John 5:23

My Notes

What Does John 5:23 Mean?

Jesus makes an extraordinary claim about the honor owed to him: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

That all men should honour the Son — the scope is universal (all men — pantas) and the obligation is categorical (should — hina, purpose clause). The honoring of the Son is not optional. It is the purpose for which the Father has given the Son authority to judge (v.22) and to give life (v.21). Every person is obligated to honor the Son.

Even as they honour the Father — the word even as (kathos) means in the same way, to the same degree. The honor given to the Son must equal the honor given to the Father. Not similar honor. Not lesser honor. The same honor. The claim is staggering: the Son deserves identical worship, identical reverence, identical devotion as the Father.

This is one of the clearest claims to deity in the Gospels. No prophet, no angel, no created being can rightfully receive the same honor as God the Father. If the Son deserves equal honor, the Son shares the Father's divine nature. The claim is either the highest truth or the worst blasphemy — and the Jewish audience understood this (v.18: making himself equal with God).

He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father — the negative corollary eliminates any attempt to worship God while rejecting Jesus. You cannot honor the Father while dishonoring the Son. The relationship is inseparable: to reject the Son is to reject the Father who sent him. Every form of worship that excludes Jesus is, by definition, worship that fails to reach the Father.

Which hath sent him — the sending establishes the Father's endorsement. The Son is not self-appointed. He is sent — authorized, commissioned, backed by the Father's full authority. To dishonor the sent one is to dishonor the sender.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What does 'even as they honour the Father' claim about the Son's nature and identity?
• 2.Why is it impossible to honor the Father while dishonoring the Son — and what does this mean for religions that acknowledge God but reject Jesus?
• 3.How did the Jewish leaders correctly understand Jesus's claim — and why did they reject it?
• 4.What does it look like to honor the Son 'even as' you honor the Father in your daily worship and obedience?

Devotional

That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. Even as. The same honor. The same reverence. The same worship. Jesus does not ask for respect. He does not ask for admiration. He asks for the same honor you give to God the Father — identical in kind, equal in degree. The claim is either divine or delusional. There is no middle ground.

All men. Not just his followers. Not just the devout. All men — every person, everywhere, regardless of whether they acknowledge it. The obligation to honor the Son is universal. It does not depend on your belief. It depends on who he is.

He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. This closes every back door. You cannot worship God and reject Jesus. You cannot honor the Father and dishonor the Son. The relationship is inseparable. The Father sent the Son. To reject the sent one is to reject the sender. Every attempt to reach the Father while bypassing the Son fails — not because the Father is unreachable but because the Son is the authorized way.

The Jewish leaders understood exactly what Jesus was claiming. Verse 18 says they sought to kill him because he was making himself equal with God. They heard the claim correctly. They just rejected it. The honor Jesus demands is the honor that belongs to God alone — and he demands it because he shares God's nature.

How do you honor the Son? Not with lip service alone. With the same reverence, the same trust, the same obedience, the same worship you would give the Father. Even as. The same. Anything less dishonors both.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture