Introduction
Our endnotes try to focus on the verbal usage in the main text; maybe helpful in that regard is a (very brief) outline of Greek verbs[1]. And before we begin, here follows a bulleted summary of chapter five of John’s Gospel highlighting the main points.
- Jesus Heals a handicapped man at the Pool of Bethesda on the sabbath, demonstrating His compassion and power by healing this man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years.
- Jesus challenges the legalistic observance of the sabbath by the Jewish religious leaders, who accuse Him of breaking the sabbath law by way of this healing.
- Jesus claims equality with God the Father. He responds to the Jewish leaders’ persecution by declaring His divine authority and unity with God the Father.
- He asserts that He only does what He sees the Father doing, and that He has the same power to give life and execute judgment as the Father.
- He claims that He deserves the same honor as the Father, and that whoever does not honor Him does not honor the Father who sent Him.
- Jesus appeals to various testimonies about His identity and mission: He backs His claims by referring to the testimonies of John the Baptist, His miraculous works, the Father Himself, and Scripture.
- He exposes the Jewish religious leaders’ unbelief and hypocrisy, as they reject the very one whom the Scriptures point to as the Messiah (even Jesus).
- The main theological theme of this chapter is the divine authority and identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who is equal to and one with the Father.
- The chapter also reveals the opposition and hostility that Jesus faced from the Jewish religious leaders, who refused to accept His claims and sought to kill Him.
We will follow this format:
Verse of Scripture utilizing the KJV text. Key words in the KJV text will be footnoted with a link to a word study based on the Greek text, and/or a general discussion relative to the given word (we are not biblical Greek or Hebrew scholars, please consider our grammatical constructions with a critical eye).
Commentary We shall always be commenting on this passage keeping before us the crucial fact that every jot and every tittle comprising these verses came forth under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit. We pray that He, by His grace, helps us along the way.
John Chapter Five Commentary Verses
5:1-16- The Healing Miracle, a Sign
1 After this[2] there was a feast[3] of the Jews[4]; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem[5]. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep [market][6] a pool[7], which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda[8], having five porches[9]. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving[10] of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season[11] into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity[12] thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw[13] him lie[14], and knew[15] that he had been now a long time [in that case], he saith unto him, Wilt[16] thou be made[17] whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have[18] no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while[19] I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise[20], take up thy bed[21], and walk[22]. 9 And immediately[23] the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath[24]. 10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured[25], It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful[26] for thee to carry [thy] bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed[27] himself away, a multitude[28] being in [that] place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth[29] him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come[30] unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told[31] the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made[32] him whole. 16 And therefore did the Jews persecute[33] Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. (John 5:1-16, John 5:1-16, NLT)
COMMENTARY: Our Lord has been ministering in Samaria, building up broken walls and yea broken relationships. Beloved sister Sychar and the town folks couldn’t get enough of His ministry, nay of Him, He had to stay over a bit. It pleased Him to do so. He would have stayed longer, but there was a Feast to attend up yonder in Jerusalem. Dangerous territory for Him up there, but you know our Lord, that didn’t matter much to Him. The Father’s work mattered more, and it carried Him along as though driven by an unrelenting wind.
After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
It drove Him straight to a hospital—where else but precisely there would it drive the Great Physician? Where else but driven precisely there, the Great Physician, healer of body and soul? And there they lay before Him, the afflicted, with broken bodies and broken souls. Some moaning, some weeping, some staring blankly off into nothing. It was as though hanging over this hospital, a constant moaning was hanging in the air; it hit Jesus from all directions. A pitiful sight and sound. It tore our Lord’s heart out. He was glad He came, for them.
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep [market] a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
Waiting, they were waiting, in futility. A satanic trap, meant to leave them even more frustrated and sorrowful, hopeless. Thus Satan stomps on desperate, down and out folks clinging to pipedreams that he cooks up.
For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
It is a stark contrast to what is about to happen in that hospital, for all to witness, and all to really hope in. We are not given his name, but by your grace my Lord we shall take liberty and call him Blessed. He had been handicapped a long time; thirty-eight years, no doubt many years in that hospital; just lying there. Bed sores. Cramped muscles that were painful beyond description.
And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
He had no one to help ease the pain; no one to comfort him. He had no man as Blessed would put it. But he had the God-Man.
When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time [in that case], he saith unto him, wilt thou be made whole?
Thus says the Great Physician, healer of body and soul. Wilt thou be made whole friend, blessed reader, thou in that case now for an long time (“A Letter of Invitation”) ? Now, finally, maybe, there is someone who will befriend me, and help me, in my suffering, even help me into the water, that I might be made whole.
The impotent man answered him, sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
Dearest Blessed, lift up thine eyes, behold greater things; thou hast before thee Living Waters that brings thee restored life, thine body and thy soul.
Jesus saith unto him, rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
O my, how ugly some people can be. They are under the influence of Satan these sorts. It must have irked him to no end to see Blessed released from his bondage, and not only that, for so many others in bondage to have witnessed that release and straightaway focused their hopes on a real Healer, and not on a pipedream he cooked up by which he had been stomping on these afflicted. Praised be the Great Physician, our Healer. But he is not finished imposing his buffoonery this defeated fool named Satan. He intends now to strike at our Healer by way of his minions, even these here religious leader Jews of that day. But our Lord slips away—His life and His times are in the Father’s hands.
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, it is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry [thy] bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, what man is that which said unto thee, take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in [that] place.
Where do Blessed’s restored motor skills lead him straightaway? It must needs be to the temple, praising and thanking God (Psalms 116:18-19).
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
Thou art made whole, thine body and thy soul. Dearest Blessed, it is a far worse thing than thou hast known heretofore that thou shouldest revisit thine sins and forever cripple thine soul (cf. Ezra 9:13-14).
Though it is not stated, it is near certain that Blessed and his newfound walking feet schlepped on over to the Jews and informed them that it was Jesus who had healed him because he was under their threat of persecution, a common practice with this brood of vipers.
The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
5:17-29 Jesus the Life-Giver and Judge
17 But Jesus answered[34] them, My Father[35] worketh[36] hitherto[37], and I work[38]. 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily[39], verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth[40] the Father do[41]: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise[42]. 20 For the Father loveth[43] the Son, and sheweth[44] him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel[45]. 21 For as the Father raiseth[46] up the dead, and quickeneth[47] [them]; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will[48]. 22 For the Father judgeth[49] no man, but hath committed[50] all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all [men] should honour[51] the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent[52] him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth[53] my word, and believeth[54] on him that sent me, hath[55] everlasting life[56], and shall not come into condemnation[57]; but is passed[58] from death[59] unto life[60]. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour[61] is coming[62], and now is,[63] when the dead[64] shall hear[65] the voice[66] of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live[67]. 26 For as the Father hath[68] life in himself; so hath he given[69] to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given[70] him authority[71] to execute[72] judgment also, because he is the Son of man[73]. 28 Marvel[74] not at this: for the hour is coming[75], in the which all that are in the graves[76] shall hear[77] his voice, 29 And shall come forth[78]; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life[79]; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation[80]. (John 5:17-29, John 5:17-29 NLT)
COMMENTARY: They (religious leaders, in concert with the Sanhedrin) tracked Jesus down soon after they got word from Blessed it would seem, even though He had slipped away (from the pool area). It suggests they had their eyes on Him pretty much all the time and knew His whereabouts; it also suggests that our Lord did not “duck and hide” or run away. It is tough to be hounded like that, folks breathing down the neck, just waiting for a slip to nail one. But let’s be clear, Jesus didn’t “slip,” He did what He did quite deliberately, in accordance with the divine plan. And that plan had in view the healing of Blessed in plain sight of others like Blessed that needed real Hope to hang on to and trust in, and for sure to expose these here Jewish religious leader quacks who couldn’t perform a miracle in their wildest dreams even, and who had bastardized God’s Word by way of their own tradition | worldview rewrite of Scripture. Jesus is there in no small part to expose them and bring the ship about onto the right heading. A mere mortal cannot do that. These world systems such as that one in our Savior’s Day are too powerful. They are satanically coupled and motivated—that is where their strength lies. Only God has the means, the power, to smash these systems asunder—as though they were potter’s vessels. That is why our Lord immediately confronts them by way of the authority inherent in His deity. Notice His response.
Jesus answered them, my Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Timeless Worker, great and grand,
breath of God, his strong right hand.
How oft have I slighted and grieved you, One so dear,
working to save me and teach me holy fear.
I was formless and void, when first you hovered over my face,
with designs for a holy purpose, chiseled in mercy and grace.
Seasons of sculpting, you lovingly set into place,
to yield a nature of Sonship, for Father to embrace.
Though this nature is not mine, I have gained it through the Son,
and through you great and grand Worker, all-illuming One.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, amen.
Jesus’ response here took courage. One does not make such a statement “on the knife’s edge” as it were unless one can back it up. Let’s not forget, we are talking about a time and a place where the game of life and death was played differently than in our day. Even though Rome called the shots in that regard, anything could happen to one before one got a “hearing.” Our Lord sticks it in their ear to help them hear and claims His deity here no less—wow. (The incarnate Jesus was a thoroughly tough man.) So, they got the message as intended—He Jesus is equal with Father God. And therefore, He does precisely what God does, and when, and how—but not autonomously. That’s important.
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Imagine those words in the ears of Jesus’ antagonists. Instead of toning it down, Jesus pours it on. There can be no clearer, purposeful claim to deity than that, and right in the face of His blaspheme accusers. But that is the whole point of it, it was done purposefully. But why? The fearlessness and bravery and outright boldness of Jesus in asserting His deity and equality with God in the face of life-threatening opposition is along these lines. For starters, Jesus’ claims were not out of line, they were consistent with the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). Note that He often referred to passages that pointed to the coming Messiah and encouraged His antagonists to get busy and search the Scriptures (John 5:39). Fundamentally, His fearlessness and bravery and outright boldness lay in His confidence, and His confidence lay in the fact that He knew precisely who He was; and that is how He came across to folks—certain, confident (though many read it differently). He was fully aware of His divine identity is the point. He knew that He was the Son of God, the Messiah—the Sent One (“He Who Sent Me”), and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies 1Peter 1:10-11). As the Sent One, He understood His mission and was inseparably tethered to it. That is, He was to reveal God’s love, offer Salvation, and bring in the Kingdom of God. And obviously, to do this, He needed to make it absolutely clear who He was. And then there is the matter of these religious leader antagonists. They were steeped in legalism, hypocrisy, ritual, and rote. Jesus confronted their self-serving understanding of God and His kingdom by speaking authoritatively, directly, as from God’s own lips. He asserted His deity, and by doing so, He challenged and exposed their religious system, yet all the while He called them to true repentance and faith (yea, even them). Moreover, Jesus’ claims were not just about Himself; they were about revealing God. He wanted people to understand the nature of God—His love, mercy, and grace. How else was He to do that but as very God? (Consider John 14:9 “Show Us the Father”) And Jesus’ bold claims served as a litmus test for people’s faith. Some recognized Him as the Messiah, and others rejected Him—His claims forced folks to decide whether they would accept or reject Him as laid out by His claims. Moreover, as the Sent One, Jesus acted in accordance with God’s perfect timing. His claims intensified as His Galilean ministry waned and He headed south. The events leading up to His crucifixion were part of God’s redemptive plan, and His claims played a crucial role in that plan. Jesus knew that His path led to the Cross. His claims were inseparable from His sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection. (And His resurrection validated His claims.) So, Jesus’ boldness in asserting His deity was certainly intentional. Through them He challenged the status quo, revealed God’s nature, and they ultimately led to the redemption of humankind—His claims were essential for our Redemption and Salvation.
Please notice: That which He sees the Father do, Jesus does likewise. And the Father withholds nothing from Jesus but reveals all things to Him that He the Father does. What motivates this transparency and full disclosure? It is the surpassing love-relationship within the Godhead (God is one in love). There is no petty “pecking order” if we may be allowed to use such a crude term here. And notice, our Lord continues to stick it (His deity claims) in their ear—yea marvel, it is all intentional.
for the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth [them]; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
Jesus claims equality with the Father outright here but also by way of His power over life and death. Sure, our Lord is the One who raises the dead, but He is also the One who lays low—they (nor we) mustn’t overlook that fact; our life and our times are in His pierced hands, whether we like it or not—we Like to be in those hands, how about you beloved reader (Deuteronomy 32:39, 1Samuel 2:6, Romans 4:17)?
Our Lord continues to pour it on, moving from emphasizing His role as life-giver, to judge. Their (our) life and times down here are in His hands, but more importantly, our eternal future is in those pierced hands too—and that matters even more. Jesus is Judge and Lord (Psalms 67:4, 72:1, 96:13, Isaiah. 11:3-4, Jeremiah. 23:5; Micah. 5:1-4, Acts 10:36, Romans. 14:9). He is entrusted with bringing in and administering the Kingdom of God because He is above all things (Ephesians. 1:22), above every man, (1Corinthians. 11:3), and all things consist by and through Him (Colossians. 1:17).
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (red font added).
Did the reader catch these words of Jesus, of the Judge? His judgment is spelled out here. We put it in red font because it is the crucial metric by which you and I will be judged. One must hear and believe. Jesus revealed the Father, one cannot reject Jesus, essentially His claims and revelation, and at the same time assume one is a believer in God. That rejection is a slap in God’s face. But maybe you say, what about all those that lived before Jesus came, or those who flat out never heard about Him, are they condemned? Not necessarily, they are judged by a different metric (a theological study in its own right; our “A Letter of Invitation” attempts to go deeper). Suffice to say that the momentous event of our Lord’s crucifixion for the sins of the world is like the crossbeam of the Cross, itself reaching back, and forward, as were Jesus’ arms nailed to that crossbeam. (That’s just using picture-symbolism on our part to make a point, but the idea of the Cross’ reach is valid.) Another way to picture the reach of the crucifixion is by way of the light cones that emanated from the place-time event of Calvary—imagine the event of the crucifixion happening at the place-time of the “observer” (the light cones tip contact, where the future meets the past in the ever-present now as it were). The effect of our Lord’s Sacrifice at Calvary is so momentous that it pervades all of space and time and beyond, where “beyond” implies those regions outside the light cones unfamiliar to, and literally unreachable in, everyday mundane life for a given event.
In the next words of Jesus below He again uses the phrase “verily, verily” (“truly, truly”) to emphasize His authority (and knowledge). He is foreshadowing His authority and power over life and death. The “dead” in this context essentially refers to those who are presently spiritually dead, i.e., those separated from God, thus alienated from the life of God, a life demonstrated and made familiar by Jesus (the hour “…now is…”). His words speak of Salvation, i.e., rescuing people from spiritual death and restoring their connection to and relationship with God (Life Eternal in His presence through faith in Jesus—Jesus is the means, He has life in Himself after all, and faith in Him is the vehicle). Notwithstanding, He also addresses a physical dimension (the hour “…is coming…”): On out in the future there is coming an hour when Jesus will call all the dead out of their graves, not necessarily for eternal life in His presence, but rather eternal life in or out of His presence depending on His judgment (John 5:28–29). Particularly, His intimate connection with and love of humanity, reflected by His beloved, oft used title “Son of Man,” makes Him unequivocally suited to judge humankind. He literally says so here and isolates the title in the context of judgment “…to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man…” So, Jesus refers to both the physically and spiritually dead here, emphasizing and highlighting His power over Death (physical, spiritual). Notice that last line “…shall hear his voice, and shall come forth they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation…” We are all evil in God’s sight, the last part of that line befits all of us, without exception (Romans 3:23—God cannot overlook sin, “big” or “little,” and at the same time maintain His claim to deity—He must judge sin, He has no other choice but to bear the Sin and the judgment thereof Himself, and that is what He did on the Cross). As decidedly, hands-down sinners, all of us, It is crucial for us to have a means of escaping the resurrection of damnation, and Jesus is that means, and faith in Him is the vehicle of escape (“A Letter of Invitation”).
Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
5:30-47- The Testimony
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear[81], I judge[82]: and my judgment is just[83]; because I seek[84] not mine own will, but the will[85] of the Father which hath sent[86] me. 31 If I bear witness[87] of myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another[88] that beareth witness[89] of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth[90] of me is true. 33 Ye sent[91] unto John[92], and he bare witness[93] unto the truth. 34 But I receive[94] not testimony[95] from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved[96]. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing[97] for a season[98] to rejoice[99] in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works[100] which the Father hath given[101] me to finish[102], the same works that I do[103], bear witness[104] of me, that the Father hath sent[105] me. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness[106] of me. Ye have neither heard[107] his voice at any time, nor seen[108] his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding[109] in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39 Search[110] the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify[111] of me. 40 And ye will not come[112] to me, that ye might have[113] life. 41 I receive[114] not honour[115] from men. 42 But I know[116] you, that ye have[117] not the love of God[118] in you. 43 I am come[119] in my Father’s name[120], and ye receive[121] me not: if another shall come[122] in his own name, him ye will receive[123]. 44 How can ye believe[124], which receive[125] honour one of another, and seek[126] not the honour that (cometh) from God only[127]? 45 Do not think[128] that I will accuse[129] you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth[130] you, (even) Moses[131], in whom ye trust[132]. 46 For had ye believed[133] Moses, ye would have believed[134] me: for he wrote[135] of me. 47 But if ye believe[136] not his writings[137], how shall ye believe[138] my words? (John 5:30-47, John 5:30-47, NLT)
COMMENTARY: ‘…As I see I do, as I hear I judge…’ Our Lord does not act autonomously. He is a trustworthy Servant. All is done in perfect harmony with the Father’s will.
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge.
It is understood that the Father’s will is just. By singularly doing the Father’s will, it follows that Jesus’ judgments are similarly just (as I see I do, as I hear I judge). The “another” below is God the Father (cf. John 8:50). We see that the Father is clearly someone distinct from Jesus Himself. The Father’s testimony necessarily aligns with Jesus’ mission and identity in keeping with their unanimity of purpose and unique relationship in the Godhead. The Father’s witness makes clear Jesus and the Father’s divine unity, and at the same time confirms Jesus’ authority and purpose as the Sent One—precisely because the Father’s testimony is quintessentially true; there can be no truer witness than His.
And my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
Indeed, Jesus acknowledges that John the Baptist bore witness to Him—his witness was important because it pointed people to Jesus as Messiah—nevertheless, Jesus’ authority and identity do not depend just on human witness, He has a greater Witness, even the Father working through Jesus by way of the mighty works that Jesus did (healings, raising people from the dead, turning water into wine, turning a few scraps of food into enough to feed thousands, walking on water, etc. And many other works did Jesus perform that are simply not recorded John 20:30-31). And why, what is the point of all this testimony and witness? To help people believe the all-important Salvation qualifier: That He truly is the Messiah sent by very God the Father, and by believing, tasting His sweet Salvation. Therefore, all this testimony and witness is not only about self-validation—it goes further, namely, Jesus was (is) consumed with the Salvation of people.
Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: But these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (Red font added.)
Jesus continues to pour it on His listeners below. By saying that they (religious leaders) have neither heard God’s voice at any time, nor seen His shape, Jesus points out their confused and twisted understanding of God in His Revelation (in Scripture, His Word). “…ye have not his word abiding in you…” They have not “heard” Him therein, nor have they “seen” Him (a right vision). Here our Lord really sticks it in their ear. To put it bluntly, He says to them, ‘…ya’ll don’t get it cuz ya don’t wanna get it…’ Their learned “knowledge” of the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings was amiss, and so it follows that they failed to recognize the divine testimony in Jesus’ words and works. They should have recognized God’s “voice” and “shape” in Jesus, but their spiritual blindness (ouch, that’s tender) as per their quite super-added theology, as per reading Scripture so that it suited their proud Tradition, prevented them from doing so. Beneath the surface hear our Lord further making His point in the language of the Law, by way of a not so veiled reference to Moses. Moses had a “face-to-face” walk with God—he heard God’s voice directly (Exodus 33:11) and was allowed to catch a glimpse of God’s glory/shape (Exodus 33:18–23). So look, just as Moses had this special relationship with God, and had access to Him, He, Jesus—much superior to Moses—has direct, divine access and consummate connectedness to God. (‘…So, I’ve given you the proof, connect the dots boys…’). These religious leaders were well-versed in the letter of Scripture for sure, but they missed the spirit of Scripture through a satanic redirect that tickled their self-righteous pride “…ye have not his word abiding in you…” (not heard His voice therefore, nor caught a right vision of Him), and so not surprisingly they missed the fulfillment of its prophecies in Jesus; it was flat inevitable that they failed to recognize God’s voice and form/shape in Jesus when God manifestly visited them in His Messiah Jesus.
And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. (Red font added).
As said in the endnotes, the mood describing “search” is indicative and not imperative because Jesus is not commanding His Jewish listeners to search the Scriptures, but rather describing what they are doing, nay, what they think they are doing. They think that by diligently searching the Scriptures they have eternal life, while in fact they are missing the very One who gives eternal life and whom Scripture repeatedly attests to do so (Jesus). Thus, their searching, of itself commendable, is nevertheless futile. It is the right thing to do (searching the Scriptures), but the wrong way to do it in the way they were doing it. Please notice—God knows that they cannot accept just anyone that comes along claiming to be Messiah, they need proof, proof that God has given them in Scripture, proof to look for (John 7:17). And like a hand in a glove, Jesus fulfilled those proofs by way of His works, and words, as attested by Scripture, by John the Baptist (the last of God’s great prophets), and so on, as discussed above. So, what then were they doing with the Scriptures they were so diligently searching? They tied them up in knots and twisted them around just so in the way of constructing a sort of hybrid choker-monster, a sort of cerebral, scholarly thing called Super-added Theology endowed with some pretty vicious national/political claws and fangs and scales. Jesus (Messiah) and that monster do not look very much alike, not at all in fact. And of course, naturally, they did not recognize our Lord, Messiah, when He visited them. They sought eternal life and searched the Scriptures looking for it, but actually, in the way of servicing their Tradition and vain glory, they twisted around what material suited them in that regard and constructed a choker-monster savior instead. They sought eternal life, that is good, who doesn’t want that (we mean the Salvation variety), but their choker-monster turned on them and struck a mortal blow and stole it from them. Notice that Jesus says emphatically that they will not come to Him that they might have that which they seek, even Salvation (it was lost, stolen). It is very sad. There can be no doubt that the inevitable here broke Jesus’ heart, because He loved them, yea even them. And that is the heart sorrow that looms when anybody, Jewish religious leaders as here or otherwise, will not come to Jesus for eternal life. Beloved and dearest reader, please don’t be found in that crowd (“A Letter of Invitation”).
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have liife (Red font added.)
While Jjesus acknowledges that He does not seek or rely on human honor, it doesn’t mean He outright rejects it. (We praise Him all the time!) Instead, His focus is on fulfilling His divine mission and receiving honor, even validation, from the Father. His overarching goal is to bring Salvation to humankind in keeping with His mission (doing the Father’s will and pleasing Him is uppermost on His mind).
I receive not honour from men.
The love of God is that warm fuzzy feeling, right? Hmmm. This we know for sure: the love of God does not prioritize human tradition and honor above receiving, indeed accepting God’s revealed Truth. What is Truth? It is God’s Reality. Truth is God’s Reality. In this context, it is God’s Revealed Reality. And that Revelation is Jesus Christ, quintessential Reality (for all things consist in Him Colossians 1:17, “What is Truth?”). How can the love of God be in someone who subordinates God to human, this-worldly things? It can’t be, it isn’t. Jesus is grieved by that sort of thing. Okay, our Lord continues to hold the Mirror of Truth (even Himself) in front of His listeners whilst looking straight at them and especially right through them. (Jesus knows us all, every act, every intent, every secret, every you name it; that’s both embarrassing and frightening, is it not? Is the love of God in you beloved reader?)
But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
“…If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him…” (John 12:26, red font added) The honor coming from God is contingent on one’s faith (following), obedience, and servitude. Such a one, thus believing in God, faithful, obedient, His servant, is honored by God. To serve our Lord is to follow Him. It presupposes belief in Him (thus graced by Him). Following Him means to count the cost and do it anyway. It means to be like Jesus, to walk like He walked, even carrying a cross if He so chooses, thus walking, in the steps of one’s Master. All this demands belief in Him, for unbelief would not take the first step here. The approval and praise of humans, status, tradition as per these religious leaders (Romans 2:29), wealth, all this sort of “honor,” if it matters more, there will be no genuine following and service, because God, the honor coming from Him, has been relegated to a less important level. And therefore, belief in Him is squelched because there is no motivation for following Him, nor for faith and obedience and service.
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only? (Red font added.)
Moses was revered by the Jews, and they were well-versed in his writings, which contained prophecies and foreshadowings of the Messiah. Despite their knowledge of Moses’ teachings, they failed to recognize Jesus as the fulfillment of those prophecies, why? The Jews wittingly accepted, or should we say favored, those parts of Moses’ writings that suited their legalistic approach. Jesus, as the Word made flesh (John 1:14), did indeed embody the divine revelation that Moses anticipated, but the Jews struggled to recognize that revelation, nay, they rejected it, due to their well-entrenched, uncompromising, preconceived notions and self-serving goals Being so tightly tethered to their traditions, legalism, and self-righteousness, their hearts were closed, closed to the Truth. And precisely that disbelief (necessarily) extended to the broader theme of Salvation, on which Scripture turns, and which theme’s fulfillment was prophesied. Essentially, by rejecting Jesus, they rejected God’s redemptive Plan, and therefore the whole of Scripture—the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Their trust in and focus on legalism, rituals, external observances, and works-oriented merit, blinded them to deeper spiritual reality, namely, Salvation through Christ alone by faith alone. Importantly for our purposes, Moses’ writings laid the groundwork for understanding Salvation through Christ alone by faith alone. The New Testament reveals the fulfillment of these Mosaic types and shadows of Salvation—in Jesus. (The Passover Lamb Exodus 12, the Tabernacle sacrifices Leviticus 1, Leviticus 4, Leviticus 6, Leviticus 16, the High Priest Leviticus 16, the Bronze Serpent [Cross] Numbers 21:6-8, John 3:14-15, Abraham’s faith Genesis 15:4-6, the Prophet Deuteronomy 18:15—also note Genesis 3:15, John 6:31-33, John 6:38, 1Co 1:23-24, Romans 9:6-8, 26, Galatians 3:16). So, in this way, by “semantically crowbarring” that which suited their legalism and personal glory in Moses’ writings they blinded themselves to deeper spiritual reality (God is never mocked, not even a little bit). And please notice, by missing Jesus as Messiah, all their myriad breaches of that very legalism they championed remained on them, setting them up for accusation and prosecution—their choker-monster turned on them and struck a mortal blow.
Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings [every jot and tittle for sure], how shall ye believe my words? (Red font added.)
Please notice Matthew 5:18 in regard to the overall context of our commentary—Jesus emphasizes the sure permanence of God’s Word. Not even the smallest letter or stroke of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything it foreshadows is accomplished. In keeping with our concluding last verse set above then, let us appreciate that every detail of God’s Word matters, it mustn’t be “jockeyed around” to suit one’s likes or dislikes or purpose or understanding. All of God’s declarations and promises in His Word will be fulfilled to the very last jot and tittle.
Praised be your great Name my Lord, even Messiah. Amen.
Illustrations and Tables
Figure 1. Calvary Place-time Light cones.
Works Cited and References
“A Letter of Invitation.”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://development.jesusamen.org/a-letter-of-invitation-2 />
“Blue Letter Bible.”
BLB Study Tools.
< https://blueletterbible.org >
Copilot. (2024).
Biblical commentary on John chapter five, passim.
Retrieved from https://copilot.microsoft.com/biblical-commentary.
Wikimedia commons.
Creator:Philip Glass, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
< https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_cone >
“Five-Sixths of the Way Home.”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://development.jesusamen.org/5-6-of-the-way-home/ >
“Great and Grand Worker Divine.”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://development.jesusamen.org/great-and-grand-worker-divine/ >
“He Who Sent Me.”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://jesusamen.org/hewhosentme.html >
Henry, Matthew.
Commentary on John Chapter Five.
“John Chapter Four Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://jesusamen.org/commentaryjohn4.html >
“Show Us the Father.”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://development.jesusamen.org/show-us-the-father/ >
“The Biblical Number of Completion.”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://development.jesusamen.org/the-biblical-number-of-completion/ >
“The Place of the Proud.”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://development.jesusamen.org/the-place-of-the-proud/ >
“What is Truth?”
Jesus, Amen.
< https://development.jesusamen.org/ti-estin-alhqeia-what-is-truth/ >
Notes
Word/s under study are demarcated so: [context] word/s-Gxxx [context]
[1] The term “stem” refers to the root form of a verb. It serves as the foundation from which various verb forms are derived by adding tense-specific endings, voice markers, and other grammatical elements. The verb stem is the core part of a verb that remains unchanged across different tenses and moods. It represents the essential meaning of the verb. To create different verb forms (such as present, aorist, perfect, etc.), Greek adds specific endings and markers to the verb stem. Each stem type carries specific nuances: Present Stem: Indicates ongoing action or general truth. Aorist Stem: Represents simple past action without specifying duration. Perfect Stem: Conveys completed action with ongoing results (relevance in the present). The term “imperfect stem” is not commonly used, but the idea refers to the modified form of the verb stem specifically for the imperfect tense, itself signifying incompleteness in the past in the sense of “ongoingness.” So, the verb stem is the fundamental building block that allows one to understand the various forms and meanings of Greek verbs in Scripture. Verbs per se relate the dynamics of what is going on, i.e., the “action.”
[2] After this [there was a feast of the Jews]. Jesus’ conversation with sister Sychar at Jacobs well, His self-declaration as Messiah, His stay/ministering for two days in Samaria, His return to Galilee, His healing the son of a royal official in Capernaum—all lead-ins to this chapter (“John Chapter Four Commentary”).
[3] [After this there was a] feast–G1859 [of the Jews]. Passover and Purim are the two most likely candidates going by the season (sometime between January/Tebeth and April/Nisan). The big takeaway though is that the feast is a major reason why Jesus is in Jerusalem (the other being Jesus’ healing compassion for the handicapped man at the pool of Bethesda). See also, and also.
[4] [After this there was a feast of the] Jews-G2453 John often refers to “the Jews” in his Gospel using the Greek term IOUDAIOI. In this context, the term often denotes the religious leadership of Jerusalem, which was predominantly comprised of Pharisees. For our purposes going forward, please note that the Pharisees adhered to a legalistic and strict approach to the Law of Moses, and they added numerous layers of tradition on top of the laws themselves, and they and the Scribes (a distinct group, although some scribes were pharisees) were Jesus’ chief antagonists—good to keep all this regarding them in mind as we move along in the commentary.
[5] [After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to] Jerusalem–G2414. “Up” because Jerusalem is at a significantly higher elevation than Samaria, from whence Jesus came. See also.
[6] [Now there is at Jerusalem by the] sheep market [a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches]. The sheep gate is meant; sheep earmarked for sacrifice in the temple were brought through this gate (Nehemiah 3:1 and the building of the sheep gate, see also).
[7] [Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a] pool—G2861 [which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda]. North of the Temple Mount. It is safe to say that this pool was close to the temple in Jesus’ day since the pool was near the sheep gate through which animals earmarked for sacrifice in the temple (on a designated altar) passed. See also.
[8] [Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool which is called in the Hebrew tongue] Bethesda—G964. See also
[9] [Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda having five] porches—G4745. See also. The porches, or colonnades, mentioned were part of the structure of the pool of Bethesda. They provided shade and shelter for the many sick and handicapped people who lay there hoping to be healed by the water. The porches also divided the pool into sections, possibly for different types of diseases or conditions.
[10] [In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the] moving—G2796 [of the water.] This is a difficult one. Some manuscripts omit the latter part of this verse and the whole of verse four, which explain the reason for the movement. According to these manuscripts, an angel would occasionally stir up the water (= the “moving”), and the first person to enter the pool after that would be healed of whatever ailed them. Many scholars doubt the authenticity of this explanation, as it is not found in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts, and it seems to contradict the rest of John’s Gospel, which does not attribute any healing power to angels or water, but only to the great Physician Jesus. We are inclined to agree. We think it is in the text to point out, to highlight, man’s folly in believing such nonsense—nobody ever got healed until…Jesus came along, as the rest of the text bears out as attested by friend and foe alike (not too many friends, but plenty of foes for sure saw it and heard about it). And so it is, nobody ever gets healed of whatever the disease is, spiritual or carnal, until Jesus comes along and is embraced and trusted. So, it is a great ministerial lesson here and needs to be in the text precisely as God indeed saw fit.
[11] [For an angel went down at a] certain season—G2540 [into the pool and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.] After an interval of time.
[12] [And a certain man was there, which had an] infirmity–G769 [thirty and eight years.] Physical debility, frailty, weakness, as opposed to strength, vigor, vitality. It can apply to mental infirmity, but we reckon that does not apply here as the further context shows this man to be unable to walk, clearly some sort of sad physical malady.
[13] [When Jesus] saw–G3708 [him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him] Verbal usage is second aorist, active, participle. The verb “saw” is in the aorist tense, which often signifies a simple past action without emphasizing duration or repetition (the second aorist functions like the aorist proper right here). In this context, it highlights the instant/moment when Jesus observed the man lying there. The verb is in the active voice, indicating that Jesus actively performed the action of seeing. And “saw” functions as a participle, which is a verbal form that combines characteristics of both verbs and adjectives and /or adverbs. Here, it describes the state of Jesus’ observation—the aorist participle “saw” emphasizes the historical reality of Jesus’ observation. It captures the moment when Jesus’ eyes fell upon the suffering man. By using the aorist participle, John (the Holy Spirit) highlights Jesus’ compassionate awareness of the man’s plight (ORAO is utilized). Jesus’ knowledge goes beyond mere physical sight; He perceives the man’s suffering and history. So, this verbal form of “saw” underscores Jesus’ attentive compassion and His ability to see beyond the surface, setting the stage for the healing encounter that follows next.
[14] [When Jesus saw him] lie–G2621 [and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him] Verbal usage is present, middle/passive deponent, participle. The present tense highlights the man’s ongoing state, indeed plight. The middle/passive deponent indicates that the subject (this man) is involved in the action but also affected by it—the man is actively lying down (necessarily “choosing” to be in that position) but he is also affected by his handicap, thus he lies (passive). And “lie” also functions as a participle, a hybrid verbal form that combines characteristics of both verbs and adjectives. It describes the state of the man (he ilies). So, this verbal form highlights both the man’s active “choice” to lie, and to necessarily remain (conveyed by the ongoing action characteristic of the present tense) in a prone position (he is in the state of lying, conveyed by the participle). Thus, Jesus’ choice of deponent form shows both the man’s agency (“choosing”) and vulnerability (the handicap’s devastating effect on him). In short, deponent verbs have a passive form (he lies because of the handicaps effect on him), but an active meaning (he actively lies–he in fact lies). And the present tense reflects the ongoing nature of his state, he lies and remains in that state.
[15] [When Jesus saw him lie, and] knew–G1097 [that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him wilt thou be made whole] Verbal usage is aorist, active, participle. The aorist tense describes a past action as simply that, no duration or repetition is conveyed. The active voice signifies that the subject (in this case, Jesus) performs the action. Jesus is the one who knows or recognizes something. A participle is a verbal form that combines characteristics of both verbs and adjectives. It often functions as an adjective, describing or modifying a noun. Here, the participle “having known” (knew) modifies the subject (Jesus). Jesus knows that the man has been in this condition for a long time. The aorist, participle emphasizes that Jesus had prior knowledge of the man’s situation before engaging him in conversation. The use of the aorist, participle underscores Jesus’ compassion and awareness. His question to the man—‘…Do you want to be made whole well?…’ reflects both our Lord’s understanding of the man’s suffering and His desire to offer healing. So, the aorist, active, participle “having known” (knew) here highlights Jesus’ perceptive nature and sets the stage for the subsequent healing of the man.
[16] [When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him] wilt–G2309 [thou be made whole?] Do you want it done, are you desirous of healing, to be restored to full, vibrant health? Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. We have the present tense of the verb “want,” i.e., THELO. It does not necessarily imply continuous or habitual action, as it does oftentimes. The present tense in Greek can have various meanings depending on the context and the type of verb, and in this situation, the present tense indicates a simple action that occurs at the present time. Our Lord is asking the man about his current desire or will to be healed (his present attitude about it). The present tense also emphasizes the reality and urgency of the situation (immediacy), as Jesus is offering the man a real and present (immediate) opportunity for healing. The voice is active (the subject, the man, carries out the action— “wanting”), and the mood is indicative (statement of objective fact).
[17] [When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him wilt thou] be made–G1096 [whole?] Verbal usage is second aorist, middle deponent, infinitive. The infinitive “be made” is in the second aorist tense, which signifies a simple past action without emphasizing duration or repetition. In this context, it highlights the possibility of the man’s healing. The verb form is deponent, which means it has a passive form but an active meaning. More specifically, the middle voice is often reflexive, it often indicates that the subject is involved in the action but is also affected by it. Here is conveyed the sense of the man actively participating in the process of being made whole. The man is not merely a passive recipient; he plays a role in his own healing (desire and faith in Jesus to get it done, accepting Jesus’ terms of engagement in it). Moreover, the Greek word “be made” functions as an infinitive, which expresses purpose or result. It describes the desired outcome of the man’s condition (healed, made whole). Jesus’ question, “…Do you want to made whole…” pulls the man into the healing process, looking for him to express his desire for wholeness and faith in Jesus to get it done if no more than just answering Jesus’ question in the affirmative (there is, after all, some measure of faith in answering in the affirmative). The grammar here underscores the man’s agency in seeking healing; the deponent form emphasizes both the man’s involvement in healing by Jesus and the role of faith.
[18] [The man answered him, Sir, I] have–G2192 [no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool, but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. Note the continuing action implied by the present tense in this case. The voice is active (the man has no one to help him), and we have a statement of fact—that is in fact how it is for this man.
[19] [The man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool, but] while–G1722 [I am coming, another steppeth down before me.] A preposition, Greek EN. Here it conveys the relation between the movement of the water and the action of the other person who gets into the pool before the handicapped man. EN can be used as a relational connective in various contexts, depending on the case of the noun it governs and the meaning of the verb it modifies.
[20] [Jesus saith unto him] rise—G1453 [take up thy bed and walk]. Verbal usage is aorist, middle, imperative. The aorist expresses a single, completed action in the past, it does not indicate the duration or repetition of the action, but only the fact that it occurred; here the aorist implies that Jesus commanded (the imperative) the man to rise immediately and decisively, without any delay or hesitation; it also emphasizes the authority and power of Jesus’ word, which was able to heal the man instantly and of course completely, the voice is middle (reflexive to be sure), and the mood is imperative (direct address command).
[21] [Jesus saith unto him, rise, take up thy] bed—G2895 [and walk]. See also.
[22] [Jesus saith unto him, rise, take up thy and] walk–G4043] Verbal usage is present, active, imperative. The present tense here signifies immediacy—”walk right now,” and significantly, it also signifies ongoing action—“walk and keep on walking” because this particular “infirmity” is completely gone, he is healed not just temporarily, but permanently. The man’s healing is consummate, he can walk, and keep on walking to wherever whenever he pleases. The active voice indicates that the subject, the man, is to actively walk, i.e., there is no agency here, he of himself is the “agent,” he walks entirely on his own, by way of his restored motor skills and whatnot, and the mood is imperative—it is a command—not a possibility, nor a contingency, nor a wish, but a direct address command to get up and walk—he should actively walk, immediately, now and going forward. The power in Jesus’ Word is awesome, it transcends human experience and understanding.
[23] [And] immediately—G2112 [the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.] Like right now.
[24] [And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the] sabbath—G4521 See also.
[25] [The Jews therefore said to him that was] cured–G2323. Healed, restored to health. Verbal usage is perfect, passive, participle. The perfect, passive, participle in Greek expresses a completed action with a present result (ongoing relevance). It indicates that the subject has been affected by the action of the verb and is now and going forward in a certain state or condition. In our case, it means that the man was healed by Jesus at some prior point in time and is still healed at the present time and going forward. Our verb also emphasizes the passive voice, which means that the subject did not perform the action but received it from someone else—by Jesus in this case. A participle is a verbal form that functions as an adjective. It describes or modifies a noun. Here, “cured” simply describes the man. Again, the perfect tense is intended to convey the notion of “completeness,” as such, we may take it that the man was not only healed physically, but also spiritually as he encountered the Messiah Jesus and received His grace. So, the perfect tense here implies that the man’s healing was a consummate act of God which brought him to a state of wholeness and completeness (physical, spiritual)—as to the latter, recall that Jesus says to him just later, paraphrasing, ‘…go, and sin no more, lest something worse befalls you…’ Please notice: this choice of tense and voice is deliberate. By using the perfect, passive, participle, John (the Holy Spirit who speaks through John) emphasizes the miraculous (consummate) healing by Jesus and its ongoing impact. A different tense and voice would not convey the same depth of meaning or capture the significance of this miracle.
[26] [The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it] is not lawful–G1832 [for thee to carry (thy) bed]. The phrase “is not lawful” refers to this man violating the, nay their sabbath rest law. According to the Pharisees, this act violated the commandment to honor the sabbath by not working. (The Fourth Commandment, found in Exodus 20:8-11, specifically addresses the observance of the sabbath day.) Their sabbath laws included quite specific restrictions, such as how many steps a person could take, where they could spit (!), and how much weight they could lift. So here, instead of being amazed at the miracle, the Pharisees were upset at Jesus for healing on the sabbath! Please notice, throughout the gospels Jesus deliberately provoked the hard hearts of His critics. He often performed healings and other divine works on the sabbath to reveal the hypocrisy and shallowness of their approach to God. So bottom line, the phrase “…is not lawful…” in in this verse reflects the Pharisees’ rigid interpretation of sabbath laws and consequent to that rigidness their disapproval of Jesus’ compassionate healing of this largely down, but not quite out, forgotten man on that day.
[27] [And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus] had conveyed–G1593 [himself away, a multitude being in [that] place.] Slipped away, no doubt through the multitude. Verbal usage is aorist, active, indicative. By using the aorist tense, John subtly highlights Jesus’ ability to move unnoticed. It’s as if Jesus effortlessly slipped away, leaving the healed man unaware of His departure. John wants us to focus on the miracle of healing rather than the mechanics of Jesus’ exit–by using the aorist tense, he keeps the spotlight on this extraordinary event (so it would have been appreciated by his contemporary readers—the aorist connotes simplicity, instantaneousness, movement/speed). And not least, his choice of verb form maintains the flow of the narrative, in that it swiftly transitions from the healing to Jesus’ departure, emphasizing the miraculous aspect. So, John’s use of this verb form (particularly the aorist tense) underscores the divine authority and subtle movements of Jesus, thus reinforcing the spiritual significance of this great healing event.
[28] [And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a] multitude–G3793 [being in (that) place.] Multitude, press, lots of folks.
[29] [Afterward Jesus] findeth–G2147 [him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. The verb “findeth” (found) is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing action—we picture Jesus engaging the found man. The active voice emphasizes that Jesus is the one performing the action of finding—Jesus actively finds this man. And the indicative mood expresses a statement of fact. Jesus is affirming the man’s presence (Jesus in fact found him in the temple). Please notice, the man is in the temple by his own restored motor skills—his physical healing is evident. But Jesus soon addresses a deeper issue: ever-looming Sin. So, the present, active, indicative “findeth” highlights Jesus’s active pursuit of the man (cf. Luke 19:10), itself bridging his physical healing with a call to righteous living going forward.
[30] [Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing] come–G1096 [unto thee.] Verbal usage is second aorist, middle deponent, subjunctive. The verb “come” is in the second aorist tense, which signifies a simple past action without emphasizing duration or repetition. It is functioning like the first aorist here. In this context, it refers to a potential future event. The middle voice (deponent) indicates that the subject (the man) is actively involved in the action but also affected by it. The man plays a role in what comes upon him. The subjunctive mood expresses a subjective possibility or potential outcome (possibility, contingency). It suggests that the worse thing is contingent upon the man’s actions. The second aorist, middle deponent, subjunctive “come” here emphasizes the potential outcome if the man fails to heed Jesus’s warning. It calls for the man to consider the consequences of his choices. So, the grammar underscores the man’s agency in avoiding sin and the potential repercussions if he disregards Jesus’s counsel. The subjunctive mood highlights the subjective possibility of a worse outcome.
[31] [The man departed, and] told–G312 [the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.] Reported, told. Verbal usage is aorist, active, indicative. As said before, the aorist tense in Greek often signifies a simple occurrence without specifying duration or repetition. It portrays an action as a “snapshot,” emphasizing the event itself rather than its ongoing nature. In this context, the man’s act of telling the Jews about Jesus’ role in his healing is presented as a single, decisive event. The active voice indicates that the man actively conveyed this information. He took the initiative to share what had happened. The indicative mood is used for statements of fact. The man’s report to the Jews is presented as a straightforward reality. As mentioned before, the use of the aorist tense is not unusual in the context of storytelling or narrative (simplicity, speed, flow, instantaneous nature is understood). It succinctly conveys the man’s action here without diving into further details. The focus is on the essential fact: Jesus was the healer. (John’s Gospel often employs the aorist tense to maintain the flow of the events.) Here the events swiftly move from the healing event to the man’s disclosure to the Jews. So, by using the aorist, John emphasizes the impactful moment when the man revealed Jesus’ identity. And of course, the man’s testimony becomes a pivotal part of the narrative in the negative as regards the Jews’ subsequent actions against Jesus. Thus, the choice of the aorist tense here aligns with John’s narrative style and serves to highlight the healed man’s role in spreading the news about Jesus’ healing power.
[32] [Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou] art made–G1096 [whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.] Verbal usage is second perfect, active, indicative. As said above, the Greek perfect tense signifies an action completed in the past with ongoing results and relevance. It emphasizes the present state resulting from a past action (the second perfect is functioning similarly here). In this case, the man’s healing is not just a one-time event, it has lasting effects. The active voice indicates that Jesus directly caused the healing. His power initiated the transformation (body and soul, complete healing). The indicative mood is used for statements of fact. Jesus affirms the reality of the man’s healing and its ongoing impact. So, by saying “…Behold, you are made whole…” as outlined, Jesus acknowledges that the man’s healing is complete and permanent. He is not only physically restored but also remains in a state of complete wholeness that goes beyond physical health—Jesus implies a spiritual renewal as well. The man’s encounter with Jesus goes beyond the physical realm—it touches his soul (should we expect anything less when Jesus acts, nay). He is not only cured but also transformed. Of course, it comes with responsibility—notice that Jesus follows this affirmation with a warning: “…Sin no more…” The man’s restored health comes with a call to righteous living; he must avoid sin to maintain his well-being (wholeness) is the warning. Revisiting sin could lead to greater debility than before for this man. The man’s physical healing is a gift, but his spiritual choices matter going forward. Bottom line, the perfect tense here emphasizes the consummate impact of Jesus’ healing (physically and spiritually, with ongoing impact) The man’s wholeness is not a fleeting moment, but a new reality (yet it comes with moral and ethical and generally spiritual responsibility).
[33] [And therefore did the Jews] persecute–G1377 [Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.] Harass, hostility toward, hound, ill treatment, and the like. Verbal usage is imperfect, active, indicative. The verb “persecute” is in the imperfect tense, which signifies an ongoing or repeated action in the past. It does not focus on a specific point in time but rather the continuous nature of the persecution. It highlights the ongoing nature of the persecution—the Jews persistently opposed Jesus due to His actions on the sabbath (due to His actions and words in general). The active voice emphasizes that the Jews were actively engaging in the action of persecuting Jesus. The indicative mood expresses a statement of fact; it confirms that the Jews indeed persecuted Jesus. Their hostility intensified after Jesus’ Galilean ministry as they sought to suppress His teachings and miraculous deeds which lent credence to His words which were exposing their hypocritical piety, legalism, and abuse and misuse of God’s Word—He showed them and their Judaism to be frauds and fraudulent. So, the grammar underscores the consistent opposition Jesus faced from the Jewish religious leaders—the imperfect tense portrays a continuous struggle between Jesus and those who resisted His ministry that eventually ended with His death at their hands on a Roman cross.
[34] [But Jesus] answered–G611 [them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.] Verbal usage is aorist (simple, non-repeated action in the past, a snapshot of the action), middle (reflexive, folding back on self—personal involvement/interest), deponent (expresses actions where the subject is both the doer and the recipient—Jesus received the question and gave an authoritative answer). Jesus’ choice of a deponent verb highlights His intentional engagement—He thus answered, authoritatively. By using the aorist, middle deponent form, Jesus asserts His authority—His response is not passive; it reflects His active participation in God’s work, and equality with God: Jesus’ forthcoming statement “…My Father works hitherto, and I work…” unequivocally relates that His role in the divine plan and its outworking is the same as God’s. He claims a unique plan-connection with the Father, betraying His (Jesus’) divine nature. He announces His (and the Father’s) continuous activity and unanimity therein: Just as God the Father does not halt His activities on the sabbath, Jesus continues His work (their Work dovetails into One Work). This unmistakable claim to deity by way of Jesus claiming to accomplish the divine Work in tandem with the Father clearly underscores His position, and role, as the Son of God. So bottom line, Jesus’ choice of this verb form (deliberate choice by the way) reinforces His identity, authority, and ongoing involvement in God’s work.
[35] [But Jesus answered them] My Father–G3962 [worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.] Father God. See also. By calling God “My Father,” Jesus makes a profound claim. He asserts a unique relationship with God—a divine Sonship. Jesus further states, “…My Father is working until now, and I am working…” Here, He emphasizes His unity with God. Just as God continues His work, Jesus actively participates in the same divine mission. Please notice—the very idea of God implies action. God is not passive; He is continually at work. Jesus aligns Himself with this ongoing divine activity. The Jewish religious leaders quite understood the implications of Jesus’ words. He was claiming equality with God, which they perceived as blasphemy (as John 5:18 reveals). So, Jesus’ use of “Father” here unambiguously highlights His divine identity, His unity with God, and His active participation in God’s work.
[36] [But Jesus answered them, My Father] worketh –G2038 [hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.] Verbal usage is present, middle/passive deponent, indicative. Jesus uses the term “worketh” in the present tense to emphasize that God is continually active. His Father is always at work, even on the sabbath is the point (He rested after Creation—whatever that means as per God—but we see here that He was not idle for long). By saying, “…My Father worketh hitherto…” Jesus affirms God’s ongoing involvement in the world. It reflects the divine nature of God’s actions. And then He adds “…and I work…” thus claiming a unique relationship with God—Jesus does what God does. How, what, when, where it is all the same. His work aligns with the Father’s work. It clearly implies that Jesus shares in Father God’s divine activity. So, Jesus’ use of “worketh” here in the present tense highlights the Father’s continuous activity, and Jesus claims unity with the Father in that ongoing activity. Deponent verbs as ours here appear as middle or passive actions but have an active meaning. In this case, “worketh” is signifying that God both works for His own sake and actively works. So, going by the grammar and the context, Jesus here asserts that His Father is constantly and actively at work (God’s actions are not limited by time or space or circumstance). And by saying, “…and I work…” Jesus aligns Himself with God’s ongoing activity. His work is inseparable from the Father’s work. And the indicative mood is plainly and simply a statement of fact as per all the foregoing contextual and grammatical implications and statements.
[37] [But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh] hitherto–G2193 [and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.] Up to this moment, up to now. But from when? By saying “…My Father worketh hitherto…” Jesus emphasizes that God’s work is continuous from some prior, peculiar (to humankind) “place-time” if such a thing holds in His realm (probably not—surely His “realm” is outside the familiar light cone demarcations of space and time). It has been ongoing “since then.” It suggests that God’s work transcends mundane time and is not confined by human limitations (esp. dimensionality). While the term “hitherto” doesn’t explicitly demand an eternity past, its usage in relation to God strongly suggests it. (What kind of work has God been doing all that incomprehensible long while? Does it concern His Beloved?) Bottom line and back to the real world, Jesus’ use of “hitherto” underscores the ongoing, timeless nature of God’s work, which extends beyond any specific starting “point” in eternity (John 1:1-3).
[38] [But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I] work–G2038. [Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.] As expected, Jesus’ Verbal usage is identical to the Father’s “worketh” stated just before—present, active, middle/passive, deponent. The communique is the same.
[39] [Then answered Jesus and said unto them], Verily–G281, [verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise] It signifies truth, and certainty. When Jesus says “Verily, verily,” He is emphasizing the truth and certainty of His statement. it also bespeaks “knowing,” because truth and certainty require knowledge (and intellect processing that knowledge, and wisdom rightly assessing what was processed). The phrase “Verily, verily” is equivalent to saying “truly, truly” or “amen, amen.” It signifies that what follows is not merely an opinion or speculation but a direct and authoritative truth. Jesus uses this phrase to draw attention to the importance and certainty of His words and to stress His divine authority. In essence, He is saying, ‘…Pay attention, for what I am about to say is absolutely certain and true…’
[40] [Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he] seeth–G991 [the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.] BLEPO is utilized here. When BLEPO is used, the intention is to look at what is objectively visible, without necessarily associating what one sees visually with any deeper meaning or knowledge in the mind. So, in the context of Jesus’ statement, it emphasizes His literal, observational awareness of the Father’s activity. It’s not merely about physical sight though, obviously, but also about understanding and perceiving the deeper significance of what He observes. Jesus watches the mechanics and outworking of the Father’s work and discerns its efficacy, form, function, patterns, and purpose in the grand divine plan, aligning His own activity accordingly, precisely accordingly. Verbal usage is present, active, subjunctive. The present tense indicates an ongoing action in the present or simply a present activity. Jesus here sees, watches, the Father, whose activity is ongoing (Jesus sees continuous activity coming from the Father and necessarily His seeing must be ongoing). The active voice relates that Jesus is actively engaged in this seeing. The subjunctive mood introduces an element of contingency, possibility, or hypothetical action. Here, it suggests that Jesus’ works are closely related to the Father’s, contingent upon seeing/watching the Father’s ongoing divine activity. So, the subjunctive mood underscores the interconnectedness of Jesus’ works with the Father’s ongoing work. It implies that Jesus’ actions are not independent but (must) harmonize with the Father’s divine activity and purpose..
[41] [Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father] do–G4160 [for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.] Work, perform. Verbal usage is present, active, participle. The present tense indicates an ongoing action or a state of being in the present, and in this context, it conveys that Jesus is continually observing and participating in the Father’s work. The active voice emphasizes that Jesus is actively engaged in what He observes. He closely watches and discerns the Father’s actions. The participle form of the Greek POIEO utilized here functions as an adjective or descriptive modifier. It describes Jesus’ ongoing activity in alignment with the Father. So, the present, active, participle verbal usage of our verb highlights Jesus’ continuous awareness of the Father’s work and His active participation in it. His “doing,” i.e., His actions, are not independent; they flow from His intimate connection with the Father.
[42] [Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son] likewise–G3668 Notice the attention-getting redundancy—”…these also doeth the Son likewise…” In this context the adverb “likewise” serves to drive home the fact of the equality between Jesus the Son and God the Father. By stating and stressing that He the Son does everything exactly as the Father does, i.e., similarly, likewise, Jesus is making a powerful assertion of His divine nature—not to be missed per the redundancy we may take it. If the Son performs all the same actions as the Father, it implies a shared authority and unity within the Godhead.
[43] [For the Father] loveth–G5368 [the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth (them); even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. What else but the present tense here, and active voice, and indicative mood for sure?! The word “loveth” here is derived from the Greek verb PHILEO, which means “to love”. Now, agape love is often considered the highest and purest form of love. It is characterized by selflessness, unconditional care, and divine benevolence. Agape love is exemplified by God’s love for humanity for example, as seen in passages like John 3:16. PHILEO on the other hand denotes a friendship love, affection, or brotherly love. It is more personal and relational. PHILEO is used to describe Jesus’ love for His disciples (e.g., John 11:3, John 20:2). So why is PHILEO utilized here? While both words can express love, they emphasize different aspects of it. Agape emphasizes principle, selflessness, and divine origin. PHILEO emphasizes affection, intimacy, and personal connection. So, the choice of PHILEO here highlights the Father’s personal affection for the Son and vice versa, emphasizing their very close relationship.
[44] [For the Father loveth the Son, and] sheweth–G1166 [him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth (them); even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. In this context, the present tense conveys that the Father is continuously revealing things to the Son. The active voice emphasizes that the Father is actively involved in showing or revealing. It highlights the Father’s intentional action toward the Son His Beloved Agent (for the Son can do nothing but what He sees the Father do). The indicative mood confirms that the Father indeed reveals things to the Son. Bottom line, the present, active, indicative verb form emphasizes the ongoing relationship between the Father and the Son. The Father actively and continually reveals His actions and plans to the Son. It reflects the intimate communication and unity within the Godhead.
[45] [For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may] marvel–G2296. [For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth (them); even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.] Verbal usage is present, active, subjunctive. As the great works are ongoing, so must be the marveling. The voice is active—“ye” marvel, and the mood is subjunctive, the action is contingent on the manifestation and witnessing of the works themselves. The term “marvel” in this context carries several implications. Amazement: When Jesus says that the Father will show Him greater works, He anticipates that these works will evoke wonder and astonishment. The purpose is to leave the people in awe of God’s power and of the surpassing unity between the Father and the Son. Divine Revelation: The Father’s revelation to the Son goes beyond mere information sharing. It involves unveiling deeper truths, miraculous deeds, and divine plans, which revelations the Son sees and thus may do. Confirmation of Jesus’ Identity: By revealing greater works to Jesus, the Father confirms Jesus’ divine identity. These works ultimately serve as evidence that Jesus is indeed the Son of God not only by the revelation but per Jesus’ doing the same. Foreshadowing Resurrection and Redemption: The greater works include miracles like raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11) and Jesus’ own resurrection. These events foreshadow the ultimate victory over death and redemption for humanity—Scripture in a nutshell. And so the term “marvel” here highlights the awe-inspiring nature of God’s works and the profound relationship between the Father and the Son and their unanimity in action and of purpose..
[46] [For as the Father] raiseth up–G1453 [the dead, and quickeneth (them); even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. In this context, Jesus’ use of the present tense emphasizes both the immediacy and ongoing nature of this divine work, i.e., of resurrection. The active voice signifies that the subject (the Father here) is the one performing the action. The Father is actively engaged in the process of resurrection. Of course Jesus, as the Son, also shares in this divine activity (for as He seeth the Father do so He Himself does). The indicative mood affirms the actuality of the statement. It asserts a true and factual reality. By using the indicative mood, Jesus is making a straightforward declaration: the Father indeed raises the dead. (Jesus is stressing the present reality of the Father’s life-giving power.) So, the use of the present tense, active voice reinforces the immediacy as also ongoing, active involvement of God in the resurrection process, highlighting His authority and sovereignty over life and death.
[47] [For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and] quickeneth–G2227 [them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.] The term “quickeneth” initially refers to raising the dead physically. Jesus asserts that just as the Father raises the dead, so does the Son. This includes instances like the raising of Lazarus (John 11:32ff) Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:22ff), and the widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11ff). However, there is a spiritual aspectas well. Jesus also quickens those who are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1ff). He imparts spiritual life to those who believe in Him (John 3:16-18). This goes beyond physical resurrection and extends to the transformation of hearts and souls. Please notice: Jesus’ power to quicken is not limited to a specific moment, it encompasses both the present and the future. He grants eternal life to those who trust in Him, bringing them from spiritual death to everlasting life. So, the word as utilized here by Jesus encompasses both physical resurrection and the profound work of spiritual renewal. Significantly, it emphasizes Jesus’ authority over life and death, both in this world and the next. See also. Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. Again, the present tense signifies an ongoing action of something happening right now. In this context, Jesus emphasizes that He is continuously giving life. It’s not just a one-time event but a perpetual activity. The active voice indicates that Jesus is the active agent in this process (thus He saw the Father do). He is the one who imparts life. Whether it’s physical resurrection or spiritual renewal, He Jesus, the Son, the second person of the Godhead, is actively involved. And again, the indicative mood asserts a factual reality. Jesus isn’t speculating; He is making a straightforward declaration. The Son indeed quickens (gives life) to whom He chooses. The implications? By using the same verb tense as the Father’s action of raising the dead (John 5:21), Jesus yet again highlights His equality with the Father. Just as the Father gives life, so does the Son. And His power to quicken extends beyond physical resurrection. It includes spiritual regeneration—bringing dead souls to life. Jesus intentionally emphasizes His divine authority over life and death. So, Jesus’ use of “quickeneth” signifies ongoing, active, and authoritative life-giving. It reinforces His unity with the Father and His role as the Agent, indeed Source, of both physical and spiritual life. He is outright, and via the grammar, driving home these points again and again, let us not miss Jesus’ focus and intentions here.
[48] [For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he] will–G2309 The word “will” functions as a modal verb in this context. It expresses the volition, choice, or desire of the subject—in this case, the Son (Jesus). The phrase “whom He will” indicates that the Son has the freedom to select or determine whom He chooses to quicken or give life to. Thus, Jesus’ ability to quicken or give life is not arbitrary; it is based on His divine authority and sovereign will. By saying “…whom He will…” Jesus emphasizes that His life-giving power is not limited by external factors or constraints in any way whatsoever. He has the ultimate say in granting spiritual life. Please notice that this phrase underscores the intimacy of Jesus’ relationship with those whom He chooses. It reflects His personal involvement in the Salvation of souls. (And let us remember that He is the lover of our souls.) So, particularly, the word “will” highlights Jesus’ purposeful agency in quickening individuals, both physically and spiritually. It signifies His divine authority and the depth of His love for humanity (for you and me beloved reader “A Letter of Invitation”).
[49] [For the Father] judgeth–G2919 [no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. A word about this much-used verb form. In the Gospel of John, the present, active, indicative verb form is encountered frequently. John uses this verbal form to convey immediacy, ongoing action, and factual reality. Here are some possible reasons why it appears so frequently:
- John wishes to point out the divine nature of Jesus and His connectedness to humanity. This verbal form underscores Jesus’ continuous ministry, His eternal existence, and His active involvement in human affairs.
- John’s Gospel often portrays intimate moments like conversations, miracles, and encounters. The present tense brings us readers into the here and now, making these events quite vivid and personal—the way God wants it.
- John uses the form to highlight spiritual truths. For example, Jesus declares, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6). The present tense emphasizes the timeless reality of these statements.
- John’s choice of this verbal form lends to his expressing first-hand knowledge (e.g., portraying Jesus as the Eternal Word, made flesh John 1:14).
Okay, back to our verb judgeth. The present tense signifies an ongoing action—something happening right now. In this case, it refers to the act of judging. The active voice indicates that the subject (in this context, the Son) is the active agent performing the action-judging, the Son is actively involved in judging. And the indicative mood asserts a factual reality. Jesus is making another straightforward declaration here, The Son indeed judges. Theological Implications? Again, Jesus’ statement emphasizes His authority as the Son of God. And by saying that the Father does not judge anyone, Jesus highlights the unique role assigned to specifically Him—Judge. We may take it that His authority to judge extends beyond earthly matters; it includes eternal judgment as well. And notice the correlation with “quickening” used before: The power to judge is closely related to the power to quicken (give life) mentioned in the previous verse (John 5:21). Just as the Son has the authority to give life, He also has the authority to pronounce judgment, of course. Importantly, Jesus will announce final condemnation, or eternal life, based on people’s response to Him—it is as simple as that (Salvation is not hard). And if we get Salvation, what does God “get?” Honor! The Father has entrusted judgment to the Son so that all may honor Him as they honor the Father. So, this verb form in this context signifies ongoing, authoritative judgment, it reinforces Jesus’ equality with the Father and His pivotal role in God’s redemptive plan (here He is shown to be the [sentencing, or not] Judge, elsewhere He is the Agent of creation, and Savior of humankind. In this way Jesus fulfills Scripture, He is the centerpiece/lynchpin of Scripture—Scripture pivots on Jesus).
[50] [For the Father judgeth no man, but] hath committed–G1325 [all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] The Greek verb used here conveys both the idea of giving and entrusting, emphasizing Jesus’ role as the ultimate judge (since the giving and entrusting comes from Father God after all). Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative; note the perfect tense. The perfect tense indicates an action that was completed in the past but has ongoing relevance or impact in the present. In the case of our verb, the perfect tense emphasizes the result or state arising from the action of giving. It can be translated as “has given” or “has granted.” The active voice signifies that the subject (in this case, God the Father) is the doer of the action. Here, the Father is the one who grants or entrusts authority to the Son. And as said before, the indicative mood expresses statements of fact or reality. In this context, it confirms the reality that the Father has indeed granted judgment authority to the Son. So, by way of this verb and its particular utilization, Jesus again is asserting His divine authority. The Father, out of His love and trust, has entrusted the Son with the role of ultimate judge. The use of the perfect tense emphasizes the present impact/relevance of this completed and sealed divine grant. Therefore, the perfect, active, indicative form of our verb underscores the ongoing authority vested in Jesus as the judge of all. This verb and its form in the context of Judgment is pivotal not only to this verse, but to the entire fifth chapter of John’s Gospel and not least to the big picture of Redemption | Salvation related by the Bible per se. At the risk of overdoing it, this verb in this context is a highly important turn of events; it will prove to be foundational to the eternal fate of many (this grant is meant).
[51] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men] should honour–G5091 [the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is once again the familiar present, active, but in the subjunctive mood this time. he Greek verb utilized here means “to prize,” “to fix a valuation upon,” or “to revere.” It conveys the idea of honoring, esteeming, or valuing someone or something. In the present tense, the subjunctive uses the bare form (infinitive form without “to”) of the verb. The active voice signifies that the subject (in this case, all people) actively carries out the action. The subjunctive mood indicates a hypothetical or desired action. Therefore, the present, active, subjunctive of our verb emphasizes a desired ongoing honoring of the Son. So, Jesus here asserts that people should reverently honor the Son in the same way they honor the Father. Our verb form thus emphasizes the continual, desired action of honoring the Son. It again underscores the divine equality between the Father and the Son; it signifies the ongoing, heartfelt reverence due the Son no less or different than that due the Father. If not both are honored, then each is dishonored.
[52] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which] hath sent–G3992 [him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is aorist, active, participle. The phrase “hath sent” here is a translation of the Greek verb PEMPO, which simply means “send” but with an implied sense of “divine mission” in context. The aorist tense indicates a past action without specifying its duration or completion. The active voice attests that the subject (the Father) performs the action. The participle emphasizes the act of sending (the Father sending the Son) as an integral part of the overall message. The theological significance of this phrase in this context? It emphasizes the authority and divine mission of Jesus the Son, who was sent by very God the Father to reveal His will and to accomplish His work. The phrase also shows the dependence and obedience of the Son, who does nothing on His own initiative but only what the Sender, the Father, commands Him. And it also implies the love and intimacy of the Father and the Son, who have a mutual relationship of sending and being sent (no petty “status complex” here for sure). And of course, it also indicates the responsibility and accountability of the people, who are required to honor the Son who was sent by the Father, as they honor the Father, the Sender. Cognizance of who the Sender is, and the Sent’s unequivocal equality with the Sender, should engender this responsibility and accountability, at least for the initiated (this is the work of the Holy Spirit).
[53] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that] heareth–G191 [my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is present, active, participle. This verb form in this context emphasizes the continuous and active hearing of Jesus’ Word (receiving, understanding, responding). It implies not only a physical hearing, but also a spiritual understanding and a faithful obedience to Jesus’ message in that Word. It also implies a personal relationship with Jesus, who speaks to His followers through His Word. The present, active, participle of this verb is connected to the present, active, participle of the follow-on verb “believe,” indicating that both hearing and believing are necessary and ongoing conditions for having eternal life. The implication is that hearing Jesus’ Word is not a one-time event, but a lifelong process of listening, learning, and living by His teachings (per the present tense’s influence). It also means that hearing Jesus’ Word is not a passive or surface-deep act, but a deliberate and sincere response to His voice (active voice impact). And not least per the participle, acting as an adjective modifying “he,” i.e., “whoever,” it means that hearing Jesus’ Word is not just an isolated or individual act, but a communal (church assembly) and relational experience of knowing Him and His Father and His people and loving the same. So, the present, active, participle of our verb signifies the ongoing and active hearing of Jesus’ Word. When He has us hearing aright, we continually learn new things from His blessed, eternal Word.
[54] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and] believeth–G4100 [on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Please notice that “Heareth” and “believeth” are (divinely) linked qualifiers for eternal life. In this case as “heareth” before, verbal usage is present, active participle.
[55] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me], hath–G2192 [ everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. In this context, the present tense signifies that the one who hears and believes has eternal life in the present time, not just in the future. It also implies that eternal life is a continual and dynamic experience, not a static or passive state (it is eternal after all). The active voice indicates that the subject (in this case, the one who hears and believes) is the doer of the action (hath); the one who hears and believes possesses eternal life because of their personal faith in and obedience to God’s Word. And that faith and obedience of itself implies that eternal life is a personal and active relationship with God (we must be clear—initiated by Him, we are helpless to save ourselves in our fallen state), and not just a gift or reward (note again the active voice). The indicative mood here signifies that the one who hears and believes truly has eternal life, not just conditionally, or hypothetically, or “maybe.” Eternal life is a certain and verifiable reality, not a doubtful or imaginary concept. And so, the present, active, indicative verb form here utilized emphasizes the present, personal, and factual nature of eternal life for those who hear Jesus’ Word, are faithful to it, and believe in the Father (the One who sent Jesus to this here Land of Sin and Sorrow as Redeemer and Savior to bring us to the Land of Holiness and Joy—the goal from the beginning).
[56] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath] everlasting life, [and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Everlasting (or eternal) life is not something that begins after death, but right now, presently, for all who trust in Jesus—notice our verse: “…Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life…” There is no temporal or otherwise rider attached to that statement. Everlasting life is by default a life that is connected to the Source of all life, namely God. It thus of necessity shares in God’s nature, character, and joy. Notice Jesus’ words in another context: “…And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent…” (John 17:3). Obviously, everlasting life is a life that transcends physical death, it is a life that continues ad infinitum beyond physical death, notice our verse: “…He does not come into condemnation, but has passed from death unto life…” It is therefore a resurrected life, resurrected by God, who has the power over life and death: “…For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day…” (John 6:40). Putting it all together, everlasting life here is a term that refers to the present and future life that God gives to those who hear and believe Jesus’ Word. It is a life that is connected to, shared with, and resurrected by God. Please notice: the quintessence of Salvation is everlasting life in the presence of God—in the presence of God is what is important—and Jesus alone is the means to that Salvation (hearing+believing Him). One can either believe that, or reject it, God forces no one to believe, He wants willing believers that come to Him because they love Him and want to be with Him eternally (with Him, not just the beatific state). The only stipulation is that everyone that comes to Him for everlasting life must do so through Jesus, and only Jesus. That’s the rule, not just of some evangelist | preacher, or church, or the Christian community, it is the Father’s rule (John 14:6).
[57] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into] condemnation–G2920; [but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] The Greek root is KRISIS, i.e., judgment, so why the condemnation translation here and not judgment? Judgment can be condemning, or not, and here is meant a noncondemning judgment. Even believers must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ (noncondemning, Romans 14:10, 2Corinthians 5:10), but not the White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-13), which is decidedly a judgment of condemnation (one’s name must be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life to escape this horrible and terrifying judgment (“The Place of the Proud”), and that Lamb is Jesus Christ—hear and believe Him beloved reader “A Letter of Invitation”). So, judgment is the proper general translation, but when we break that judgment down, we consider (in this context) condemning and noncondemning judgments.
[58] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but] is passed–G3327 [from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative. Note the perfect tense. The perfect tense indicates that the action (is passed, “crossed over”), itself completed in the past, has ongoing effects, i.e., relevance, in the present. The active voice underscores the believer’s active participation in eternal life (one must appropriate/receive it, i.e., that grace, by hearing, believing God’s Word), even though the theological emphasis remains on God’s grace and assurance, all alike wrapped in the indicative mood, a statement of fact. Theological significance? The perfect tense (action completed in the past with ongoing effects right now) communicates certainty and permanence (completed, a done deal). The believer’s possession of eternal life is not just a future promise; it is a present reality (as said before, by trusting in Jesus and hearing His Word). Through Jesus therefore, the believer “crosses over,” i.e. “is passed,” from spiritual death to spiritual life. Please note that this transformation is irreversible, thus perfectly secured by Jesus at Calvary (it is completed, finished, sealed, says the perfect). Theologically, it underscores the assurance of Salvation for those who genuinely, from the heart and deepest recess of the mind, hear and believe Jesus. Please notice—as believers, we can rest in the assurance that our eternal destiny is settled. Our Salvation is not based on our ongoing lousy performance, but on Jesus’ finished work at Calvary. And the past event of crossing from death to life, secured by our bloodied-up Savior, impacts our present and future does it not? Exactly how? At least, we are no longer under condemnation but have passed into life through faith in Jesus. So, this verb form highlights the unshakable reality of eternal life for those who trust in Jesus Christ. It assures us that we are safe in His pierced hands, both now and forever, Amen? Amen!
[59] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from] death–G2288 [unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Spiritual death refers to separation from God due to Sin. Before accepting Christ, people are spiritually dead, alienated from God’s life and grace and cannot save themselves—it must come from outside one’s fallen bent, from God—by His Providence, He does this. In this sense, “death” represents a state of spiritual separation and lostness. By contrast, physical death is the cessation of bodily functions—one may end up both physically and spiritually dead. Physical death whilst in a state of spiritual death is the nightmare scenario that Jesus’ Word desperately tries to avert for all people simply by hearing and believing His Word (it’s not complicated but devastating if missed out on). Jesus’ reference to passing from death to life includes believers transition from a state of spiritual death to eternal life. Rejecting Jesus leaves the unbeliever in a state of spiritual death bearing the wrath of God for all of their sins and particularly for rejecting the Father’s Beloved Son (John 3:35-36, Hebrews 10:29). Believers are not condemned but have already passed into eternal life. The contrast between death and life underscores the significance and urgency of faith in Christ. Our Savior emphasizes that eternal life is not merely a future hope; it is a present reality for believers. Those who trust in Him experience this life transformation now. Thus, “death” here encompasses physical, spiritual , and eternal dimensions, highlighting the profound impact of faith in Jesus on our existence and destiny. See also.
[60] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto] life–G2222. [Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Jesus uses the term “life” here to encompass both physical and spiritual life. Clearly, His intention is to convey a comprehensive understanding of life. Jesus acknowledges our earthly existence, where physical life involves the obvious, our bodily functions, experiences, and interactions in this world. Yet, He goes beyond mere physical existence to a spiritual one. Jesus emphasizes eternal life—a life that transcends physical death. In keeping with His overarching theme throughout, this spiritual life is rooted in a relationship with God through faith in Him, Jesus, the blessed Son, the Redeemer and Savior. It involves forgiveness, reconciliation, divine purpose, and communion with the divine. Bottom line, Jesus wants us to recognize that eternal life begins now, not just after death., i.e., believers experience a transformed life—both in the present and the future. It encompasses Salvation–being with God forever—itself the fulfillment of a divine purpose. So, Jesus intends for us to understand “life” holistically, embracing both the physical and spiritual dimensions, all anchored in faith and relationship with precisely Him. See also.
[61] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the] hour–G5610 [is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man] This “hour” has already dawned in the sense that Jesus, through His earthly ministry, has brought Redemption (forgiveness of Sin) and Salvation (eternal life in the presence of God). Believers experience this present reality through engagement, i.e., hearing Jesus’ voice and responding in faith as pointed out above. And yet, this “hour” also anticipates a future fulfillment in that it points to the final resurrection when all the dead will hear Jesus’ voice and rise (John 5:28–29). Please notice, this future event will complete the Work of Redemption | Salvation. So, this “hour,” marked by Jesus’ birth, encompasses both the present reality of Redemption | Salvation wrought by Him, and the future hope of resurrection and eternal life similarly wrought by Him. It symbolizes the intersection of God’s eternal plan with human history. Theologically, it underscores the urgency of responding to Jesus’ call for Salvation (hours are fleeting things).
[62] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour] is coming–G2064 [and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is present, middle/passive deponent, indicative. Jesus’ choice of this verbal form through His inspired author and beloved friend John has theological significance. Jesus refers to an hour that is both coming and already here. Theologically, this points to the present reality of Salvation through faith in Jesus, and a future fulfillment when all the dead will hear His voice (no more choosing to hear then, they will hear) and rise to one fate or another (John 5:28–29). The choice of the present, middle/passive form emphasizes both the immediacy and the ongoing impact (present tense) of the “hour,” a reality that spans time and eternity. The indicative mood affirms the certainty of the event. The deponent form points out that our faith involves both receiving God’s grace (passive form) and responding to His invitation (active meaning). It underscores the cooperation between God’s initiative and our faith. (Deponent verb forms are passive in form but active in meaning, contextually resolved.)
[63] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now] is–G2076, [when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is present, no voice, indicative. In Greek, verbs can be in active, middle, or passive voice. The voice indicates the relationship between the subject and the action of the verb. In the active voice, the subject performs the action. For example: “He runs” (subject = He, action = runs). The middle voice is unique to Greek. It often conveys a reflexive or reciprocal action. The subject is both the doer and the receiver of the action. For example: “He teaches himself” (subject = He, action = teaches). In the passive voice, the subject receives the action. For example: “Jesus is loved by me” (subject = Jesus, action = is loved; the doer of the action is less important than the subject, often conveyed by the passive voice). But sometimes, Greek verbs appear in the no voice form. What this means is that the voice is not explicitly specified–the focus is on the action itself, without emphasizing the relationship to the subject. The theological implication for our verse is that the use of just plain old “is” (present tense, indicative mood, no voice) emphasizes the certainty of the hour’s arrival. The focus is on the event itself—the hour’s coming—rather than the specific voice. So, the absence of voice in this context highlights the significance of the hour’s arrival, both in the present and the future.
[64] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the] dead–G3498 [shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Here the term “the dead” carries both physical and spiritual connotations. Spiritual death refers to separation from God due to sin. Before accepting Christ, people are spiritually dead, alienated from God’s life and grace. One does not want to find oneself in that state upon physical death for obvious reasons. Jesus’ reference to passing from death to life (through Him) implies a “state change” that includes the promise of eternal life beyond physical death. Believers transition from a state of spiritual death to eternal life at the instant of Redemption | Salvation. And of course, since rejecting Jesus leads to eternal judgment in the negative (John 3:36), it underscores the significance of not doing that, of faith in our Savior Jesus. Those who trust in Him experience this life transformation—now and going forward. So, the “dead” in our verse encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions, highlighting the weighty impact of faith in Jesus on our existence and eternal destiny.
[65] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead] shall hear–G191 [the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is future, middle deponent, indicative. The deponent form emphasizes both the responsiveness of those who hear—they will actively hear, they don’t choose to hear, they will hear (active part of deponent) Jesus’ voice as it beckons (passive part of deponent) when that hour comes upon them. The future tense points to the eschatological hope—the final resurrection and judgment. And we have a declaration of objective truth, fact, by way of the indicative mood.
[66] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the] voice—G5456 [of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] His Spirit talks to our spirit, and we created in His image understand what He says, no excuses here. He speaks through Scripture, ministers, preachers, the Church, Providence, thus He speaks. For example, He is speaking to you now as you read this commentary friend; question is, how will you respond.
[67] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that] hear shall live–G2198. [For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is future, middle deponent, indicative. The future tense points to the eschatological hope—eternal life beyond physical death. The deponent form emphasizes the personal involvement of those who receive life (active involvement+passive receiving eternal life). The deponent form highlights the active participation of those who receive life, emphasizing both divine grace and human responsiveness. We have a statement of fact and objective truth via the indicative mood.
[68] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all (men) should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father] hath–G2192 [life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is profound and necessarily present, active, indicative. Please notice, here Jesus asserts the eternal self-existence of the Father. The Father possesses life inherently and independently. By extension, the Son Jesus also shares in this divine life. The present tense highlights the ongoing nature of the Father’s life. The Father is the source of all life, and He imparts this life to Jesus, yet Jesus’ life is certainly not derived; it is intrinsic and eternal. So, the verbal usage of “hath” here as concerns the Father’s life underscores the profound theological truth that the Father possesses life in Himself and grants the same life to the Son. It speaks to the eternal nature of God’s existence and His gift of life to humanity. Now, one might be inclined to ask, if the Father imparts eternal life to Jesus, how is it that Jesus’ life is not derived? The profound Truth lies in the intra-Trinitarian relationship between the Father and the Son. Jesus, as the eternal Son of God, shares the same divine essence as the Father. His life is not derived, it is intrinsic and self-existent. The Father and the Son exist in an eternal, uncreated relationship. The Father is the source of all life, period, and He imparts life to the Son, not as a giver of life to a created being, but as a Sharer, a Sharer of divine essence. The Father’s impartation of life to the Son is a divine mystery that points to the eternal, infinite (love) bond within the Trinity. (Humanly unsearchable, but we get a glimpse of it looking at Jesus on the Cross.) Please notice, we may enter into (have a share in) this eternal love bond within the very Trinity through the God-Man Jesus (He entered into an everlasting relationship with humanity at His incarnation after all). Our participation (sharing) in this divine life comes through faith in Jesus and in Him alone (agree or disagree, like it or not, those are the Father’s rules, He thus exalting His Beloved Son, the One who at such great pains shoulders Redemption | Salvation). So, the Father imparts eternal life to Jesus in keeping with their eternal, love motivated, and selfless relationship, and Jesus, in turn, imparts (shares) this life to (with) believers—to be fully realized at the Resurrection. The whole of it is a beautiful expression of God’s grace and love.
[69] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passe from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so] hath he given—G1325 [to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is aorist, active, indicative. Note the switch to the aorist tense. As said before, the aorist tense in Greek typically conveys a snapshot of a past action, emphasizing its simplicity and singularity. It portrays an event without specifying its duration or ongoing nature. In this case, the aorist highlights the specific moment when the Father granted inherently divine life, nay, life-giving power no less, to the Son. The context revolves around the Son’s divine nature and authority stemming from the Father. Jesus asserts that just as the Father possesses life inherently, He has given the same life-giving power to the Son, and the aorist tense emphasizes the definitive act of granting this life and power to the Son. By using the aorist, the verse underscores the unique moment when the Father bestowed this authority upon the Son. It clearly highlights the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son, emphasizing their unity and shared divine attributes.
[70] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passe from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And] hath given–G1325 [him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is similarly aorist, active indicative. Again, we get a snapshot of a past action—a singular event, via the aorist. Please note that unlike the imperfect tense, which relates ongoing or habitual action from the past (more like a video than a snapshot), the aorist emphasizes immediacy and simplicity. In this context, the aorist verb “hath given” highlights the definitive act of granting authority to Jesus by the Father—the action is performed by the Father. It emphasizes that authority has been entrusted or committed to the Lord Jesus by the highest authority. This grant is exceedingly significant because it aligns with Jesus’ role as the Son of Man (a term not least emphasizing His humanity). That is, it highlights the Father’s deliberate act in bestowing this authority, and it underscores Jesus’ mediatorial role in carrying out judgment.
[71] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passe from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him] authority–G1849 [to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] In this context, Jesus has the authority to execute Judgment, an authority that is divinely conferred by the Father. It extends to the execution of judgment over all Creation and encompasses both earthly matters and eternal destinies. He is uniquely qualified to judge, having divine powers to discern, evaluate, and rightly pronounce judgment. His role as judge is crucial for accountability, justice, and order, even divine order. As the Son of Man, He identifies with humanity and can empathize with humanity, yet as the Son of God He remains faithful to Divine Justice. Indeed, as the Son of God He executes perfect Divine Justice via surpassing divine insight, and knowledge, and righteousness, and wisdom, but not without tender divine compassion; and of course, His decisions are immutable and final. Practical upshot? One should recognize Jesus’ authority in one’s life and seek His guidance, submit to His judgments, and yet find hope in His amazing grace with a penitent, adoring, worshiping, heart:
[72] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passe from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority ] to execute—G4160 [judgment also, because he is the Son of man.] Verbal usage is present, active, infinitive. The present tense signifies the ongoing nature of Jesus’ authority to execute judgment. In the active voice, the subject (Jesus) performs the action. It emphasizes Jesus’ active role in carrying out judgment. And “execute” is in the infinitive mood. The infinitive expresses the idea of the action without specifying tense or person. It highlights the purpose or function of Jesus’ authority. The Father has granted Him the power and right to judge. Please notice that the word “execute” implies not only judgment per se but also the implementation of justice. So, the present, active, infinitive form of “execute” points out Jesus’ ongoing authority to execute judgment, His actual, active involvement in judgment, and it emphasizes His divine appointment and responsibility to execute judgment as the Son of Man (via the infinitive).
[73] [For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passe from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the] Son of man. The term “Son of Man” appears in the Old Testament, particularly in the book of Daniel. In Daniel 7:13–14, there is related a vision of a Promised One, described as “…one like a son of man…” The picture is that of a human form endowed with divine power and authority. Importantly, the term “Son of Man” was commonly used as a reference to the Messiah. When Jesus uses the title “Son of Man,” it is more than just a claim to surpassing power, it is meant to relate prophecy, divinity, and His unique role as the God-man. By using this title, Jesus is emphasizing His union with humanity, His divine nature, and identity as the long-awaited Messiah. Since Jesus often referred to Himself in this way, The term frequently appears in the gospels: some twelve times in the Gospel of John, and some eighty times across all four gospels. In this context, Jesus informs us that His authority stemming from the Father is rooted in His role as the Son of Man. Why? By using this title, Jesus emphasizes His union with humanity, whom He will judge. More generally, the title “Son of Man” signifies Jesus’ unique identity: fully God, equal to the Father, fully human, connected to humanity. Please see also.
[74] Marvel–G2296 [ not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation]. Verbal usage is present, active, imperative (direct address command)—note the imperative. Jesus asserts His authority by way of the imperative, and not least He emphasizes urgency. (Pay attention! The resurrection of the dead will occur, and Jesus will judge all mankind.) So, let us heed His words and prepare for that solemn day. The present tense of “marvel” here could imply that the judgment of God is not only a future event, but also a present reality. Jesus says in John 5:24, “…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…” This suggests that those who believe in Jesus are already in a state of life, while those who do not believe are already in a state of death. Therefore, the judgment of God is based on one’s response to the word of Christ, which is happening in the present. Jesus also says in John 3:18, “…He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God…” This also indicates that the present tense of “marvel” could have something to do with an ongoing judgment in the present. Still, this does not mean that the future resurrection and judgment are irrelevant or unnecessary. Jesus also says in John 5:29, “…and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment…” This shows that there will be a final manifestation of God’s judgment, even justice and mercy, when all the dead will hear His voice and be raised to life, or condemnation. Therefore, the present tense of “marvel” could also point to the imminence (and certainty) of the future resurrection and judgment. The active voice again bespeaks Jesus asserting His authority. Please notice, Jesus is possibly addressing Sadducees that are part of the crowd of listeners (predominately Pharisees), who denied the resurrection of the dead, and unbelieving Jews per se here. (An end-time resurrection was at that time a part of Jewish thought: Old Testament: Job 19:25-27, Psalms 16:9-11, Isaiah 26:19, Daniel 12:2, , Hosea 13:14; Intertestamental Literature: 2Maccabees 7:9, 12:44-45 1Enoch 51:1; New Testament: John 11:25-26, Acts 23:6-8.)
[75] [Marvel not at this: for the hour] is coming–G2064, [in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation]. Verbal usage is present, middle/passive, deponent, indicative. As before, Jesus uses this verb to emphasize His authority and the certainty and imminence (present tense) of the future resurrection and judgment. The deponent indicates that the hour is actively (for sure) coming and yet ordained to come by God.
[76] [Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the] graves–G3419 [shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation]. “Grave” here is a translation of the Greek word MNEMEION, which means a tomb, a monument, a memorial. It can refer to various kinds of graves, such as burial caves, sarcophagi, ossuaries, and trench graves, i.e., mass graves. Jesus is referring to any kind of grave, land, sea, or extraterrestrial these days (Revelation 20:12-13). All the dead, no matter where they “are” will rise at Jesus’ command to be judged by Him one way or another. See also.
[77] [Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves] shall hear—G191 [his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation]. Verbal usage is future, middle deponent, indicative. The future tense relates an action or state that will happen in the future, or a promise or intention for the future. In this context, Jesus uses the future tense to predict the future resurrection and judgment. He wants His hearers to realize that the resurrection is not a hypothetical event, but a reality that will happen at the appointed time (sacred, not secular time clock here). The middle deponent indicates that the subject is either acting on itself or being acted upon by someone or something else: The verb is a deponent verb, which means that it has a passive form but an active meaning (subject acting). The subject of the verb is “all who are in the tombs,” a noun phrase that denotes all the dead people–the application of the verb then means that specifically they will hear His voice, not that they will be made to hear His voice (which is passive), a not-so-subtle difference. And as said before, the indicative mood indicates a statement of fact or reality. In this context, Jesus again uses the indicative mood to assert His authority and the truth of His words. He says, “…Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice…” He does not express a wish, a command, a possibility, or a condition, but a fact that will happen. (The third person plural of the verb indicates that the subject of the verb is neither the speaker nor the listener, but someone or something else “all who are in the tombs.”)
[78] [Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And] shall come forth–G1607; [they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation]. Verbal usage is future, middle deponent, indicative. Once again Jesus uses the future tense to predict the future resurrection and judgment. Paraphrasing, He says, ‘…and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the bad deeds to a resurrection of damnation/judgment…’ By way of the indicative, He wants His hearers to realize that the resurrection is not a distant or hypothetical event, but a reality that could happen at any moment, thus stressing preparedness. In this context, our verb is again a deponent verb, which means that it has a passive form but an active meaning. The subject of the verb is “those who did the good deeds,” and “those who committed the bad deeds,” noun phrases that denote the righteous and the wicked. The deponent verb is communicating the idea that they will come out of their tombs, not that they will be brought out or caused to come out by someone or something else. Please notice, they will come out of the tombs on their own (that’s the active part communicated by the deponent), by the power of God, in response to the voice of Christ (that’s the sort of passive part communicated by the deponent). That is, the voice of Christ is not the cause or the agent of their coming out, but the signal, nay, the command that they must needs obey (here is the nature of the deponent on full display, i.e., passive form, active meaning). Obviously, the Great Grammarian’s choice of verbal form and usage is not arbitrary (Great Grammarian=the Spirit in the LogoS). See also.
[79] [Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the] resurrection of life; [and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation]. The resurrection of life is the reward of the righteous, who have done good deeds and believed in Jesus as the Son of God. They will rise from the dead and enter into eternal life with God (=Salvation), where there will be no more death, sorrow, or pain. They will enjoy the presence and glory of God forever. This is also called the resurrection of the just, the resurrection of the saints, or the first resurrection (Luke 14:14, Revelation 20:4-6).
[80] [Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the] resurrection of damnation. The resurrection of damnation (or judgment) is the punishment of the wicked, who have done evil deeds and rejected Jesus as the Son of God. They will rise from the dead and face the final and irreversible judgment of God, where they will be condemned and cast into the lake of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. They will suffer the wrath and justice of God forever. This is also called the resurrection of the unjust, the resurrection of the damned, or the second resurrection (Acts 24:15, Revelation 20:11-15).
[81] [I can of mine own self do nothing: as I] hear–G191, [I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. Jesus actively, and continually (no lapses), hears the Father, in all matters—it is related as a statement of fact; thus hearing, His judgments reflect divine righteousness. That is, thus earing the Father, ensures impartial and fair judgment.
[82] [I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I] judge–G2919 [and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.] Again we have the present, active, indicative verbal form. In this case, the verb “judge” is not a process or a continuous action, but a simple or instantaneous one. Jesus is not saying that He is judging all the time, or that He is judging gradually, but that He judges precisely when He hears the Father’s will. He is not implying that His judgment is incomplete or ongoing, but that it is final and decisive right now when He pronounces it. Therefore, the present tense here does not indicate a linear or progressive aspect, but a punctiliar (occurring at a particular moment) or perfective one. Jesus is using the present tense to emphasize the certainty and the authority of His judgment, which is based on the Father’s will. He is predominantly using the present tense to show the relevance and the applicability of His judgment to the present situation. He is not talking about a future or a past judgment, but a judgment that is valid and effective at the moment of pronouncement, “right now.” Let us recall, He is confronting His opponents with the reality and the consequences of His judgment, which they cannot escape or deny. They knew precisely what He was saying here, and they hated Him even more for it to be sure.
[83] [I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is] just—G1342 [because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.] Jesus here implies that the Father’s will is the ultimate standard of justice, and that He Jesus is faithful to it. Therefore, Jesus’ judgment is just, because it reflects the Father’s character and purpose. This is also consistent with the Old Testament concept of Justice, which is rooted in God’s Covenant and Law, and of course Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17, Luke 24:44, John 1:45, Acts 3:18, et al.), thus revealing the Father’s Justice to the world. In no small part, that is why He was sent.
[84] [I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I] seek–G2212 [not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. We are going to go with the continuous nature of the present in this context. Jesus never seeks His own will, rather, He always seeks the Father’s will. And that is a factual declaration via the indicative mood.
[85] [I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the] will–G2307 of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.] Going by the overall context of John chapter five, the Father’s will is very much connected to Jesus’ mission, authority, and role as the divine Son, encompassing healing, judgment, the revelation of God’s Truth (Reality), and perhaps most importantly, Salvation for a rebellious and lost humanity.
[86] [I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which] hath sent–G3992 [me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.] Verbal usage is aorist, active, participle. As said before, the aorist tense in Greek expresses a past action without specifying its duration or completion. The active voice indicates that the subject of the verb (the Father) performs the action. The participle functions as a verbal adjective that modifies a noun (the one who sent me). The participle can also have an adverbial function, expressing the circumstances or the cause of the main verb (I judge). Here, Jesus is explaining the basis and the nature of His judgment, which He has been talking about in the previous verses. He claims that He has the authority to judge because the Father has given it to Him (John 5:22, 27). He also claims that His judgment is righteous, because it is not based on His own will, but on the will of the Father. The aorist, active, participle verb form here has both an adjectival and an adverbial function through the participle. As an adjective, it identifies the Father as the one who sent Jesus, highlighting His divine mission and commission. As an adverb, it expresses the cause or the reason why Jesus judges according to the Father’s will—obedience and submission is understood. The aorist tense relates that the Father’s sending of Jesus was a definite and decisive act in the past, which has ongoing implications for the present and the future. So, the grammatical and contextual significance of this verb form is that it shows the trust inherent in the relationship between the Father and the Son, very much acting as One, and it shows the authority and justice of the Son’s judgment (it is based on the Father’s authority and will, respectively). Significantly, it also shows the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and promises about the Messiah to be sent by God to save and to judge the world (Isaiah 42:1-4, 61:1-2, Malachi 3:1-5, et al.). Jesus’ antagonists missed seeing Him in these prophecies.
[87] [I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I] bear witness–G3140 [of myself, my witness is not true.] Verbal usage is present, active, subjunctive. This means that the action of bearing witness is happening in the present time, that the subject of the verb (Jesus) is performing the action, and that the verb expresses a possibility or a condition. The subjunctive mood in Greek primarily refers to hypothetical actions in the present or future. Here Jesus says, “…If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true…” He is responding to the challenge of His opponents (largely Pharisees), who demanded a proof of His claims to be equal to God and to have the authority to judge (John 5:16-30). He acknowledges that according to the Jewish Law, a single witness is not sufficient to establish the truth of a matter (Deuteronomy 19:15). He also implies that if He were to bear witness of Himself alone, without any other confirmation, His witness would be invalid or not to be regarded. He uses the subjunctive mood to express a condition that is contrary to fact, since He is not bearing witness of Himself alone, but He has another witness, the Father, who testifies on His behalf (John 5:32-37). So, this verb in this form shows us, not least, the humility and the honesty of Jesus, who does not appeal to His own authority, but to the authority of the Father, who sent Him and who works with Him. It also shows the logic and the consistency of Jesus, who follows the principle of the Law, and who provides a valid and reliable evidence for His identity and His mission. It also shows the contrast and the conflict between Jesus and His staunch adversaries, who flat out do not accept His witness, nor the witness of the Father, nor the witness of the Scriptures, which testify of Him (John 5:38-40).
[88] [There is] another–G243 [that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.] The Father is meant, clearly distinct from Jesus in the Godhead as per “another” here.
[89] [There is another that] beareth witness–G3140 [of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.] Verbal usage is present, active, participle. This means that the action of bearing witness is happening in the present time, that the subject of the verb (the Father) is performing the action, and that the verb is used as an adjective to modify a noun (another). Here, Jesus is referring to the Father as the “other” who bears witness about Him, as he makes clear in the following verses (John 5:36-37). Please notice, Jesus contrasts the Father with Himself, implying that the Father is a different and distinct person from Him, but also in perfect agreement and harmony with Him.
[90] [There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he] witnesseth–G3140 [of me is true.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. Jesus uses this verb form to describe the Father’s continuous and consistent action of bearing witness about Him, through His works and His words (Matthew 3:17, John 5:36-37, 8:18, 10:37-38, 14:10-11, 15:26, 17:5, 1 John 5:9-10). It shows the identity and the authority of the Father as the other who bears witness about Jesus, and the relationship and the distinction between the Father and the Son.
[91] [Ye sent–G649 [unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative. This means that the action of sending is completed in the past, with present results, that the subject of the verb (ye) performed the action, and that the verb expresses a fact or reality. Here Jesus is referring to the fact that the Jewish religious leaders sent a delegation of priests and Levites to John the Baptist, to ask him about his identity and his message (John 1:19-28). Jesus uses the perfect tense to emphasize that this action of sending was not a casual or insignificant event, but a deliberate and important one, that had a lasting impact (on their accountability and responsibility). By sending to John, they acknowledged him as an authoritative and credible witness, and they were bound to accept his testimony, which pointed to Jesus as the Messiah. But they did not receive his testimony, nor the testimony of Jesus Himself, nor the testimony of the Father, nor the testimony of the Scriptures, which all confirmed the truth about Jesus (John 5:34-40). The perfect tense shows that the sending was not casual or insignificant because it indicates a completed past action that has a lasting or permanent effect or state in the present. In other words, the perfect tense emphasizes the results or the consequences of the action, not just the (completed) action itself. As oft before, we see again that the Great Grammarian’s choice of verbal form is certainly not arbitrary (Great Grammarian= the Spirit in the LogoS).
[92] [Ye sent unto] John–G2491 [ and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] John the Baptist. He used baptism as the central symbol of his pre-Messianic witness. He baptized Messiah, and some of Jesus’ early followers had previously been followers of John. Tragically, John was sentenced to death and beheaded by Herod Antipas around AD 30. (This happened after John rebuked Herod for divorcing his wife Phasaelis and unlawfully marrying Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Philip I.) Most importantly, John’s ministry played a crucial role in preparing the way for Messiah Jesus. See also (red font added).
[93] [Ye sent unto John, and he] bare witness–G3140 [unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative. Note the perfect tense—a thoroughgoing witness, consummate witness, spilling over into the present (then and now), with profound implications for the present.
[94] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I] receive—G2983 [not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. The present tense indicates that Jesus never did nor ever will receive testimony from humankind, He actively, flat out does not (via the indicative). Jesus is here addressing the Pharisees (a brood of vipers in Jesus’ estimation) who questioned His authority and claims. He is stressing that His testimony (testimony about/of Him is how we read it) doesn’t rely solely on human approval and consent (particularly theirs). As the consummate Minister, i.e., lover of souls, His goal is to provide evidence that leads them to faith and Salvation (yea, even them)—through the only Savior, precisely Him. That’s what this here evidence and witness talk is all about. In the end, it is all about Salvation for hard heads and knuckleheads (rightly) needing facts to base their faith on coming from a loving Savior “bending over backwards” to get folks to see the Light—to grasp who He is, a Savior, prophesied of from old. For sure Jesus acknowledges John the Baptist’s (human) testimony (about Jesus, His identity) here but makes it clear that His purpose in doing so is overarching, i.e., to save souls (John was the last of the great prophets—his office was prophetic, precisely the kind of testimony that Jesus would receive as He did before from all the other prophets). So, Jesus uses the present, active, indicative form to assert the truth of His claims, appealing to evidence (Scripture, testimony, witness) rather than blind faith.
[95] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not] testimony–G3141 [from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] The distinction between “testimony” and “witness” holds deeper significance beyond mere translation idiosyncrasies. Testimony encompasses certifiable, objective facts. It serves as the primary standard for establishing and testing truth claims. Uncertifiable subjective claims or opinions are considered inadmissible testimony. Even the testimony of one witness is insufficient; it must be corroborated by two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). The message’s trustworthiness aligns with the reliability of the events themselves. In the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments are called “the Testimony,” revealing God’s legislation and expectations for Israel. Consider the created order—it bears witness to God’s glory (Psalm 8:1-4; 19:1-6). And the Ark and Tabernacle, they were referred to as “the Ark of the Testimony” and “the Tabernacle/tent of the Testimony,” signifying God’s self-witness to His people (Exodus 25:22; Numbers 10:11). Now consider the term “witness.” A witness is someone who has seen, heard, and experienced an event. As Christians, we are called to be witnesses for Christ, presenting a testimony about the truth we have encountered. That’s right—encountered, experientially, personally, as any Christian can attest. The witness role involves sharing what we have personally observed and experienced. It goes beyond mere factual reporting; it carries the weight of personal encounter and conviction. What is the difference between the terms then? Testimony emphasizes the objective, certifiable, and historical reliability of events. Witness involves the subjective, personal, and experiential aspect of sharing what we have seen and heard. So, while related, they serve distinct purposes: testimony establishes truth claims, while witness conveys personal encounters. Distinct purposes, yet they complement each other, with “testimony” relying on the credibility and accuracy of “witness.” And so it is that “testimony” and “witness” intertwine in Scripture; each brings distinct insights to understanding God’s Revelation and our role in it and with respect to Him. And in this context, “testimony” is all about that Revelation, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, who He is, His identity. God has given us that Testimony in Scripture, and we hear the plenteous witnesses to that Testimony starting in Genesis through Revelation. And we of ourselves, as Christians, bring our own witness to that remarkable Testimony.
[96] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye] might be saved–G4982 [He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is aorist, passive, subjunctive. The aorist tense here refers to a past action that is completed, without specifying its duration. In this context, it emphasizes the result or outcome of the action. Jesus uses this tense to highlight the ultimate purpose of His words (Salvation=the endpoint of the action). The passive voice indicates that the subject (in this case, the listeners) receives the action (Salvation) rather than performing it. In other words, the focus is on what happens to them, rather than what they actively do. Jesus wants His audience to understand that their Salvation is not something they achieve on their own; it is a gift received. The subjunctive mood expresses possibility, desire, or contingency. In this instance, it conveys the idea of potential Salvation. Jesus is presenting the possibility of Salvation to His listeners, urging them to respond. Jesus is addressing the Pharisees, emphasizing that His testimony doesn’t rely solely on human approval—He mentions this so that they may ultimately be saved, seeing that the aorist, passive, subjunctive highlights the completed outcome of Salvation, which depends on their response to His message (He isolates this contingency via the subjunctive mood). So, Jesus uses this grammatical construction to convey that Salvation is available to them, but it requires their acceptance and response. The aorist tense underscores the decisive nature of this possibility, while the passive voice emphasizes their role as recipients of God’s grace.
[97] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye] were willing–G2309 [for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is aorist, active, indicative. The aorist tense, which conveys an action that occurred at a specific point in the past without specifying its duration, here refers to a past willingness or openness on the listerners’ part. The active voice indicates that the subject (the listeners/Pharisees) performed the action. They actively expressed their willingness. The indicative mood is the mood of reality or fact. It states what actually happened. The listeners’ willingness is presented as a historical reality. Jesus is engaged in a dialogue if you will with the Jewish religious leaders (Pharisees for the most part) here and is defending His authority and claim to be the Son of God. As the Pharisees question Him, Jesus responds by presenting various testimonies that outline His identity—He refers to John’s testimony here (it is understood that the witnesses are the Father Himself, Jesus’ mighty works, and Scripture). Our verb points out the listeners’ initial openness to John’s testimony about Messiah—precisely Jesus. Let us recall that John clearly and unambiguously pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29). But this willingness was temporary (“for a season”). So the upshot is that Jesus is pointing out the importance of receptive hearts and openness to God’s messengers on the one hand but warns here against temporary enthusiasm that fades over time (“stony ground” Matthew 13:20-21). The listeners’ willingness to accept John’s message (essentially testimony about Messiah) should have led them to recognize Jesus as the Messiah as a fixed, not temporary, reality in their heads. So, our verb emphasizes the historical reality of the listeners’ initial openness to John’s ministry, which points to Jesus as the true Burning and Shining Light who reveals, nay, is, very God.
[98] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a] season–G5610 [to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] John’s message resonated with the people because it called for repentance and particularly because it pointed to the coming Messiah. Nevertheless, as circumstances changed—especially when Jesus began His ministry—the listeners’ willingness waned. The listeners probably had misplaced expectations about the Messiah to begin with, and “telescoped” John’s preaching to something that just wasn’t meant. When Jesus didn’t fit those expectations (e.g., not talking up or actually leading a political revolution), some may have become disillusioned. Their initial joy turned into doubt or disappointment. Then there is the influence of the religious leaders, who played a significant role in shaping public opinion. As they opposed Jesus, their hostile sentiment toward Jesus likely affected how people perceived Him. And of course, John’s message included a call to repentance and righteousness; when faced with the reality of actual personal change, some listeners no doubt hesitated. That sort of thing continued and continues to the day. And, not least, over time, hearts can become hardened due to repeated exposure to truth without genuine response. The listeners’ initial joy might have faded as they persistently resisted the Spirit in the LogoS’ conviction. Maybe too their initial rejoicing was just flat out superficial. True discipleship requires a deep commitment and ongoing relationship with God. Without that depth, enthusiasm wanes fast. The listeners’ falling away from John’s message serves as a reminder to count the cost from the get-go and seek lasting Christian transformation, not merely temporary, feel-good excitement.
[99] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season] to rejoice—G21 [in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is aorist, passive deponent, infinitive. The aorist underscores the transience in their initial faith and attendant joy (a snapshot of past willingness and joy is conveyed). As said before, deponent verbs appear passive but are active in meaning—they were actively willing to receive John’s message, and the infinitive is essentially a deponent that behaves like an infinitive (adverbial here, modifying “were willing”).
[100] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the] works–G2041 [which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] These works encompass Jesus’ entire Messianic mission and serve as witnesses to the Testimony about Jesus (His identity, who He is). Generally, they include fulfilling the Law, the prophecies about Him, proclaiming the good news of the Gospel, and bringing in the Kingdom of God (every last unsaved soul). Jesus considers these works as His very sustenance (will of God=divine mandate), which He must complete (John 4:34). He speaks of them as already finished (John 17:4). More specifically, they include Jesus’ mighty miracles and authoritative teachings.
[101] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father] hath given—G1325 [me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is aorist, active, indicative. Again, with the aorist tense we have an action that occurred at a specific point in the past, without specifying its duration. It focuses on the result or outcome of the action rather than its ongoing process. In this context, it refers to a past action of God the Father giving Jesus a specific task to accomplish. The active voice indicates that the subject (in this case, God the Father) performed the action. He actively gave Jesus the works to finish. And the indicative mood is the mood of reality or fact, stating what actually happened. God the Father really gave Jesus sundry works to finish. The “Dove’s-eye” view has Jesus providing evidence to support His claims to be the Son of God. He mentions John the Baptist as one of the witnesses to His identity. He then points to His own works (bespeaks His Messianic mission) as a greater Witness. He says that the works that He is doing are the ones that God the Father has given Him to finish. The accomplishment of these (humanly undoable) works by Jesus testify that God the Father sent Him and that He is equal with the Father (He is identically God).
[102] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to] finish–G5048, [the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is aorist, active, subjunctive. Why the subjunctive mood here? In this context, the aorist refers to the works (spelled out by Jesus’ Messianic mission) to be finished—a definitive action (assignment to finish the works) in the past. The active voice indicates that the subject (Jesus) performs the action. He actively is to finish the works that God the Father gave Him. The subjunctive mood expresses possibility, desire, or contingency. In this context, it conveys the idea of potential completion. At the moment of utterance, Jesus is presenting the possibility of finishing the works that God the Father gave Him to finish; finishing the works depends on His obedience and faithfulness to the assignment ( to the Father’s will). Yet, as pointed out by John 17:4, Jesus speaks as though these works are already finished. How can “finish” here relate possibility, and yet be understood as finished per John 17:4? Can it be both? Speaking as the incarnate Jesus, it must needs be that the works are not finished, in fact at the time of the utterance Jesus had not yet gone to the Cross and subsequently been resurrected from the dead—each a crucial element of His Messianic mission foreshadowed (testified to) again and again by the Scriptures. But Jesus is the Son of God, He is equal with the Father, He is deity—that is probably the central theme of this chapter. As such, He necessarily also speaks with the certainty of divine foreknowledge—He knows the works are as good as done. But does the latter lessen the value of Jesus’ faithfulness and obedience to the Father’s will as concerns His Messianic mission and finishing these works? It is a question of the tension between the divinity and humanity of Jesus. Jesus in His person eases that tension; He bridges these dimensions (human, divine). That is what it means (a definition) to be the God-Man. Of necessity, He must bridge those dimensions, they are bridged, they meld (hypostatic union) in His person. One dimension does not somehow “outweigh” the other, they are completely and perfectly melded into one “God-Man fabric,” homogeneous, isotropic, monolithic, uniform. He Jesus is literally the God-Man “through and through.” Therefore, Jesus’ faithfulness and obedience to the Father’s will is not lessened because His nature is God-Man. Jesus was truly tempted as a human, but His God-Man nature ensured that He never sinned. His God-Man nature allowed Him to be our perfect Savior, bridging the gap between God and humanity. So, that is how one must understand Jesus’ nature—not one dimension or the other but one dimension and the other, holistic, pure, understood as one God-Man dimension. His nature is God-Man. Son of God and Son of Man. (Jesus as the God-Man embodies God’s intention for our Salvation. Through faith in Him, we are reconciled to the Father, receive eternal life, and participate in His God-Man nature–imagine that [cf. Romans 8:15-17].) So, the use of the aorist, active, subjunctive here emphasizes the historical reality and potential completion of the works that God the Father gave Jesus to finish, which completed works prove His authority, and identity as the Son of God, which proof thereof is a main thrust in His “dialogue” with the religious leaders.
[103] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I] do–G4160 [bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.] verbal usage is present, active, indicative. The present tense indicates that Jesus is doing in an ongoing sense the works of His Messianic mission. The active voice indicates that He is actively doing this, and we have a statement of fact via the indicative. Again, in John 17:4, Jesus speaks as though these works are already completed. As said, speaking as the incarnate Jesus, it must needs be that the works are ongoing (present tense), but Jesus is the Son of God, He is equal with the Father, He is deity, and as such, He necessarily also speaks with the decided certainty of divine foreknowledge—He knows for sure that the works are as good as done. This does not lessen the value of Jesus’ faithfulness and obedience to the Father’s will as concerns His Messianic mission (works) as explained in the previous note.
[104] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do,] bear witness–G3140 [of me, that the Father hath sent me.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. In this context, the present tense implies that the works of Jesus are still bearing witness of Him, even after He has performed them. The active voice indicates that the subject (in this case, the works) performs the action (bearing witness). These works of Jesus actively testify of His identity and authority. They actually, really, bear witness of Him per the indicative mood. Again, the setting has Jesus providing evidence to support His claims to be the Son of God, and by so doing is providing insights into His ministry and person and of course deity. So, the use of the present, active, indicative here emphasizes the continuing and powerful Witness of the works of Jesus. (They are not mere historical events but living proofs of His divine Sonship and mission.) They invite us to believe in this divine Worker and receive eternal life (“A Letter of Invitation”).
[105] [Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than (that) of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father] hath sent–G649 [me.] Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative. Note the perfect tense. The perfect tense in Greek indicates a completed action with a present result (relevance). Here, Jesus uses the perfect tense to emphasize that He was sent by the Father in the past (completed action) and that He remains (true to being) “the Sent One” in the present. This implies that this Sent One is amongst us, ministering. He is ministering amongst us (there is yet the work of In Gathering going on, and then a final chapter entitled “The Last Trumpet” must be played out).
[106] [And the Father himself, which hath sent me], hath borne witness–G3140 [of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.] Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative. Notice the perfect. This means that the Father’s Witness about Jesus is a completed action with a present result, that the Father is the subject and the agent of the action (witnessing), and that the statement is factual and objective. The perfect tense implies that the Father’s Witness is not only a past event, but also a present reality. The Father has testified about (described, made identifiable, indeed identified) Jesus in the past through the Scriptures, the prophets, and then with His own voice at Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration (Jesus’ baptism: Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:29-34, Jesus’ transfiguration: Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36, 2 Peter 1:16-18), and He witnesses about Him in the present through the works and words of Jesus that He wrote about (heads-up) in Scripture. The active voice is significant, it indicates that the Father is the one who actively and personally witnesses about Jesus. He the Father is not a passive or impersonal witness, but a living and involved one. He has a direct and intimate relationship with His Son (the perfect Witness therefore), and He wants people to know (by way of His Testimony) and honor Him (the validation of His Witness). Again, the indicative mood expresses the certainty and reality of the Father’s Witness. It is not a hypothetical or conditional statement, but a factual and objective one. He has spoken and revealed Himself through His God-Man Son, and He expects people to listen to and obey Jesus as though they were listening to and obeying Him.
[107] [And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither] heard–G191 [his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.] Verbal usage is second perfect, active, indicative. The second perfect tense functions much like the perfect tense proper, here it implies that these particular people have not heard the voice of God at any point in their history (because they interpreted and dare we say tampered somewhat with Scripture to suit their legalism and Tradition, thus they cannot hear God speak, no way). The active voice tells us that the people are responsible for their own action of not hearing—it’s on them, consequential to their jockeying with Scripture—they actively cannot hear God’s voice. The indicative mood expresses the certainty and reality of this people’s failure (inability) to hear. It is not a hypothetical or conditional statement, but factual, reality. And this people’s lack of hearing is not a function of God’s unwillingness to speak to them, but of their own hardness of heart and head in the way of serving their own interests (cf. Isaiah 6:10, John 3:19-20).
[108] [And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor] seen–G3708 [his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.] Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative. This means that the action of (not) seeing was completed in the past (by their kin in spirit), but has a present result or state (!), that the subject (ye, a brood of vipers) is the agent of the action, and that the statement is factual and objective. The perfect tense implies that these particular people have not seen the form of God (a right vision of Him) at any point; they have not heard Him, have not seen Him, nor perceived anything about His essence, thus remaining in a state of total ignorance and attendant unbelief—they know nothing of God is the point Jesus makes to them (hear not, see not, necessarily know not, i.e., not “see” Him in their midst). They have not perceived the revelation of God through the Scriptures, the prophets, and now the Son (whom they tangibly hear and see no less but cannot connect to God because God they know not, they just think they know Him), God testified about Jesus (very clearly identified, so that even a child could perceive) to them in the past and continues to do so in the present (John the Baptist), but the people do not believe His witness because they were chronically deaf, dumb, and blind as to God from the beginning (particularly after the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, fifth-century BC thereabouts, and going forward, faith was qualified by a decidedly self-righteous metric/Tradition—Jesus is addressing that slide and its consequences right here). The active voice indicates that the people are responsible for their own action of not seeing. Again, they have not been prevented from seeing, they actively rejected a right vision of God per their self-serving bent with regard to Scripture. They chose to close their eyes and hearts to the Truth in lieu of their own truth/s is the point of emphasis. And the indicative mood expresses the certainty and reality of this people’s failure to see. It is not a hypothetical or conditional statement, but factual, objective reality. The people’s lack of seeing is on them, on their own hardness of heart consequential to their self-serving religious ideas and interests.
[109] [And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye] have-G2192 [not his word] abiding–G3306 [in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.] Have, abiding, are present, active, indicative, and present, active, participle, respectively. The verb “have” being in the present tense indicates an ongoing action. The voice is active, meaning the subject (the religious leaders) performs the action. The indicative mood signifies a statement of fact or reality. Since Jesus is addressing the religious leaders, He points out that they currently lack something quite essential—that which they prided themselves in “curating,” even God’s sacred Word. The present, participle “abiding” describes an ongoing action or state, it complements the ongoing nature of “have.” In this context, it refers to the continuous presence or dwelling of God’s Word within a person—it is in the negative, the religious leaders do not have God’s Word actively residing in them. The upshot is that Jesus accuses the religious leaders of rejecting Him despite having access to God’s Word, i.e., Testimony concerning Him. They possess the Scriptures but fail to internalize its truth. Their unbelief demonstrates that God’s Word does not permanently reside in their hearts. If it did, they would have recognized (that is the key word—that is where the problem lies) Jesus as the One sent by God, for God’s Word (Testimony) centers on Jesus.
[110] [And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.] Search–G2045 [the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. This means that Jesus is describing what the Jews are doing or what they think they are doing. He is not commanding them to search the Scriptures (imperative mood), but rather exposing their false assumption. He is implying that their search is not genuine or fruitful, because they are missing the very One who gives eternal life and whom the Scriptures testify about (identify). The present tense shows that this manner of search is a continuous or repeated action with them, but not a successful or complete one. The voice is active, indicating that the subject (ye) is performing the action of searching the Scriptures. The mood is indicative, indicating that the statement is a fact or a reality. The mood is indicative and not imperative here because Jesus is not commanding the Jews to search the Scriptures, but rather describing what they are doing or what they think they are doing. He is exposing their false assumption that by searching the Scriptures they have eternal life, while in fact they are missing the very one who gives eternal life and whom the Scriptures testify about to do so. Jesus is contrasting their diligent study of the Scriptures with their rejection of Him. It is good that they “search” the Scriptures, but it is futility because they are missing Him in that searching. And why? They diligently searched for their own religious interests in Scripture. ‘…Gonna make Scripture say what I want it to say…’
[111] [And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which] testify—G3140 [of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.] Verbal usage is present, active, participle. The present married to the participle emphasizes ongoing action (from the time they were written going forward), ongoing action in the extreme. And the voice is active—the Scriptures actively testify about Jesus (one need but start reading in the Spirit). They identify for subsequent proving. They give proof and are food for proof.
[112] [And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not- come–G2064 [to me, that ye might have life.] Verbal usage is second aorist, active, infinitive. Jesus is addressing the religious leaders who have been rejecting Him despite the evidence presented. Here He tells them, “…Yet you refuse to come to Me to have life…” He is deliberately and redundantly pointing out their unwillingness to accept Him as the source of eternal life (a tragic loss, Jesus by way of redundancy and directness is trying to avert this, but they will not have it any other way but theirs—this is the typical pattern to the day). As said before, the aorist tense typically denotes a simple, nonrepeating sort of “snapshot” of some action in the past. The second aorist behaves similarly to the aorist proper in terms of tense and action (it has irregular stems and endings; they can differ in aspect—time-related characteristics of an action, event, or state). Both express past actions without specifying duration or ongoingness. And the active voice here shows them actively not coming to Jesus. The infinitive is functioning as a verbal noun, expressing intention or purpose. The takeaway is that in Greek it expresses the action of the verb in a more abstract or general sense. Unlike finite verb forms (such as conjugated verbs), infinitives lack tense, person, and number. They often indicate the purpose, goal, or the intention behind an action. When used in this way, it answers the question “Why?” or “For what purpose?” In this context Jesus says, “…Yet you refuse to come to Me to have life…” The infinitive verb utilized means “to come” or “to approach.” The purpose or intention behind their coming (or lack thereof) is to receive eternal life. By way of the infinitive, Jesus is communicating that the religious leaders’ refusal to come to Him is not merely a physical act, it is deeper, more profound. It reflects their mindset, indeed their spiritual posture with respect to Him—deliberately choosing not to accept Him as the Source of Life. So, the infinitive highlights their purposeful rejection, and underscores the deeper significance of their decision not to come to Jesus for eternal life (they disdain, mock His claim to be the Source of Eternal Life, they have their own ideas about God).
[113] [And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye] might have–G2192 [life.] Verbal usage is present, active, subjunctive. The present tense relates the ongoing nature of (having) eternal life. The voice is active, (the subject, ye, might have), and the mood is subjunctive, emphasizing the contingency centered on Jesus—ye must come to Jesus to have this blessedness bestowed. The contingency is a not-so-subtle claim to deity communicated by the subjunctive mood.
[114] [I] receive–G2983 [not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. It is a statement of fact, Jesus actively receives not the sort of “honor” bandied about and cherished by humans. The present tense indicates that He never has nor ever will—this statement of fact is ongoing.
[115] [I receive not] honour–G1391 [from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Jesus is referring to the “atta boy” and “wow aren’t you something” recognition and approval that folks seek from each other, especially the religious leaders who were exceedingly proud of their status and reputation. It is superficial, worldly honor Jesus is referring to. Against the general context, He is implying that their desire for this worldly honor was a hindrance to their faith in Him, because they were not willing to humble themselves and acknowledge Him as the Messiah (too proud and sure of their rabbinic Judaism—which they exceedingly honored and studiously serviced).
[116] [I receive not honour from men. But I] know–G1097 [you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] “…I know you…” ought to frighten all of us. Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative—catch the perfect tense here. It is indicating that the action is completed with lasting results (relevance), the voice is active, indicating that the subject (I, Jesus) is performing the action of “knowing,” and the mood is indicative, indicating that the statement is a fact, a reality. In context, Jesus is telling these listeners that He knows their true condition and motives (ouch). He knows that they do not have the love of God in themselves (which prevents them from accepting Him as the Messiah, for God is One in Love, i.e., that Trinitarian love is missing here). Please notice—Jesus’ knowledge of their shortcomings is relative to and based on His personal experience and acquaintance with the Father—the contrast is stark in His estimation which starkness is exuding from the text through His words. Jesus has a perfect and complete knowledge of God and His will, which the Jews lack—this lacking is the point He is making to them. Their proud religious system leaves them quite ignorant of God, thus they cannot love God, no way. The perfect tense also implies that His knowledge (of them) is not a recent discovery, but a permanent and unchanging reality. He has always known them, and He always will. To their woe, His knowledge is also authoritative and decisive, as He is the judge of all, even them (John 5:22). The verb utilized here, GINOSKO, differs from OIDA in that it often implies a process of learning or coming to know, whereas OIDA denotes a state of knowing or having seen. These verbs can be and are used interchangeably sometimes, and so Jesus could have used either verb to express His knowledge of these religious leaders, but He likely chose GINOSKO to emphasize His personal and experiential knowledge of them, as opposed to a mere observation or inference.
[117] [I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye] have–G2192 [not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] It is the same as we had before, it is cast as a present, active, indicative verb. They have not the love of God in them presently nor will they have it going forward is the sad indictment from the One who “knows” it is so. Catch the redundancy enfolded into this verb by way of the present tense. The voice is active, it is unmistakably they who have not this love of God in them, and the mood is indicative, a chilling reality here.
[118] [I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the] love of God [in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] The “love of God” is the affection and devotion that a person has for God, as well as the obedience and submission that a person shows to God’s will. It is the first and greatest commandment that God gave to His people (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37). It is also the mark of a true believer in Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 7:9, John 14:12-15, Galatians 2:20, 1John 4:20-21, 5:3). Loving God involves not only heartfelt affection but also a commitment to follow His commands. Obedience to Christ’s teachings is a primary sign of our love for Him. So, Jesus here tells the Jews that they do not have the love of God in themselves, meaning that they do not truly love God or genuinely seek His glory. They are more concerned about receiving human honor and following their own traditions than about honoring God and following His Word. They have the Scriptures, which testify about Jesus, but they fail to recognize Him as the Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s promises. They reject Him and His authority, even though He came from the Father and did the Father’s works. They do not have the love of God in themselves, because they do not have faith in Jesus, who is the manifestation of God’s love (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:4-5, 1John 4:9).
[119] [I] am come–G2064 [in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Verbal usage is second perfect, active, indicative. This means that the action is completed with lasting results. The voice is active, indicating that the subject (I, Jesus) is performing the action (coming to this earth in His Father’s Name). The mood is indicative, indicating that the statement is a fact or a reality (He in fact came). In context, Jesus is telling these religious leaders that He has come in His Father’s Name, meaning that He has come as the representative and messenger of the Father, an ambassador of sorts, precisely doing the Father’s will, and revealing His glory. His coming to earth is a completed action with lasting results by way of what He did when He came—He fulfilled the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament and brought Salvation and Judgment to the world. The verbal tense here implies that Jesus’ coming is not a recent or temporary event, but a permanent and unchanging reality. Here is a subtle twist we introduce now, the second perfect tense can also relate specificity by indicating a specific moment of completion or arrival of an action, rather than a general or undefined action. In our verse Jesus says “…I have come in my Father’s name…” using the second perfect verb hEKO. This implies that His coming is not a vague or ongoing event, but a specific and decisive one–a definite, specific moment of arrival/coming is related. He came at a precise, specific (preordained) moment as the representative and messenger of the Father, with His authority and approval, fulfilling the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament, all of which has lasting results.
[120] [I am come in my Father’s] name [and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] God’s Name stands for His person, character, holiness, and other blessed attributes. It stands in place of His nature, His actions, even His relationship with His people. In Exodus 3:14 God Himself says this about His Name “…I AM who I AM…”, relating His eternal and self-existent nature, even His sovereignty and faithfulness. He is the great I AM (YHWH in the consonantal Hebrew). It is understood that to act in someone’s name is to act for their benefit and credit, not for one’s own. Legally, more mundanely, it implies that the person who acts in someone else’s name has been given a power of attorney or a similar authorization to perform certain actions on their behalf. In general, it implies that the person who acts in someone else’s name has a very close relationship and certainly a great confidence with the one whose name they use. In our verse, Jesus says that He has come in His Father’s Name, meaning that He, as the Son of God, has come doing singularly the Father’s will, and revealing His glory. He goes on to contrast His role with that of another who will come in his own name, implying a false messiah or an antiChrist. See also.
[121] [I am come in my Father’s name, and ye] receive–G2983 [me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. We have ongoing action in the ever present now (not receiving, never receiving), actively by the subject “ye,” for certain. So, the present tense shows that their rejection of Jesus is a continuous or repeated action—they are decidedly rejecting Him. The active voice shows that they are responsible for their own decision, not coerced by anyone else. The indicative mood shows that Jesus is stating a fact, reality, truth, He is not expressing a contingency or likelihood or possibility.
[122] [I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another] shall come–G2064 [in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Verbal usage is second aorist, active, subjunctive. In this instance, the second aorist tense signifies a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action. The active voice indicates that the subject, the religious leaders, performs the action, and the subjunctive mood reflects the if-then contingency, if another comes in his name, you willingly receive him, and we have a straightforward statement of fact via the indicative.
[123] [I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye] will receive–G2983. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Verbal usage is future, middle Deponent, indicative. This means that the action is to be realized in the future, the middle deponent tells us that the receiving action is performed by the subject (the religious leaders) upon themselves, and we have a straightforward statement of fact via the indicative mood. The religious leaders’ refusal to receive Jesus despite Testimony and Witness, contrasts with their willingness to accept false teachers who come in their own name (inadmissible testimony, lying witness).
[124] [I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye] believe–G4100, [which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Verbal usage is aorist, active, infinitive. The aorist tense is used to express simple, undefined action without specifying the duration or repetition; it often refers to a “snapshot” of an event. In this case, the aorist emphasizes the immediate act of believing without delving into the ongoing process or duration. The active voice indicates that the subject (“ye”) performs the action. The active voice highlights the responsibility of the believer in the act of faith. The infinitive mood expresses purpose, intention, or result. In this context, the infinitive “to believe” serves as an infinitival clause that explains the purpose or condition. The question posed is essentially: “How can you believe?” Stepping back a bit, Jesus in effect says here ‘…How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God…’ He challenges these people’s (people per se) faith by pointing to their misplaced priorities. They seek honor and approval from fellow humans and subordinate/neglect the honor that comes from/is due God—in whom they nevertheless purport to believe. That’s a phony, no-account faith. The aorist, active, infinitive “to believe” brings to the fore their need for true faith. So, the grammar emphasizes the immediate decision to believe (via the aorist), and the listeners need to prioritize seeking God’s glory over human accolades in evidence of true faith (via the infinitive).
[125] [I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which] receive–G2983 [honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Verbal usage is present, active, participle. This verb is in the present tense, which denotes ongoing or continuous action. Here, it highlights the habitual behavior of accepting glory from others. And the verb is in the active voice, indicating that the subject (“ye,” the people addressed by Jesus) performs the action. They actively receive glory from one another. Participles can, and often do, function as adjectives, and describe the state or condition of the subject. Here, it emphasizes the ongoing nature of their behavior, complementing the same conveyed by the present tense.
[126] [I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and] seek–G2212 [not the honour that (cometh) from God only?] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. As said Jesus is challenging this people’s faith by pointing out their tendency to prioritize human approval and honor over seeking the glory that comes from God. The present, active, indicative “seek” underscores their continuous pattern of behavior of misplaced priority. It is left unsaid but understood that they must redirect their focus toward God’s glory first and foremost and singularly—as does Jesus so seek God’s glory, thus approved and sent by Him to teach this lesson and myriad others we humans need to learn.
[127] [I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that (cometh) from God] only–G3441 Only, solely. The honor that comes from God is contingent on following Jesus and serving Him (John 12:26). It comes from the Father. If that—the Father’s—honor usward is not singularly the honor we seek, e.g., if the praise of men, status, wealth, etc. are more important in one’s estimation, it speaks to the lack of the love of God in us; it is disrespect, a slight to Him; it says that our belief in Him is really not genuine. In this context Jesus is emphasizing how this-worldly glory-mongering betrays unbelief, because it is a relegation of the One who sent Jesus (the Father), who is to be believed in (John 5:24), to a less or unimportant level.
[128] [Do not] think–G1380 [that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] Verbal usage is present, active, imperative. The present tense indicates continuous or habitual action. It shows that the people are bent on thinking something. Sort of like “to have an opinion or a judgment of something.” The active voice indicates that the subject (the people addressed by Jesus) performs the action—actively thinking or supposing something. The imperative mood is a direct address command; it expresses a command, request, or exhortation. It shows that Jesus is commanding or exhorting the people not to think or suppose something. In the course of this, He is pointing out a (their) misunderstanding. They think or suppose that Jesus will accuse them before the Father, but He will not. He is not their Judge, but their Savior. He is not their Accuser, but their Advocate. Their real accuser is Moses, the lawgiver, whom they trusted and followed (works of the Law). Jesus points out that Moses wrote about Him, and that by rejecting Him, they also rejected Moses and of course the Law (they understood the argument but did not believe it). Therefore, it is Moses, i.e., the Law, which they/nobody can keep (Romans 3:23) that will accuse them. Accuse them of what? Of unbelief in Jesus, and in keeping with the argument, disobedience/Law breaking, which is Sin; and the wages of Sin is death (Romans 6:23). So, the present, active, imperative “think” comes together to underscore the urgency and seriousness of Jesus’ command. He wants this people to stop thinking or supposing that He will accuse them, and to start believing and following precisely Him unto eternal life (He is the fulfillment of the Law after all—they understood that Law | Life argument per se too but did not believe it happened through Jesus). He wants them to realize that He is the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Prophet, who came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, and to save humankind from a sure eternal death without Him. Question: Why would the Jews here addressed be bent on thinking that Jesus would accuse them with any measure of weight behind that accusation if they thought He was just a mere imposter? Why care? Why think that way? For starters, they denied that Jesus was the Messiah because they had a different expectation of what the Messiah would do and be. They were looking for a political and military leader who would liberate them from the Roman yoke and restore the glory of Israel. They did not recognize that Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies of the humble and lowly suffering servant (Isaiah 53:1ff) who would die for the sins of the people and bring Salvation (life eternal in the presence of very God). Nevertheless, even though they rejected Jesus as the Messiah, they still believed in God as the Father and the Creator of all things. They also believed that the Messiah would have a special relationship with God and would be His representative on earth. They knew and believed that the Scriptures testified of the Messiah and that Moses was a type of the Messiah. Therefore, when Jesus said that he would not accuse them before the Father, but that Moses would, he was appealing to their own beliefs and expectations. And more, He was challenging them to examine the Scriptures more carefully and to see that they pointed to Him as the Son of God and the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. But He was also warning them, warning that if they rejected Him, they would face the judgment of God, who sent Him, and who bore witness to Him (the curse of the Law remaining on them because human efforts to satisfy the Law are a flop). And moreover, the Jews thought that Jesus would accuse them before the Father because they no doubt had a sense of guilt and fear in their hearts. They flat out knew that they had disobeyed God and broken his commandments (the “flop” mentioned). They also realized, even if somewhat in denial, that Jesus had performed many signs and wonders (John 3:1-2) that proved his divine origin and authority. They were afraid that Jesus would expose their hypocrisy and unbelief (not just before man) and condemn them before God. Given the ignorance and hard hearts and heads, they did not realize that Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to save the world (John 3:17). They did not realize that Jesus loved them and wanted them to repent and believe in Him and have Life. They did not realize, nor could they given their state of unbelief, that Jesus was the only way to the Father, and the (even their/ours) only hope for eternal life (John 14:6).
[129] [Do not think that I] will accuse–G2723 [you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] Verbal usage is future, active, indicative. The future tense indicates action that will take place in the future. In this case, it refers to the future judgment of God, when the Father will judge the world by the Son (John 5:22). The verb is in the active voice, indicating that the subject (Jesus) performs the action, which is cast in the negative ([not] accuse). And the indicative mood expresses reality or fact. Jesus will in fact not accuse them before the Father. So, Jesus is telling the Jewish religious leaders that He will not be their accuser before the Father, but rather Moses, the lawgiver, whom they trusted and followed (works of the Law). Jesus says that Moses’ writings testified about Him, and that by rejecting Him, they also rejected Moses and of course, the Law. Therefore, Moses, representing the Law, will accuse them of all, of every last whit of their Law breaking (they and others who reject Jesus is the horror here related).
[130] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that] accuseth–G2723 [you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] Verbal usage is present, active, participle. The present tense relates the habitual/ongoing behavior of accusing here. The active voice indicates that the subject (Moses, i.e,, the Law) performs the action. Moses actively accuses them. The participle mood expresses the state or condition of the subject. In this context, the participle “accuseth” serves as an attributive adjective that modifies the subject Moses. The text under consideration literally says: “…There is one, the accusing one, Moses…” Stepping back a bit, we hear Jesus say ‘…But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses [the Law], on whom your hopes [satisfying, through works, i.e., personal effort] are set…’ Jesus is implying that He does not wish to accuse them, but rather to save them, if they would only receive Him as their Messiah. He is also showing them that their trust in Moses is misplaced, since Moses himself testified about Jesus.
[131] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even)] Moses–G3475, [in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] See also. In this setting Moses’ significance is vis-à-vis the Law, he mediated the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. Jesus is the Centerpiece of Scripture, and Moses wrote about and foreshadowed the coming of Messiah Jesus.
[132] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye] trust–G1679 [For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] Verbal usage is perfect, active, indicative. The perfect tense indicates completed action with present results. It often expresses the idea of “having” something now because of a (completed) past action. In this instance, it shows us that the people have put their hope and trust in Moses, i.e., leveraging their past actions of following the Law. The active voice indicates that the subject (the people addressed by Jesus) performs the action. They have actively hoped and trusted in Moses (”fulfilling” every jot and tittle of the Law through personal effort). The indicative mood expresses reality or fact. Here, it relates the fact that they have in fact hoped in Moses (Law-keeping, self-righteousness). So, the perfect, active, indicative “trust” here underscores the irony of their situation, and the contrast between their past and present: They have hoped in Moses (in their own Law-keeping works, i.e., “goodness,” their own merit), but Moses (their fleshly efforts to fulfill God’s Law) will not save them; their | our fleshly efforts fall way short, they | we need a Savior. They have hoped in Moses, they have not hoped in Jesus, but only Jesus, the Savior, can save them—by His great, finished Work at Calvary (John 19:28-30).
[133] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For] had ye believed–G4100 [Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] Verbal usage is imperfect, active, indicative. The imperfect tense relates repeated, ongoing action; in this sense it can relate incomplete action. This tense in the sense of ongoing/repeated action is consistent with the broader context of this chapter, where Jesus repeatedly accuses the Jews of not believing Him or His works, despite the evidence of Moses and the Scriptures. It reinforces the idea that they were persistently rejecting Jesus, even though they claimed to be following Moses. The subject “ye” is actively performing the action (not believing Moses), and we have a statement of fact via the indicative. This unbelief (of Moses) that Jesus is here referring to is along these lines. They (Jewish religious leaders, Pharisees, Jesus’ antagonists) did not follow the Law that Moses gave them, but rather added their own traditions and interpretations that violated the spirit of the Law. For example, as we saw earlier, they accused Jesus of breaking the sabbath by healing a handicapped man, when the Law actually allowed acts of mercy and necessity on the Sabbath (Exodus 35:2—even though this verse emphasizes the sabbath as a day of rest, it does not explicitly prohibit acts of mercy or necessity—God did not “forget” to prohibit them by the way, He purposely left them out of the text; Exodus 23:10-11—this passage allows for acts of mercy by allowing the poor to gather food from the unplowed fields during the sabbath year; Leviticus 25:1-7 is similar to Exodus 23:10-11, it outlines the sabbath year and the release of debts. It allows for acts of mercy toward those in need; cf. John 5:10-18). And most importantly, they did not believe the writings of Moses which testified about Jesus as the Messiah and the Prophet. For example, they rejected Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God, when Moses wrote that God would raise up a Prophet like him from among the Israelites, and that whoever did not listen to him would be cut off from the people ( Deuteronomy 18:15-19, cf. John 5:19-47). Therefore, the Jews were not believing Moses, but rather trusting in their own righteousness and works. They were not sincere or faithful to the Law or the Scriptures, but rather self-willed, hypocritical, and blind. And for sure they missed the point of the Law, which was to lead them to Christ (Messiah), who is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-18, John 5:39-40; Romans 10:4).
[134] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye] would have believed–G4100 [me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] Verbal usage is imperfect, active, indicative. Again the sense of the imperfect is ongoingness and continuity, no different than just before. “Ye” the subject is doing the action (would be believing), and we have a statement of fact via the indicative. The people’s belief in Jesus is contingent on their belief in Moses’ writings (about Jesus). Here Jesus challenges the people’s faith by pointing out their inconsistency. They claim to follow Moses and the Law, but they do not recognize Jesus as the one whom Moses wrote about. How can they be following/obeying the Law if they miss Jesus in the Law is the point—it’s a sham what they do and say. So, Jesus ays that if they truly believed Moses, they would also believe Him (Jesus), since Moses testified about Jesus. They do not really believe Moses, since they reject his testimony, as evidenced by rejecting Jesus, who is the “glue” that holds Moses’ writings together. ‘If’n ya’ missin’ the glue partner, ya’ be missin’ the pieces it be holdn’ togethern’—shame on them fellers…
[135] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he] wrote–G1125 [of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] Verbal usage is aorist, active, indicative. The aorist tense here relates a simple, “snapshot” of what Moses did, Moses wrote about Jesus (it is not relating continuous action; he wrote the books he wrote, and that’s it). The voice is active, the subject (Moses) wrote about Jesus, and he in fact did so as conveyed by the indicative mood. It is not so much the writing act per se that is being highlighted by this verbal form, but rather the fact that Moses wrote about specifically Jesus.
[136] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye] believe–G4100 [not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?] Verbal usage is present, active, indicative. The present tense betrays their present state of unbelief (in Moses’ writings), which is ongoing, which bodes poorly for any change going forward. The voice is active, they (“ye”) are actively in this state of unbelief, and Jesus is making a straightforward statement of fact about them here—that is the way it is with this lot.
[137] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his] writings [how shall ye believe my words?] All the books of the Pentateuch, also known as the Torah. Genesis: Chronicles the creation of the world, early human history, the Fall of humankind, the promise of a Savior, the origins of the Israelite Covenant People, and God’s forward-looking Covenant with them. Exodus: Describes the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt, the giving of the Ten Commandments, and the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land. Leviticus: Focuses on laws, rituals, and regulations for worship, sacrifices, and holiness. Numbers: Records the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness, census data, and various events during their journey. Deuteronomy: Contains Moses’ farewell speeches, reiteration of the Law, and instructions for the Israelites before entering the Promised Land. More specifically, with respect to Jesus in these writings, we have: Adam, the first man, is a type of Christ. Just as Adam’s disobedience led to sin and death for humanity, Jesus, the “last Adam,” brings life and righteousness. Through Jesus, all can be made alive. Abel, the righteous son of Adam, was murdered by his brother Cain. Similarly, Jesus, the righteous Son of God, was crucified by his own people. Abel’s death foreshadows the sacrificial death of Jesus. Noah’s Ark, which saved humanity from the Flood, prefigures Jesus as the ultimate Savior. Just as the Ark provided safety from judgment, Jesus provides salvation from sin and eternal separation from God. The story of Moses leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt symbolizes Jesus as the Liberator. The Passover Lamb and the crossing of the Red Sea both point to Jesus’ redemptive work. The construction of Tabernacle and the sacrificial system in Exodus foreshadow Jesus’ role as the perfect High Priest and the ultimate Sacrifice for Sin. God’s covenant with David (2 Samuel 7) promises an eternal kingdom and a descendant who will rule forever. This points directly to Jesus as the Messiah from the line of David. In Isaiah 53, the Suffering Servant bears the sins of others and brings healing. This amazing and powerful prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus’ crucifixion and redemptive Work. The figure of Melchizedek in Genesis 14 serves as a type of Christ. He is both a king and a priest, just as Jesus is the ultimate King-Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Jonah, swallowed by a great fish and later released, prefigures Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus himself referred to the sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:39-41). In Numbers 21, God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent on a pole to save the Israelites from snake bites. Jesus used this symbol to explain his own sacrificial death (John 3:14-15).
[138] [Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is (one) that accuseth you, (even) Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how] shall ye believe–G4100 [my words?] Verbal usage is future, active, indicative. “Shall believe” is in the future tense, thus pointing to a future action that will (not) occur. In this context, it emphasizes the consequence of not believing Moses’ writings. It emphasizes the unfolding consequences of the listeners’ disbelief. The verb is in the active voice, indicating that the action of believing (or not believing) is done by the listeners. They are acting out their choice to not believe Moses’ writings (for reasons mentioned earlier, augmenting and interpreting Scripture to serve their religious interests blinded them to the Truth). And the verb is in the indicative mood, another statement of fact. Let’s step back a bit and be circumspect. In no small way, Jesus is isolating the harmony between the Old Testament Scriptures (esp. Moses’s writings) and His own message. He is posing a theological argument to His listeners centered on their ongoing disbelief in Moses’ writings. He refers to Moses, whose writings are central to and foundational in their tradition, and therefore by saying that they do not believe Moses’ writings, Jesus discredits and invalidates their entire tradition-based religious system—all they do is for naught. Well, not entirely, they do still have each other’s “atta boys” and “wow ain’t he something.” To tuck away and in general, Jesus here makes clear the importance of recognizing the prophetic significance of Moses’ writings as foundational for understanding and accepting His Word. And of course His Word…is Life (John 1:1-4).