Three Witnesses of Christ
Jesus, God in the Flesh | A Study through the Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 6 viewsJesus owes no man proof of His Deity or of Who He is, but to appease the Law and the critics He gives three that bare witness of Who He Is.
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Introduction |
I remember being told by my mom that my grandfather was known for saying don’t believe any of what you hear and only half of what you see, and you will do fine in this world. He stated this because many times what we hear is not exactly what was said and what we see may have only been the end result of other actions that had taken place. Typically, before we rush to judgment over something, we need to investigate the situation first. With that said, I have a few questions for the group.
How does one investigate a situation or event?
For an investigation to be successful, what is needed in the end?
Do we spend more time investigating and looking for evidence before drawing a conclusion or more time forming assumption without grounds for that assumption?
Let us remember the context of our passage. The Jewish leaders are making an assumption based off of preconceived ideology and not Biblical evidence. They are looking at Jesus as at best a false teacher. He truly was the Messiah and was willing to give evidence of such claim.
Opening Passage | John 5:30-31
“I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me. “If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.
Focus Passage | John 5:30-47
Outline |
Jesus’ Justification of Claimed Deity (vv. 30-31)
Jesus’ ministry was divinely empowered - ‘…I can do nothing on My own...’
Jesus spoke the words of the Father alone
Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works.
So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me.
Jesus performed the work of the Father alone
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Jesus obeyed the plan of the Father alone - ‘…I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent me…’
Jesus speaking to the religious leaders states, If I alone testify of about Myself, My testimony is not true. What Jesus meaning by this statement? What was the point He was trying to make? The Law, which the leaders were to be masters of, stated that no one could make a judgment or find proof in only one witness. The Law required at least two to three witnesses of a claim or act to be verified.
“A single witness shall not rise up against a person regarding any wrongdoing or any sin that he commits; on the testimony of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.
To fulfill the Law that He came to fulfill in a more real way within His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus gives three witnesses that support His deity, to support His claim of oneness with the Father.
3 Witnesses that Support Jesus as Deity
When does one typically use a witness?
What do witnesses normally do?
The word ‘witness’ is a key word within the Gospel of John, used some forty-seven times. It is the Gk word ‘μαρτυρία’ ‘marturia’ meaning ‘evidence given’ from a judicial stance. It is rendered as record, report, witness, or as in our text, ‘testified’.
John the Baptist is a witness to the truth of Jesus’ deity (vv. 33-35)
“You have sent messengers to John, and he has testified to the truth. But the testimony I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was the lamp that was burning and shining, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
The religious leaders had sent messengers to John while He was baptizing in the wilderness
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
John the Baptist knew who Jesus was
He testified that Jesus was Lord (Jn 1:23)
He testified that Jesus was the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29, 36)
He testified that Jesus was the Son of God (Jn 1:34)
The people were on fire about John’s message in the beginning but cooled in the end - ‘…He was the lamp that was burning and shining, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light…’
The Jewish people were willing to accept John’s message of repentance for a short while. The religious leaders showed up to investigate. John even acknowledged Jesus as Lord as previously stated, but with all this said, Jesus was not worried about acceptation and testimony from man. It’s not that John was not fulfilling his kingdom work. He was sent as one to prepare the way for Jesus, but Jesus’ calling and purpose was not from man, but the testimony I receive is not from man. Jesus had one purpose, to bring salvation to the lost house of Israel and the rest of the world, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
The signs of Jesus are witnesses to the truth of Jesus’ deity (v. 36)
“But the testimony I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.
Jesus tells the religious leaders that you will accept the testimony of man, John the Baptist, but the evidence I give of my claims is far more superior to than that of a man, But the testimony I have is great than the testimony of John. Jesus’ signs, His miracles are proof of His claims, the very works that I do—testify about Me. We must remember that Jesus’ is stating that everything He is saying is for them to be saved, but I say these things so that you may be saved. We must also remember that the whole purpose of John writing and recording the signs, works, miracles of Jesus were to point others toward Christ for salvation.
So then, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.
These works were not according to His purpose and will but the purpose and will of the Father, for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish. These same works testify to the fact that the Father had sent Jesus. Jesus was completely obedient and submissive to the will of the Father. He had surrendered His all to the Father, even to the point of dying on the cross. This complete abandonment was evident in the works that He was performing. Once again, the works testified of Jesus’ deity and oneness with the Father, the very works that I do—testify about Me.
John the Baptist testified of Jesus. The works of Jesus testified about Him. However, to fulfill the Law of God, there was yet a third witness, the Father and His Word.
The Father and His Word are witnesses to the truth of Jesus’ deity (vv. 37-47)
“And the Father who sent Me, He has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. Also you do not have His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He sent. “You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me; and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you accept glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah, the Son of God, was supported by the Word of the Father - ‘…And the Father who sent me, He has testified about Me…’
The religious leaders thought head knowledge saved when it was heart knowledge that truly saves (v. 39a)
This very word that they felt they found salvation in (The Law), was the very Word that testified of Who Jesus was. Exodus 12:1-28, speaks of the Passover Lamb, who John the Baptist claimed that Jesus was. Moses testified of a prophet to come who would saved the people from their sin.
“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen.
This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet Like me from your countrymen.’
Yet they, the religious leaders, would not accept the word of God nor the truth that was before them. Therefore, they were not saved nor had the Father in them (vv. 37-38). And as Jesus states, yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
While the religious leaders were seeking approval from man, they needed to be seeking approval from God. The only way for man to be approved of Father is through the Son (vv. 43-44).
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The very truth the Law they embraced spoke of the truth, the very truth they rejected and thus rejected salvation (vv. 45-47)
Conclusion |
Are we doing as the religious leaders today? Are we not seeing trees because of the forest? Are we being distracted by religion to such a degree we have kept ourselves from have a relationship? The very relationship that matters more than anything, a relationship with the Father. For the words, the signs, and the obedience of Christ all lead to one to salvation in Christ for there is none other who offers and provides salvation. There is no other source.
And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”