The Son Is the Son of Man'

John 5:26-27

The testimony of 1 John 4:14 says, "The Father has sent the Son as Saviour of the world" (N.Tr.), and Jesus said, "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47). Nor will the designs of sovereign grace fail. Eventually the salvation of God shall bless the whole earth, when Christ returns and reigns over all. Meanwhile, how good it is to be taught by the Holy Spirit the good pleasure of the Father and the Son as to this.

Before the public and world-wide establishment of the Lord's glory on the earth, during the present testing time, when the testimony and saving grace is proclaimed to man, the truth manifests where souls really are, as it says, "He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which has sent Him" (John 5:23).

It was the Son who came and, being found here as a Man amongst men, He humbled Himself. To give effect to the will of God He became obedient even to a death of shame and scorn. Taking advantage of His heavenly grace and lowly demeanour, men despised the Saviour and heaped innumerable indignities upon Him. They hated Him, they smote Him, they spat upon Him, they rejected His divine mission. Judging Him to be worthy of death, they crucified the Holy One with the sinful and lawless. Contempt, dishonour, sorrow, grief and cruelty were His from the hands of men. Their judgment thus expressed itself.

Is it then surprising to read that the Father "has committed all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22)? How divinely suitable is this, and what divine care for the glory of the One who was so vilely treated is thus justly shown, as it says, "That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father."

It was the Son who was here as Man. As the Son of Man He came for the blessing of man, but He was thus found within the reach of man's cruel hatred and ill treatment, so they slew Him. The redeemed may well rejoice therefore that God has righteously exalted Him, and decreed that all shall own Him as LORD "TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER" (Phil. 2:11).

Yea, our hearts rejoice exceedingly, because of the fitting word of John 5:26-27, that the Father has given "authority to execute judgment" to "THE SON . . . BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF MAN." Divine grace and divine justice are righteously maintained in Him to the eternal glory and praise of God.