22 For the Father judgeth no man; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not ther is the supreme Judge. The meaning of the verse is, that the Father hath appointed the Son to execute judgment in the gospel dispensation, called "the kingdom of God." ¶ Committed all judgment unto the Son. Our Lord sometimes speaks of the terrible calamity about to befall the Jewish nation, as a judgment executed by his ministry. But the reference here seems rather to the general results of faith and unbelief, virtue and vice, during the progress of his reign. Paul speaks of the same reign and the judicial power of our Lord, 1 Cor. xv. 24-28; declaring that God hath subjected all things except himself to the dominion of Jesus, who shall reign until he hath put all things under his feet, and reduced all to a state of willing subjection to his authority; when he himself shall in like manner become subject to the Father, having delivered up the kingdom to him, that God may be all in all. The same kingdom, with its purpose and glorious termination, is also alluded to, in John xvii. 2; Acts v. 31; Phil. ii. 9-11. In this kingdom, Jesus is to reign and judge, until the purpose for which it was established shall be fully accomplished, all opposition overcome, and everlasting life enjoyed by the whole number subjected to his power. The manner of the judgment is indicated in the succeeding verses. 23. That all men should honor the Son, &c. As God had constituted the Son his representative, his vicegerent, so to speak, had clothed him with authority, and endowed him with the divine energy, so that he became the visible manifestation of the Father's glory and person, he was surely entitled to all honor and respect. As disrespect to an earthly ambassador implies disrespect to the prince or government he represents, so he that honoreth not the Son, who was commissioned as the mediator between God and men, to communicate his will and execute his purposes, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. The same principle is recognized in Matt. x. 40, where, it may the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not be observed, our Lord applies to his disciples and himself the same relation of this kind, as to himself and the Father. "He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.” See also John xii. 44, 45. By this, may be sufficiently understood the sense in which our Lord represents honor or dishonor towards himself to attach equally to the Father. 24. In this verse, is announced one of the fundamental laws of the spiritual kingdom, whereof Jesus is constituted the head. T Heareth my word. Hears the gospel which I communicate as the truth of God. ¶ And believeth on him that sent me. That is, believeth that God hath sent me, and therefore that my word is true. The belief bere mentioned is not so much a belief in God's existence, as a belief that he sent his Son Jesus Christ into this world, with a message of salvation. Whoso cherishes this faith will readily admit the truth of the message, receive it into his heart, and cherish it. He will believe the word is true; and not only that it is the truth, but that it is God's truth, of the utmost importance to men. If he rightly understand the word spoken, and thus believe it, he will exercise the faith which is here represented as productive of everlasting life. ¶ Hath everlasting life. Not shall enjoy everlasting life in the future world; but he hath it. The believer immediately enters into the enjoyment of life. See note on John iii. 15. ¶ Shall not come into condemnation. That is, into the condemnation of them who remain in unbelief through their own fault. See notes on John iii. 18, 19, 36; v. 28, 29. ¶ But is passed from death unto life. Rather, has passed, the verb being in the perfect tense. The change of condition, here indicated, evidently takes place on the earth. Those who had believed, when Jesus uttered these words, had already passed from death unto life. By death, therefore, must be understood that deadness in trespasses and sins often mentioned by the apostles; and by life, come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the that spiritual life, which is mentioned by Jesus, John iii. 15, and frequently in this chapter, as resulting to believers, in the present state of existence. It may be equally true, that the same faith in the truth, and confidence in its Author, may sustain such life to all eternity; yet this is not the doctrine here taught. The death and the life, and the passage from one to the other, mentioned in this place, manifestly belong to the present state of being. "Has passed over from a state of spiritual death to the life of the Christian." -Barnes. This evangelist uses the same terms in the same sense, in 1 John iii. 14. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." The true faith works by love, and inspires affection towards men, by teaching that God is the Father of all, and that they are brethren. 25. The hour. The time. T Is coming, and now is. The period has even now commenced. From the time of John the Baptist the kingdom of God has been preached, and men have been pressing into it, and obtaining life. Luke xvi. 16. T The dead. See note on ver. 24. Dead in ignorance, trespasses, and sins. Voice of the Son of God. That is, the word, the testimony, the doctrine, of Jesus. ¶ Shall live. Shall pass from death unto life, as in ver. 24. The whole verse refers to the spiritual change or resurrection wrought in believers, by the power of the gospel, in this life. Or, if hearing the voice of the Son of God be understood not to include a belief in the Father, ver. 24, then shall live may denote no more than being roused from their former stupidity and deadness, as in ver. 29. 26-30. In these verses, we have substantially the same testimony, as in ver. 19-25, expressed in somewhat different terms. Our Lord assured his | Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they hearers, that the change of which he had spoken, though it might seem marvellous in their eyes, was no more than should be wrought in all men ; and that he had ample authority to accomplish the whole work effectually. The Father had imparted to him power to quicken the spiritually dead to newness of life, ver. 21, 26; and not only to confer this blessing on believers, but to impose on wilful unbelievers the just penalty of their unbelief, ver. 22, 27: see also John xv. 22, 24. The result of faith in the gospel is spiritual life; as a necessary consequence, men must remain in death so long as they remain in unbelief; yet the kingdom of God had even then commenced, under which all the spiritually dead should be aroused to spiritual life, ver. 24, 25, 28, 29. All this Jesus would accomplish in the name and by the authority of his Father; he was therefore entitled to be honored as the Father's representative, ver. 19, 20, 23, 30. 26. As the Father hath life, &c. God is the fountain of life, natural and spiritual; and he is able to bestow it on whom he will. This power was a part of the divine energy, which he imparted to his Son. Hence Jesus possessed full power to bestow that eternal or spiritual life which he announced as the result of faith. The meaning of this verse is very similar to ver. 21. 27. Authority to execute judgment also, &c. See note on ver. 22. Hence he will award a just recompense to men, according to their works, until all shall submit to his authority, and acknowledge him to be Lord. The reference may be particularly to faith and stubborn unbelief, ver. 29, as well as to good and evil generally. 28, 29. What is affirmed of the dead, in ver. 25, is here reäffirmed of all the dead, with an addition. T Marvel not at this. Be not astonished at what I have already told you; because, as follows, I that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that am commissioned to perform this work in regard to all. The hour is coming. See note on ver. 25. "It cannot be questioned that this is usually the phrase to denote an event, or order of events, just on the eve of occurring; whereas, if he had intended to point forward to a very distant future, it is not easy to perceive why he should not have said 'the hour will come,' &c."— Bush. ¶ All that are in the graves. Namely, such as are styled the dead, ver. 25. The phraseology is changed, but the same idea is expressed. Hear his voice. That is, the voice of the Son of God. Shall come forth. Shall come forth from the graves; or, in other words, shall be aroused from their state of deadness. The coming forth, here, seems different from living, in ver. 25, unless living there denote simply being aroused, instead of entering into spiritual life. Those who here come forth from their graves receive retribution according to their deserts. T Have done good. Have believed on the Father, ver. 24, and yielded obedience to his word. Resurrection of life. Such pass from death unto spiritual life, and enjoy, here, the blessings of the kingdom of God, ver. 24. Done evil. Have not believed on the Father, ver. 24, nor yielded obedience to his word. ¶ Resurrection of damnation. Such are condemned for their unbelief and impiety. John iii. 18, 19, 36, and ver. 24. And in this condition they must remain, until they believe, and thus pass from death unto life. "These words might also be applied to a spiritual resurrection, as were the former; and so coming out of the graves meaneth, Ezek. xxxvii. 12."-Lightfoot. See Selections, sect. lii. This appears to be the general idea conveyed in these verses; though they may have a special reference to an event which was then at hand. See note on Mark xvi. 16. The special application has been noticed thus:"Believe me, for it is true, not only that the hour is very near at hand, when some, who are now perfectly inattentive and insensible to my call, shall hear the voice in which I will address them from my approaching state of exaltation, and, being obedient thereto, shall live; but it is alike true, that, though yet further off, yet the time is at no great distance, within the compass of this present generation, when all that are now in the graves, who at present sit in darkness and the shadow of death, the whole body of the Jewish people, shall hear the voice of the Son of God, summoning them to judgment; and being then at length all awakened to perceive who and what he is, shall come forth out of their present state of darkness and ignorance, to a new state of mind, to a resurrection, which, to those who have been obedient to the calls of Providence, shall issue in the preservation of their lives, amidst the calamities which shall overwhelm their country; to those who have refused to hearken to them, shall issue in their condemnation, to fall among them that fall, and to take their share in all the bitterness of the calamities that are hastening to involve this country. Matt. xxv. 1-13; Luke xiii. 25-30.”— Cappe. This application may be just; but I have not perfect confidence in it. Very many have understood this passage to denote a literal resurrection to immortality, followed by the endless happiness of some and the endless misery of others. It is allowed by them that resurrection sometimes denotes a spiritual change wrought on the earth, as in ver. 24; but, in this case, they insist that a literal resurrection must be understood. I apprehend, however, that neither of the reasons, urged in favor of this interpretation, is sound and conclusive. (1.) It is urged, that, by persons "in the graves," Jesus must have referred to the literally dead, and, consequently, to the resurrection to immortality. But similar phraseology occurs in Ezek. xxxvii. 11-14, where it is asserted, that the graves should be opened, and men should be brought up out of their graves, and made to live. But nobody supposes the prophet to mean a resurrection to immortality. The exclusive reference to a happy change in the temporal affairs of the Jews is so manifest, that none venture to dispute it. It follows, that the use of the word graves, by the evangelist, cannot prove that Jesus speaks of the immortal resurrection. Indeed, the use of this word justifies the opposite conclusion. I do not recollect that the graves are anywhere mentioned in connexion with the immortal resurrection. It is certain, that the two words are not have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing as I hear, I judge: and tality is confessedly described, but no reference whatever to a retribution; and the same holds true in respect to every passage where this resurrection is mentioned. On the other hand, take Matthew xvi. 27, 28, and xxv. 31-46, and Mark xvi. 16, where a retribution for good and evil is announced, but no reference whatever to a resurrection to immortality. And the same holds true in regard to all other passages which describe a retribution. Whenever the sacred writers mention a retribution, they are silent in regard to a resurrection; and whenever they mention a re ́hus connected in any other place in the with it. Indeed, this very fact justifies ew Testament. A resurrection to im- the opposite conclusion. There is not mortality is never described as a resurrection from mnēmeia, (uvnuɛia,) the ment, besides the one now under cona single instance in the New Testagraves; but, whenever any adjunct of sideration, in which a resurrection and this kind is used, the phrase, almost a retribution for good and evil, are meninvariably used, is anastasis tōn nekron, tioned in connexion. Take, for exam(avάotαois tav vezov,) the resurrection ple, Luke xx. 35, 36, and 1 Cor. xv. 42 of the dead. Since, then, a coming-57, where the resurrection to immorforth from the graves is used to denote a change in the temporal affairs of men, but never to denote a resurrection to immortality, (unless this text be a solitary exception,) we may properly conclude, that the word graves here, instead of proving that the immortal resurrection is intended, rather furnishes proof to the contrary. The case of resurrection recorded in Matt. xxvii. 52, 53, is not an exception to the foregoing remark, although it might seem so, in its English dress. Although the word there rendered graves is the same which is here used by John, the arising, (egerthe, iyon,) and coming forth, (exel-surrection to immortality, they are silent thontes, ortes,) are expressed by in regard to a retribution. The cirterms very different from that here ren- cumstance, therefore, that John here dered resurrection. And the word eger- mentions a retribution for good and evil, sin, (yegoir,) which Matthew uses to instead of proving that he intended to denote the resurrection, occurs nowhere describe a resurrection to immortality, else in the New Testament, and is very in fact furnishes proof to the contrary; different from that which occurs here. for nowhere else, in the New Testa(2.) It is urged that, as Jesus describes a ment, are these two subjects thus assoseparate retribution to them who have ciated. If we interpret this passage, done good and them who have done evil, therefore, to mean a resurrection of he must refer to an immortal resurrec- mankind from natural death to immortion; inasmuch as no corresponding ret-tality, some to happiness and some to ribution is administered on the earth. It is not true, however, that such a retribution is exclusively confined to the future life. Whether or not a retribution be there and then administered, it is certain that Jesus announced his intention to reward the virtuous and punish the vicious, even in the present life. "The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works; verily, I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." Matt. xvi. 27, 28. Hence it appears that the resurrection mentioned here by John need not be regarded as an introduction to immortality, merely because a retribution for good and evil is connected misery, we must do so in defiance of the invariable usage of the New Testament writers; and must suppose that John here joined together those subjects which all the others, and himself too at all other times, were very careful to keep asunder. The interpretation which many have given to this passage is thus shown to be false, by the very facts on which they chiefly rely for its confirmation; and the interpretation given in the foregoing notes is not only consistent with the facts urged against it, but is actually confirmed by those very facts. The substance of this argument I have elsewhere published, but think it not improper to insert it here. 30. I can of mine own self do nothing, &c. Jesus here announces that, in thus executing judgment, he acted by my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. 31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another that bear delegated authority; nevertheless, his judgment was both accurate and righteous, because he was guided by divine wisdom, and in all respects rendered judgment in conformity to the will of the Father who sent him. The meaning is similar to that of ver. 20. 31. If I bear witness of myself. Jesus did bear witness of himself, in the foregoing declaration of one great work which he was commissioned to perform. The whole passage, ver. 31 -37, evidently requires us to understand this phrase as if he had said, if I alone bear witness of myself, or, if my testimony concerning myself were unsupported by anything beyond my own declaration. My witness. My testimony. Is not true. "The word true here means worthy of belief, or established by suitable evidence. See Matt. xxii. 16. We know that thou art true;' that is, worthy of confidence, sent from God. Luke xx. 21; John viii. 13, 17." -Barnes. The testimony of Jesus was true, and he knew it was true; yet he admitted that the Jews could not be required to believe it, unless supported by some other testimony; for their law required the testimony of at least two witnesses, in important matters, and it would be difficult to conceive a more important matter than the annunciation of authority to represent the Most High, and to reign over men and administer justice in his name. He therefore directed their attention to other evidence, by which his testimony was supported and confirmed,-that of John the Baptist, ver. 32-35, and that of a greater than John, ver. 36-38. And, as if all this might not remove their deep-rooted prejudice, he referred them, for further confirmation, to their own scriptures, in which they professed implicit confidence, ver. 39. 32. There is another. That is, John the Baptist. ¶ Beareth witness of me. John uniformly declared that the Messiah was at hand, as his successor; and, when Jesus appeared, pointed him out eth witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, as the individual. See Matt. iii. 2, 3, 11; Luke iii. 15, 16; John i. 19-27, 29-36. And I know, &c. I know its truth, though I rely not on that alone. See ver. 34. Some commentators understand our Lord to refer to his Father instead of John, as this other witness. But the interpretation I have given seems more natural and consistent with the cumulative character of the evidence to which he refers. See note on ver. 31. In this exposition agree Lightfoot, Whitby, Doddridge, and others. 33. Ye sent unto John. See John i. 19. Having heard what multitudes gathered, to hear John and receive baptism at his hands, the Jews sent a delegation of priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ascertain whether he were the Christ, which they suspected, or whether he were Elias, or one of the prophets; for they seem to have had no doubt that he was clothed with extraordinary authority. ¶ He bare witness unto the truth. He disavowed all pretensions to the Messiahship, but announced himself as the herald of Christ, according to the prediction of the prophet Isaiah. Moreover, he assured them that the Messiah was even then among them, though not yet openly manifested. And when Jesus had been baptized, and indicated as the Messiah by a visible token from heaven, John bare witness openly to the truth, and pointed him out as the Lamb of God and the Saviour of the world. John i. 20-36. To this testimony Jesus called the attention of the Jews, as strongly confirming his own, thus showing them that the alleged fact was proven by a legal number of living witnesses. He affirmed, moreover, that they could not discredit the testimony of John, for they had already admitted him to be a prophet, ver. 35. 34. I receive not testimony from man. He would have them distinctly understand, that he did not rely on mere human testimony, in proof of his Messiahship. Although that testimony was legal, and ought to be convincing, and |