Does John 5:28 suggest a universal resurrection for all people? Text “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice” (John 5:28). Immediate Context John 5:21-29 forms a single discourse in which Jesus defends His divine prerogatives. In v. 21 He grants life; in vv. 22-23 He judges; in v. 24 He saves; in v. 25 He presently brings the spiritually dead to life; in vv. 28-29 He speaks of a still-future, bodily resurrection. Verse 29, inseparable from v. 28, clarifies two divergent outcomes: “and will come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” . Thus the same sweep—“all who are in the tombs”—yields two antithetical destinies. Canonical Witness to a General Resurrection • Daniel 12:2 – “Many…will awake, some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” • Acts 24:15 – “There will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” • Revelation 20:12-13 – “The dead, great and small, stood before the throne… and the sea gave up its dead.” Together with John 5, these texts portray a comprehensive, bodily raising of every human being, followed by divergent judgments. Old Testament Antecedents Second-Temple Judaism already linked Isaiah 26:19 (“Your dead will live… the earth will give birth to her departed spirits”) with Daniel 12:2 in a two-outcome resurrection. Jesus, speaking to a Jewish audience, builds directly on that expectation. New Testament Parallels Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, and 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 all reflect the same pattern: one encompassing resurrection/appearance of Christ, then divergent fates—life or wrath. Theological Implications: Scope vs. Result 1. Universal Resurrection: Yes—every tomb will be emptied. 2. Universal Salvation: No—only the saved enter “resurrection of life.” 3. Divine Authority: Christ exercises both life-giving power and judicial authority (John 5:26-27). 4. Anthropological Unity: Body and soul reunite for every person; judgment is embodied, not merely spiritual. Eschatological Sequence in a Conservative Framework 1. Present age: spiritual resurrection (v. 25) whenever anyone believes (Ephesians 2:5-6). 2. “First resurrection” of the redeemed, tied to Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:4-6). 3. Millennium (Revelation 20) under Christ’s reign. 4. Final, universal resurrection and Great White Throne judgment (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15). 5. New heavens and new earth for the redeemed; lake of fire for the unrepentant. Addressing Objections • Universalist Claim: v. 28 uses “all,” therefore all attain life. Response: v. 29 immediately refutes universalism by positing two opposite outcomes. • Conditional-ist Claim: only believers are resurrected; unbelievers are annihilated. Response: text explicitly raises the wicked for “kriseōs” (judgment), implying existence for sentencing. • Metaphorical-Only Claim: resurrection here is purely spiritual. Response: “tombs” (mnēmeía) and “come out” (ekporeúsomai) denote physical locales and motion. The Johannine contrast between present spiritual life (v. 25) and future bodily resurrection (v. 28) also demands a literal reading. Historical and Doctrinal Witness Early creeds—Apostles’ (“the resurrection of the body”) and Nicene (“look for the resurrection of the dead”)—reflect John 5. Church fathers such as Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.13.1) and Augustine (City of God 20.13) quote the passage to affirm a singular resurrection event for all humanity. Practical and Pastoral Implications Because every individual will rise, evangelism possesses urgent gravity (Hebrews 9:27). Assurance for believers rests on Christ’s own resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), while unbelievers are lovingly warned of coming judgment (Acts 17:31). Ethical living matters: “those who have done good… those who have done evil” (v. 29) underscores the fruit that accompanies genuine faith (James 2:17). Conclusion John 5:28 does teach a universal, bodily resurrection, yet not a universal salvation. Christ’s sovereign voice will summon every person from the grave, after which He will divide humanity according to their response to Him. Therefore, the verse affirms both the comprehensive reach of resurrection and the bifurcation of eternal destinies, wholly consistent with the larger biblical canon. |
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