I Say These Things so that You May Be Saved
But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. John 5:36
John 5:30–47 – That You May Believe
Christ the King Sunday – November 24, 2024 (am)
When we have a weighty decision to make, or are faced with significant options, it can be hard to know who to listen to for input, and how to evaluate the input we receive. Which college to attend, which job offer to accept, which schooling type for our kids, which item in a big-ticket purchase—how do we decide? To whom do we listen? How do we recognize good input from bad, or good input from better? Jean & I are having to do some work in our kitchen these days, so this challenge is a very present one for us right now. I’m confident you’ve each experienced it at different times and in different ways.
And, strangely, getting into that mindset is a helpful starting point for grasping our passage this morning. What we’re seeing here is people who don’t know how to evaluate what they’re seeing in Jesus, or hearing from Him, or even how to put together the different things they know about God and his word, or from his word. They just don’t seem to know how to receive or relate to Jesus. In this passage, Jesus Himself gives them, and us, some much-needed help—how to hear, understand, and apply different witnesses to Him. Let’s look at this text under two headings.
Seeing and Hearing the Array of Witnesses to Jesus
In this section, Jesus speaks of several witnesses who bear testimony concerning him. [John’s] “witness” theme [here ties in with a] larger “trial [theme],” that runs right through his Gospel; according to [that theme,] it was not Jesus who was put on trial and condemned by the world but rather the world that was put on trial by Jesus. In order to demonstrate Jesus’ innocence and the world’s guilt, John parades before [his readers] a multitude of witnesses who bear testimony to Jesus’ true [identity as Messiah] and [thus] establish the world’s guilt in rejecting [Him] (Köstenberger 2008). Jesus sets up this very point clearly and vividly in today’s text as He teaches those present how to see and hear the array of witnesses that affirm Who He is.
The Father’s Witness
The opening witness Jesus points to is the Father: 30 I can do nothing on my own, essentially repeating what He said back in v.19 (… Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.). As I hear, I judge, Jesus said, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. So, it’s not just that He can do only the Father’s will (19), He doesn’t even want to do anything but the Father’s will (30). Then He says something that can bother us a bit. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. Really? How so? When you think about it, if Jesus and the Father are in perfect agreement and have perfect knowledge, then whatever They say is true. If the Son then speaks alone about Himself, meaning He’s the only One Who’s says what He’s saying, that would not be true because He’s departed from the Father’s will and word. It’s when the testimony of these two witnesses (cf. Deu.19:15; 17:6; Num.35:30), Father and Son, agree that we can know we’re hearing the truth. And that’s why it’s important for Jesus to affirm to us that He speaks only what the Father tells Him to speak. We can trust Their joint testimony. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. Based on what He says in vv.34 and 41, surely Jesus is still speaking of His Father here. But that also raises a question.
How are we supposed to understand the Father bearing witness to Jesus? Where does He speak? We know the Father affirmed the Son at His baptism (Mat.3:17; Mar.1:11; Luk.3:22), so that’s surely part of it. But John doesn’t include that event, so it’s hard to believe that’s all he had in mind as he recorded Jesus’ words here. John does record audible words the Father spoke later on (12:28), that occasion when the crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered (12:29). But are occasions like this all Jesus is meaning?
Probably not. When Jesus returns to the Father’s witness a bit later, we can see that: 37 … the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. It’s not all about audible words here. It’s also about the whole of the Father’s witness, including all of Jesus’ miracles and teaching as directed by the Father (3:2; 5:19-20), and all of God’s witness in Scripture (cf. 45-47; Luk.24:27, 44; Act.13:27; 1Jo.5:9) (Köstenberger 2008).
We can see all those things right here. Regarding the miracles and teaching, look at v.36. Jesus compares the Father’s witness to that of John [the Baptist] and says: 36 … the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. Jesus is saying His miracles—e.g., healing a thirty-eight-year invalid (2-15)—are part of the Father’s witness, His affirmation that Jesus is authentic, that He’s from heaven (3:13, 31).
Scripture’s Witness
Then v.39 adds in the testimony of Scripture, [God’s Word] in witness to Jesus: 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. [God’s Word] authenticates Who Jesus is as part of the witness about Him attributed to the Father. And this is meaning that all the Scriptures point to Jesus! These are witnesses we’d never understand if Jesus didn’t help us right here to think through how to see and hear them!
And that was precisely the problem with the Jews (18) Jesus was speaking to here. He said their own Scriptures are pointing to Him—even Moses, their hero!—yet they don’t see it! 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is [another] who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. He’s likely referring to Moses’ well-known prophecy of a coming prophet about whom Deu.18:17 … the Lord said…, 18 … I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen…, I myself will require it of him. 47 But, Jesus asks, if you do not believe [Moses’] writings, how will you believe my words? We can actually understand this better if we turn it around: Since you don’t believe my words, you’re proving that you don’t believe Moses’ words either, because he was speaking of me.
John the Baptist’s Witness
John [the Baptist] was similar: 33 … he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. John faithfully pointed you to Me for salvation (1:29, 36). 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But your eyes and ears dulled even on the prophet sent in your own day, one who was also promised in [God’s Word] (1:23; cf. Isa.40:3; Mal.3:1).
What a stunning array of witnesses this is that should be seen and heard according to Jesus in this passage! What does it look like to see and hear them well, rightly, savingly?
Trusting and Believing the Array of Witnesses to Jesus
That is, after all, the very purpose of these witnesses Jesus is identifying. We’re supposed to see them and hear them and be saved (34). We’re supposed to be convinced by them, persuaded to 20:31 … believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and [so] have life in his name. So, what is belief? Belief is an expression of trust that shows itself in a pattern of life that clearly displays what’s being trusted for happiness.
Like when you see people who’re workaholics; they’re displaying a trust in hard work which displays their belief that affluence or acclaim is what makes for a happy life. And they see just enough proof in this world that their belief is true to keep pressing on in their hard work.
Or like when you see people who’re always going to the doctor; they’re displaying a trust in medical care which displays their belief that good health is what makes for a happy life. And they see just enough evidence in this world that their belief is true to keep on seeing doctors.
Obviously this is over-simplified. But it does help us get a better idea of what it means to believe in something, or, as here, in some One, so that [we] may be saved (34)—saved from the judgment of God (30) that has been entirely entrusted to the Son by the Father (22, 27).
This is why it’s so important to hear these witnesses about the Son and believe them. Not only our happiness in this life, but also our eternal happiness, depends on it (3:16-21).
So, what stands in our way? What impedes our belief? There are two things we don’t trust. Or, really, there are two sides to one coin that we don’t trust. (1) We don’t trust what Jesus says about Himself right here. And (2) we don’t trust [God’s Word] that’s been given to us so that we might believe Jesus.
We don’t trust the living Word (1:1) Who shows us the Father (14:9) or we don’t trust the [written Word] (Scriptures) that points us to the Son (39). And you can’t honor the Father without honoring the Son (23); you don’t trust the Father if you don’t trust the Son, and the Son as He’s presented right here. If we trust in God’s living Word, Jesus, we’ll trust in His [written Word], Scripture, and it will show up in the way we live; it will show up as obedience to Jesus, to Scripture. And if we truly hear and trust God’s [written Word], that will lead us to trust in His living Word, and, again, that will show up in the way we live. There’s just no saving belief that doesn’t show as obedience, as [doing] good the way Jesus meant it back in v.29.
And that’s what makes vv. 39-40 such a chilling statement. We can be deeply moved by the Scriptures. We can love the stories they tell about Jesus. We can memorize and quote [the Bible] as practical wisdom for daily life. But if the Scriptures don’t lead us to confess Jesus as the Son of God (3:36), the Savior (4:42), who takes away the sin of the world (1:29), such that we follow Him (10:27), obey Him (3:36), then we don’t have life in his name (20:31). Or, to turn it around, the wrath of God remains on [us] (3:36).
Conclusion
So I must ask, do you believe these witnesses? Do you trust Jesus such that it shows up in the way you live?
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Resources
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Osborne, Grant, ed. 1993. Life Application Bible Commentary. John, by Bruce B. Barton, Philip W. Comfort, David R. Veerman, & Neil Wilson. Wheaton: Tyndale.
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NEXT SUNDAY: About Five Thousand in Number, John 6:1–21