Jesus, the Giver of Life and the Judge (Jn. 5: 19-30)

Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also. 20 For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. 22 Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. 25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself. 27 And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.

Jesus speaking in his defense of the charge of blasphemy told the Jews that his Father loves him and shows him everything that He does.  He is totally dependent on the Father and does nothing on his own authority.  Through obedience, he imitates what he sees his Father doing.  The Father will show him greater works and they will be astounded when he shows the Father’s works and miracles to them.  Jesus claimed the same power as God to give life in this world, both physical and spiritual, and stated that the Father had entrusted to him the divine prerogative to be the sole judge of humanity in the hereafter so that all would honor the Son in the same way they honor the Father.  Jesus reinforces the unity within the Godhead.  

Jesus solemnly said (amen, amen [v. 24]) that whoever hears and accepts Jesus’ word and believes in God will attain eternal life.  The true believer will not be condemned because he will be transformed from death due to sin to a life of grace through the power of his word.  Jesus foretells a time when those in the death of sin will hear the voice of the Son calling them to life and those who hear and respond with true faith will live.  The Father gives life and has given him the power to give life and exercise judgment as the Son of Man (the Messiah).  

The way we live now will be judged at the end of time by the Son of Man.  Final judgment (the hour is coming) will be made by the Son of Man and all who have died will be called from their tombs by the Son of Man and be raised to judgment (vv. 28-29; Dan. 12:2).  Those who have done good works (faith and works) will be raised to new life, and those who have done evil deeds will be condemned.  Jesus obeys his Father’s will, and his judgment is just because he judges in accordance with his Father’s will.  

Almighty God, we pray that when our journey of faith has ended, we will hear the voice of the Son of Man and, through our good deeds as God directed, be raised to a new and everlasting life.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.