25“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26“For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28“Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29and 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..
30“I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 31“If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. 32“There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. 33“You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34“But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35“He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36“But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37“And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. 38“You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. 39“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41“I do not receive glory from men; 42but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43“I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44“How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? 45“Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. 46“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47“But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Interesting Words
now
nun – of time: just now, even now; just at hand, immediately, of logical connection: now then, commands and appeals: at this instant, as the logical result of what precedes … John 12:31-32; Rom 8:1, 13:11; 1Peter 2:10;
hear
akouó – hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported, properly, to hear (listen); (figuratively) to hear God’s voice which prompts Him to birth faith within … Matt 13:13, 17, 18-19; Rev 2:17;
judgement
krisis (noun), krino (verb) – judging, judgment, decision, sentence; generally: divine judgment; accusation … John 7:24; Heb 9:27, 10:27; 2Peter 3:7;
testimony
marturia (noun), martureó (verb) -witness, evidence, testimony, reputation … John 3:11, 32-33; 1John 5:9, 10, 11-12;
Cross References
▪︎ Gen 2:17; 3:6, 12-13, 49:10;
▪︎ Deut 18:18; Isa 53:5, 6;
▪︎ Luke 16:29; John 3:21, 9:39-40, 41
▪︎ Rom 3:10-12, 13;
▪︎ 1Cor 2:14-15; 2Cor 13:1, 5;
▪︎ Eph 2:1-2, 3-4, 5-6; Col 3:5-6, 7-8
Discussion Questions
1. What does John 5:25 tell you about the people of the world today? How do you know this to be true?
▪︎ They are spiritually dead, everyone.
▪︎ Some will hear the proclamation of the Gospel. Drawn by the Holy Spirit.
▪︎ Some will understand and believe and receive life in Jesus’ name.
▪︎ This is sometimes called the effectual call.
▪︎ It’s the true voice of God calling men to Himself.
▪︎ It’s true because God predicted it in Genesis… Gen 2:17, eat of the tree and die
▪︎ It is confirmed daily in the news and everyday life.
▪︎ I have experienced His life I know it to be true.
2. What are some other characteristics that can be attributed to man today?
▪︎ All are headed toward judgement
▪︎ Jesus has testified to them through His work performed ages ago as recorded in the words of scripture.
▪︎ They have either not believed them or have not taken time to look.
▪︎ They search the OT or other so-called holy books seeking an answer but find nothing.
▪︎ If they looked intently at the OT, they would find that it speaks of Jesus.
▪︎ Some are simply refuse to come to Jesus to receive life.
▪︎ Jesus came in the name of the Father but was rejected.
▪︎ These readily receive other false teachers but not the Way, the Truth, the Life
▪︎ They would rather receive testimony from mear men rather than from God, not wanting the exposure that their deeds which were not wrought in God (John 3:21)
▪︎ They seek and receive glory from each other while rejecting God.
▪︎ Many have set their hope in Moses or some other self-achievement system.
3. Where is the real source of life? How is it transmitted to us?
▪︎ God is the real source of life. He gave it to the Son who now has life in Himself and gives to those He chooses (John 5:26-27; Col 3:4)
▪︎ It is transmitted down to man thru the one mediator, the man Jesus Christ (Titus 2:5)
▪︎ Jesus given authority to execute judgement because He is God incarnate, and understands man from the inside out
▪︎ God gave all judgement to Jesus the judgement the happens at the resurrection (either to life or death)
▪︎ His judgement to totally just being based on two witnesses (Jesus and the Father)
▪︎ The works given to Jesus by the Father are timeless and true, giving proof that Jesus came from God and brings true judgement
4. What are the consequences that man faces today and in the future?
▪︎ Contradictory testimony and confrontation about his sin.
▪︎ Pure, true, 100% accurate judgement
▪︎ Eternal separation from God and His people.
▪︎ Everyone will be resurrected, some to life and some to judgement.
▪︎ Life alone and in pain.
▪︎ They have to live with the fact that they volitionally chose their state of judgement.
▪︎ Natural consequence of not having God in their life… Curses vs. Blessings
5. How does Jesus execute judgement (John 5:30-47)?
▪︎ Based of verifiable facts,
▪︎ based on two solid witnesses (God and Jesus), who cannot lie.
▪︎ They live forever the life that they were left with… a loveless, cold, hard existence (John 5:42).
▪︎ If they have any friends (which they don’t) they are left with swindlers, greedy, perverts (John 5:43-44).
▪︎ Even Moses and the Law are the ones that accuse them (John 5:45-47).
6. What are contrary issues and condiderations in Jesus’ Judgement of the world as listed in this same section?
▪︎ Man’s testimony is no always correct
▪︎ True, steadfast testimony is from the Father and are works confirm as coming from God (John 3:21, 5:37)
▪︎ Our testimony needs to be backed up with a life that dedicated to and evidenced by the light. We have to be authenticated by good works from the hand of God.
▪︎ Our lives need to be bathed in and by the Word of God. We need to be immersed in the Word (memorize, meditate, read, study, hear), John 5:38.
▪︎ We give and receive glory with each other, sometimes with questionable supporting evidence. We need to hold each other to the highest standards so that ourr testimony is effective.
▪︎ Many times we are inconsistent, saying or hoping in one thing and then practicing something completely different. Example hoping in the Law and yet not following it when it points to Jesus (John 5:39, 46-47)
7. Why is judgement such a sensitive topic? Why is it so important to talk about?
▪︎ People interpret our statements of facts as accusations and judgemental in themselves.
▪︎ They say we are hypocrites, and we are, just forgiven hypocrites.