Lesson 18

Witnesses For The Defense

John 5:30-47

It would be easy to avoid or pass over this part of the Gospel of John. We read about the wedding at Cana or the interview with Nicodemus or the visit with the woman at the well, and these words seem more dull or at least difficult to understand and enjoy.

If you have a red-letter edition of the Bible, you will notice that the entire text is written in red; this is all the words of Jesus. In fact, in the first four chapters of John there are a total of 176 verses - 126 are narrative and 50 verses record the words of Christ. But in chapter 5, 33 of the 47 verses are the words of Christ, and indeed every word from verse 19-47 was uttered from the lips of our Lord.

These words were not simply preserved by the good memory of John the Apostle. Rather, they were preserved and recorded by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Jesus speaks for himself here. And he means what he says. Every word.

Jesus has been accused of both breaking the Jewish traditions of the sabbath by healing a paralyzed man of the sabbath and telling him to carry his bed (Iv. 16) and, he has been accused of a more serious charge - blasphemy because he made himself equal with God (v. 18). Jesus does not deny that he is equal with God, instead he endorses it. He claims to be the giver of life. He claims to be the final judge. He claims to know and determine a man's final destiny. He claims that he will one day raise all the dead.. Wow! What radical claims! But Jesus does not just make wild claims. The chapter concludes (vs. 30-47) with Jesus introducing witnesses who will verify his claims.

If Jesus alone claimed to be equal with God, no one would believe him. In fact, the rabbis said that of self-defense - "none may be believed when he testifies of himself." Jesus, know this said verse 31. The Old Testament standard for finding the truth was that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established (Dt. 19:15). Jesus want them (and us) to know that there are valid witnesses who support his claim to deity. There are three witnesses whom Jesus summons to the stand to verify his claim of deity.

The Witness Of The Forerunner, vs 32-25.

John was a popular and respected spiritual leader of the day. Mat 3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan. Remember this scene from later in the life and ministry of Jesus? Mat 21:25-26 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

What did John say about Jesus? See 1:29, 32, 34; 3:27-36. John's witness was that Jesus is the Son of God and thus equal with God.

There is a second witness to verify Christ's claim to deity and in the words of Jesus, ths witness is greater than that of John (v. 36).

The Witness Of His Fruit, vs. 36.

We move from verbal to visual evidence here. Not only what you have heard John say but what you have seen Christ do is evidence of his deity. Jesus miracles demonstrated his creative power - turning water into wine, feeding the 5000. Only God has power to create something from nothing. Jesus is equal with God and thus, Jesus is God. Jesus miracles are not limited by distance or time. He can heal a sick boy in another place and he can speak health to a man who has been paralyzed for 38 years. Jesus is able to raise the dead. Nicodemus had said, "We know that you have come form God, for no man could do these miracles that you do except God be with him. Jesus works are a testimony to his identity. John 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

The Words Of The Father, vs. 37-47 The third and final witness which verifies the deity of Christ are the words of the Father himself. And although these Jews had never heard God speak audibly nor seen the shape of God with their physical eyes, they knew that they had the very words of the Father written and preserved. The third and final witness to take the stand in defense of Jesus are the scriptures.

Although the Jews revered and honored their scriptures - the Old Testament- they did not have them abiding within their hearts, v. 38. If they had, they would have believed in Jesus.

Jesus tells them to search the scriptures. They were looking for eternal life in the scriptures and Jesus wants them know that the scriptures testify of him. There's a lot in the Old Testament about Moses but the Old Testament is not about Moses. There's a lot in the Old Testament about David, but the Old Testament is not about David. There's a lot in the Old Testament about the nation of Israel, but the Old Testament is not about Israel. It is about Jesus Christ! It is filled with prophecies and pictures and symbols that all point towards Christ. The scriptures testify of Christ. Their problem was not that they could not come to Jesus for Life but that they would not come to Jesus. They did not honor the Son (v. 41) because they did not love the Father (v. 42) And although they claimed to trust Moses (v. 45), they would one day be condemned by the words of Moses (the Penteteuch),

Their problem was that they really did not believe the scriptures. Sure, they seemed to revere the scriptures. But if there had been true faith in the words of Moses, their would have been faith in the words of Christ for Moses wrote about Christ.

Today, you, like those Jews have heard the claims of Christ. And you have heard three witnesses take the stand to defend his claim of deity. What is your verdict about Jesus? I use to say to people that they should make Jesus Lord. But we cannot make Jesus Lord. He is lord already. He is Lord almighty. He is equal with God because He is God in human flesh. We cannot make him that which he already is. Our responsibility is to recognize that he is Savior and Lord and God. Phil 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.