John 5:27-29 27And he has given authority to him to make judgment because he is the Son of Man. 28Do not marvel at this, because an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done bad to the resurrection of judgment.
Verse 27 echoes the place of Jesus as the judge of humanity. The reason he is the judge is because he has been one with us in human flesh. This point is emphasized with the title Son of Man, which recalls the Word becoming flesh (1:14). He knows our weaknesses, struggles, and temptations. The best judge knows the challenges faced by the defendant. One reason the Father has given judgment into the hands of Jesus is because Jesus has been tempted in all ways like us. He qualifies as the judge also because of his perfect obedience to the Father, making him impartial and just.
Verses 28-29 indicate that Jesus will use his place of authority as the final judge to call forth everyone from the grips of death for the final judgment. He alone has the power for the great resurrection at the end of time precisely because he qualifies as the only judge of humanity. The Father has given Jesus this position and power because Jesus is the voice of the Father to humanity. No one will be left out; all will rise to judgment.
Verse 29 gives the verdict ahead of time and serves as both an invitation and warning to the reader. Judgment will be based on what a person has done in this life. Later in 6:40, 54, Jesus indicates that this resurrection includes those who have believed in him. Doing good means more than living a good life but embracing the truth of Jesus. The New Testament has two primary teachings about judgment. On the one hand, people will be judged by what they do (Revelation 20:13). However, the second teaching is that one cannot do enough good to be considered righteous before God; salvation is by God’s grace alone and accepted by faith in Jesus. A popular belief is that if a person does enough good, he or she will make it to heaven. Jesus teaches in John’s Gospel that the core action that defines whether a person receives eternal life or condemnation is faith in him. Those who have done bad have hated God’s light shone through Jesus (3:19). The worst bad thing to do is to refuse to believe in Jesus. The verdict for this decision is already clear (3:18). The implied message in these verses is that one must choose Jesus in order to experience resurrection life.
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