John 5:25

Verily, verily, I say unto you,— These repetitions of this solemn asseveration are by no means vain, considering the vast importance of the truth, and how incredible it would appear to the natural mind, that he, who stood before them in so humble a form, was in reality the Lord of life, and universal Judge. "The season cometh, (says our Lord,) and is now just at hand, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it shall immediately live; for within these few months there shall be some dead bodies raised to life by the word of his power (see Mark 5:41.Luke 7:14. John 11:43 and compare Matthew 27:52.): and many souls that are dead in sin, shall by his grace be quickened, and made spiritually alive." We explain the passage thus, because it is doubtful whether it may not have this joint reference. It is well known, that sinners are often represented in scripture as dead: Matthew 8:22.Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 5:14. 1 Timothy 5:6, and if the expression οι ακουσαντες, is to be taken as we render it, with the most literal exactness, for they that hear, or they, and they alone, that so attend to the voice of Christ as to believe in him, it will then limit it to this sense; which seems also favoured by John 5:24 where death plainly signifies a state of sin and condemnation.