Why is honoring the Son as important as honoring the Father in John 5:23? Text “that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” (John 5:23) Immediate Literary Setting John 5 records Jesus healing a paralytic on the Sabbath, provoking controversy with the religious leaders. In response, Jesus openly identifies His works, authority, and prerogatives with the Father’s (vv. 17–30). Verse 23 is the climax: the Father’s purpose in giving the Son divine works and judgment “is that all may honor the Son.” The verse is structurally tied to v. 22 (“the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son”) so honor and judgment are inseparable themes. Equality of Essence, Distinction of Persons The Greek ἵνα πάντες τιμῶσι (hina pantes timōsi) states the Father’s intent: identical honor (καθώς – kathōs, “just as”) must be given to the Son. Only two possibilities exist: either Jesus is a blasphemous creature seeking worship due God alone (cf. Isaiah 42:8), or He shares the Father’s very nature (John 1:1; Philippians 2:6). The Gospel everywhere chooses the latter (John 1:18; 10:30; 14:9). Old Testament Foundations for Exclusive Divine Honor • “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). • “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another” (Isaiah 42:8). By demanding the same glory, Jesus implicitly affirms His deity; otherwise the command violates the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–5). OT theophanies—e.g., the “Angel of the LORD” worshiped by Gideon (Judges 6:11–24) and Joshua (Joshua 5:13–15)—prefigure a divine-but-distinct Person receiving honor without idolatry. Authority Grounded in Redemptive Mission The Father “sent” the Son (John 5:23b). Honoring the Son equals honoring the Father because the Son is the revelatory agent and executor of salvation (John 3:16–17). Rejecting the emissary is rejecting the Sender (cf. 1 Samuel 8:7). Salvation hinges on acknowledging the Son’s true identity (John 8:24). Judgment Entrusted to the Son Verse 22 links honor to eschatological judgment. Every knee will bow to Jesus (Philippians 2:10–11), echoing Isaiah 45:23—Yahweh’s exclusive prerogative. The Father’s delegation ensures that the criterion for final destiny is one’s response to Christ (John 5:27-29). Witness of Early Christian Worship Acts 2:42, 7:59, 9:14, and early hymns (Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-20) show believers praying to and worshiping Jesus within years of the resurrection. Pliny the Younger (ca. AD 112) reports Christians “singing hymns to Christ as to a god” (Ephesians 10.96). This practice flows naturally from John 5:23. Patristic Affirmation Ignatius of Antioch (c. AD 110) calls Jesus “our God” (Ephesians 18). Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3.19.1) interprets John 5:23 as evidence of “one God the Father and one Christ Jesus.” The Nicene Creed (AD 325) crystallizes this biblical impulse: the Son is “of one substance with the Father.” Practical Discipleship Implications 1. Worship: Prayer and praise addressed directly to Jesus are biblically warranted (John 14:13-14). 2. Obedience: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). Honor involves submission to His commands. 3. Evangelism: “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father” (1 John 2:23). Gospel proclamation centers on Christ’s person. Consequences of Dishonor Rejecting Christ incurs divine wrath (John 3:36). Eschatologically, denial culminates in exclusion from the Book of Life (Revelation 20:15). Conversely, honoring the Son fulfills humanity’s chief end—glorifying God and enjoying Him forever (Revelation 5:9-14). Summary Honoring the Son is as crucial as honoring the Father because the Son shares the Father’s essence, carries out the Father’s redemptive mission, wields the Father-delegated right to final judgment, and is the exclusive mediator of salvation. To revere Jesus is to revere God; to neglect Him is to reject God Himself. |
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