Church Fathers Commentary John 5:27-29

"and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs 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 judgment." — John 5:27-29 (ASV)

Theophylact of Ohrid: The Father granted the Son power not only to give life, but also to execute judgment. And He has given Him authority to execute judgment.

St. John Chrysostom: But why does He dwell so constantly on these subjects: judgment, resurrection, and life? Because these are the most powerful arguments for bringing people to the faith and the most likely to prevail with obstinate hearers. For one who is persuaded that he will rise again and be called by the Son to account for his misdeeds will, even if he knows nothing more than this, be anxious to appease his Judge.

It follows, Because He is the Son of man, marvel not at this. Paul of Samosata reads it, Has given Him power to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. But this connection has no meaning, for He does not receive the power to judge because He is a man (since, on this supposition, what would prevent all men from being judges?). Rather, it is because He is the ineffable Son of God that He is the Judge.

We must, therefore, read it this way: Because He is the Son of man, marvel not at this. Since Christ’s hearers thought He was a mere man, and what He asserted of Himself was too lofty for any man, angel, or any being less than God Himself, there was a strong obstacle to their belief. Our Lord addresses this obstacle in order to remove it, telling them not to marvel that He is the Son of Man. He then adds the reason why they should not marvel: For the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God.

And why did He not simply say that they should not marvel at His being the Son of Man because He is, in truth, the Son of God? Because, having stated that it was He who would raise people from the dead—the resurrection being a strictly divine work—He leaves His hearers to infer that He is God and the Son of God. People often do this when arguing. When they have presented grounds amply sufficient to prove the conclusion they want, they do not draw that conclusion themselves but, to make the victory greater, leave the opponent to draw it.

When referring earlier to the resurrection of Lazarus and the others, He said nothing about judgment, for Lazarus did not rise again for judgment. Now, however, as He speaks of the general resurrection, He introduces the subject of judgment, saying, And they shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Having said previously, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, He now speaks of works so that people might not suppose from this that belief alone is sufficient for salvation: ...they that have done good... and they that have done evil.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Alternatively, insofar as the Word was in the beginning with God, the Father gave Him to have life in Himself. But insofar as the Word was made flesh from the Virgin Mary, becoming a man, He became the Son of Man. And as the Son of Man, He received power to execute judgment at the end of the world, at which time the bodies of the dead will rise again.

Therefore, God raises the souls of the dead through Christ, the Son of God, and their bodies through the same Christ, the Son of Man. This is why He adds, Because He is the Son of man, for as the Son of God, He always had this power.

At the judgment, the form of a man will appear. That very form which was judged will be the one to judge; He who stood before the judge will sit as the Judge; He who was condemned while innocent will condemn the guilty. For it is proper that the judged should see their Judge. Now, the judged consist of both the good and the bad, so the form of a servant will be shown to the good and the bad alike, but the form of God will be shown to the good only. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

None of the founders of false religious sects have been able to deny the resurrection of the soul, but many have denied the resurrection of the body. And unless You, Lord Jesus, had declared it, what answer could we give to an opponent? To set forth this truth, He says, Marvel not at this (that is, that He has given power to the Son of Man to execute judgment), for the hour is coming...

He does not add, and now is, here, because this hour will be at the end of the world. Do not marvel—that is, do not be amazed that all people will be judged by a man. But which people? Not only those whom He will find alive, for the hour is coming, in which all that are in their graves shall hear His voice.

What could be clearer? People’s bodies are in their graves, not their souls. When He said earlier, The hour is coming, and added, and now is, He was speaking of when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. He does not say all the dead, for by the term “dead” He means the wicked, and not all the wicked have been brought to obey the Gospel. But at the end of the world, all that are in their graves shall hear His voice, and come forth. He does not use the word live, as He did before when speaking of the eternal and blessed life, which not all who come forth from their graves will have. This judgment was committed to Him because He is the Son of Man. But what takes place in this judgment? They that have done good will go to the resurrection of life—that is, to live with the angels of God—and they that have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. Here, the word judgment means damnation.