What evidence

What evidence

John 5:30-47

August 13, 2023

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Nakita analogy: “If I presented enough convincing evidence, are you intellectually honest enough to be willing to change your mind?” Camping

Sometimes we need that level of convincing that something is true. At times, it takes that kind of evidence to get us to change our minds and our perceptions that what we thought was so true is not the case. The very sad thing about it is that even when the truth is staring us in the face and the evidence is ironclad, we are still reluctant to allow the truth to do its job in our hearts and minds. The result is a definitive response either to change one's mind or stay where we are. Today we will see that there are five witnesses to Christ’s identity that proves His equality with the Father that demands a response.

1. The Son calls His five witnesses.

Last week we talked about the lawyer show where the attorney manipulated, bribed, and took advantage of loopholes to get the decisions he wanted. But, in this case, our LORD is the good lawyer who ethically calls His witnesses to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt who He is. In most to all developed and civilized cultures, no one could be sentenced without witnesses.

In the OT, God established this norm. No one could be convicted of a capital crime unless there were no less than two eyewitnesses to the crime and those eyewitnesses had to agree completely.

Deuteronomy 19:15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

God was very clear that an eyewitness was necessary to protect from the temptation of “bearing false witness”. He knew how wicked and deprived the human heart is and made it clear in the 9th commandment that you “SHALL NOT” bear false witness. Thus, in order for there to be a conviction, two or more witnesses are required.

I know what you are thinking because I thought this as well. “But Von, Jesus is not on trial here.” Well, actually He was. We can see a shift in the tone of the conversation and a clear motive revealed if we just pay close attention to how the account is worded and structured.

Vs 16: And this was why the jews were persecuting Jesus” (remember what persecuting means? To chase, hunt.

Vs 18: “This was why the jews were seeking all the more to kill him”.

Now look at the section that we read last week. I want us to look at how many times Jesus refers to Himself in the third person. From verses 19-29, Jesus refers to Himself in the third person (ie, the Son) 17 times. BUT, from verses 30-47 He refers to Himself in the first person (ie I, Me, My) no less than 31 times in the ESV.

Here is my point, in an argument, when I say “it seems as if we disagree that there is a right way to put the toilet paper on the roll.” VS “I know exactly the right way to do the roll and you are wrong”. There is a marked difference in tone and one is far more direct. A further clue is the use of the word “seeking all the more to kill Him”. Commentators suggest that the use of the verb “seeking” and the move from the third person to the first person means that this argument/discussion with the leaders is a progressive discussion of the argument. Meaning it spans a time period.

Remember, John is not written to be a historical account. Rather, John was written for us to understand who Jesus really is. John records what Jesus thought of Himself and how He proves his legal case of identity. In this section, Jesus calls 5 witnesses to the stand to testify in this corrupt court.

a. John the Baptist: Our Lord had just spent 10 verses proving and telling the religious leaders that He was one with the Father. Why would he use John the Baptist as the star witness for this argument?

Vs 32: “there is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true…You have sent to John, and he has born witness to the truth.”

Jesus goes with John as His star witness for some obvious reasons. First, at this time in Jesus’s ministry, John was far more famous than Jesus. John had skin on and the people knew that He was from God. And John witnessed in John 1:29 “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is whom I said After me comes a man who ranks before me…” The title “Lamb” is a difiniate article referring to the exclusivity of Jesus. THE ONLY way.

When questioned later about Christ’s ministry by the religious leaders we see that they to recognized John the Baptist’s ministry. So much so that Jesus calls them out in Mark 11:29. They recognized that John was from God but unwilling to accept his message. Jesus is smart using John the Baptist for this reason and also the fact that John was flesh, blood, and tangible. The could not argue with this tangible witness.

b. The miracles of Jesus: The second witness Jesus calls is the miracles and signs that He was doing.

Vs 36:“But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish-the very works that I do-bear witness of Me.”

This one witness would have left the Pharisees completely without excuse in my opinion. Who does these works and not be from God? Even Nicodemus admitted this in John 3. But these leaders, even when they see with their own eyes the sick being made well, the blind made whole, the lame walking, miss the entire message of the medicals. In the superstitious world of the first century, these signs go over their heads and it blows me away.

For us today we could be tempted to say: “See! The miracles prove the existence of God”. Wait just a second! NO THEY DON’T! The existence of God is established before a single miracle takes place. God came BEFORE the miracle. The miracle is the result of God. Not the other way around. This brings us to the next witness.

c. The Father: The third witness called is God the Father.

It is very obvious that these religious leaders were not at the river at Jesus’s baptism and they were definitely not at the transfiguration. In both of these places, God the Father confirms exactly who Jesus is:

Matthew 3:17 “and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

And again, at the mount of transfiguration:

Mark 9:7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him…”

I realize that the religious leaders did not have the benefit of these two conversations and interactions, but we do. This makes us in today’s time completely without excuse as to His identity. But, Jesus is not done calling witnesses.

d. The scriptures: The last witness is twofold. One is a direct challenge to us today and the other a direct affront to the religious leaders who were seeking to kill Jesus. The scriptures and the writings of Moses.

Many love the Jesus in the NT because that’s the less grouchy version of God. The issue is that the one in the OT is the very same as the one in the NT. “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed. The NT is the OT revealed”.

The Gospel message of Christ, the payment for the sins of man, is as obvious in the OT as He is in the NT. The Gospel message is found in the creation account, in the Law in Exodus, in the historical account of the ancient kings and even in the exile of the Jews. The Gospel message was being played out in front of the Pharisees and they were resistant to its calling. I have said this before. If you and I have a low view of the Scripture/God’s written Word, we will have a very low view of who He is.

In His own words Jesus said, “you search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me”.

Jesus actually takes it even further:

Vs 45-46: Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you; Moses, on whom you have set your hope.”

These leaders were using the writings of Moses as their hope. Let me be really clear. The Scriptures do lead to eternal life as long as they lead you to Him. If they are used to fabricate our own version of the salvation of effort (I’m a good person), they will not help you. The Scriptures lead us to Him. In Him, we are saved. I say this often, if we deny who Jesus is and deny His Lordship, the ruler for that you will be the Law that Moses wrote about. That Law is unattainable. Meaning, you are on your own.

2. The Son has His own evidence.

All of these witnesses are good. They do the job and Jesus uses them effectively for the skeptic of that time and those today. But He has His own evidence that we need to look at. Jesus says:

Vs 31 “If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me and I know that the testimony that He bears about me is true.”

Wait just a minute! Didn’t Jesus just “testify” about Himself all last week when we read verses 19-29? Didn’t he testify about His ministry countless times in other passages? Is this a contradiction?

Analogy: Notary of Public

Jesus was talking legally. The verbiage used in vs 31 and 32 is a reference to the legal value of His claim. He was speaking hear in the legal context where He said that His testimony was not legally valid in a trial setting unless it was verified or corroborated by other sources. This is where the Notary comes to play. His testimony is legally binding based on witnesses we just covered and the biggest event yet to happen. The final and most important testament to His authority and importance was a single act that changed all of human history.

The resurrection proves the ULTIMATE testimony to His exact identity. That single event seals any further doubt as to His claims. We have God the Father, John the Baptist, the miracles He performed, the scriptures/law of Moses, and finally, the resurrection. Proof of the resurrection is as solid as the existence as I am standing here today. How many people would it take to prove that He was actually raised from the dead? 1, 2 or maybe 12? Would we believe His disciples? How about a few others?

1 Cor 15:3-6:

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep[1]

The fact that He raised from the dead IN combination with these others seals the deal for me. These witnesses along with Him conquering death demand a response.

3. A response to the Son is required.

There are two ways to move forward with this information. We can choose to be apathetic and do nothing, or we can respond to the weight of the evidence. Either way, to not choose and do nothing is still a choice. It is a conscious decision.

Analogy: Naketa follow-up. Unfortunately this person did not know I was actually talking about their unbelief in Christ. When I asked for their intellectual honesty, the answer was not what I had hoped.

The smartest man to live wrote:

Proverbs 1:32 “For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them but whoever listens to me will dwell secure…”

There are two types of complacent people I am thinking about. The unwilling and or the unable. The very sad thing about it is, sin makes both. Sin separates, blinds, and conceals the weight of evidence that we discussed.

a. Unwilling: Accepting Jesus as the Son is not a problem of intellect. The Gospel is not reserved for the smartest person in the room or I would be out. The problem is nothing short then what Charles Swindoll called the “crisis of the will”. People in this crisis only accept data that supports their own idea of what reality is.

John 5:39-43 “…yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

Do you know the hopeless feeling I got when I read the Greek definition for that word “refuse”?

“the proper negative for a denial of a fact[2]”

To these, I go back to the question I asked Naketa at the beginning: “If there was enough evidence would you be willing to change your mind? Do the conclusions in our minds limit our ability to see and hear from the witnesses that Christ laid out for us? Unfortunately, those who fall into this category have the perspective of “convert me if you can”.

b. Unable: Pride is the chain around the neck of the unable person who will not recognize the solid proof before them. It holds the person in a quicksand of self-promotion, self-achievement, and self-preservation.

John 5:43-44 “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God.”

They were unable to look through the tares of the world as Jesus would discuss in another parable about the four soils. The seed falls among the thorns and is choked out. The pride of life and the pride of the world makes their hearts unable to recognize the overwhelming evidence God has provided.

Unwilling and Unable sum up accurately every unregenerate person. If they demonstrate one, they possess the other. They exercise "unwilling" not knowing they are unable. It’s the flip side of the same coin. But God being rich in mercy and grace does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible".

Jesus gave the religious leaders five reasons to believe in Him as Lord and Savior of the world. He gave the religious leaders five of the very best authorities that they would understand, value, and should have accepted. Despite it all, they were both unwilling and unable to recognize Him for who He said He was.

I am sure all of us have had these types of conversations and interactions. It can be disheartening to have question after question about the validity of Christ. It comes off as curiosity and we rush to “sell” them on who Jesus is. But, we as believers must understand that we are called to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” 1 Pet 3:15. We are not the saving force to the unwilling/unable rather we are only the mouthpiece for the Gospel message.

You know, the disciples were not particularly educated individuals. To my knowledge, none had any real formal education or profound positions of authority. In comparison to Nicodemus and the other religious leaders, they were nobodies who had nothing profound to offer the world. But, after their response, Christ, they go on to change the world through their humble obedience. I am here today to encourage and empower each believer.

You and I may say, “I’m a simple man/woman. I am no theologian and I do not get into the details like others. I would describe myself as “faith like a child”. Church, do you not know that “faith like a child” in the hearts of Peter who God used to save over 3,000 people in one message. Who are we to say that we are not smart enough, bold enough or strong enough when it’s God who empowers us? We are call called to give the message.

That Gospel message is one that requires a response. To not respond is still responding. Saying that you will figure it out later is still a response, just one that will potentially sear your spirit.

The unbeliever:

Christ said that “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me”. There are no better witnesses than what Jesus provided. His identity is on full display in what the God of heaven said, the Word of God today in your laps, John the Baptist, and the miracles He did. His resurrection is not denied and cannot be denied. No, in fact He came to earth as planned and sovereignly willed by the Father to redeem (pay for) the sins of the believers. He came to pay a penalty that is unpayable by you or me. He came to reconcile the lost soul to a heavenly Father who was willing to pin His only Son on a cross for the penalty of our sin.

I want to make this very clear; a response is required. My ask is that you respond to the evidence that He provides. Humbly allow your spirit to be open to the facts that were presented in God’s Word.

Conclusion:

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2016. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. [2]Souter, Alexander. 1917. In A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament, 182. Oxford: Clarendon Press.