THE WITNESSES

John 5:31-47

Key verse: 36

“I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.”

Last week, we learned that Jesus has authority to give life and authority to judge. In today’s passage, Jesus teaches the Jewish leaders about the validity of his authority by introducing witnesses who testify that he is the Son of God. Particularly by introducing two very different witnesses who testify to Jesus, Jesus wants the Jewish leaders to accept Jesus and have eternal life. Who are then the two witnesses?

First witness is John the Baptist (31-35). Look at verse 31. “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid.” Here, when Jesus says that his testimony is not valid, he doesn’t mean that his testimony is false. In fact, Jesus says in John 8:14 that even if he testifies about himself, it is valid because he knows where he came from and where he is going. But here he says that his testimony is not legally valid, in accordance with Jewish law. Jesus was very humble in his way of talking with the Jews in order to bring them from death to life. According to the Jewish law, a witness is not allowed to testify on his own behalf. The Jewish law of evidence, demands that there must be at least 2 or 3 witnesses. Jesus told the Jews on the basis of their law, in a way they could understand, to help them accept his claim.

Look at verses 32-33. “There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.” Jesus’ first witness is John the Baptist. John the Baptist testified about Jesus from the very beginning of his ministry. John acknowledged himself as the forerunner of the Messiah. He delivered the messages of repentance powerfully, and the whole nation came to him to be baptized, repenting of their sins. John testified that he himself was not the Christ, and that the Christ was coming after him. When John saw Jesus finally coming to the stage of human history, he was awestricken. He cried out in John 1:29, “Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” He also testified that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, and that Jesus is the Son of God. Everyone heard John’s testimony about Jesus.

Look at verse 34. “Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.” Jesus did not need human testimony, because he is the way, truth and life. Jesus is the Word; Jesus is God. But Jesus introduced John the Baptist for the sake of the Jews who had heard John’s testimony about Jesus. Jesus earnestly wanted to help these stubborn Jews so that they could be saved. John’s testimony was powerful. After hearing John’s testimony about Jesus, people began to flock around Jesus; even some of John’s disciples began to follow Jesus and became Jesus’ disciples. In this way, God used John the Baptist as a witness to testify about Jesus. God still uses human testimony to introduce Jesus to the unbelieving. For example, the Samaritan woman’s testimony about Jesus was so amazing that her village people came to Jesus and accepted him as the Savior of the world. When Peter testified to Jesus in Jerusalem, 3000 people were cut to the heart, repented of their unbelief and accepted Jesus. Human testimony is important for other human beings. Human testimony touches other human beings’ hearts because all people are going through ups and downs of life and through the power of sins and so need the Savior Jesus. Personally I have come to Jesus’ Christ because of my classmate’s testimony and earnest invitation to Bible study.

We write and share weekly testimony. Our testimony writing and sharing has a deep meaning. Through our testimony we offer our love and devotion to God. Through our testimony we also help and encourage others to come to Jesus. We must know that Christians are all Jesus’ witnesses. Jesus said to early Christians in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus’ witnesses are those who testify to Jesus wherever they are. By the way, the word, “testify” has the meaning of telling the truth at the risk of one’s life. It is associated with the word “martyr.” God used Christians martyrs to turn Rome to the headquarters of Christendom. With a life-giving spirit we must testify that Jesus is the Savior to all. Missionary Lukas and Maria Cho live in Colombia, where beatings and shootings happen around them daily. They risk their lives to testify to Christ. Of course, our testimony does not save people, but it helps them to come to Jesus who saves them from eternal condemnation.

Look at verse 35. “John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.” Jesus calls John a lamp that burned and gave light. John was like a burning lamp. With burning heart and godly zeal, John testified to Christ until he died. John gave his entire life, like a lamp burning brightly, spending itself completely, to witness that Jesus is the Son of God. John is a good example to us in being a witness to Jesus Christ. Like John the Baptist let us testify to Jesus with burning heart and godly zeal so that many students can come to one-to-one Bible study and meet Jesus personally. May we become testimony speakers to testify to Jesus boldly to many students on campus.

Second witness is the Father God whose testimony is weightier than that of John (36-39). How did God testify to Jesus? Verses 36-39 tell us that God testified to Jesus in two ways. First of all, God testified through Jesus’ messianic works. Look at verse 36. “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.” Here Jesus says that the work he is doing is God’s testimony that Jesus came from God. Jesus’ work was a life-giving work. So far, in John 1-5, we learned about Jesus’ messianic works. Jesus changed water to wine in Cana in Galilee. Through this miracle, God testified that he sent Jesus to the world with God’s power to change people. Jesus also healed a royal official’s son with his word. Through this sign, God testified that he gave Jesus God’s power and authority to heal the sick with his word. Jesus also healed a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years by commanding him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” Then the man got up and picked up his mat and went home in full view of many people there. Through this God testified that Jesus had God’s power to give life to those who are totally hopeless and powerless. Through the works of Jesus, God testifies to Jesus that Jesus is the promised Christ. The beautiful work of Jesus is done everywhere. There are so many beautiful works of Jesus among us as well. I have no time to share all of them. Let me share just one. A girl student was directionless and wandering. She had a desire to do many things but couldn’t finish anything well. But God worked in her life so gracefully. After learning of living by faith, however, she became a fighter of faith. She challenged her school study to the end by faith and got a job. She overcame a big mountain of getting immigration status. She challenged herself in order to serve a Bible student by faith in Jesus. Now she is challenging herself to raise disciples. Jesus’ work on her life proves that Jesus is the Christ. May the work of God among us become very powerful so that many campus students can see it and become eager to come to Jesus.

God also testified to Jesus through the Scriptures. Look at verses 37-39. “And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me....” God is a witness who testifies to Jesus. As we know, we didn’t see God with our physical eyes. In fact God is not a physical being. He is spirit. We didn’t hear his voice with our physical ears. Yet God is powerfully testifying to Jesus. How? Through the scriptures! The whole Bible is about God’s testimony about Jesus. The whole scriptures can be boiled down to one theme: Jesus is the Christ. The Old Testament is God’s testimony that he would send the promised Christ who could save men from sin and bring them back to paradise, the kingdom of God. For example, Genesis 3:15 is God’s testimony that Jesus would come to the world as an offspring from the woman and he would crush the head of Satan and bring salvation to mankind. All prophets in the Bible talk powerfully that God would send the Christ. The promises of the coming of the Messiah and of his powerful works are promised everywhere in the scriptures. Although the scriptures were written by many different people in different times, different circumstances and different places, they all point to Jesus. They are God’s powerful testimonies for generation after generation. Therefore, those who study the Bible honestly and sincerely will surely believe that Jesus is the Savior promised and sent by God. The scripture is the weightiest testimony of God through which we can accept Jesus into our lives as our personal King and Savior. May God bless our personal Bible reading and one to one Bible study greatly.

So far, we learned of Jesus’ witnesses who testified Jesus. There was overwhelming evidence that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior King promised to come. There was the testimony of John the Baptist and the testimony of God himself through Jesus’ works and through the Scriptures. The Jewish religious leaders should have accepted Jesus as the Son of God. But they did not. Why? Look at verse 40. “...yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” They refused to come to Jesus. It was a deliberate rejection of Christ as the Son of God. It was a rejection of God’s testimony. They studied the Scriptures diligently. But their motive was not to know Christ; it was to impress others with their knowledge and to gain a position in society. They did not love God from their hearts (42). They loved the praise of men (44). Christ stood right before them, but they failed to accept him and have life. Their unbelief was not an intellectual problem. It was deliberate rejection of God’s word. They were too proud to submit to anyone, even the Son of God. We must study the Bible to know Christ. We must repent before God’s word and believe it. When we do so, we can have eternal life.

Today we learned that Jesus’ witnesses are John the Baptist and the Father God. They testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. But people still refuse Jesus because of their sinful desires, although they can see overwhelming testimonies about Jesus the Savior. Some people recognize that Jesus is the Christ through Bible study, yet they still do not come to him and commit their lives to Jesus. Like the Jewish leaders, they refuse to come to Jesus Christ. May God help us to accept Jesus and give our life to him and live as his disciples who march into his kingdom.