Verily, he that heareth my word, &c., hath everlasting life Such a person is already entitled to it, yea, it is already begun in his soul, and he shall shortly possess it in its full perfection: and shall not come into condemnation For any former offences; but is passed from death unto life That is, from that state of spiritual death, or of alienation from the life of God, (see Ephesians 4:18,) in which men naturally are, to spiritual life and felicity, in union and communion with God. Verily, verily, I say unto you I renew the important declaration in the strongest terms; the hour is coming, and now is That is, it is just at hand; when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God Within the space of a few months some dead bodies shall be raised to life by the word of his power. See Mark 5:41; Luke 7:14; John 11:43; and Matthew 27:52-53. Or rather, he meant, that many souls then dead in sin, should be quickened by his grace, and made spiritually alive. For as the Father hath life in himself Originally and essentially; so hath he given to the Son In order to these purposes of glorious and divine operation; to have life in himself To be communicated unto whomsoever he will. Hence the apostle (1Co 15:45) terms the second Adam, a quickening spirit: and hath given him authority Not only to quicken men now, but also to execute final judgment; because he is the Son of man Because he humbled himself so low as to become the Son of man, the Father conferred on him the high honour and glorious power of judging men and angels, that is, exalted the human nature, united to the divine, to this dignity and authority, Philippians 2:9-11. Marvel not at this, the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, &c.
“Be not surprised at my saying, the Son of man has power to raise a few particular persons from the dead. There is a far greater power committed to him, even that of raising all men at the last day, and of judging and rewarding them according to their works.” I can of my own self do nothing Now in this judgment I will not act absolutely or arbitrarily, but according to the laws of equity, unalterably established by my Father; so that I shall not act therein so properly by my own, as by my Father's authority. As I hear I judge In allusion to human courts, where the judges found their sentences upon the testimony of witnesses, and the laws of the country. Yet the expression by no means implies that our Lord, at the great day, shall receive information from any one whatsoever, concerning the persons he is to judge. Having been himself privy to their actions, he needs no evidence, but knows all things that ever were thought, said, or done by mankind, from the beginning to the end of time, fully and certainly. And my judgment is just Not only because it is thus a judgment according to truth and equity, but likewise, because I seek not my own will, but the will of my Father, &c. I have no interest to pursue, no inclination to fulfil, different from that of my Father.