24-25 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. 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.” 26-27 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of Man. 28-29 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgement.

30-32 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgement is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. John 5:24-32 English Standard Version

Jesus was talking to those who were deeply offended at Him for speaking of God as His Father, and in a way that made Him equal with God. And having just told them that He had still greater works to do than the physical miracles they'd seen, Jesus then spoke of raising the dead and giving life to those He chose. Raising the dead was something which they believed only God could do. What do vs 24-25 teach us about this raising of the dead?

I would say they show that there first needs to be a spiritual resurrection in a person's life. The apostle Paul described what our natural spiritual condition is like when he said: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” (Ephesians 2:1-2) But then, regarding Christians, he said: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ - even when we were dead in transgressions. It is by grace you have been saved. God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6)

In vs 26-27 Jesus told them that He had been given authority to bring about this spiritual resurrection to those He willed to do so. But how does He then take it so much further? (vs 28-29)

Those words surely speak of a physical resurrection of the bodies of men and women who'd passed away. He speaks of an hour when a final physical destiny will come to pass. Paul spoke of this too and wrote: “The Lord will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16) Oh how we need to take the words of Jesus to heart that for some it will be a resurrection to life, but for others it will be a resurrection to judgment!

It was a well established rule among the Jews that any vital issue of law required at least two witnesses. So in saying the far reaching things Jesus was saying, many of them were probably thinking of that requirement. But Jesus, who knew well the hearts of men and women, appears to have anticipated their objection and addresses it. He said to them “If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true.” (vs 31-32 Paraphrased version)

We will see who Jesus was referring to when we pick up the story in vs 33 – but for now it's good to focus on the amazing claims He made. Jesus said of Himself “whoever hears my word - and believes Him who sent me - has eternal life! He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.” That is wonderful news! Have Jesus' words become a central part of our life? And then He added: “An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out - those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgement.” Do we firmly believe that? Do we try to live our lives in the light of that awesome truth? Do we seek opportunities to tell others? Do our loved ones see in us that this is the most important thing in life?