John 5:22
For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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John 5:22
For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse emphasizes that judgment isn't a distant, abstract act of the Father; rather, He has delegated this authority entirely to the Son. This highlights that the Son possesses the complete power to give life and also to judge, with these two actions being intrinsically linked – those He doesn't quicken are effectively left in their judgment.
Jesus has just healed a man on the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders are furious because they see it as a violation of their law. Jesus responds by explaining that his actions are in line with the Father's work, and that he and the Father are one, possessing equal divine authority and power, particularly in giving life and executing judgment.
Wait, the Father doesn't judge? How can that be?
Who does judge then, and why?
This verse, "For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son," might sound startling at first.
A Divine Partnership
The text clarifies that this isn't about the Father stepping back, but about a profound partnership. The phrase "not even the Father" (which is a more accurate rendering of the original Greek) emphasizes that the Father, to whom judgment naturally belongs, has chosen to delegate this authority to the Son. This highlights the Son's unique and equal status.
The Son's Authority
This entrusting of judgment is directly linked to the Son's power to give life, mentioned just before. Those whom the Son chooses to give life are, by that very choice, set apart from judgment. Conversely, those not given life by the Son are left in the state of spiritual death, which is a form of judgment. It’s a powerful picture of the Son’s divine authority and the critical choice humanity faces.
Purpose: Honor and Revelation
Why would the Father do this? The text tells us in verse 23: "that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father." The Father has given all judgment to the Son so that everyone will recognize and honor the Son's divine authority, just as they honor the Father.
Is judgment always about punishment? What does this verse reveal about the connection between giving life and judging?
The way judgment is presented here is deeply intertwined with the Son's power to give life.
Two Sides of the Same Coin
Jesus has just spoken about His power to give life (John 5:21). This verse, John 5:22, explains that His authority to judge is directly connected to this life-giving power. It's not a separate function, but rather two aspects of the same divine work.
Understand the original words
Patēr · Greek Noun
The first person of the Trinity, the source of all things, who reveals himself through His Son and is the object of worship and obedience.
krisis · Greek Noun
The act of evaluating, distinguishing, or rendering a verdict; in a theological sense, it refers to God's righteous assessment of human actions, motives, and hearts, leading to rewards or punishment.
Huios · Greek Noun
The second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, who is eternally equal with the Father, the Agent of creation, and the Savior of the world.
ellicottJohn 5:22: "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:"
(22) For the Father judgeth no man. —Better, For not even doth the Father judge any man; and if not the Father, to whom judgment belongs, then none other but the Son to whom He hath committed all judgment. To judge (comp. John 5:29 ) is the opposite of to quicken in the previous verse. The fact that the Son hath power to judge is correlative with His power to quicken whom He will. The spiritual life given…
vincentJohn 5:22: "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:"
For the Father (οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ)The A.V. misses the climax in οὐδὲ; not even the Father, who might be expected to be judge.Hath committed (δέδωκεν)Rev., given. The habitual word for the bestowment of the privileges and functions of the Son. See John 5:36; John 3:35; John 6:37, John 6:39; John 10:29, etc.All judgment (τὴν κρίσιν πᾶσαν)Literally, the judgment wholly.
The verse emphasizes that judgment isn't a distant, abstract act of the Father; rather, He has delegated this authority entirely to the Son. This highlights that the Son possesses the complete power to give life and also to judge, with these two actions being intrinsically linked – those He doesn't quicken are effectively left in their judgment.
Jesus has just healed a man on the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders are furious because they see it as a violation of their law. Jesus responds by explaining that his actions are in line with the Father's work, and that he and the Father are one, possessing equal divine authority and power, particularly in giving life and executing judgment.
Jesus has just healed a man on the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders are furious because they see it as a violation of their law. Jesus responds by explaining that his actions are in line with the Father's work, and that he and the Father are one, possessing equal divine authority and power, particularly in giving life and executing judgment.
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The Choice for Life or Death
The Son 'judges' in the sense that His decision to give life inherently separates people. Those who receive the life He offers are acquitted and brought into God's presence. Those who do not receive that life are, by that very non-reception, left under the existing judgment of spiritual death.
Not Necessarily Retribution
While judgment can certainly lead to condemnation, here it's presented more as a decisive act of separation. The Son's authority means He decides who receives the eternal life that overcomes death. Those He doesn't quicken remain in the death they already possess. This highlights that the Son's primary aim is to bring life, and judgment flows from that life-giving mission.
"For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son," — The verse emphasizes that judgment isn't a distant, abstract act of the Father; rather, He has delegated this authority entirely to the Son. This highlights that the Son possesses the complete power…