2/17/11 John 5:25-30 Christ the Judge

25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.  28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

(Christ the Judge- Fra Angelico 1447)

Thoughts: Jesus is the giver of life, and we are judged by how we respond to Him.  If we see Jesus as a friend and someone to be followed then we are walking in the way of life.  If we see Jesus as our enemy, and the one to be avoided, then we are on the way to death. 

Prayer: Lord, may I be found on your side, in your way. 

John Calvin Abridged: Christ repeats in three different ways that he is given dominion (authority, life, and judgment).  Judgment here means rule or government.  He is appointed as the Son to be the Author of life.  The dead in graves includes (by synedoche) those who are dead spiritually.  The voice of the Son means the sound of the trumpet (Mt. 24:31; 1 Cor. 15:52).