Breaking the Word

 I do not accept testimony from a human being,… But I have testimony greater than John's. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf…  You search the scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life. "I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God? (Jn 5,34-44)

Testimonies and praises are part of life for man. People offer testimonies and long for praises from one another. Often, our piety (prayers, almsgiving, fasting) is for men to see. We perform them in public so that people who see them will bear witness and also praise us for the life of piety. That is why Jesus has said that, when we pray we should do it in private and when we give alms, left hand should not know what the right hand is doing.

Jesus says that he does not accept testimony from human being (v.34) and he does not accept human praises (v.41). Jesus never performs for spectators. Many a times his miracles are done in private and at times people do not know who performed the miracle (Jn 5,13).

He also says that the works given by the Father which he performs are the testimonies and he seeks the praise that comes from the only God. Jesus is immersed in God and God has taken him over totally that whatever he does or says is from God and they are Godly. That is why he could say that “I came in the name of the Father”.

People who perform things for one another and worried about receiving testimonies form one another can not receive persons who come in the name of God: “He came to his own and his own received him not”. 

For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father… Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life… Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. "I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. (Jn 5, 21-30)

The work of the Father is to raise the dead. He is not God of the dead but of life. His work is a continuous work of giving life. The Son imitates the Father and he also does the same work (giving life).

Father does not do the work of judgement. The work of judgement is handed over to the Son.

This passage, as it is believed, speaks about the last three things: death, judgement and life after death.

Death is a natural consequence. But, to what happens after death, man has no control. Death will lead him to judgement, and depending on the judgement man will have his reward (eternal life).

The Father keeps to himself the work of raising people from death to life. And this depends on the judgement passed by the Son.

Can we skip the judgement? YES. The only way to avoid judgement is to listen to the Son and to believe in the Father. They go from death to life. They skip the judgement.

So, believing the FATHER and listening to the SON (WORD) give eternal life.