Joh 5:21-22, 24-29 | Family | STEP | The Son quickeneth ; giveth life, natural and spiritual, to whom he will--thus doing the work of God, and showing that he is God. This is one of the greater things referred to. The other was the judging of all men at the last day, and awarding to them the retributions of eternity.

‏ John 5:21-22

The Son quickeneth; giveth life, natural and spiritual, to whom he will--thus doing the work of God, and showing that he is God. This is one of the greater things referred to. The other was the judging of all men at the last day, and awarding to them the retributions of eternity. The Father judgeth no man; in the scheme of redemption, the Son was to be the final judge of men, the author of their resurrection from the dead, and of their eternal life in heaven. This was, "that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." He that thus honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father. The Pharisees, therefore, while they were pleading ostensibly for the honor of God, were in reality treating him as they treated Jesus Christ; and so it is with all men now.

‏ John 5:24-29

Heareth my word; receiveth my instructions, and treateth them as true.

Hath everlasting life; the beginning of that spiritual life which shall continue and increase for ever.

From death unto life; from a state of sin and guilt to a state of holiness and bliss. The dead shall hear--shall live; the dead here include both the spiritually and the naturally dead. Christ gave life to the souls of men, and also to their bodies, when he chose to do so. Jairus' daughter, the widow's son, and Lazarus were all by Jesus raised to life, and many who were dead in sin were quickened and made alive to God. Given to the Son to have life in himself; here the Saviour brings to view both his oneness with the Father in nature, and his subordination to him in office. To have life in himself, with the power of giving life at will, is to be proper God. But the office of quickening whom he will he has received, as Mediator, from the Father, and exercises it in accordance with the Father's appointment. Because he is the Son of man; it is the appointment of the Father that he who redeems and judges men should himself be the Son of man; that is, the Word made flesh. In this character God has appointed him to be Mediator, to open the way for, and give eternal life to all who should believe in him, and in pursuance of his work, to perform miracles, die, rise again, raise the dead, judge the world, and fix the condition of all for eternity. The hour is coming--all that are in the graves shall hear his voice; he passes to the greatest and most astonishing manifestation which he is to make of the truth that he has life in himself; namely, the final resurrection by his word of the just and the unjust, and the decision of their destiny for eternity.