John 5:23

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 {G2443} all {G3956} men should honour {G5091} the Son {G5207}, even as {G2531} they honour {G5091} the Father {G3962}. He that honoureth {G5091} not {G3361} the Son {G5207} honoureth {G5091} not {G3756} the Father {G3962} which {G3588} hath sent {G3992} him {G846}.

so that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever fails to honor the Son is not honoring the Father who sent him.

so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.

John 5:23 is a pivotal verse in Jesus' discourse concerning His divine authority and relationship with God the Father. It asserts a fundamental truth about His identity and the nature of true worship.

Context of John 5:23

This verse is part of a larger discussion in John chapter 5, where Jesus defends His actions after healing a paralytic on the Sabbath (John 5:9). The Jewish leaders accused Him not only of breaking the Sabbath but, more significantly, of making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). In response, Jesus elaborates on His unique relationship with the Father, emphasizing that He does nothing of Himself but only what He sees the Father doing, and that the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son (as mentioned in John 5:22).

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Equality and Co-equality: The central message is that the Son (Jesus Christ) is to be honored "even as" (Greek: kathos) the Father. This phrase signifies equality in measure and manner, implying that the same reverence, worship, and esteem due to God the Father are also due to God the Son. This is a profound statement of Jesus' deity.
  • Unity of Father and Son: The verse explicitly states that dishonoring the Son is equivalent to dishonoring the Father who sent Him. This underscores the inseparable unity and shared essence of the Father and the Son, highlighting that their will, purpose, and honor are intrinsically linked. It echoes Jesus' later declaration, "I and my Father are one."
  • Authority and Commission: The phrase "which hath sent him" emphasizes that Jesus' authority and mission are divinely ordained. He is not acting independently but as the Father's authorized representative, carrying out the Father's will.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "honour" used here is timáo (τιμάω), which means to value, esteem, or revere. When applied to God, it carries the weight of worship and profound respect. The crucial phrase "even as" (kathos) denotes an exact correspondence or equality, reinforcing that the honor given to the Son should be precisely of the same quality and degree as that given to the Father. This is not about a lesser honor but an identical one.

Practical Application

For believers today, John 5:23 has significant implications:

  • Foundation of Faith: Recognizing and honoring Jesus as fully God is a cornerstone of Christian faith. Our understanding of God is incomplete if it does not include the Son.
  • True Worship: True worship of God involves honoring Jesus Christ. We cannot claim to worship the Father while diminishing the Son's divine status or rejecting His authority.
  • Eternal Significance: The way one responds to Jesus—whether with honor or dishonor—has eternal consequences, as He is also the one through whom God offers salvation to the world.

This verse challenges us to consider the depth of our reverence for Jesus and to acknowledge His rightful place alongside the Father in our worship and daily lives.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 John 2:23

    Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.]

  • Luke 10:16

    He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

  • 2 John 1:9

    Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

  • Matthew 11:27

    All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will reveal [him].

  • John 15:23

    He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

  • John 15:24

    If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

  • Jeremiah 17:5

    ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
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