Thursday, May 12, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Germanos, Patriarch of Constantinople
13th Vigil of Pascha: Isaiah 63:11-64:5 Apostle: Acts 4:23-31 Gospel: St. John 5:24-30
St. John 5:24-30, especially vss. 28, 29: "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all
who are in the graves 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 condemnation." The term, "everlasting life," denotes the present spiritual
condition of all those who "hear" and "believe in" the Lord Jesus, for as He Himself teaches, even before a person's
physical death, if he unites himself to the Incarnate One, he "has passed from death into life" (vs. 24). The devastating
power, the negation of all meaning, and the tyranny of physical death for human life are undercut in receiving the gift of
everlasting life (1 Cor. 15:54,55), which explains why this particular passage is read at the funerals of Orthodox Christians.
In this portion of St. John's Gospel, the Lord develops His teaching about life and death, but shifts His focus slightly from
"everlasting life" as a reality to be experienced in this present existence, to a consideration of life and death within the
larger, ultimate context of universal judgment. Already the Lord has made the point that the person who "has everlasting
life...shall not come into judgment" (vs. 24), revealing that after physical death the "everlasting life" which God gives to
the Faithful operates decisively to affect one's eternal standing with God.
The Lord continues making two additional, related points: 1) spiritually dead people are able to hear His voice and thereby
may gain everlasting life well before physical death. This is the truth and hope of all who, by God's grace, have united
themselves to Christ as their "King and God." 2) Also, the Lord reveals that there will come a moment when all the
physically dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God when He calls them before Himself (vs. 25).
Thus the Lord begins a focused consideration of eternal life as it relates to universal judgment (vss. 26,27). First, He
speaks of His Divine nature as Son of God (vs. 26), and draws out the implication of His Divinity as it bears on the final
Judgment of all men. Being One with the Father, the Son, like God the Father, has life in Himself. The Lord Jesus is the
Source of all life. Hence, if He calls one of His dead creatures to life, that creature lives. The dead can live, as may
anyone, but at God's good will and pleasure. Since He created each of us, He can easily and fully restore any of us to life,
either spiritually or physically, and whenever He chooses to do so.
Note that the Lord next emphasizes His unity with us, calling Himself, "Son of Man." The term reminds us that He is fully
human, as is said elsewhere: "For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is
not ashamed to call them brethren" (Heb. 2:11). As the Father has placed the judgment of "His brethren" in the hands of
the Son of Man, Who "Himself hath suffered being tempted, [and] is able to succor them that are tempted" (Heb. 2:18), so
the Lord Jesus extends His hand to us frail and fearful mortals. He asks only that we trust Him in life, in death, and in
judgment. He Who has overcome death says, "the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice"
(vs. 28).
The God Who loves us is the One Who will call us forth from the tombs as He did Lazarus (Jn. 11:43). See how important
this present mortal existence is, for when God calls, some will come "to the resurrection of life" and some "to the
resurrection of condemnation" (vs. 29)! Such is God's will, the God Who so loves the world that He sent His Only-begotten "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn. 3:16). Let us not spurn the grace of
everlasting life which God offers us now, but bow down before Life Himself.
Thy sepulcher, O Christ, the Fountain of our Resurrection, hath been revealed as life-bearing, more radiant than paradise
and fairer than any royal palace.