Very Truly

Review a little from last week.

READ JOHN 5:19-30.

There are 3 statements in this text that begin with the phrase “very truly” (NIV) or “truly, truly” (NASB) or “verily, verily” (KJV).

Greek word amen. Double amen to stress the truth and validity of the statement.

Courtroom- “Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; so help you God?”

1. Very truly Jesus is working alongside the Father to accomplish his will.

I think this is fascinating because Jesus is giving us first hand teaching on his relationship to God.

The Father initiates, sends, commands, commissions, grants; the Son responds, obeys, performs his Father’s will, receives authority. In this sense, the Son is the Father’s agent (cf. Bühner),10 though, as John goes on to insist, much more than an agent. D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 251.

Trinitarians as we are acknowledge the 3 in 1 nature of the God-head. One God, three persons that are equal yet distinct.

Interestingly enough John gives us 4 little clauses to help us understand this relationship.

-(Because) the Father is the model for the Son’s activity. (19b)

“because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

It would impossible for the Son to carry on against the Father’s activity.

It is worth noting that Jesus does not view himself as independent from the Father. The Son does as he sees the Father doing. This however is not reciprocated.

This however does not negate the divine nature of Christ. In fact Jesus is doubling down on his divine nature. Insinuating who could do what the father does? Only someone who is as great as the Father and has a divine nature like the father.

-(For) the Father loves the Son. (vs. 20)

This points to how any of this is possible. The Father loves the son and shows him all he does.

Not only that but even greater things will be revealed to the Son. Remember he’s just healed an invalid who hasn’t walked in 38 years.

-(For) the Father gives the Son life giving power. (vs. 21)

John 5:21 NIV

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.

It was never a question in the minds of the OT writers as to who could raise the dead. It was God alone.

In fact it was asserted to by many rabbi’s that “three keys remained in God’s hand and were not entrusted to representatives: the key to rain, the key to the womb, and the key of resurrection of the dead.”

And now Jesus is claiming that he too can give life.

If you are familiar at all with what is coming up in chapter 11 you know that Lazarus is brought back to life. But is that all that Jesus is given authority to do? There is another layer here. That being resurrection of the dead in the new creation.

And this is at his own discretion. We’ve heard this before from Jesus John 3:15-16

John 3:15 (NIV)

that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Keeping in mind that the “now but not yet” principle that is so often used in Scripture. Spiritual life is available right now to every believer, eternal life in the new creation.

Finally,

-(Moreover) the Father has given the Son authority to judge. (vs. 22)

John 5:22 NIV

Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,

This is different than than last clause, both Father and Son can give life. Here the judgement is transferred completely over to the Son.

This too is going to stir up controversy. Genesis teaches that God is the judge of the earth

Genesis 18:25 NIV

Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Jesus asserts that that role now belongs to him. Not judging independently from the Father of course.

John 5:30 NIV

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.

We see this ultimately played out in Revelation 20 and the great judgment throne room

Revelation 20:11–15 NIV

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

The second “double amen” statement comes in verse 24

John 5:24 NIV

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Think about how this relates to the gospel, the good news.

2. Very truly Jesus delivers on His purpose; eternal life.

Spoiler alert, John 10:10

John 10:10 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

But this theme has already been introduced to us several times

John 1:4 NIV

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John leans in hard to the “hearing Jesus’ word” motif. It was the words of Jesus that healed the man at the pool, Jesus calls Lazarus from the grave, when confronted Peter testifies to Jesus that he has the words of life.

The Gospel according to John a. The Relation of Jesus to His Father (5:16–30)

Hearing Jesus’ word is identical to hearing God’s word, since the Son speaks only what the Father gives him to say. Hearing in this context, as often elsewhere, includes belief and obedience.

I want you to notice one more thing about this statement, Jesus says that the person who hears and believes has eternal life. (present tense)

Jesus makes the final double amen statement in verse 25

John 5:25 NIV

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.

3. Very truly the physical resurrection of the dead is the fulfillment of the gospel.

A couple weeks ago we celebrated Easter, the resurrection of Jesus and we focused in hard on the fact that Jesus resurrection guarantee's our resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:20–22 NIV

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

And Jesus continues to pour more fuel on the fire, remember the Jews are now actively looking to kill him.

John 5:26–27 NIV

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

-Jesus claim to have life in him, from the Father, and the authority to judge is to claim to be on equal footing with God.

VERY TRULY he says.

Our text today closes out with a little bit of commentary, Jesus adding a few notes to what he’s been saying.

John 5:28–30 NIV

“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 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. 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.

APPLICATION & IMPLICATIONS

There are claims that Jesus was just a man but those are not the claims that Jesus made about himself and so we must discern weather or not the claims Jesus made are true or not.

For those of you in Christ, eternal life is something that we possess right now. This ought to change our perspective on the life we live now. [The opposite is true for those who have not yet come to Christ. Think about the lyrics to the Hymn Amazing Grace, “…I once was lost but not I’m found, was blind but now I see.”]

If Jesus lived to please the Father so should we.