Jesus: The Qualified Judge

John 5:27 says, “And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is a Son of Man [sinless humanity, qualifying Him to sit in judgment over mankind].”

Now if you are like me, the word qualify sticks out like a sore thumb. Upon reading this, I was like “What? Qualifying Him? Jesus is already qualified! He is God with us, God in the flesh”. But let’s look a little deeper into what this verse is hinting at!

Hebrews 4:15– For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 7:25-28– 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

2 Corinthians 5:21–He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

 Philippians 2:6-8– 6 who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; 7 but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. 8 After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross

Let’s look at what the word qualify means. Google says “become officially recognized as a practitioner of a particular profession or activity by satisfying the relevant conditions or requirements”. 

Jesus being the Son of Man denotes His humanness The Scriptures above explain to us that Jesus should be officially recognized as a practitioner, or someone who is indeed, a Savior. He checks every criterion there ever is, to show us not only how He has come to save us, but how that salvation is certain and He will judge our actions fairly. Because Jesus was in the flesh, He understands what we go through daily. He did not sin but still recognized the temptations of the flesh. He lives to make intercession, pleas for us, with The Father without needing to first cleanse Himself before even stepping to The Lord; He has a direct line. He legally took on the penalty for our sins and gave us His righteousness to be in right standing with God. He did not cling to His equality with God but unselfishly, was in the flesh like you and I to be obedient unto death to model perfect obedience to The Father. Since He has lived the human experience, but did so the right way, we can know that He not only can understand us but can show us the more excellent way to live, making him just and fair. We can rely on Him to get the job done in our lives. We can rely on Him to change us from the inside out. 

I like to look at it like this, if you are ill you go to a doctor, if you need to learn you go to a teacher, if you need your taxes done you go to an accountant, why because they are the ones qualified to handle your specific need. Jesus is more than qualified to not only save you but prepare you for a life with The Father. Submit to His Lordship and allow Him to do His work in you because that is indeed His job.