Jn. 5:26. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself.
Then He adds also a rational proof of His words. "As," He says, "the Father has life in Himself, so He gave to the Son to have life in Himself," so that He might give life to those who hear His voice.
Jn. 5:27. And He gave Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
And He gave Him authority not only to give life, but also to execute judgment, that is, to punish and deliver to torments.
He frequently introduces the subject of judgment in order to draw His listeners to Himself. For whoever is convinced that he will rise again and will have to give an account to Him for his transgressions will, without a doubt, hasten to Him in order to propitiate Him as his future Judge.
"Do not marvel that He is the Son of Man." Although He is the Son of Man, He is at the same time also God. Therefore He rightly has the authority of judgment as the Son of God. Although He appears to be a man, do not marvel.
It is necessary to know that Paul of Samosata, presenting the Lord as a mere man, read this passage thus: "and gave Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is a son of man." Placing a stop here, he read with a new beginning: "Marvel not at this." Such a reading is completely unreasonable. For the Father gave judgment to the Son not because He is the Son of Man, but because He is God. But he, not tolerating calling Christ God, but calling Him the Son of Man, understood it so that He is judge not as God, but as a son of man. We, however, understand it as it is stated.
Jn. 5:28. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God;
Having spoken about the partial resurrection, that is, of Lazarus and others who had died before, He now speaks about the general resurrection: "the hour is coming, when those who are in the graves shall hear the voice" of God. Here He speaks about the general resurrection.
Jn. 5:29. They shall come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.
Since He said above that the believer does not come to judgment, lest we think that faith alone is sufficient for salvation, He says that "those who have done evil will rise to the resurrection of condemnation, while those who have done good will rise to the resurrection of life." Therefore, faith alone without works does not justify, but one must also have works; for only then is faith truly genuine.
Look how the teaching is tempered with fear and mercy. For the thought that those who did evil will be condemned instills fear, while the thought that those who did good will rise to life encourages with mercy.
Jn. 5:30. I can do nothing of Myself. As I hear, so I judge, and My judgment is righteous; for I seek not My own will, but the will of the Father who sent Me.
These words: "I can do nothing of Myself" and others like them, as was said above, point to the equality of the Son with the Father. I can do nothing new or foreign from the Father; for I have neither a will nor a power distinct from the Father's. "As I hear" from the Father, "so I judge," that is, as the Father Himself judges, so do I.
He says this, as we have often said, in order to show impartiality both in deeds, and in words, and in judgments. Lest some, seeing Him as a Man, should be scandalized — how can one who appears as a Man render righteous judgment, when, in the words of David, "every man is a liar" (Ps. 116:2) — He said beforehand: "Do not marvel at this, that I am the Son of Man." And now He says: "My judgment is righteous, because I judge as I hear from My Father, who judges." "For I seek not My own will, but the will of the Father." He who desires to establish his own will may be suspected of violating justice, but he who does not have himself in view — what motive would he have to pronounce an unrighteous judgment? And I do not seek My own will, for I do not even have a will of My own, but what the Father wills, that I also desire.
Jn. 5:31. If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
Here the Lord apparently contradicts Himself. For He repeatedly bore witness about Himself, for example, He said to the Samaritan woman "I am the Christ" (John 4:25–26), to the blind man (John 9:35–37), and at other times on several occasions. If this is false, then how can we hope for salvation?
But the contradiction is not limited to this alone; there is yet another, no less significant. After this (John 8:14) He says: "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true." How then can this apparent contradiction be reconciled? When He says "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true," He speaks in accordance with the understanding of the Jews. Perhaps they intended to say to Him that You bear witness of Yourself, and in testimony about oneself no one deserves to be believed. Therefore He insistently says: "I do not bear witness of Myself, for in that case, in your opinion, I would not be worthy of belief, but there is another who bears witness of Me — John." But when He says: "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true," He speaks by way of concession. Yielding to the reasoning of the Jews, He says: "Granted that I bear witness of Myself; but even if I do bear witness of Myself, My witness is true. For I, being God, am worthy of belief." Therefore the first He said insistently — that it is not I who bear witness, but the Forerunner — while the second He said by way of contrast or concession: "Even if I bear witness, My witness is true."
Jn. 5:32. There is another who bears witness about Me; and I know that the testimony with which he bears witness about Me is true.
"I," He says, "have three witnesses: John, My works, and My Father." He puts forward John first.
Jn. 5:33. You sent to John, and he bore witness to the truth.
Lest anyone say to Him that he testified about You out of flattery (to You), He says: "you yourselves sent to John." And, without a doubt, you would not have sent to ask him if you did not consider him worthy of belief. Therefore you yourselves bear witness that John was true.
Jn. 5:34. I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.
Although I, as God, have no need of human testimony — the Lord has no need of the testimony of a servant — yet since you consider him more truthful and heed him more than Me, and you resorted to him, while you do not believe in Me even in the face of miracles, therefore I remind you also of John's testimony, and I do everything, accepting even what is unworthy of My divinity, if only you might be saved.
Jn. 5:35. He was a burning and shining lamp; and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.