Wednesdays in the Word - John 5:31-47

Let's get into our Wednesday in the Word and cover the passage of John chapter 5 and verses 31 through 47, which reads,

v.31-35 - "If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.  There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.  You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.  But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.  He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light." 

Jesus has been speaking in a way that connects Himself very closely with God the Father.  He is on mission from God and His position is to give the eternal life of salvation and fulfill the duties of the judge who justly does the will of the Father.  This language from Jesus is probably making the Jewish religious leaders uncomfortable with His proclamations of who He is, what He is come to do, and His claimed relationship with the Father.  Jesus proceeds to give the four witnesses on His behalf.  We will look at each in its entirety.  

The first witness is that of John the Baptist.  The Jewish people held John the Baptist in high regard and as a prophet of God.  Jesus lets his listeners know that though this witness of Himself from John the Baptist is true it is not the crowning witness of who He is.  John the Baptist pointed to Jesus, baptized Jesus, and proclaimed Him to be the Messiah.  This is the witness of a man fulfilling the will of God to be sent ahead proclaiming of the coming Anointed One.  John the Baptist, though great, was just a man whose lamp of the gospel message would go out someday in the future.  This witness from man would have a purpose for others to know Jesus as the Son of God.

v.36 - "But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John, for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish--the very works that I do--testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me."

The second testimony or witness of who Jesus claims to be is the very works that He has been performing.  Jesus came with the ability to do "God-like" things.  When he performed these miracles, people were amazed and could not come up with any other explanation than what happened was a work of God.  Many of these miracles were very public.  There were many witnesses to the things that Jesus was doing.  A jump ahead in the Gospel of John tells us these miracles were massive in number.  John chapter 20 and verses 30 and 31 say,

v.30, 31 - Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

Let's move on to testimony number 3.

v.37, 38 - "And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me.  You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.  You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent."

The third testimony of Jesus is God the Father.  This testimony is hidden from anyone who doesn't believe that God the Father sent Jesus as the Messiah.  God spoke at the baptism of Jesus and also on the Mount of Transfiguration.  His comments were directed to Jesus as His Son whom He is well pleased with and should be followed.  Jesus gives the impression that just knowing God's word and the words of God abiding in you are two different things.  One can know the words of God and maybe recite them from memory but they are not grasped as the truth to follow by faith even unto death.  Those of faith will understand the testimony of the Father of His Son.

v.39-47 - "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.  I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.  I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.  How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?  Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.  For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

We have the witness of John the Baptist; the witness of the works of Jesus; the witness of God the Father; and now the witness of the Scriptures that have been recorded over many years all pointed to Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed One sent by God.  We know that these words of the Bible are sacred and that they hold truth that we are to understand and live by.  The truth found within point us to know of eternal life.  How do we get it?

Jesus points out what we still do today.  We look to a man or a woman to believe in rather than the Savior of the world, Jesus, written of in the Bible.  Many imposters would come after Jesus and there would be those who would follow them.  The writing of a coming Messiah go back to the beginning of time and Jesus mentions the great Moses and his referring to this One who was to come.  Do we put our faith in someone who comes in their own name or with the witness of many testimonies including the Bible?  Let me end with one of those prophecies of Moses about a coming One.  Deuteronomy chapter 18 and verse 15 says,

v.15 - "The LORD your God will raise up from you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him."

This One will be raised up by God.  This One will be a holy man, a prophet.  This One will come the from Jewish nation.  This One is to be listened to with the result of obedience.  Moses pointed to the future and the coming of Jesus.  Jesus' argument to His listeners was, "You believe in Moses, then you should believe in Me because Moses was speaking of Me.  You can read it write here in the Holy Scriptures."  

For something to be held as fact during Bible times, there needed to be at least two witnesses.  Jesus doubles that and gives us four.  Will you listen to John the Baptist?  Will you believe in the miraculous works of Jesus?  Will you understand God's testimony of His Son because you have faith that God sent His Son?  Will you read the Scriptures as God's words to us of His Son, words of Him even back to the first pages of the book of Genesis?  

Jesus has set the stage for these witnesses of Himself to be seen more so you know what is coming in the upcoming "Wednesdays in the Word."  Let us pray.

"Heavenly Father, thank You for the testimonies and witnesses of Christ.  Thank You for John the Baptist and Your plan on how Jesus would be announced.  Thank You for the miracles of Jesus that showed Your mighty and compassionate power.  Thank You for Your affirmation of Jesus as Your Son.  Thank You for Your words given to us that let us read over time about Your plan of salvation for us through Jesus Christ.  May we put our faith and trust in what You have provided for us.  Amen."

Pastor Adam