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"The Jews marveled" when they heard the words of Christ, saying, "How knoweth
this man letters, having never learned?" (John 7: 15).
"Ye all marvel", said Christ, because "I have done one work" (John 7: 21).
Greater and more marvelous things were to be accomplished by the Son of God before
His work was done, and among them the Saviour specifies:
(1)
The resurrection and quickening of the dead.
(2)
The judgment of all men.
And this with the avowed object, "That all men should honour the Son, even as they
honour the Father" (John 5: 21-23).
It is the abundant testimony of the Scriptures, that it is God that raiseth the dead, and
that it was He Who raised Christ up from the dead.
"God Which raiseth the dead" (II Cor. 1: 9).
"If we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead" (Rom. 4: 24).
Yet we observe that in the verse where the word egeiro, "raise", first occurs in
John's Gospel, the Lord says:
"In three days I will raise it up" (John 2: 19).
"I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it
down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This
commandment have I received of My Father" (John 10: 17, 18).
The Lord's resurrection was, therefore, not accomplished without His Own
co-operation. How this could be may be beyond the power of mortal mind to know, but
that it is so is revealed, and revealed for the express purpose that all men should give
honour to the Son equal to that which they give to the Father: "The Son quickeneth
whom He will" (John 5: 21). With this impressive claim, read the prayer: "Father, I will
that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am" (John 17: 24). The
holiest saint that ever breathed would be condemned the moment such a "prayer" escaped
his lips. He Who can say, "I will", and the dead are quickened, and Who can say, "I
will", in addressing the Father, is certainly an equal.
There is a transition in John 5: 21 and 22
from resurrection to the sequel of
resurrection, namely "judgment" (see verse 29).
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son."
The solemn passages which speak of God the Judge of all; the awful grandeur of the
day of judgment; the tremendous responsibility that rests in the hands of that Judge
Whose verdict is eternal; all speak of Christ, and Christ as the Son of man (John 5: 27).
"He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by
that Man Whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in
that He hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17: 31).