| Geneva Study Bible {4} For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. (4) The Father makes no man partaker of everlasting life except in Christ, in whom alone also he is truly worshipped. People's New Testament 5:19-21 Then answered Jesus. To their charge of blasphemy. He shows that there is the closest co-operation between the Father and Son. What the Father does the Son will do, even to the extent of giving life to the dead. Wesley's Notes 5:21 For - He declares which are those greater works, raising the dead, and judging the world. The power of quickening whom he will follows from the power of judging. These two, quickening and judging, are proposed John 5:21,22. The acquittal of believers, which presupposes judgment, is treated of John 5:24; the quickening some of the dead, John 5:25; and the general resurrection, John 5:28. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 21-23. raiseth the dead and quickeneth them-one act in two stages. This is His absolute prerogative as God. so the Son quickeneth them-that is, raiseth up and quickeneth. whom he will-not only doing the same divine act, but doing it as the result of His own will, even as the Father does it. This statement is of immense importance in relation to the miracles of Christ, distinguishing them from similar miracles of prophets and apostles, who as human instruments were employed to perform super-natural actions, while Christ did all as the Father's commissioned Servant indeed, but in the exercise of His own absolute right of action. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 5:17-23 The Divine power of the miracle proved Jesus to be the Son of God, and he declared that he worked with, and like unto his Father, as he saw good. These ancient enemies of Christ understood him, and became more violent, charging him not only with sabbath-breaking, but blasphemy, in calling God his own Father, and making himself equal with God. But all things now, and at the final judgment, are committed to the Son, purposely that all men might honour the Son, as they honour the Father; and every one who does not thus honour the Son, whatever he may think or pretend, does not honour the Father who sent him. |