Coptic Orthodox Answers

In name of the Father and Son, the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.

Welcome to Coptic Orthodox Answers Deep Dive where we aim to dive deeper into the Gospel of John. We're doing John 5. We are at verse 16. So last time, we saw 1 to 15 where we saw Christ heal the man that was paralytic. He healed him, recreated the muscles in his feet, told him to get up, to carry his bed and to walk home. But we saw how he met the Pharisees and the Pharisees were not very happy with the fact that he was carrying his bed on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. So, that leads us to verse 16. So says:

'' 16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.'' (John 5:16)

So, one of the purposes of the Gospel of John is to demonstrate the tension between Christ and the Pharisees, because Christ... or St. John, sorry, he's writing this at the end of the 1 st

century and there are many people that were Jews that became Christians, but some others didn't become Christians, did not convert to Christianity. So, he's writing also to answer what is it that some people remained Jews, right? So, he wants to put in his Gospel this tension.

So, in verses 1 to 15, there was a tension between the man that was paralytic and the Pharisees, but in verse 16 here, we transfer the tension between the paralytic to Christ Himself. And now, the tension becomes between Christ and between the Pharisees. So, says: For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. He had done it on Saturday, right?

So, that also gives us an understanding that the heart of someone is the lens with which he or she sees the entire world. You can have one event that is so glorious, so magnificent that could lead so many people to repentance, yet that same event could cause someone's heart to grow harder. And this is a perfect example.

When we have a man that was sick for 38 years, yet, although he was in the temple worshipping, the Pharisees were not happy with that, were not happy that he was healed from his sickness, were not happy that his sin was forgiven in the sense that Christ told him: sin no more. The only thing that they were concerned with was the fact that he carried his bed and that it was Saturday. What kind of heart do you have?

And that teaches us a spiritual message or a practical message in our lives where we can meet people, where we try to do good to them, but the reaction towards our good is always evil or the reaction is, you know, they wonder why is it that these people are doing these good things, because they look inside of them, it's a filter, it's a lens by which they look at the

world. And they must think: Oh, this person must have an agenda! And yet, on the opposite side of the spectrum, you have people that are very, very simple, very loving, very caring. They take everything with simplicity, right? That's why Christ tells us: Be wise as serpents, yet simple as dove.

So, as a Christian, I never let someone trample over me. That's not what Christianity's all about. We have to be strong and courageous, yet loving and humble and caring. We have to be Christ-like. So, I don't let the person in front of me trample me down or run or walk over me. I need to be wise as a serpent, yet I am simple as a dove. My reaction to this action is always in simplicity, always in love.

Then in verse 17 to 18, it says:

'' 17 But Jesus answered them, ''My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.'' 18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He [had] not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.'' (John 5:17-18)

So here, St. John wants to highlight a couple of things. First of all, he uses the Sabbath as an issue, but the idea is not the Sabbath itself per se. The main idea or the central problem is Christ's authority over the Sabbath, because Christ, here, says: My father has been working until now. So, He's associating Himself with the Father. He's saying: He is My Father. He might be your Father as well, but in a different way. You're adopted, you know, after the incarnation, the cross, resurrection, after the entire salvific work, you're adopted, but I am the true Son, the true natural Son of the Father, right? I am... I am linked to Him in a different way than you.

So, he wants to demonstrate that the authority that God the Father has over the Sabbath, Christ Himself has, meaning not all the rules apply to everyone. For example, if I have my daughters. I tell them to sleep around 8 pm, let's say, because, you know, they have school the next day and so on. Does that rule that I have created for them necessarily applies to me? No, because I am beyond that. In that same way, God the Son here, He's saying: like God the Father has authority over the Sabbath, I too have authority over the Sabbath. And that's why He makes it a point to heal on the Sabbath to demonstrate that He is God. It's a strong message He wants to send. He is God: I am God. This stuff does not apply to Me. These rules do not apply to Me. That's the message He wants to send in addition to the fact that people had put all these man-created laws to the Sabbath itself, which were not based on God's teaching.

So, before moving on to verse 19, we have to understand that the next few verses will be a bit difficult theologically speaking. So, I have to give some sort of background to them. Christ wants to demonstrate two points. The first point is that He is equal to the Father. So, most of the next verses have to do with that, that He is sharing the same divine essence as the

Father. But when He says these difficult things that He's about to say, He realizes that the people in front of Him perceive Him as a man. So, the way He says it to them is in accordance to their own perception. So, He says it in a human way although He wants to demonstrate that He has an equal or He shares the divine essence of the Father. So, he says:

'' 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, ''Most assuredly, I say to you, [meaning something very important is about to be said,] the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do [the Son cannot... can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do]; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.'' (John 5:19)

So, beginning with the end of the verse, He says: whatever the Father does, the Son also does in like manner. What does that mean? Whatever my Father, who is God, can do, I also can do. He is almighty παντοκράτωρ (pantocrator), so am I. He is the source of life, so am I. He's showing that He's equal to the Father, that He shares the essence, the divine essence of the Father.

But He says, at the same time: I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, meaning here that in my human form, and even if I wasn't in my human form, I am not independent of the Father, meaning I do not do things contrary to the will of the Father. Whatever the Father can do, I also can do and I do nothing of Myself. I follow what the Father says. And these words I follow as in the perception of the incarnation, He's talking here in the state where He is a human being, obviously fully God and fully man at the same time.

So here, there's a big difference between begetting someone and creating someone. I think we should emphasize on those two words. We beget of the same nature as ourselves, meaning if I'm a human being, I beget children who are also human being. A cat begets a cat. A dog begets a dog. Creating is very different. We create something that is lower than us. We create a table. We create a chair. We draw a painting. We create a painting, right? So, the creation is something that is under ourselves. This does not share the same essence as ourselves. Here, the Son is saying that I am the only begotten of the Father. Again, I share in His divine essence. I am not like you. You are a creation although you might see me in the flesh.

Verse 20:

'' 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.'' (John 5:20)

Here, this is linked to the Sabbath. Why? He's saying that the Father loves the Son. So, first of all, He's saying I have a deeper relationship with the Father that you might think. Our relationship is different than yours, again. And the Father shows the Son all things, meaning the Son is able to tap in into the will and the knowledge of the Father. This is huge. So, He's saying: My own knowledge as the Son is equivalent to the knowledge of the Father. And

whatever the Father does, right?, I can also do. So He says: ...He Himself does and He, who is the Father, will show the Son greater works than these, that you may marvel. And this is linked to the Sabbath.

He's saying that, since the Father is showing Me what to do because I am in the state of the incarnation, therefore, whatever I am doing is the will of the Father. So, whatever I'm doing now is the will of the Father, since He tells me what to do, again, talking in their perception. So, if I healed the paralytic man on the Sabbath, it is not only My will, but also the Father's will.

Moving on to verse 21, it says:

'' 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.'' (John 5:21)

So, in other words, not only is the Father the source of life, I also am the source of life. And I can give life to whomever I will. So, I am God. Not only this. He says:

'' 22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son...'' (John 5:22)

So, the Son is the one that will judge. So, obviously, He is God. And here, there's a correlation between Him being the source of life in verse 21 and Him being the judge of the world. So, judging the world implies that I have authority as a judge whether I will give you eternal life or not give you eternal life, and also has to do with raising you from the dead although you are on earth. So, it has to do with the earthly life and the eternal life as well.

'' 23 [for] all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. [There's no difference. As you honor the Father, honor also the Son. He's making Himself equal to God throughout these verses.] He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.'' (John 5:23)

He's telling them: You, as Jews, right now, you're not honouring Me. You think I'm a mere man. No, I am God. I am equal to the Father. Honour Me as you honour the Father, because one day, I will sit on the judgement seat and I will judge, and it is in my hand whether I give you eternal life or not. Therefore, repent. Therefore, accept the works that I do. Therefore, accept the fact that I healed the paralytic on the Sabbath. I am God. I'm above the Sabbath.

'' 24 ''Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life [and that, that's huge, again: he who hears My word has everlasting life and believes in Me, or in Him who sent Me has everlasting life], and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.'' (John 5:24)

Meaning Christ has the authority. He's the life giver. He can... it is in His hand to pass... to make someone pass from death to life just by the mere fact that this person has believed in Him and has heard His voice. Now obviously, we spoke about it many times how the word believe here implies much more than just a mental kind of belief. It is not just about me saying: ah, I believe in you and therefore, I am saved. It's much deeper than that. And we see it in many, many different verses and many different chapters of the Gospels or throughout the Epistles of Paul and so on, and even the Old Testament.

In Matthew 7, it says: Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord' will make it into heaven. Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will make it into heaven. When I say the word Lord here, it's an implication that I believe in Him. But who will make it into heaven? He who does the will of My Father. So, believe, here, is not just, again, a mere simple activity. It's a life that we live.

In Matthew 25 also, it's very clear. God, as a judge, He comes and He has the sheep on His right and the goats on His left and He tells the goats on His left, you know: You're not going to heaven because, you know, I was in prison and you did not visit me, I was thirsty, you did not give me a drink, and so on. And they responded to Him and said: Lord, when did we see you and not do these things? And again, the implications are: Lord, we believe in you in a mental activity kind of way and when have we not seen you and do these things or done these things? Meaning if I had seen you and recognized you because you are my Lord, I would have done these things. And then He responds and says, like: You did not do these things to your brothers and sisters, you have not done them to me. Although you had faith, your faith was not enough. The works that were associated with that faith were lacking. So, here it's not, again, a mere understanding of what... of the word believe.

'' 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.'' (John 5:25)

To the Jews, only the voice of God the Father could raise the dead. That was their understanding. So, Christ, here, in verse 25, says: the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, so, they will hear my voice as the Son of God, and those who hear will live. You're about to see Me raising Lazarus from the dead, which comes in chapter 11 of the Gospel of St. John. So, I'm hinting at it from now. Believe when you see that My voice, My mere words will say Lazarus, come forth and he will come forth, believe that I am the source of life. Believe that my voice is equal to the voice of the Father.

Verse 26 says:

'' 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself [they are both the source of life], 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.'' (John 5: 26-29)

Both St. Cyril and St. John Chrysostom talk about this is the general resurrection that St. John is speaking about. But notice here how He talks about heaven and hell. One is the resurrection of life, the other is the resurrection of condemnation. They are both resurrections. So, it's not as if a group of people will disappear. No, they're both resurrections. They both involve the glorified body and the soul of the person, but for one, it's life, for the other, it's death.

The main characteristic about heaven or hell is therefore the fellowship with God. Why am I saying this? Because God is everywhere. He's in heaven. He's on earth. He is in hell. He's everywhere. There's not one place where He is not. He's everywhere. But the difference is, like, some people are living heaven on earth and others are living hell or tasting hell on earth, right? The difference between them is the fellowship that they have with their Creator. So, although there are so many different things that we don't understand about heaven and hell, we understand that the main concept or the main difference between them is the fellowship or lack thereof with God. That's the idea.

St. Cyril says something very nice which I'll read to you. He says:

''For the Only-Begotten, being Man in respect of the nature of His Body, and seen as one of us while yet upon the earth with flesh, manifoldly instructing the Jews in matters pertaining to salvation, clothed Himself with the glory of two God-befitting things...'' (St. Cyril of Alexandria)

So, he's saying, like I said earlier, Christ, here, He understands the perception of the Jews, that they perceive Him as a man, but although, in that perception, He's speaking to them about things pertaining to salvation. And then, He mentions these two things that I mentioned earlier.

''...For He clearly affirmed, that He would both raise the dead, and set them at His Judgement-seat to be judged. But it was extremely likely that the hearers would be vexed at this, accusing Him with reason, because he said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Having mingled therefore with God-befitting Authority and Splendor language befitting the human nature, He [appeases] the weight of their wrath, saying more modestly and lowlily than was necessary, For as the Father has life in Himself, so has He given to the Son too to have life in Himself.'' (St. Cyril of Alexandria)

So, He's saying, again, because He understands where they're coming from, in their perception, He's speaking as a man, yet He gives them the things pertaining to salvation and therefore

saying that He is Himself the source of life and that they need to hear His word, because He will judge them one day.

Verse 30:

'' 30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.'' (John 5:30)

Again, it's the same idea where He's saying that I am not independent of the Father. We both agree on what needs to be done, but He says it from an incarnational perspective, yet He says: I judge. It's My judgement, right? And I do the will of My Father, meaning I'm capable of doing, not only doing, but also knowing first the will of My Father.

And notice, here, something very important that often we do not realize. He says: I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. So, the Father has a will, the Son has a will and the Holy Spirit has a will. They are three persons in that one God. Each person has a will. Part of the definition of a person is to have a will. If you don't have a will, you're not a person.

But although the Son has a will, the will is always the same as the Father and it's always the same will as the Holy Spirit, because all three persons are all-loving, all-humble, all-knowing, right? They know everything. They are everywhere. So, these three persons always live with that one will, but that does not mean that the Son's will is cancelled or the Holy Spirit or the Father's will is cancelled. No, they each have their own will, but the three wills are always united in that one will, because they are three persons, not three individuals.

An individual is someone that wants to be on his own, that is independent from others. And therefore, that life of independency will continue in hell where people do not see each other, people do not have or... they're not relational with others, they're independent in that sense. They become individuals. And that's what the world teaches us today.

But Christians are not like that. Christians are created in the image of the All-Holy Trinity and they are three persons that are relational between themselves in that one God and therefore, we also ought to be relational. And that's why God tells us:

- You need to forgive, you need to reconcile, you need to love your enemy.

- Buy why, God? This person bothers me so much!

- Because you are created in My image. You are relational. You are a person. You're not an individual. And although, in that person, you have a will, you need to live in a community and that community needs to have one will.

Remember: Know your faith, live your faith, and teach your faith. And glory be to God forever and ever. Amen.