Someone’s Worth and Weight
The Greek word timaō (τιμάω) means more than simply showing outward courtesy or praising someone with our lips. It carries the meaning of ‘regarding someone as being of the highest value, recognizing that person’s rightful worth and giving that person honor.’
Unity of Essence (Same): Jesus tells us to honor the Son just as [καθώς (kathōs), “in exactly the same manner, equally”] we honor the Father. This is the practical expression of the doctrine of homoousios (the same essence), which became a central issue in the debates at the Council of Nicaea. True timaō means giving the Son, Jesus Christ, who came to this earth clothed in human flesh, exactly the same supreme worship and recognition of worth that we give to God the Father.
b. The Father’s Desire for the Son to Be Honored: “You Can Come to Me Only Through the Son”
The reason God the Father wants people to honor the Son, even to the extent of entrusting all authority to judge to Him, is not that the Father favors the Son. Rather, it is because the Son alone is the “only way” through whom human beings can come to the Father.
Breaking Down the Fatal Misconception of the Jews: At that time, the Jews prided themselves on honoring and loving God the Father with great devotion. For this reason, they kept the Sabbath laws given by God as though their lives depended on them. Yet they condemned Jesus, the Son whom God had sent, for breaking the Sabbath and even sought to kill Him.
The Only Way to See the Invisible Father: The Father declares firmly that anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father either. Because God is an invisible Spirit, the way we treat Jesus Christ, who came in a human body that could be seen and touched, is the true measure of how we treat the invisible God. The Father is declaring that the faith of the Jews, who claimed to serve God faithfully while disregarding Jesus, was entirely false and counterfeit—a form of hypocrisy.
c. Practical Applications and Lessons for Our Lives
This solemn lesson exposes the religious hypocrisy into which we ourselves can easily fall today and teaches us how we ought to live our daily lives.
First, we must surrender our lives to the “real Jesus,” not merely to an “abstract God.”
Sometimes we say that we love the invisible God, yet we compromise or ignore the specific teachings of Jesus that stand before us in His Word. For example, He commands us to love our enemies, take up our beds and walk, and refrain from judging others. We may set these commands aside or adjust them to suit our circumstances. This was precisely the attitude of the Jews.
True honor means regarding the words of Jesus Christ as carrying the greatest weight in our lives. At every moment when we make concrete decisions about our time, finances, and relationships, fully submitting to the rule of Jesus is the way to truly honor the Father.
Second, the worship of my life must be an expression of the value I place on the Lord.
To “honor” someone involves paying a price. When we observe the Lord’s Day, meditate on Scripture, and go about our daily lives, these practices must not become merely religious routines motivated by a sense of obligation or concern about what other people think. Rather, they must contain a confession of love: ‘Lord, You are the One of greatest worth in my life. Because You have given me life, I place the entire center of gravity of my life upon You.’ My daily meditations and humble steps of obedience should become the highest expression of honor, magnifying the value of the Lord’s name.
Conclusion: The Father’s Love in Exalting the Name of the Son
Ultimately, John 5:23 reveals the perfect circle of love and honor between the Father and the Son. The Father loves the Son so deeply that He gives Him all authority to judge and causes the whole world to honor Him. The Son, in turn, uses that authority to submit completely to the Father’s will alone.
Today, standing before this magnificent mystery of love and honor within the Trinity, may we lay down our shallow selves and our judgments, and place the name of Jesus—the One who healed us when we were like the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years—in the highest place in our lives. May we become true ‘worshipers’ in the way we live. I earnestly bless you in the Lord’s name” (Internet).
· When I read the following statement, I was reminded of 1 John 4:20: “The Only Way to See the Invisible Father: The Father declares firmly that anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father either. Because God is an invisible Spirit, the way we treat Jesus Christ, who came in a human body that could be seen and touched, is the true measure of how we treat the invisible God. The Father is declaring that the faith of the Jews, who claimed to serve God faithfully while disregarding Jesus, was entirely false and counterfeit—a form of hypocrisy.” First John 4:20 says: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” [ἐάν τις εἴπῃ ὅτι Ἀγαπῶ τὸν θεόν, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῇ, ψεύστης ἐστίν· ὁ γὰρ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ὃν ἑώρακεν, τὸν θεὸν ὃν οὐχ ἑώρακεν οὐ δύναται ἀγαπᾶν (ean tis eipē hoti Agapō ton Theon, kai ton adelphon autou misē, pseustēs estin; ho gar mē agapōn ton adelphon autou hon heōraken, ton Theon hon ouch heōraken ou dynatai agapan)]. What lessons do these two passages—John 5:23 and 1 John 4:20—teach us?
The following is an AI-generated summary of three spiritual lessons that emerge when we connect the way to see the invisible Father (Jesus Christ) with the way to love the invisible God (loving our brothers and sisters) (Internet): Both passages were written by the apostle John. They proclaim a solemn spiritual principle: “The authenticity of faith in the unseen God is demonstrated only through our practical attitudes toward those we can see.”
1. A Spiritual Principle That Brings “Abstract Faith” Down into “Concrete Reality”
When human beings say that they love and honor the invisible God, they are easily tempted to fall into their own religious fantasies or hypocrisy. This was true of the Jews at that time, and we face the same danger today. To expose this religious hypocrisy, the apostle John presents a visible test.
John 5:23: Do you want to know whether you truly honor the invisible God the Father? Then look at how you treat Jesus Christ, who stands before you in human flesh.
1 John 4:20: Do you want to know whether you truly love the invisible God? Then look at how you treat your brother or sister, who is alive and breathing right before your eyes.
These two passages teach us that our faith must not remain merely an intellectual theology in our minds or a confession on our lips—something abstract. Rather, it must be honestly exposed and demonstrated in the concrete encounters and relationships of our daily lives.
2. Our Brother or Sister Is “Another Jesus Christ Standing Before Our Eyes”
The theological high point of the connection between these two passages touches on the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. Jesus said that whatever we do for one of the least of these, we do for Him.
When the Jews disregarded and condemned Jesus, they were, in effect, condemning and disregarding God the Father.
Likewise, when we hate and condemn a brother or neighbor beside us, we are hating and condemning Jesus Christ who is present in that brother or neighbor. Furthermore, we are committing the sin of insulting the invisible God the Father. We become a liar [ψεύστης (pseustēs), “liar”].
Therefore, loving and honoring our brothers and sisters is not an “elective” in the Christian life. It is the only way of life through which we honor the Father by honoring the Son, Jesus Christ.
3. Practical Application for Our Lives: Breaking with “Counterfeit Faith”
The destination to which these two passages lead us is thorough self-examination and the restoration of our daily lives.
First, we must not separate religious obligations from our everyday relationships.
Even if we worship on Sunday, meditate deeply on Scripture, and praise God passionately, our Sabbath observance and meditation may become “false” or “counterfeit,” like the Sabbath observance of the Jews, if we leave the church and then casually judge and hate the neighbors we encounter in our homes and workplaces. True worship is completed in the everyday relationships in which we look upon the members of the body of Christ beside us through the eyes of the Lord and embrace them.
Second, we must discard the measuring stick of judgment and take hold of the hand of love.
The Jews in John 5 were busy using the measuring stick of the Sabbath law to condemn and judge the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. As a result, they failed to recognize the Lord of life standing right before them. First John warns us that anyone who hates a brother or sister remains in darkness. The life of a disciple who fully honors the invisible God is one in which we lay down the sword of judgment and condemnation that we hold against others and offer ourselves as channels of the Lord’s life, through which He brings people to life.
Conclusion: The Unity of Love and Honor
God the invisible Father is not far away from us. He came near to us in Jesus Christ, who took on human flesh and came to this earth to save us. Today, He also comes to us through the presence of the brothers, sisters, and neighbors who quietly stand right before our eyes.
May we engrave in our hearts the declaration of John’s Gospel, “Whoever honors the Son honors the Father,” and the message of John’s first epistle, “Whoever loves his brother loves God.” May our blessed daily lives be characterized by holy confessions on our lips blossoming into concrete love and honor toward the souls beside us (Internet).
(2) Second, I would like to meditate more carefully on Jesus’ words in John 5:24: “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” [ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τὸν λόγον μου ἀκούων καὶ πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντί με ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται, ἀλλὰ μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν (amēn amēn legō hymin hoti ho ton logon mou akouōn kai pisteuōn tō pempsanti me echei zōēn aiōnion, kai eis krisin ouk erchetai, alla metabebēken ek tou thanatou eis tēn zōēn)]. In particular, I want to draw attention to the fact that the Greek word translated “has everlasting life” is the present-tense word echei (ἔχει). In connection with this, I believe there is a relationship with the wording of 1 John 3:14 in the Contemporary Korean Version: “We know that we have already passed from death into eternal life because we love our brothers and sisters. But anyone who does not love remains in death” [ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι μεταβεβήκαμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν, ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν τοὺς ἀδελφούς· ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν μένει ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ (hēmeis oidamen hoti metabebēkamen ek tou thanatou eis tēn zōēn, hoti agapōmen tous adelphous; ho mē agapōn menei en tō thanatō)]. I also want to draw attention to the fact that Jesus’ words in the second half of John 5:24, “has passed from death into life,” describe an event in which the transfer from death to life has already been completed in the past. What are the central doctrines and lessons that these words teach us?
(a) Here we see the doctrine of “present salvation” and the “assurance of salvation.” The doctrine of present salvation clearly shows us that eternal life is not something we will enjoy only after we die in the future. Rather, it is something that becomes real in the life of a disciple living in the present. The following is an AI-generated summary of three central doctrines and spiritual lessons proclaimed to us by John 5:24 and 1 John 3:14 (Internet):
1. Echei [ἔχει, present possession, “has everlasting life”]: Eternal Life Is Not a Vague Promise for the Future but a Present Reality We Enjoy Now
Jesus does not declare that we “will receive” eternal life in the future. He declares that we already “have” it now [ἔχει (echei), present active indicative].
Central doctrine (present possession of eternal life): Eternal life does not simply mean an endless period of time that begins after our physical death. Eternal life is itself the personal fellowship and relationship of life that we enjoy with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ (Jn. 17:3).
The lesson for us: The moment we hear the Lord’s Word and believe in God, we have already begun to experience the first fruits of eternal life. Therefore, Christians are not people who live in fear of death, merely waiting for future salvation. Rather, they are people who boldly live today, tasting in advance the life and peace of heaven in the midst of the harsh realities of everyday life.
2. Metabebēken [μεταβέβηκεν, perfect tense, “has passed”]: Salvation Is a Once-for-All Event Whose Results Can Never Be Shaken
The Greek word metabebēken (μεταβέβηκεν), translated “has passed from death into life,” is in the perfect active indicative tense.
Central doctrine (the perseverance and assurance of salvation): The perfect tense indicates that an event took place once in the past, and that its effects and results continue fully and firmly into the present. The Lord is not speaking of a precarious salvation in which we pass into life when we behave well but fall back into death whenever we make a mistake. Through the grace of the cross and the resurrection, our spiritual status and belonging have already been transferred completely and eternally from the realm of death into the kingdom of life.
Remarkably, in 1 John 3:14 the apostle John uses the same word in the first-person plural perfect form, metabebēkamen (μεταβεβήκαμεν, “we have already passed”), thereby reaffirming this assurance of salvation. We live our Christian lives upon this completely secure foundation.
3. The Integrated Lesson of the Two Passages: The Evidence That We Have Passed into Life Is Demonstrated Through “Love for Our Brothers and Sisters”
If John 5:24 proclaims the theological condition of salvation—hearing the Word and believing—then 1 John 3:14 presents the practical fruit by which we can examine whether that salvation has truly taken place within us.
The genuine evidence that we have passed from death into life: First John does not answer the question, “How do we know that we have already passed from death into life?” by saying, “Because we know a great deal of doctrine,” or, “Because we have had intense religious experiences.” Instead, it declares that we know because “we love our brothers and sisters.”
The tragedy of those who do not love: Conversely, even if someone has all the outward appearances of a holy religious life—faithful Sunday worship, service, and knowledge—if that person harbors hatred and condemnation toward the brother or sister beside him or her, that person is no different from a spiritual corpse who remains in the shadow of death. This is a warning.
Application to the daily life of a disciple: This lesson teaches us that faith and love can never be separated; they are two sides of the same coin. A person who hears the words of Jesus and truly believes in God (John 5:24), thereby entering the realm of life, cannot help but allow the essential nature of that life—love—to overflow and lead to a life of loving the brother or sister standing right before him or her (1 John 3:14).
Conclusion: From a Religion of Fear to a Life of Love
The legalism of the Jews who oppressed the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years was a religion of fear: “If I do not keep this, I may come under judgment and face death.” But Jesus declares complete liberation to us today: “You have already passed completely from death into life, and you will not come into judgment.”
Since we possess this unshakable, perfect-tense guarantee of salvation, what we must do in our daily lives is clear. We must completely escape the fear of condemnation and judgment directed toward us and, through the present-tense power of the eternal life given to us, generously forgive and passionately love the brothers and sisters standing before us today. Those steps of love will become the most beautiful confession, demonstrating that we stand boldly in the realm of life rather than death (Internet).
(i) Here, I find myself comparing the statement “has passed from death into life” (Jn. 5:24) with the statement “he who does not love remains in death” (1 Jn. 3:14). I believe we must never take lightly the statement that a person “remains in death” if that person possesses eternal life and has already passed from death into life, yet does not love—or forgive—a brother or sister. I would like to learn the lessons and practical applications these words teach us. The following is an AI-generated summary of three spiritual lessons and practical applications explaining why someone who possesses eternal life but does not love a brother or sister experiences the tragedy of “remaining in death.” The apostle John completely rules out the complacent spiritual deception that says, “I have already been saved, so it does not matter if I live however I please and continue to hate others” (Internet).
a. Lesson: Our Status Is “Life,” but Our Spiritual Condition Can Become Imprisoned in the “Prison of Death.”
The fact that we have passed from death into life through faith in Jesus (Jn. 5:24) is an unchanging transformation of our legal status. However, even though we have already entered the kingdom of life, if we cannot forgive our brothers and sisters and continue to hate them, our faith does not experience the fullness of eternal life. Instead, we remain trapped in the darkness and weariness that belonged to the shadow of death in our former lives (1 Jn. 3:14).
The danger of a mummified understanding of salvation: This does not mean that salvation has been canceled. Rather, the condition of hating a brother or sister describes a state in which we have carried the old habits we practiced in the realm of death—condemnation, jealousy, and anger—into the kingdom of life and are tormenting ourselves. Our status may be that of citizens of heaven, but the actual breath and heartbeat of our lives may be filled with the despair and hatred of hell. The apostle John gives us a powerful warning about this miserable spiritual condition.
b. Lesson: Love for Our Brothers and Sisters Is the “Only Stethoscope” That Reveals Whether Our Salvation Is Genuine.
The reason the apostle John declares, “He who does not love remains in death,” is that the genuine evidence that the life of Jesus Christ—eternal life—has entered us must necessarily emerge outwardly through the breathing of love and forgiveness toward our brothers and sisters.
The inevitability of life: A living organism breathes and has a pulse. In the same way, if my soul, once like that of the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years, has been healed once and for all and transferred into life, then the Holy Spirit of the Lord is at work within me (Jn. 5:17). Therefore, the pulse of forgiveness and love toward my brothers and sisters must beat within me.
The exposure of false faith: If, despite spending many years in the Christian faith and meditating deeply on Scripture, I have absolutely no desire to forgive someone whose offense remains lodged in my heart, and if my heart is filled only with hatred, I must honestly ask myself: “Am I truly someone who has heard and believed the words of Jesus and passed into life, as John 5:24 says?” The hatred within me is a powerful warning light. It may indicate that I am spiritually blind and have not yet tasted the life of Christ.
c. Application: Practical Steps for Escaping the Condition of Remaining in Death
We must never take these solemn words lightly. In order to enjoy the fullness of life each day, we must apply them concretely to our lives in the following ways.
First, we must not leave the hatred within us unattended. We must immediately diagnose it as a “symptom of death.”
We often justify our hatred and inability to forgive by saying, “I am only human; of course I can hate someone,” or, “Look at how deeply that person hurt me!” But today’s passage defines hatred not as a trivial emotional issue, but as a spiritual disease: being held captive by the power of death.
Whenever condemnation and bitterness toward someone begin to rise within us, we must immediately recognize, “I am now walking into the prison of death on my own.” We must bring that hatred before the grace of the cross—the grace of the One who brought us to life once and for all—and repent deeply and earnestly.
Second, we must choose “volitional forgiveness” and open the way for life to flow through us.
Forgiveness does not require that our emotions first become settled. Rather, it is a “volitional decision” to lay down the stone of judgment in our hands, relying on the Lord’s legal declaration that He transferred us unconditionally from death into life.
Toward someone who has wounded us, or someone involved in a broken relationship within the church, we must take the first step by confessing: “Lord, I cannot love this person in my own strength. But because I belong to the kingdom of life, I choose to forgive this person in Your name.” Only then will the bonds of death begin to be released, and the joy of eternal life will once again begin to flow powerfully within us (Internet).
(3) Third, I would like to receive the lessons that emerge as I meditate on the meaning of these two similar statements made by Jesus: “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” (Jn. 5:25). “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (Jn. 5:28–29). These two similar statements are interesting in themselves. I also find it interesting that Jesus began verse 24 with the words, “Most assuredly, I say to you,” and then began verse 25 with the same words, “Most assuredly, I say to you.”
(a) The two verses the apostle John places here—verse 25 and verses 28–29—may appear similar, but they carefully contrast two of the most magnificent pillars of Christian theology: “present resurrection” and “future resurrection.” The fact that Jesus proclaimed “Most assuredly, most assuredly” [Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν (Amēn amēn)] in succession in verses 24 and 25 is significant. It is because what the Lord is saying is an absolute declaration that divides human history and determines the destiny of every individual. The following is an AI-generated summary of three central lessons for our lives arising from the differences between these two similar statements in the original language and the consecutive declarations of “Amen, amen” (Internet):
1. Verse 25: “And Now Is”—The Spiritual Resurrection Taking Place Now
Verse 25 refers to the present spiritual resurrection, or regeneration, in which those who are spiritually dead hear the voice of the Lord and come to life.
The significance of the wording: The Lord says that the hour is coming, and then adds, “and now is.” Furthermore, the people who are brought to life are simply described as “the dead,” rather than as people in a cemetery. In other words, this refers to people whose physical bodies are alive and breathing but whose souls are dead because of their trespasses and sins. Their condition is like that of the man who had been lying beside the Pool of Bethesda for thirty-eight years.
Those who hear will live: Even today, when the voice of the Son of God—the gospel—is proclaimed, those who honestly “hear and respond” to that voice come out of the prison of death and begin a life of eternal life here and now. This is the lesson: those who hear and respond to the Lord’s voice begin living in the present.
2. Verses 28–29: “All Who Are in the Graves”—The Eschatological Bodily Resurrection That Is Yet to Come
In contrast, verses 28–29 proclaim the future bodily resurrection that will take place on the final day of history.
The significance of the wording: Unlike verse 25, the expression “and now is” is absent here. Jesus simply says, “The hour is coming.” Furthermore, the scope of those being raised is expanded beyond spiritually dead people to include “all who are in the graves”—those who are literally in their graves.
The two paths of resurrection: On the final day, when the Lord’s commanding voice and the trumpet of the archangel sound, all humanity who have experienced physical death will break out of their graves. Not a single person will be excluded. Those who obeyed the Lord’s voice and lived lives characterized by life will come forth to the “resurrection of life.” Those who rejected the gospel to the end and remained in evil will come forth to the “resurrection of condemnation.” This is a solemn doctrine.
3. The Integrated Lesson for Our Lives from the Consecutive “Amen, Amen” Declarations
The Lord’s majestic declarations of “Amen, amen,” which resound one after another in verses 24 and 25, give us two powerful spiritual warnings and sources of comfort as we live today.
First, only those who hear the Lord’s voice “now” will come forth to the resurrection of life “on that day.”
Before speaking of the future bodily resurrection (vv. 28–29), Jesus first confirmed through His consecutive “Amen, amen” declarations that the present spiritual resurrection—hearing the gospel and coming to life spiritually at this very moment (v. 25)—must come first. Only those who listen to the Lord’s still, small voice in their everyday lives today and live in obedience to His Word—doing good—will meet the glorious resurrection of life rather than judgment on the final day. Our future salvation depends on whether we are listening to the Lord’s voice today.
Second, physical death and the condemnation of the world can never be the final punctuation mark of a disciple’s life.
The Jews in John 5 wielded the threat of death and the sword of condemnation against Jesus and the sick man. But the Lord is the perfect Sovereign over life, able to awaken even the bodies imprisoned in their graves with a single word of His voice.
This lesson gives us tremendous spiritual courage. The diseases, aging, physical death, and even the cold judgments and condemnation of the world that we experience as we live on this earth are never the final conclusion. Because the Lord’s voice is our guarantee that He will raise us from the grave on the last day and transform us into the most glorious bodies, we can overcome today’s discouragement and fear with confidence (Internet).
(i) Here, I would like to meditate more deeply on the expression “the dead” [οἱ νεκροὶ (hoi nekroi)] in verse 25, which refers to present spiritual resurrection (regeneration), and the expression “all who are in the graves” [πάντες οἱ ἐν τοῖς μνημείοις (pantes hoi en tois mnēmeiois)] in verse 28, which refers to future bodily resurrection. When I meditate on “the dead,” referring to present spiritual resurrection (regeneration), I am reminded of Jesus’ words in His conversation with Nicodemus in John 3: the words “born from above” (being born again) (3:3, 7). And when I meditate on “all who are in the graves” (5:28), referring to future bodily resurrection, I am reminded of Romans 8:23: “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”
a. The First Part: The Present Resurrection in Which Hoi Nekroi (the Spiritually Dead) Are Born Anōthen (From Above) (Jn. 5:25 → Jn. 3:3, 7)
Jesus defined those who are walking on this earth and living before being buried in a grave, yet whose souls are paralyzed by their trespasses and sins, as “the dead” [οἱ νεκροὶ (hoi nekroi)]. The man who had been lying beside the Pool of Bethesda for thirty-eight years, wasting away, was a visual representation of this spiritual condition.
The lesson and mystery: The way this spiritual corpse comes to life again is not through earthly methods or human religious efforts. It is possible only through the supernatural work that comes from heaven: being “born from above” [ἄνωθεν (anōthen)].
Our reality: The moment our souls personally hear the voice of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and our old selves are awakened and broken, we have already passed through “present spiritual resurrection,” or regeneration, here on this earth. Our spirits have already been transferred completely from death into life (Jn. 5:24).
b. The Second Part: The Future Resurrection in Which Mnēmeion (Those in the Grave) Receive Apolutrōsis (the Redemption of the Body) (Jn. 5:28 → Rom. 8:23)
However, the gospel does not stop with the salvation of the soul. The Lord proclaims the bodily resurrection that will take place on the final day of history, when “all who are in the graves”—those in actual cemeteries—will rise.
The lesson and mystery: The apostle Paul says that although we have already been spiritually regenerated and possess the Holy Spirit, our bodies are still decaying through disease, aging, and pain. For this reason, we groan deeply within ourselves. At the end of this groaning awaits the final destination of salvation: “the redemption of our body,” that is, bodily resurrection.
Our reality: On that final day, when the Lord’s commanding voice and the trumpet of the archangel resound, our physical bodies, which have returned to dust in the grave, will be recreated completely and perfectly in an instant as glorious and spiritual bodies just like the resurrected body of Jesus. This is the completion of salvation promised in the Bible.
c. The Integrated Lesson for Us Today from the Contrast Between the Two Resurrections
The remarkable connection between these biblical passages supplies us with two deeply encouraging sources of courage and comfort as we live amid the harsh realities of today.
First, do not be ashamed of the groaning that takes place between the “already” and the “not yet.”
Why do we Christians still experience illness, grow older, become physically weaker, and suffer emotional pain, sometimes groaning like Job? It is because our spirits have already been “born from above” (John 3), while our bodies are still on the journey toward “the redemption of the body” (Romans 8). This groaning is not the groaning of despair. It is the groaning of “holy longing and waiting,” because we earnestly desire the glorious bodily resurrection that is yet to come. Rather than becoming discouraged by the limitations of our frail bodies, we must receive comfort through the hope of resurrection.
Second, we must fill our daily lives with life, as those who have already passed through the present resurrection.
Those who will hear the Lord’s voice on the final day and break out of their graves to the “resurrection of life” (Jn. 5:29) are those who hear the voice of the Son every day here and now and remain spiritually awake (v. 25). If we are confident that our souls have already been raised to life together with Jesus Christ, we can no longer remain in the shadow of our former death (1 John 3:14), hating our brothers and sisters or living imprisoned by religious hypocrisy and concern about what other people think. Instead, we must take the power of eternal life that we have already received and boldly take steps of life and love in the places where God has placed us today.
Conclusion: Holding the Great Map of Salvation in Our Hearts
We are already spiritually alive, and one day even our bodies will be completely redeemed. Engraving this magnificent and secure assurance of salvation in our hearts, may we overcome the weakness of our physical bodies and the many noises of this world, and respond in faith only to the voice of the Son who gives us life. May our daily lives be blessed in this way (Internet).
(4) Fourth and last, I would like to meditate on Jesus’ statement: “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself” (Jn. 5:26). In particular, as I meditate on the statement that God the Father “has granted” life to His Son, Jesus (v. 26), I would also like to connect it with the statement that He “has given Him authority to execute judgment” (v. 27). What I find interesting is that in these two statements (vv. 26 and 27), the apostle John uses the Greek word edōken (ἔδωκεν), an aorist form of the verb “to give.” However, in the statement “has committed all judgment to the Son” (v. 22), he uses another form of the same verb didōmi (δίδωμι): dedōken (δέδωκεν), the perfect form. Why did the apostle John do this?
(a) The contrasting use of the perfect form dedōken (δέδωκεν) in verse 22 and the aorist form edōken (ἔδωκεν) in verses 26 and 27 is not merely a variation in sentence structure. It is a carefully designed theological device through which the apostle John distinguishes perfectly between “the eternal mystery of the Triune God” and “the redemptive work of Jesus manifested within human history.” The following is an AI-generated summary of three aspects of the mystery and lessons of redemptive history contained in the difference between these two tenses (Internet):
1. Edōken (ἔδωκεν, Aorist Tense) in Verses 26 and 27: “The Event of the Incarnation Accomplished in History”
In verses 26 and 27, the apostle John says that the Father granted life to the Son (v. 26) and gave Him authority to judge (v. 27). In both places, he uses the aorist tense, edōken, which refers to a past event viewed as a whole.
The point in time of the Incarnation: Verse 27 provides a powerful clue. The reason the Father gave the Son authority to judge is “because He is the Son of Man.” In other words, this refers to a point in history when the Son of God left His heavenly throne, became a true human being just like us, and came to this earth. It points to the historical event of the Incarnation.
The reward given to the Son who humbled Himself: When the eternal God came as the human Jesus, bore the cross, and humbled Himself, God the Father, at that historical point, bestowed upon the Son once and for all the authority to possess life in Himself and the legitimate authority to judge humanity. The tense edōken thus proclaims the historical certainty of the redemptive work Jesus carried out on this earth after taking on a human body.
2. Dedōken (δέδωκεν, Perfect Tense) in Verse 22: “A Final Destination Eternally Established for All Creation”
In contrast, when verse 22 says, “has committed all judgment to the Son,” it uses the perfect tense, dedōken, which indicates that an event took place in the past and that its results continue to have full effect in the present.
An eternally unshakable declaration: The perfect tense means that something has “already been eternally established in the heavenly court, and its status cannot be reversed either now or in the future.” No matter how much the Jews invoked the Sabbath law, condemned Jesus, or struggled to put Him to death, no one could cancel or change the event expressed by the perfect tense dedōken: God the Father had entrusted all authority to judge to the Son.
The guarantee of our salvation: The fact that authority to judge has been entrusted to the Son in the perfect tense (dedōken) connects directly with the assurance of our salvation in verse 24, where we read that we have “already passed completely from death into life” (metabebēken, perfect tense). Because the Son’s authority to judge is expressed in the perfect tense, our life—having escaped condemnation through faith in the Son—also enters a perfectly secure state that can never be shaken.
3. The Integrated Lesson for Our Lives from the Contrast Between the Two Tenses
These words, proclaimed through the repeated use of the aorist (edōken) and the perfect (dedōken), give us two deeply encouraging lessons of the gospel as we live our daily lives.
First, the Lord comes down to “our place” and exercises His authority over life and judgment.
Why did the Father give the Son life and authority to judge in the aorist tense (edōken)? It is because the Lord took on the same human flesh as ours, becoming the Son of Man, and personally experienced our weaknesses and limitations. The Lord is not someone who sits on a distant heavenly throne and coldly evaluates us. He is the “true human Jesus,” who personally experienced hunger, betrayal, and the misery of the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. Therefore, the life and comfort that the Lord brings when He comes into our lives are not abstract concepts but realities. His judgment is also perfectly fair and secure.
Second, no accusation or fear in this world can overcome the “authority to judge that has been permanently established.”
As we go through life, we sometimes become spiritually intimidated by self-condemning thoughts such as, “Given the kind of person I am, can I really be saved?” We may also become discouraged by the condemning looks of the world. But today’s passage makes the matter absolutely clear: all authority to judge has already been eternally established in the Son. No one except Jesus, who gave me life, has the authority to judge me finally. Therefore, we must not allow the shallow evaluations of the world or our own weaknesses to determine where we belong. Instead, we must stand boldly upon the Lord’s victory, which has already been accomplished, and live our daily lives with confidence.