John 5:23
“that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him.”
What does John 5:23 mean?
Jesus is making a bold claim about his own nature and place in God's work. He's saying that giving him honor and respect isn't separate from honoring God the Father, but is actually part of the same thing. To truly honor God means to honor Jesus too. This might sound strange if you're just encountering it, but Jesus is essentially saying that dismissing or disrespecting him amounts to dismissing God himself. The connection runs that deep. It's an invitation to see Jesus not as someone competing with God or separate from God, but as someone so intimately bound up with God's purposes that you can't truly encounter one without encountering the other. Whether you're in a season of faith or still figuring out what you believe, Jesus is asking for the same kind of respect and openness you'd give to the Creator himself.