John 5:25
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to think Jesus is only talking about a future physical resurrection, but the phrase "and is now here" points to something happening in the present. This means Jesus is primarily speaking about a spiritual awakening right now, where the spiritually dead can hear His voice and come alive in Him.
Jesus has just declared that those who obey his word are already experiencing eternal life, contrasting them with those who don't believe. Now, He emphasizes the life-giving power of His voice, declaring that a time is coming, and indeed has already begun, when the spiritually dead will hear Him and receive life. This declaration is part of Jesus' defense of His authority to heal and give life, particularly in response to the Jews' rejection of Him.
Jesus drops a mind-bending phrase: 'the hour is coming, and now is.' What does this mean for how we understand spiritual life?
Jesus isn't just talking about a future event when everyone will be raised. He's speaking about a spiritual reality that's already at work.
A Two-Stage Revival
This 'now is' signifies that the life-giving power of Christ's voice is already active in the world, calling people out of spiritual death.
Why does Jesus emphasize hearing His voice? It’s not just about sound; it’s about the life-giving power behind it.
The core of this verse is the power embedded in the Son of God's voice. It’s not simply an audible sound, but the divine command that brings life.
From Death to Life
Understand the original words
Huios tou Theou · Greek Noun phrase
A designation of Jesus Christ, emphasizing His divine nature, authority, and unique relationship with God the Father as the promised Messiah.
This verse speaks powerfully to the spiritual awakening that happens when individuals truly hear and respond to Jesus' voice through the Gospel. While Jesus did perform physical resurrections, the primary context here is the 'now' of His ministry, where His message itself brings spiritual life to those who are dead in their sins.
c. 27-30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry
During this period, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and performing miracles. His ministry marked a significant spiritual turning point for many.
c. 27-30 AD
Jesus Raises Individuals from the Dead
Jesus performed several miracles of raising people from physical death back to earthly life, such as the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Nain. These events demonstrated His power over death.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus was crucified and then resurrected from the dead, a pivotal event in Christian theology signifying victory over sin and death.
c. 30-50 AD
Early Spread of the Gospel
Following Jesus' ascension, the apostles began to spread the message of the Gospel, calling people to believe and receive spiritual life.
This passage speaks about the same life-giving power of God's Spirit that raises our mortal bodies, paralleling the spiritual resurrection John 5:25 highlights.
Ephesians 2:1-5It vividly describes humanity as 'dead in trespasses and sins' before Christ's intervention, making the spiritual awakening in John 5:25 even more profound.
1 Thessalonians 4:16This passage describes the future, physical resurrection where the dead will hear a 'trumpet call' from heaven, echoing the 'voice' of the Son of God in John 5:25 in a different, yet related, context.
1 Corinthians 15:45It contrasts the first Adam, who brought death, with the last Adam, Christ, who brings life, mirroring how Christ's voice overcomes spiritual death in John 5:25.
Luke 7:14-15This account of Jesus raising the widow's son is a tangible example of the 'dead hearing the voice' and 'living' that John 5:25 describes, though the primary meaning in John is spiritual.
vincentJohn 5:25: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."
The deadSpiritually.
calvinJohn 5:25-29: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."
- Verily, verily, I say to you, That the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. 26. For as the Father hath life in himself, so also hath he given to the Son to have life in himself. 27. And he hath given him power to execute judgment also, because he is the Son…
It's easy to think Jesus is only talking about a future physical resurrection, but the phrase "and is now here" points to something happening in the present. This means Jesus is primarily speaking about a spiritual awakening right now, where the spiritually dead can hear His voice and come alive in Him.
Jesus has just declared that those who obey his word are already experiencing eternal life, contrasting them with those who don't believe. Now, He emphasizes the life-giving power of His voice, declaring that a time is coming, and indeed has already begun, when the spiritually dead will hear Him and receive life. This declaration is part of Jesus' defense of His authority to heal and give life, particularly in response to the Jews' rejection of Him.
Jesus has just declared that those who obey his word are already experiencing eternal life, contrasting them with those who don't believe. Now, He emphasizes the life-giving power of His voice, declaring that a time is coming, and indeed has already begun, when the spiritually dead will hear Him and receive life. This declaration is part of Jesus' defense of His authority to heal and give life, particularly in response to the Jews' rejection of Him.
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c. 45-65 AD
Apostolic Writings
The apostles, including John, wrote letters and accounts of Jesus' life and teachings, further disseminating the message of salvation and spiritual resurrection.
"“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." — It's easy to think Jesus is only talking about a future physical resurrection, but the phrase "and is now here" points to something happening in the present. This means Jesus is primarily speaking…
