The Meaning of John 5:28 Explained

John 5:28

KJV: Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

YLT: 'Wonder not at this, because there doth come an hour in which all those in the tombs shall hear his voice,

Darby: Wonder not at this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice,

ASV: Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Marvel  not  at this:  for  the hour  is coming,  in  the which  all  that are in  the graves  shall hear  his  voice, 

What does John 5:28 Mean?

Context Summary

John 5:19-29 - The Father Working Through The Son
The relationship of our Lord to the Father was such that He felt Himself competent to fulfill all the functions of the Divine Being. Is it God's prerogative to raise the dead? It is also Jesus Christ's. The Son quickeneth whom He will, John 5:21. Is it the divine right to be the judge of man? It is also the Redeemer's right. See John 5:22. Is it the peculiar attitude of God to be the fountain of life, so that life, inherent, underived, and perennial, is ever arising in His nature, sustaining here an angel and there a humming-bird? This is also an attribute of our blessed Lord. So hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself, John 5:26. The entire sum of the attributes of Deity are resident in the nature of the Son of man. But though all divine attributes were his, and might have been called into operation, He forebore to use them, that He might learn the life of dependence and faith, the life which was to become ours towards Himself. He did nothing apart from the Father, John 5:19, etc. No vine ever clung more closely to its trellis, and no child to its mother, than He to the Father. See Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 12:2. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 5

1  Jesus on the Sabbath day cures him who was diseased thirty-eight years
10  The Jews therefore object, and persecute him for it
17  He answers for himself, and reproves them, showing by the testimony of his Father,
31  of John,
36  of his works,
39  and of the Scriptures, who he is

Greek Commentary for John 5:28

In the tombs [εν τοις μνημειοις]
Ταπος — Taphos (grave) presents the notion of burial Jesus claims not only the power of life (spiritual) and of judgment, but of power to quicken the actual dead at the Last Day. They will hear his voice and come out A general judgment and a general bodily resurrection we have here for both good and bad as in Matthew 25:46; Acts 24:15; 2 Corinthians 5:10 and as often implied in the words of Jesus (Matthew 5:29.; Matthew 10:28; Luke 11:32). In John 6:39 Jesus asserts that he will raise up the righteous. [source]
The graves [τοῖς μνημείοις]
Rev., better; tombs. Two words are used in the New Testament for the place of burial, τάφος , and μνημεῖον or μνῆμα . The former emphasizes the idea of burial ( θάπτω , to bury ); the latter of preserving the memory of the dead; from μιμνήσκω , to remind. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 5:28

Luke 9:60 Leave the dead to bury their own dead [απες τους νεκρους ταπσαι τους εαυτων νεκρους]
This paradox occurs so in Matthew 8:22. The explanation is that the spiritually dead can bury the literally dead. For such a quick change in the use of the same words, see John 5:21-29 (on spiritual resurrection from sin in John 5:21-27, on bodily resurrection from the grave, John 5:28-29) and John 11:25. The harshness of this proverb to the scribe probably is due to the fact that he was manifestly using his aged father as an excuse for not giving Christ active service. [source]
John 4:21 Believe me [πιστευε μοι]
Correct text. Present active imperative. Unique phrase in place of the common αμην αμην — amēn amēn (verily, verily). The hour cometh “There is coming an hour.” The same idiom occurs also in John 4:34; John 5:25, John 5:28; John 16:2, John 16:25, John 16:32. Neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem The worship of God will be emancipated from bondage to place. Both Jews and Samaritans are wrong as to the “necessity” “These ancient rivalries will disappear when the spirituality of true religion is fully realized.” Jesus told this sinful woman one of his greatest truths. [source]
John 4:23 And now is [και νυν εστιν]
See this same phrase in John 5:25. This item could not be added in John 4:21 for local worship was not abolished, but spiritual independence of place was called for at once. So contrast John 5:25, John 5:28; John 16:25, John 16:32. The true worshippers See John 1:9 for αλητινος — alēthinos (genuine). Προσκυνητης — Proskunētēs is a late word from προσκυνεω — proskuneō to bow the knee, to worship, occurs here only in N.T., but is found in one pre-Christian inscription (Deissmann, Light, etc., p. 101) and in one of the 3rd century a.d. (Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary). In spirit and truth This is what matters, not where, but how (in reality, in the spirit of man, the highest part of man, and so in truth). All this is according to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:5) who is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). Here Jesus has said the final word on worship, one needed today. Seeketh The Father has revealed himself in the Son who is the truth (John 14:6, John 14:9). It does matter whether we have a true conception of God whom we worship. To be his worshippers Rather, “seeks such as those who worship him” (predicate accusative articular participle in apposition with τοιουτους — toioutous (such). John pictures the Father as seeking worshippers, a doctrine running all through the Gospel (John 3:16; John 6:44; John 15:16; 1 John 4:10). [source]
John 5:25 And now is [και νυν εστιν]
See John 4:23 for this phrase. Not the future resurrection in John 5:28, but the spiritual resurrection here and now. The dead The spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1, Ephesians 2:5; Ephesians 5:14). Shall hear the voice of the Son of God Note three genitives Note three articles (correlation of the article) and that Jesus here calls himself “the Son of God” as in John 10:36; John 11:4. Shall live Future active indicative, shall come to life spiritually. [source]
John 6:39 That of all that which [ινα παν ο]
Literally, “That all which” (see John 6:37 for παν ο — pan ho), but there is a sharp anacoluthon with παν — pān left as nominativus pendens. I should lose nothing Construed with ινα — hina “that I shall not lose anything of it.” Απολεσω — Apolesō from απολλυμι — apollumi can be either future active indicative or first aorist active subjunctive as is true also of αναστησω — anastēsō (from ανιστημι — anistēmi), “I shall raise up.” At the last day Locative case without εν — en Only in John, but four times here (John 6:39, John 6:40, John 6:44, John 6:54) “with the majesty of a solemn refrain.” In John 7:37 it is the last day of the feast of tabernacles, but in John 11:24; John 12:48 of the day of judgment as here. Christ is the Agent of the general resurrection in John 5:28 as in 1 Corinthians 15:22 while here only the resurrection of the righteous is mentioned. [source]
1 Thessalonians 4:14 Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him [καὶ ὁ θεὸς τοὺς κοιμηθέντας διὰ τοῦ Ἱησοῦ ἄξει σὺν αὐτῷ]
(1) Which sleep should be, which have been laid asleep or have fallen asleep, giving the force of the passive. (2) Διὰ τοῦ Ἱησοῦ can by no possibility be rendered in Jesus, which would be ἐν Ἱησοῦ :see 1 Corinthians 15:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:16. It must mean through or by means of Jesus. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(3) The attempt to construe διὰ τοῦ Ἱησοῦ with τοὺς κοιμηθέντας thosewho have fallen asleep by means of Jesus, gives an awkward and forced interpretation. It has been explained by supposing a reference to martyrs who have died by Jesus; because of their faith in him. In that case we should expect the accusative, διὰ τὸν Ἱησοῦν onaccount of or for the sake of Jesus. Moreover Paul is not accentuating that idea. Κοιμηθέντας would be universally understood by the church as referring to the death of Christians, so that by Jesus would be superfluous. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(4) Διὰ τοῦ Ἱησοῦ should be construed with ἄξει willbring. Rend. the whole: them also that are fallen asleep will God through Jesus bring with him. Jesus is thus represented as the agent of the resurrection. See 1 Corinthians 15:21; John 5:28; John 6:39, John 6:44, John 6:54. Bring ( ἄξει ) is used instead of ἐγειρεῖ shallraise up, because the thought of separation was prominent in the minds of the Thessalonians. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

1 John 2:18 The last hour [ἐσχάτη ὥρα]
The phrase only here in the New Testament. On John's use of ὥρα houras marking a critical season, see John 2:4; John 4:21, John 4:23; John 5:25, John 5:28; John 7:30; John 8:20; John 11:23, John 11:27; John 16:2, John 16:4, John 16:25, John 16:32. The dominant sense of the expression last days, in the New Testament, is that of a period of suffering and struggle preceding a divine victory. See Acts 2:17; James 5:3; 1 Peter 1:20. Hence the phrase here does not refer to the end of the world, but to the period preceding a crisis in the advance of Christ's kingdom, a changeful and troublous period, marked by the appearance of “many antichrists.” [source]
1 John 2:18 It is the last hour [εσχατη ωρα εστιν]
This phrase only here in N.T., though John often uses ωρα — hōra for a crisis (John 2:4; John 4:21, John 4:23; John 5:25, John 5:28, etc.). It is anarthrous here and marks the character of the “hour.” John has seven times “the last day” in the Gospel. Certainly in 1 John 2:28 John makes it plain that the παρουσια — parousia might come in the life of those then living, but it is not clear that here he definitely asserts it as a fact. It was his hope beyond a doubt. We are left in doubt about this “last hour” whether it covers a period, a series, or the final climax of all just at hand. [source]
Revelation 11:12 Saying [λεγουσης]
Present active predicate participle of λεγω — legō feminine genitive agreeing with πωνης — phōnēs though some MSS. have the accusative πωνην λεγουσαν — phōnēn legousan either construction being proper after ηκουσαν — ēkousan (they heard). There is a little evidence for ηκουσα — ēkousa like Revelation 12:10 (24 times in the book). Cf. John 5:28. [source]
Revelation 14:7 The hour is come [η ωρα ηλτεν]
Second aorist (prophetic use) active indicative of ερχομαι — erchomai Common idiom in John‘s Gospel (John 2:4; John 4:21, John 4:23; John 5:25, John 5:28; John 7:30, etc.).Worship (προσκυνησατε — proskunēsate). First aorist active imperative of προσκυνεω — proskuneō with the dative case. Solemn call to the pagan world to worship God as Creator (Revelation 4:11; Revelation 10:6), as in Psalm 96:6; Acts 14:15. For “the fountains of waters” see Revelation 8:10. [source]
Revelation 14:7 Fear God [ποβητητε τον τεον]
First aorist passive (deponent) imperative of ποβεομαι — phobeomai here transitive with the accusative as in Luke 12:5. It is a call to judgment with no hope offered except by implication (Acts 14:15.).Give him glory (δοτε αυτωι δοχαν — dote autōi doxan). Second aorist active indicative of διδωμι — didōmi For the phrase see Revelation 11:13.The hour is come Second aorist (prophetic use) active indicative of ερχομαι — erchomai Common idiom in John‘s Gospel (John 2:4; John 4:21, John 4:23; John 5:25, John 5:28; John 7:30, etc.).Worship (προσκυνησατε — proskunēsate). First aorist active imperative of προσκυνεω — proskuneō with the dative case. Solemn call to the pagan world to worship God as Creator (Revelation 4:11; Revelation 10:6), as in Psalm 96:6; Acts 14:15. For “the fountains of waters” see Revelation 8:10. [source]

What do the individual words in John 5:28 mean?

Not marvel at this for is coming an hour in which all those the tombs will hear the voice of Him
μὴ θαυμάζετε τοῦτο ὅτι ἔρχεται ὥρα ἐν πάντες οἱ τοῖς μνημείοις ἀκούσουσιν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ

θαυμάζετε  marvel  at 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἐκθαυμάζω 
Sense: to wonder, wonder at, marvel.
τοῦτο  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἔρχεται  is  coming 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
ὥρα  an  hour 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ὥρα  
Sense: a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μνημείοις  tombs 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Plural
Root: μνημεῖον  
Sense: any visible object for preserving or recalling the memory of any person or thing.
ἀκούσουσιν  will  hear 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
φωνῆς  voice 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: φωνή  
Sense: a sound, a tone.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.