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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_5:19-23
19Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. 20For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Joh_5:19; Joh_5:24-25 "Truly, truly" This literally is "Amen, amen." The term "amen" is a transliteration from Hebrew. It originally meant trustworthiness. It came to be used to affirm a truth. Jesus is the only one known to use this word at the beginning of a statement. He used it to preface significant statements. John is the only one to record the doubling of this initial term. See hyperlink at Joh_1:51.
Joh_5:19 "the Son" There is a theologically significant repetition of the term "Son" in the next few verses. It is used eight times in this brief context. It shows Jesus' unique understanding of His relationship with the Father and reflects the titles "Son of Man" and "Son of God."
▣ "the Son can do nothing of Himself" As is often true, the NT presents Jesus in paradoxical expressions. In some texts
1. He is one with the Father (cf. Joh_1:1; Joh_5:18; Joh_10:30; Joh_10:34-38; Joh_14:9-10; Joh_20:28)
2. He is separate from the Father (cf. Joh_1:2; Joh_1:14; Joh_1:18; Joh_5:19-23; Joh_8:28; Joh_10:25; Joh_10:29; Joh_14:10-13; Joh_14:16; Joh_17:1-2)
3. He is even subservient to Him (cf. Joh_5:20; Joh_5:30; Joh_8:28; Joh_12:49; Joh_14:28; Joh_15:10; Joh_15:19-24; Joh_17:8)
This is probably to show that Jesus is fully divine, but a separate, distinct personal and eternal manifestation of deity.
In the commentary edited by John Raymond E. Brown, The Jerome Biblical Commentary, a good point is made:
"The implication of subordination here should not be removed by undertaking Jesus' words to refer only to his human nature. . .It would also miss a fine point of Johannine Christology. Rather, Jesus is insisting on an absolute harmony of activity between Father and Son, which, of course, radically demands an identity of nature; the same process is used in Joh_16:12 ff. to relate the Holy Spirit to the Son. But throughout this Gospel we never find the Trinity treated as a thesis of abstract theology; it is always approached from the standpoint of its relevance to soteriology" (p. 434).
▣ "unless it is something He sees the Father doing" Mankind has never seen the Father (cf. Joh_5:37; Joh_1:18), but the Son is claiming intimate, personal, present knowledge of Him (cf. Joh_1:1-3).
▣ "for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner" In the actions and teachings of Jesus humans clearly see the invisible God (cf. Col_1:15 Heb_1:3).
Joh_5:20 "the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing" These are both Present active indicatives which speak of an ongoing action. This is the Greek term for love, phileô. One would have expected agapeô as in Joh_3:35. These two words for love had a wide semantic overlap in Koine Greek (see D. A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies, 2nd ed., pp. 32-33 and F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 73).
▣ "greater works" In context this refers to raising the dead (Joh_5:21; Joh_5:25-26) and executing judgment (Joh_5:22; Joh_5:27).
▣ "that you will marvel" This purpose clause clearly shows that the purpose of the miracles is that Jews (plural you) believe in the unique Son (cf. Joh_5:23; Act_13:41 [Hab_1:5]).
Joh_5:21 "the Father raises the dead. . .even so, the Son" In the Old Testament YHWH is the only one who can give life (cf. Deu_32:39). The fact that Jesus can raise the dead is equivalent to a statement of equality with YHWH (cf. Joh_5:26).
Jesus gives eternal life now (cf. 2Co_5:17; Col_1:13) which is linked to a physical manifestation of life in the new age in Joh_5:26 (cf. 1Th_4:13-18). It seems that John's extended encounter with Jesus is on an individual basis, while there still remains a future collective event (both judgment and salvation).
▣ "so the Son gives life to whom He wishes" To whom does the Son choose to give life? In context this is not a proof-text for Calvinism, but an assertion that belief in Jesus brings life (cf. Joh_1:12; Joh_3:16). The tension comes from Joh_6:44; Joh_6:65. Does the Spirit choose "all" or "some"? I think it is obvious that fallen humans do not initiate in the spiritual realm, but I am biblically committed to the fact that they must respond (and continue to respond) to the Spirit's wooing by repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance! The real mystery is why some who hear the gospel say "No"! I call it the "mystery of unbelief." In reality it is both "the Unpardonable Sin" of the Gospels and "the Sin Unto Death" of 1 John. See Special Topic at 1Jn_5:16.
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Joh_5:22 The strong double negative and the perfect tense verb emphasize the fact that judgment has been committed to the Son (cf. Joh_5:27; Joh_9:39. Act_10:42; Act_17:31; 2Ti_4:1; 1Pe_4:5). The apparent paradox between this verse and Joh_13:17 is explained by the fact that Jesus, during these "last days," judges no one, but humans judge themselves by their reaction to Jesus Christ. Jesus' eschatological judgment (of unbelievers) is based on their reception or rejection of Him.
The giving of eternal life vs. judgment was the theme of Joh_3:17-21; Joh_3:36. God's love in Christ, when rejected, becomes God's wrath! There are only two options! There is only one way to receive eternal life-faith in Christ (cf. Joh_10:1-18; Joh_14:6; 1Jn_5:9-12)!
Joh_5:23 "so that all may honor the Son" The inclusive term "all" may refer to an eschatological judgment scene (cf. Php_2:9-11).
▣ "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" This statement is very similar to 1Jn_5:12. No one can know God who does not know His Son, and conversely, no one can honor or praise the Father who does not honor and praise the Son!