Thomas Aquinas Commentary John 5:26-30

"For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself: 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. I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." — John 5:26-30 (ASV)

1. Above, our Lord has shown that he had the power to give life and to judge, and he explained each by its effect. Here he shows how each of these powers belongs to him.

   First, he shows this with respect to his life-giving power.

   Second, with respect to his power to judge, at the words, and he has given him power to do judgment.

2. So he says, first: I say that as the Father raises the dead, so I do also; and anyone who hears my word has eternal life. I possess this because, as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son to have life in himself.

   Regarding this, we should note that some who live do not have life in themselves. As Paul says, I am living by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20); and again in the same place: it is not I who now live, but Christ lives in me. Thus he lived, yet not in himself, but in another through whom he lived. In the same way, a body lives, although it does not have life in itself, but in a soul through which it lives. Therefore, that which has life in itself is that which has an essential, non-participated life—that is, that which is life itself.

   Now in every category of things, that which is something through its essence is the cause of those things that are it by participation, just as fire is the cause of all things that are on fire. And so, that which is life through its essence is the cause and principle of all life in living things. Accordingly, if something is to be a principle of life, it must be life through its essence. Our Lord therefore appropriately shows that he is the principle of all life by saying that he has life in himself—that is, through his essence—when he says: as the Father has life in himself, meaning, as he is living through his essence, so does the Son. Therefore, as the Father is the cause of life, so also is his Son.

   Furthermore, he shows the equality of the Son to the Father when he says, for as the Father has life in himself; and he shows their distinction when he says, he has also given to the Son. For the Father and the Son are equal in life, but they are distinct, because the Father gives, and the Son receives.

   However, we should not understand this to mean that the Son receives life from the Father as if the Son first existed without having life, as in lesser things a pre-existing subject receives accidents. In the Son there is nothing that exists prior to the reception of life. For as Hilary says, the Son has nothing unless it is begotten—that is, nothing but what he receives through his birth. Since the Father is life itself, the meaning of he has also given to the Son to have life in himself is that the Father produced the Son as living. It is as if one were to say: the mind gives life to the word, not as though the word existed and then received life, but because the mind produces the word in the same life by which it lives.

3. According to Hilary, this passage destroys three heresies. First, that of the Arians, who said that the Son is inferior to the Father. They were forced by what was stated earlier—that is, for whatever he does, these the Son also does in like manner (John 5:19)—to say that the Son is equal to the Father in power; but they still denied that the Son is equal to the Father in nature. But now, this too is refuted by this statement: for as the Father has life in himself, so he has also given to the Son to have life in himself. For since life pertains to nature, if the Son has life in himself as the Father does, it is clear that he has in himself, by his very origin, a nature indivisible from and equal to that of the Father.

   The second error is also Arian: their denial that the Son is coeternal with the Father, when they say that the Son began to exist in time. This is destroyed when he says, the Son has life in himself. For in all living things whose generation occurs in time, it is always possible to find something that at some time was not living. But in the Son, whatever is, is life itself. Consequently, he so received life itself that he has life in himself, so as always to have been living.

   Third, by saying, he has given, he destroys the error of Sabellius, who denied the distinction of persons. For if the Father gave life to the Son, it is obvious that the Father, who gave it, is other than the Son, who received it.

4. Then, at the words and he has given him power to do judgment, he makes it clear that he has the power to judge.

   First, he reveals his judicial power.

   Second, he gives a reason for what he has said, at the words, I cannot do anything of myself.

   Regarding the first point, he does two things.

   First, he indicates the origin of his judicial power.

   Second, he shows that his judgment is just, at the words, and they who have done good things will come forth to the resurrection of life.

5. With regard to the first point, we should note that his statement, he has given him the power, can be understood in two ways: one way is that of Augustine, and the other is that of Chrysostom.

6. If we understand it as Chrysostom does, then this section is divided into two parts. First, he reveals the origin of his judicial power. Second, he resolves a difficulty, at the words, because he is the Son of man.

   Chrysostom punctuates this section in the following way: he gave him the power to do judgment. And then a new sentence begins: because he is the Son of man, do not wonder at this. The reason for this punctuation is that Paul of Samosata, an early heretic who, like Photinus, said that Christ was only a man and took his origin from the Virgin, punctuated it as: he gave him the power to do judgment because he is the Son of man. He then began a new sentence: do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming. It was as if he thought that it was necessary for judicial power to be given to Christ because he is the Son of man—that is, a mere man, who, of himself, cannot judge others. And so, if Christ is to judge others, he must be given the power to judge.

   But this, according to Chrysostom, cannot stand, because it is not at all in agreement with what is stated. For if he receives judicial power because he is a man, then for the same reason, it would belong to every man to have judicial power by virtue of his human nature. In that case, this power would not belong to Christ any more than to other men.

   So we should not understand it this way. Rather, we should say that because Christ is the ineffable Son of God, he is on that account also judge. And this is what he says: the Father not only gives him the power to give life, but also he has given him the power, through eternal generation, to do judgment, just as he gave him, through eternal generation, to have life in himself. As Scripture says, he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and of the dead (Acts 10:42). He resolves a difficulty when he says, do not wonder at this. First, he mentions the difficulty. Second, he clears it up, at the words, the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God.

7. The difficulty arose in the hearts of the Jews, and they were surprised because while they thought that Christ was no more than a man, he was saying things about himself that surpassed man and even the angels. So he says, do not wonder at this—that is, that I have said that the Son gives life to the dead and has the power to judge precisely because he is the Son of man. They were surprised because, although they thought he was only a man, they saw that he accomplished divine effects: what kind of man is this, for the sea and winds obey him? (Matthew 8:27). And he gives a reason why they should not be surprised, which is, because he who is the Son of man is the Son of God.

   Although, as Chrysostom says, it is not said explicitly that the Son of man is the Son of God, our Lord lays down the premises from which this statement necessarily follows. We notice that those who use syllogisms in their teaching often do not express their main conclusion, but only that from which it follows with necessity. So our Lord does not say that he is the Son of God, but that the Son of man is such that at his voice all the dead will rise. From this it necessarily follows that he is the Son of God, for it is a proper effect of God to raise the dead. Thus he says, do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God. But he does not say of this hour, as he said above, and now is (John 5:25). Again, here he says, all, which he did not say above. This is because at the first resurrection he raised only some, like Lazarus, the widow’s son, and the young girl; but at the future resurrection, at the time of judgment, all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God, and will rise. I will open your graves, and lead you out of your tombs (Ezekiel 37:12).

8. Augustine punctuates this passage in the following way: And he gave him the power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man. And then a new sentence follows: do not wonder at this. In this interpretation there are two parts. The first concerns the power to judge granted to the Son of man. In the second, the granting of an even greater power is made clear, at the words, do not wonder at this.

9. As to the first point, we should note that, according to Augustine, he spoke above of the resurrection of souls, which is accomplished through the Son of God, but here he is speaking of the resurrection of bodies, which is accomplished through the Son of man. Because the general resurrection of bodies will take place at the time of judgment, he mentions the judgment first, saying, and he gave him, that is, Christ, the power to do judgment, and this, because he is the Son of man—that is, according to his human nature. Thus it is also after the resurrection that he says: all power has been given to me, in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

   There are three reasons why judicial power has been given to Christ as man.

   1. So that he might be seen by all, for it is necessary that a judge be seen by all who are to be judged. Now both the good and the wicked will be judged. The good will see Christ in his divinity and in his humanity, while the wicked will not be able to see him in his divinity, because this vision is the happiness of the saints and is seen only by the pure in heart: happy are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). Therefore, so that Christ can be seen at the judgment not only by the good but also by the wicked, he will judge in human form: every eye will see him, and all who pierced him (Revelation 1:7).

   2. Because by the humiliation of his passion he merited the glory of an exaltation. Thus, just as he who died arose, so that form which was judged will judge, and he who stood before a human judge will preside over the judgment of all people. He who was falsely found guilty will condemn the truly guilty, as Augustine remarks. Your cause has been judged as that of the wicked; but you will recover cause and judgment (Job 36:17).

   3. Christ as man was given judicial power to suggest the compassion of the judge. For it is very terrifying for a person to be judged by God—it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31)—but it produces confidence for a person to have another human as his judge. Accordingly, so you can experience the compassion of your judge, you will have a man as judge: we do not have a high priest who cannot have compassion on our weakness (Hebrews 4:15).

   Thus, he has given him, Christ, power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man.

10. Do not wonder at this, for he has given him a greater power: the power to raise the dead. Thus he says, for the hour is coming—that is, the last hour at the end of the world: the time has come, the day of slaughter is near (Ezekiel 7:7)—when all those buried in tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God. Above he did not say all, because there he was speaking of the spiritual resurrection, in which not all rose at his first coming, for we read: all do not have faith (2 Thessalonians 3:2). But here he is speaking of the resurrection of the body, and all will rise in this way (1 Corinthians 15:20). He adds, all who are in the graves, which he had not mentioned above, because only bodies, not souls, are in tombs, and it is the resurrection of bodies that will then take place. All therefore who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God. This voice will be a sign of the Son of God, perceptible to the senses, at whose sound all will be raised: the Lord will come with the cry of the archangel and with the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16); we find the same in the epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:52); and: there was a cry at midnight (Matthew 25:6). This voice will derive its power from the divinity of Christ: he will make his voice a powerful voice (Psalms 68:33).

11. As we saw, Augustine says that the resurrection of the body will be accomplished through the Word made flesh, but the resurrection of the soul is accomplished through the Word. One may wonder how to understand this: whether we are talking about a first cause or a meritorious cause. If we are referring to a first cause, then it is clear that the divinity of Christ is the cause of both the bodily and spiritual resurrection—that is, of the resurrection of bodies and of souls, according to the verse: I will kill, and I will bring to life again (Deuteronomy 32:39). But if we are referring to a meritorious cause, then the humanity of Christ is the cause of both resurrections, because through the mysteries accomplished in the flesh of Christ we are restored not only to an incorruptible life in our bodies, but also to a spiritual life in our souls: he was put to death on account of our sins, and he rose for our justification (Romans 4:25). Accordingly, what Augustine says does not seem to be true.

    I answer that Augustine is speaking of the exemplary cause and of that cause by which that which is brought to life is made conformable to that which brings it to life, for everything that lives through another is conformed to that through which it lives. Now the resurrection of souls does not consist in souls being conformed to the humanity of Christ, but to the Word, because the life of the soul is through the Word alone; and so he says that the resurrection of souls takes place through the Word. But the resurrection of the body will consist in our bodies being conformed to the body of Christ through the life of glory—that is, through the glory of our bodies—according to the verse: he will change our lowly body so it is like his glorious body (Philippians 3:21). And it is from this point of view that he says that the resurrection of the body will take place through the Word made flesh.

12. Then, at the words and they who have done good things will come forth to the resurrection of life, he shows the justice of his judgment. Because the good will be rewarded, he says, and they who have done good things will come forth to the resurrection of life—that is, to living in eternal glory. But the wicked will be condemned, and so he says, they who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment—that is, they will rise for condemnation. These, the wicked, will go into everlasting punishment; but the just will go to eternal life (Matthew 25:46); many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to an everlasting life, and others to everlasting shame (Daniel 12:2).

13. Note that when he was speaking above of the resurrection of souls, he said, they who hear will live (John 5:25); but here he says, will come forth. He says this because of the wicked, who will be condemned, for their state should not be called a life, but rather an eternal death.

    Again, above he mentioned only faith, saying, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; and he will not come into judgment (John 5:24). But here he mentions works, so that we do not think that faith alone, without works, is sufficient for salvation, saying: and they who have done good things will come forth to the resurrection of life. It is as if to say: those will come forth to a resurrection of life who do not just believe, but who have accomplished good works along with their faith. For, faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

14. Then when he says, I cannot do anything of myself, he gives the reason for what he has just said. He had spoken of two things: the origin of his power, and the justice of his judgment. Consequently, he gives the reason for each.

    First, concerning the origin of his power.

    Second, concerning the justice of his judgment, at the words, and my judgment is just.

15. The first point, when he says, I cannot do anything of myself, can be understood in two ways, according to Augustine.

    First, as referring to the Son of man in this manner: You say that you have the power to raise the dead because you are the Son of man. But do you have this power precisely because you are the Son of man? No, because I cannot do anything of myself; as I hear, so I judge. He does not say, as I see, as he said above: the Son cannot do anything of himself, but only what he sees the Father doing (John 5:19). Instead he says, as I hear, for in this context to hear is the same as to obey. Now to obey belongs to one who receives a command, while to command pertains to one who is superior. Accordingly, because Christ, as man, is inferior to the Father, he says, as I hear—that is, as it is infused into my soul by God. We read of this kind of hearing elsewhere: I will hear what the Lord God says in me (Psalms 85:8). But above he said sees (John 5:19), because he was then speaking of himself as the Word of God.

16. Then when he says, and my judgment is just, he shows the justice of his judgment. For he had said: and they who have done good will come forth to the resurrection of life. But some might say: Will he be partial and uneven when he punishes and rewards? So he answers: no, saying, my judgment is just; and the reason is because I am not seeking my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

    For there are two wills in our Lord Jesus Christ: one is a divine will, which is the same as the will of the Father; the other is a human will, which is proper to himself, just as it is proper to him to be a man. A human will is drawn to its own good, but in Christ it was ruled and regulated by right reason, so that it would always be conformed in all things to the divine will. Accordingly he says: I am not seeking my own will, which as such is inclined to its own good, but the will of him who sent me, that is, of the Father. I have desired to do your will, my God (Psalms 40:8); not as I will, but as you will (Matthew 26:39).

    If this is carefully considered, the Lord is assigning the true nature of a just judgment, saying: because I am not seeking my own will. For one’s judgment is just when it is passed according to the norm of law. But the divine will is the norm and the law of the created will. And so, the created will, and the reason which is regulated according to the norm of the divine will, is just, and its judgment is just.

17. Second, it is explained as referring to the Son of God, and then the previously mentioned division remains the same. Thus Christ, as the divine Word showing the origin of his power, says: I cannot do anything of myself, in the same way he said above, the Son cannot do anything of himself (John 5:19). For his very action and his power are his being; but his being is from another, that is, from his Father. And so, just as he is not of himself, so of himself he cannot do anything: I do nothing of myself (John 8:28).

    His statement, as I hear, so I judge, is explained in the same way as his previous statement, but only what he sees the Father doing (John 5:19).

    For we acquire knowledge through sight and hearing, as these two senses are those most used in learning. But because sight and hearing are different in us, we acquire knowledge in one way through sight (that is, by discovering things), and in a different way through hearing (that is, by being taught). But in the Son of God, sight and hearing are the same. Thus, when he says either sees or hears, the meaning is the same so far as the acquisition of knowledge is concerned. And because judgment in any intellectual nature comes from knowledge, he says significantly, as I hear, so I judge. This means: as I have acquired knowledge together with my being from the Father, so I judge. All I have heard from my Father I have made known to you (John 15:15).

18. Showing the justice of his judgment he says: and my judgment is just, the reason being, I am not seeking my own will.

    But do not the Father and the Son have the same will?

    I answer that the Father and the Son do have the same will, but the Father does not have his will from another, whereas the Son does have his will from another—that is, from the Father. Thus the Son accomplishes his own will as being from another, that is, as having it from another. But the Father accomplishes his will as his own, that is, not having it from another. Thus he says: I am not seeking my own will, that is, a will that would be mine if it originated from myself, but my will as it is from another, that is, from the Father.