The Gospel of John Lesson 14 (12-09-12) John 5:30-47

The Gospel of John (12-09-12)

Lesson 14 – John 5:30-47

Review briefly vs. 17-29

It is amazing when reading Scripture how deep and how vast even a single verse can be. Here in this section I am reminded of just how vast God’s Word can be having just read and studied this section last week and yet missing this very important detail that I saw in preparation for this week’s lesson. John 5:26 is one of those verses. I had totally missed this last week, and I am not sure if I had ever understood what is contained in this verse.

When reading this verse too quickly you might miss what Jesus says here. When reading carefully you are struck with the truth of eternal life and the promise of the resurrection. In this verse Jesus states that in Himself is found life, self contained and always present. In Him and in the Father Life reigns supreme never being absent. Nothing can overcome or cancel out this attribute of God. Even death as powerful as it is has no power over Him and this attribute…in other words resurrection is assured. Eternal death is not possible.

In vs. 30 to the end of this chapter Jesus sights witnesses that confirm that Jesus is who He claimed to be. He begins His list of witnesses by first prefacing their testimony and witness with a statement as to what they are witnessing to, vs. 30-2.

In v. 30 Jesus reminds them that He did not come for His own purposes and glorification. He tells them that his actions and judgments are not judgments according to His will or whims, but are performed and pronounced according to the will of the Father. He goes on to say and admit in v. 31 that if He came witnessing of Himself that that would prove that His witness was not true.

A witness by definition is one that testifies to or of someone or something else, other than themselves. If you were to witness of yourself your witness being in the first party would not be credible, not to mention a little self gratifying. Jesus’ witness was not of Himself. When He bore witness He bore witness of His Father. In v. 32 Jesus reminds them that even though He came bearing witness of His Father there were those who also bore witness that His testimony and what He was saying was true and in harmony with their witness recorded in vs.33-47.

The first witness that He cites bearing witness to Him was John the Baptist. In v. 33 He brings out that even they recognized that John was a reputable witness pointing out that they recognized that John was a man sent from God bringing a message that was from God directly. Even they by their actions witnessed that John was a credible witness because they had sent messengers to John inquiring of him of the message that God had given him recognizing that he had something to say.

In citing John the Baptist as one of His witnesses He reminded them of John’s witness and what he told them testifying that he himself, John, was not the Christ, but instead made it plain, actually pointing Jesus out, that He indeed was that Christ.

In v. 34 taking nothing from John, Jesus tells them that in essence this is the least of the witnesses that he will list stating that God does not need man to validate Him. Stop and ponder this for a moment. Although God loved and cared so much for us that He took time for us and came and actually died for us, in this verse and in this statement He puts us in our place saying that what man thinks or says about Him and who He is is least important and that it makes no difference to Him what man’s opinion of Him is.

Jesus, however, goes on to tell them why He cites John saying that it is for their sakes that He makes mention of John because in doing so it might cause them to stop and think and possibly it may get their attention and they might believe, for they had revered John’s message. (Read several versions of this verse)

What an awesome statement here in this verse. God’s mercy and His majesty mixed so powerfully here in one statement. God’s Love and His Omnipotence shown in so few words.

Jesus goes on in v. 35 reminding them of what they had seen. They had recognized and identified with John’s testimony saying that he was a burning and shining light and even according to their standards and they were willing to give him prominence as a true prophet even though this recognition was only for a season.

In the next few verses He will go on to cite three more substantial witness than man’s testimony. He goes on in v. 36 citing one of these greater witnesses that even they would have to agree with and could in no way deny. Here in v. 36 he cites His works as testimony and identification being proof that the Father sent Him. In these works no one could deny that His works had not only the power of God in them, but also the complete personality and makeup of the Father having the Father’s Name and signature written all over them.

In the previous verses Jesus made it plain that the works that He did were not done to show forth himself or His personality, but was to have the look of the Father who had sent Him. In stating His works as a witness to them He was asking them to stop and think for a moment and replay what they had seen as to how these works appeared to them. He was telling them to witness the signature that was placed on these acts as to Who’s they really were witnessing also that even though Jesus performed these acts they were as if the Father did them Himself.

The third witness, v. 37-8, that Jesus cites is the witness of the Father Himself. Even though the Jews rejected Jesus, Jesus reminds them of the incident that occurred that they were probably present for. He reminds them of the time following His baptism when those present literally heard the Father speak from heaven attesting that Jesus was indeed the Promised One.

Two things happened at that time that confirmed that He was the One. The first thing that happened was after His baptism when He was coming up out of the water John saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven having the appearance of a dove coming down and residing on Him. We know that John at least saw this for God had told John that this would be the sign signifying that this would be the Promised One when he saw this happen. Others other than John may have been privileged to see this at that time also, but, it is not clearly stated in the Gospels if others were able to see what John saw.

The second thing that happened at Jesus’ baptism was that the Father spoke audibly from heaven testifying the Jesus was indeed the One. It is likely that those there heard the voice from heaven, but some believe that it is not definite that all present actually understood what had been said. However, we do know that at least John the Baptist heard and understood what was said, the others at least hearing God’s voice speak weather they actually understood it or not.

Earlier in this chapter Jesus makes a point that He hears and communes with the Father constantly and that He and the Father understand and communicate with each other perfectly. However, in vs. 37-8 He points out to them that they are the ones that have never communicated with the Father and that they are the ones that should be accused of not communicating with the Father never having heard His voice or never seeing His shape.

Jesus continues in v. 38 pointing out to them that in reality they have none of God’s Word or His ways in them knowing this because they do not believe the One that God sent, namely the One that they are talking too right now. What a bold up front statement. To us this may sound a little confrontational, but Jesus was not being confrontational at all, He was only trying to help them see reality so that they might believe.

The fourth and final thing that He states as a witness to Who He is are the Scriptures. In v. 39 He tells them to search the Scriptures and they will see that He is witnessed to in them. The sad part of this discussion and encounter is that these men had spent a lot of time and a lot of years in the Scriptures, but had missed its meaning.

Many down through history have done this missing the truth and real benefit of the Gospel. It is not only time in the Scriptures that makes the difference, but perspective and an open heart searching for the truth, Jesus being the full representation of the Truth. In reading and studying the Scriptures they were looking for the wrong thing. It seems that in their studies they were looking to justify their own perspective looking to justify things from man’s view whether it was right or wrong instead of looking to the Scriptures to be instructive having insight revealing God’s perspective to them.

He told them that if they were reading the Scriptures with the right perspective that they would be able to see Him clearly revealed in its meaning and message finding life in the process. Instead He told them point blank that they had missed the message missing the life that goes with it.

A good example of this is found in the life of Nikita Khrushchev who as a boy in Russia was enticed by a priest to memorize Scriptures and attend Sunday school. The priest was successful, for he had encouraged him to memorize large portions of Scripture enticing him with rewards such as candy and getting his parents to relieve him of his chores at home to allow him to spend time memorizing. The enticement worked for at one point he was able to recite publically in church all four Gospels flawlessly receiving an award and certificate for doing so. Later in life Nikita continued to love to recite Scripture publically, but for reasons that would have gravely disappointed to priest. Throughout his life Nikita did not believe in the existence of God and had not problem stating so publically. Nikita although knowing the Scriptures intellectually, did not know the truth contained in them.

In these verses at the end of chapter 5 Jesus tells them that He came to them in the right way matching what was in the Scriptures and they did not receive Him. He points out to them that in essence they however love the praise of men more and would much rather receive the praise and flattery of men than the straightforward truth of the Scriptures. In other words, they would rather receive someone unreservedly coming to them with puffed up self praise and ambition than to receive the truth backed up by the witnesses found here at the end of this chapter that He states are backed up by the Scriptures.

He tells them that they would rather receive man’s biased and untrue flattery from each other and their so called religious club than to seek God’s approval. In essence He tells them that God’s approval would be enough by itself meaning more than any and all the praise one could receive from man. Jesus knew this. We see that He was satisfied even in this setting receiving Praise from God the Father alone even if He had received no praise from man whatsoever. Jesus was not into popularity contests.

In the last part of the chapter He tells them that they had missed the message completely telling them that even Moses whom they claim to know and follow was witness to what He was saying. He went on to say that Moses’ message which they had claimed to know would in the end end up judging them for their unbelief instead of validating or justifying their perspective and treatment of Jesus here. In the end in v. 47 He tells them that if they blinded their hearts not receiving what Moses had said about Him then He could see how they would not believe Him, ending up being completely opposed to Him. 

It appears that the conversation ends abruptly here. Who knows what happened at this point. It is unlikely that the scale tipped to the positive or it is likely that the Apostle John would had made mention of it. One can only surmise that the conversation ended abruptly as so many of these encounters with Israel’s religious leaders did.