Sermon 27 JOHN SERIES The Five Witnesses to Jesus’ Authority and Power JOHN 5:31–39
(5:31–39) Introduction: there are five witnesses to Jesus’ authority.
1. The fact: one’s own testimony must be supported by other witnesses (v.31).
2. The first witness: the Holy Spirit within Jesus (v.32).
3. The second witness: John the Baptist (vv.33–35).
4. The third witness: miraculous works (v.36).
5. The fourth witness: God Himself (vv.37–38).
6. The fifth witness: the Scriptures (v.39).
1 (5:31) Jesus Christ, Deity—Witness—Judicial System: a man’s own testimony is unacceptable and suspicious. The witness of a man has to be supported by other witnesses, and at least two witnesses are required. This is one of the most fundamental laws of society throughout the world. (See De. 17:6; 19:15; Mt. 18:16; 2 Co. 13:1; 1 Ti. 5:19.) This is the point that Jesus was making. Note how He was stooping down to the level of man. What He had said was true. He was the Son of God; He could not lie. He was precisely who He claimed to be and the fact should have been known. Men should have been searching and seeking after God so diligently that they could not miss the fact that He was the Son of God. He was so different and so Godly. However to meet their need, He would prove the fact by meeting the demands of justice. He would call forth five witnesses to prove His claim.
Thought 1. The fact that a man’s word is untrustworthy reflects the poor stuff of which men are made. Man’s word, his honesty and integrity, cannot be trusted—not even in a court of law. Note his nature of self-centeredness: he loves himself much more than truth, even when the life of society and its laws are threatened.
Thought 2. Note the love of Christ for man—His seeking after man, using every method He can to convince men so that they might be saved.
2 (5:32) Holy Spirit—Jesus Christ, Witnesses to: there is the witness within, the Holy Spirit. Christ did not identify who He meant by another (allos). (See Jn. 14:16.) Most commentators believe He was referring to God Himself. There are three reasons why the Holy Spirit is thought to be the One to whom Christ was referring.
a. The Holy Spirit had already been given to Christ “without measure” (see note—Jn. 3:34). He was, of course, very conscious of the witness of the Spirit both within and without Him. The Spirit was empowering Him and doing the works of God through Him.
b. The Holy Spirit is One of the witnesses that bears witness of Christ (see 1 Jn. 5:6–12). When John the apostle discusses the witness to Christ in his epistle, he mentions the Spirit. If the present verse is not referring to the Spirit, then the Spirit is not listed as one of the witnesses in the present passage. This would be most unlikely, especially since the witness of the Father is covered in vv.37–38, and the ministry and witness of the Spirit is covered so thoroughly in this Gospel. (See outline and notes—Jn. 14:15–26; 16:7–15.)
c. Note how the verse reads. Christ seems to be talking more about an inner witness, the witness of a Presence which He senses within His innermost Being, a Power that works in and through Him. This of course could be God, but again it could also be the Spirit which would fit more naturally in the context.
Note the Lord’s words, “I know that the witness He witnesseth of me is true.” The Lord meant at least two things.
1. He knew the truth of the witness within His own heart and life. He had the consciousness, the sense, the awareness, the personal knowledge of the Spirit’s witness within His own inner Being. The Spirit bore witness with Jesus’ own Spirit that He was the Son of God.
2. He knew that the witness and the work of the Holy Spirit, in and through Him, was true. The Spirit was convicting men, working in their hearts and lives, convincing them of the claims of Christ. (See outline and notes—Jn. 16:7–15 for the Lord’s discussion of the Spirit’s work.)
“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him” (Jn. 3:34).
“It is the spirit [Holy Spirit] that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (Jn. 6:63).
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Ac. 10:38).
3 (5:33–35) John the Baptist: there was the witness of John the Baptist. The religionists had sent some men to ask John about his witness, and John bore witness to the truth. Note several points.
a. The words bore witness (memartureken) mean a permanent and continuing witness. His message was not a fly-by-night witness that appeared on the scene and suddenly disappeared. His witness continued and still continues and will always continue. It was a trustworthy message, a witness to the truth. (See Jn. 1:19–27, 29–36.)
“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.… Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Mt. 3:1–2, 8).
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Mt. 3:10–11).
b. The words the truth are a reference not only to the truth of John’s message but also to Christ Himself, who is the Truth, the very embodiment of Truth.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Jn. 14:6).
c. Jesus did not need or plead the witness of a mere man. The implication for man is clear: men should not plead the witness of a mere man when dealing with eternal issues that determine their destiny. The testimony of God’s Son should be counted the strongest of witnesses, yet tragically men want the testimony of other men just like themselves.
Note: Jesus did not receive the witness of men, for He knew what was in man (see Jn. 2:24–25). He also rebuked Nicodemus for not receiving His witness and letting it be enough (Jn. 3:11).
d. Jesus reached out to men, giving them what they required, hoping to save some. He gave them the most dynamic human witness He could—John the Baptist. John’s witness was as clear and pointed as it could be: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29).
e. The witness of John was that of a burning and shining light. His light was clearly seen to be of God, lit by God as the light of God. That John’s message (witness) was of God could not be questioned by any reasonable and honest person. John definitely showed men the way to God, just as a light shows men the way out of darkness.
f. The people rejoiced in John’s light, but only for a season. They looked upon John as a sensation, a moment of excitement, listening and accepting only what they wished. Very simply, if John said anything that did not allow them to do as they desired, they rejected it.
4 (5:36) Jesus Christ, Deity—Works—Witness to: there was the witness of miraculous works. Four significant things were said by Jesus.
a. Jesus’ works were a greater witness than the witness of John the Baptist.
b. Jesus’ works were given to Him by the Father. He was on a mission for God; therefore, what He did—all the works—were of God (see Jn. 3:35).
? He was the One appointed by God to carry out the works of God.
? He was the One empowered by God to do the works of God.
c. Jesus’ works were the Father’s works. The Father was the Originator, the Planner, the Overseer of the works. He was the One who had given the works to be done and completed. Note that Jesus claimed to have completed the works perfectly (see Jn. 17:4; 19:30).
d. Jesus’ works proved that the Father had sent Him. They were works which had never been, or ever would be, done by others (Jn. 15:24). They were so unusual—so full of power and wisdom, love and care, glory and honor to God—that all men who failed to see and believe were without excuse. Remember, He had just performed one of the Godly works, healing the paralyzed man.
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (Jn. 9:4).
“Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me” (Jn. 10:25).
“If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him” (Jn. 10:37–38).
“Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake” (Jn. 14:11).
“If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father” (Jn. 15:24).
“And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?” (Mt. 13:54; see Mk. 6:2, 14).
5 (5:37–38) Jesus Christ, Deity—Witnesses to—Word of God: there was the witness of God Himself. God sent Christ into the world, so Christ naturally bore witness of God. The witness included all that God had ever revealed to man down through the centuries. Everything God did was to prepare the way for His Son, and every single act bore witness that God was sending His Son.
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Ga. 4:4–6).
The point is striking: the way was being prepared for the coming of God’s Son …
• every time God spoke
• every time God appeared (theophany, in whatever form or manner)
• every time God acted
Christ made two charges against the religionists. (The same charges can be made against the world.)
a. “Ye have neither heard His [God’s] voice at any time, nor seen His shape, what He is like.” Some people may think they have seen God, but they have not. However, it is not because God has not spoken or shown what He is like. He has revealed the truth about Himself and the coming of His Son.
? Some in the Old Testament did hear and see what God was like (Ge. 32:30; Ex. 24:10; 33:11; Nu. 12:8; De. 4:12; 5:4, 24).
? Some in the New Testament did hear and see what God was like: Simeon (Lu. 1:25f), Anna (Lu. 1:36f), and others (Jn. 1:40f; 12:28–30).
However, most down through the centuries have not heard and seen God, and most still do not.
“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (Jn. 1:18).
“[Jesus Christ] who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” (Col. 1:15).
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever” (1 Ti. 1:17).
“[God] who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting” (1 Ti. 6:16).
“No man hath seen God at any time” (1 Jn. 4:12).
“And he said, thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Ex. 33:20).
“Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not” (Jb. 9:11).
“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him” (Jb. 23:8).
b. “Ye have not His word abiding in you.” They had the Old Testament Scriptures, but they did not have the Word of God abiding in their hearts and lives
(5:38) Word of God—Abiding: the Word of God must abide in a person for a person to know God in a personal way. Two things are necessary for the Word of God to abide in a person.
1. The Word of God must be accepted as God’s Word. The Word must be accepted as coming from God; it must be accepted as truth, as fact, as gospel. Where the religionists failed is seen in the next point. (Also see note—Jn. 5:39.)
2. The Word of God must be abiding in a person. This means two things.
a. The Word of God must be “in you” not just among you (v.38). The religionist had the Word of God all around him: on his desk and table, in his home and church, on his tongue, and sounding upon his ears. However, he did not have the Word in his heart, and unless something is within, it is not abiding in a person.
b. The Word of God must be “abiding.” It must not only be allowed to come into a person’s mind and heart, it must be grasped and clung to. It must stay within and remain and not be allowed to depart. Abiding means the Word of God is …
• living, moving, ruling, and reigning in a person’s life and heart
• stirring, convicting, and challenging a person
• leading to confession, repentance, growth, and maturity
• teaching love, compassion, forgiveness, goodness, and just behavior
• causing one to believe and trust God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as his Savior and Lord
Thought 1. When God’s word truly abides in a person, that person naturally accepts what God says and lives as God says, and that person believes God’s Son. It would be impossible to accept what God says and not accept what He says about His Son. To reject what God says about His Son is to reject God’s Word. If a person does not believe God’s Son, to whom God witnesses, then God’s Word does not abide in that person.
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jn. 12:48).
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (He. 4:12).
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (2004). The Gospel according to John
