John 5:27

Because he is the Son of man - Because he is the Messiah; for in this sense the phrase, Son of man, is often to be understood. But some join this to the next verse thus: - Marvel not at this, because he is the Son of man.

Hath given him authority - Hath appointed him to do this. Has made him to be judge of all. This is represented as being the appointment of the Father, Acts 17:31. The word "authority" here (commonly rendered "power") implies all that is necessary to execute judgment - all the physical power to raise the dead, and to investigate the actions and thoughts of the life; and all the "moral right" or authority to sit in judgment on the creatures of God, and to pronounce their doom.

To execute judgment - To do judgment - that is, to judge. He has appointment to "do justice;" to see that the universe suffers no wrong, either by the escape of the guilty or by the punishment of the innocent.

Because be is the Son of man - The phrase "Son of man" here seems to be used in the sense of "because he is a man," or because he has human nature. The term is one which Jesus often gives to himself, to show his union with man and his interest in man. See the notes at Matthew 8:19-20. It is to be remarked here that the word "son" does not have the article before it in the original: Because he is A son of man - that is, because he is a man. It would seem from this that there is a propriety that one in our nature should judge us. What this propriety is we do not certainly know. It may be:

1. Because one who has experienced our infirmities, and who possesses our nature, may be supposed by those "who are judged" to be better qualified than one in a different nature.

2. Because he is to decide between "man" and "God," and it is proper that our feelings, and nature, and views should be represented in the judge, as well as those of God.

3. Because Jesus has all the feelings of compassion we could ask - all the benevolence we could desire in a judge; because he has ShowN his disposition to defend us by giving his life, and it can never be alleged by those who are condemned that their judge was a distant, cold, and unfriendly being.

Some have supposed that the expression "Son of man" here means the same as "Messiah" (see Daniel 7:13-14), and that the meaning is that God hath made him judge because he was the Messiah. Some of the ancient versions and fathers connected this with the following verse, thus: "Marvel not because I am a man, or because this great work is committed to a man apparently in humble life. You shall see greater things than these." Thus, the Syriac version reads it, and Chrysostom, Theophylact, and some others among the fathers.

5:27 Because he is the Son of man - He is appointed to judge mankind because he was made man.