There Are Other Witnesses

Lesson #90

It is time to look ahead and see what topics remain in chapter 5. John 5:30 – 47 is arranged differently in various translations. Looking at the NASB translation we find verse 30 by itself, verse 31 and 32 together and the remaining verses divided up into four paragraphs. The four paragraphs relate to four different witnesses to Jesus. There is the witness of John the Baptist, the witness of works, the witness of the Father, and the witness of Scripture. We may devote a lesson to each witness. In this lesson we will look briefly at John 5:30 – 32.

Jesus said, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 5:30 ESV). Jesus is saying that he doesn’t do anything on his own but is working in perfect harmony with the Father. While on earth, Jesus does not do or say anything that is not according to the perfect will of the Father; he acts by the Father’s direction in all things. When Jesus judges the behavior of the people he is interacting with, his judgments are just because they are not according to his own will, but according to the perfect will of the one who sent him; his Father.

Jesus continues by saying, “If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true” (John 5:31 – 32 NASB). Even though what Jesus is saying about himself coming from the Father is true, his listeners had the right to expect his statements to be confirmed by other evidence. The law that the people are under did not allow a person to testify in his own case, but required the witnesses of at least two others. Jesus is aware of this and says there is another who gives testimony of him. The gospel writer, John, will next list four such witnesses, which we will begin to look at in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, it is with such joy that I prepare these lessons. Even if nobody reads them the discipline of preparing them and posting them and the blessing of learning more about you and your Son are without measure in value to me. When I compare how I could otherwise spend my time, I find those options pail in significance. I also find what the world has to offer is nothing but a shadow when compared to what you offer to those who believe. Thank you from the depths of my heart for your provision and work in my life.