John 5:19-47

Jesus has kind of kicked the hornets’ nest. Remember what He did? He healed a man on the Sabbath, showing His authority and power, making clear that He is LORD.

Jesus is LORD, over sickness and the Sabbath and everything else. What Jesus did and what He said when questioned about it really ticked off the religious establishment.

They want to kill Jesus.

They don’t understand who Jesus is, and Jesus is about to tell them (this is only going to make His opponents want to be rid of Him all the more).

The Jewish leaders were as concerned as they could be; this man, Jesus, was making Himself equal with God.

At this, Jesus launches into a long explanation. Every word we’re going to read in John 5 is spoken by Jesus:

John 5:19–29 NIV

19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

In these verses, Jesus reveals His deity and authority.

Jesus does what only God can do.

Jesus tells the Jewish leaders (and us) that He doesn’t do anything on His own. Everything Jesus does is in line with God’s work and God’s will.

“Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

Jesus is perfectly in sync with His Father. He’s not a separate god come to steal the worship and adoration that belongs to the One True God.

Jesus is the true God. He and the Father are one. To worship Jesus is to worship God, and vice versa.

Jesus has the authority to give a person life (v. 21) and the authority to judge men (v. 22). Both of these are unique to God; if Jesus has the authority to do what only God can do, it must mean that Jesus is God.

Think about what Jesus just did. Jesus just healed a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. And Jesus did so with a word. If that doesn’t convince, just wait until Jesus raises someone from the dead (John 11).

Clearly Jesus is God. He does what only God can do.

Jesus receives the honor only God deserves.

Throughout the Bible, God refuses to give His glory to another. He is rightly zealous for His own glory. He will not share what is rightfully His.

But since God and Jesus are One, honor that is due God is rightfully given to Jesus.

Jesus looks right at these staunch, religious leaders—men who would consider themselves guardians of proper worship—and Jesus says to them: Whoever does not honor the Son [Jesus] does not honor the Father who sent Him.

That’s a bold statement. Bold and 100% true.

Any system of worship that does not honor Jesus as the true God is a false system of belief. All of our worship must be Christ-centered.

Only the One True God is worthy of worship. And the only way to worship Him is through His Son, Jesus.

My good friend John Calvin wrote this about 500 years ago:

“Muslims and Jews give the god they worship beautiful and magnificent titles. However, we should remember that whenever God’s name is separated from Jesus, it is nothing more than empty imagination.”

If you ever have Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons come to your door peddling their false gospel, ask them what they believe about Jesus. Christian belief is very different from what they believe.

They’ll all say something like, “We believe Jesus is God.” But they don’t believe that. You can tell them, “No, you believe Jesus is a god, but you do not believe that Jesus is of the same essence as God. You all don’t believe that Jesus is one with God the Father.”

Every religion apart from Christianity is unwilling to honor Jesus as God, to give Jesus the honor God deserves. And yet, Jesus Himself says: Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father.

It’s simple, clear, direct. Jesus deserves the honor God deserves.

Jesus has the power only God has.

Think about what Jesus has just done: healing a lame man. In John 6, He’ll feed a whole mess of people with a young boy’s lunch. That’s power.

But even more than that, in verses 28-29, Jesus says that He will raise the dead to life. They’ll come out of their graves at the sound of His voice.

How can a lame man, an invalid for nearly four decades, take up his bed and walk? Because the all-powerful Jesus told him to do so.

How can a spiritually dead person find life? Only if Jesus, the author of life, draws them to Himself and with His wonder-working power grants spiritual life.

Between what Jesus has done already—turning water into wine, healing the official’s son, telling the invalid to get up and walk—between what Jesus has done already and what Jesus says He will do, it’s clear that Jesus has power, power, wonder-working power.

Jesus has the power only God has. And that makes Jesus and God one in nature and essence.

Contrary to the accusation the Jewish leaders made against Jesus, Jesus wasn’t making Himself equal with God. Jesus IS equal with God—very God and very man.

What Jesus says is true.

But for the Jewish leaders, they’d need a little more convincing than just hearing from Jesus.

So Jesus carts out some witnesses to testify that what Jesus has just said is absolutely, 100% true.

John 5:30–39 NIV

30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. 31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true. 33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,

Witnesses to the fact that Jesus is God:

Witness #1: John the Baptist (5:33-35)

As we’ve seen since chapter 1, John the Baptist is convinced that Jesus is the Messiah. Elizabeth’s son has been convinced of that fact since he was in his mother’s womb—leaping for joy when pregnant Mary came to visit.

The Jewish leaders are familiar with John the Baptist. They have heard John’s message. They know what John thinks about Jesus.

John was a powerful and prominent witness to the deity of Jesus. John’s the one pointing people to Jesus, announcing Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

John is a good witness, but Jesus says He has testimony weightier than that of John.

Witness #2: The Works of Jesus (5:36)

The people should believe when they see Jesus’ works. What Jesus does makes His deity self-apparent. It’s pretty clear.

Nicodemus, remember, comes to Jesus because of the works Jesus performed. John 3:2 “For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Everything Jesus does testifies that He is God.

Eventually the crowds of people who witness the works Jesus will say, “When the Messiah comes, there’s no way He will perform more signs than this man—Jesus—will He?”

Why does Jesus perform these signs/works/miracles?

They are signs pointing people to a right understanding of who He is.

Our good buddy Peter says this about Jesus on the day of Pentecost:

Acts 2:22 “Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”

Everything Jesus has done, the works of Jesus, testify to the divinity of Jesus. If He wasn’t God, Jesus wouldn’t be able to do any of this.

Witness #3: God the Father (5:37-38)

Standing behind John the Baptist and the works Jesus performs is the undisputed greatest witness of all—God the Father Himself.

God Himself has testified about Jesus: at His baptism God Himself spoke. At the transfiguration, God the Father also gives audible testimony to Jesus.

But neither of these events is recorded here in John’s Gospel.

The basis of Jesus’ argument is that God the Father testifies about Jesus, but that the people Jesus is speaking to don’t actually know God—they’ve never heard God’s voice or seen God or have His word dwelling in them.

Their spiritual eyes, like their spiritual ears, are closed. They don’t believe in the One God sent.

If they were listening to God’s words, they would accept the message He was conveying to them through His Son.

God has testified about who Jesus is, but the people didn’t want to see it or hear it.

Witness #4: The Words of Scripture (5:39)

These religious leaders study the Scriptures seriously. Diligently. But they miss the point of the Scriptures.

Referencing the same Scriptures they study and study and study, Jesus says these are the very Scriptures that testify about Me!

Jesus here, and elsewhere, claims (rightly so) that everything written in the Law and the Prophets—that is, the entire OT—is about Him.

The resurrected Jesus, on the road to Emmaus, explained to the fellas walking with Him, what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. (Lk. 24:27)

A Savior, One who would crush the serpent’s head, was promised way back in Genesis 3. Right after the sin that expelled our first parents from the garden, the promise of Jesus was made. A Rescuer would come.

“The entire weight of the OT stands behind the claims of Jesus. Every word is a witness to who He is.” - Matt Carter

Jesus is LORD. He is the Son of God, God Himself. One with God. Equal with God.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day have enormous issues with what Jesus is saying. They don’t believe that Jesus is who He says He is.

This, I fear, is a common sentiment in our day. But not just with people outside the faith. If pressed, there are many professing believers who struggle to articulate who Jesus is.

Jesus is deity. That is, Jesus is God. The Second Person of the Trinity. God the Son, in eternal relationship with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

It is essential for the Christ-follower to believe that Jesus is who He says He is.

What are the consequences of denying the deity of Jesus?

This is what Jesus says about denying His deity. Jesus says there are consequences—dire consequences—if you don’t believe that Jesus is who He says He is.

John 5:37–40 NIV

37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

If you don’t believe Jesus is who He says He is:

You can’t understand the Bible

There’s no way—none—to read the Bible and come away without worshipping Jesus. It doesn’t matter what page you read or which of the 66 books you’re in. It all, in some way or another, point to Jesus.

The primary purpose of the Bible is not to record historical events or reveal certain truths about mankind. The primary purpose of the Bible is to point people to Jesus.

The Bible is not a book of ancient stories.

The Bible is not a book of moralistic lessons promoting virtues or positive character traits.

The Bible is not an instruction manual or a road map.

The Bible is not a secret code book to decipher.

The Bible is about Jesus, pointing us to our Savior. If you study the Bible without seeing and savoring Jesus, without worshipping and submitting to Jesus—you study in vain.

God gave us the Bible so that we might come to Jesus Christ.

Sally Lloyd-Jones captures it (with words I can’t read without getting all teary). From one of my very favorite books, “The Jesus Storybook Bible”:

Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should do and shouldn’t do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It’s about God and what he has done.

Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but … most of the people in the Bible aren’t heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose). They get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean. No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules, or a book of heroes.

The Bible is most of all a Story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne—everything—to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about the Story is—it’s true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name.

He is like the missing piece in a puzzle—the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture. (The Jesus Storybook Bible, 14–17)

If we miss Jesus as we read the Bible, we miss it all. If we read the Bible without believing Jesus is LORD, that Jesus is God, we’re missing the whole point.

If Jesus is not God, He could not have paid the penalty for our sin.

If Jesus is not God, His righteousness couldn’t be applied to us.

If Jesus is not God, we would be without hope.

But Jesus is God. The Bible tells us so.

Jesus continues saying:

John 5:42–43 NIV

42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.

You can’t love God

If you deny the deity of Jesus, it’s impossible for you to love God. Four times in this passage, Jesus describes Himself as having been sent by God (vv. 30, 36, 37, 38). And yet He was rejected by those who claim to love God.

It’s God who sent Jesus. To deny that Jesus is who He says He is is to argue with God Himself.

John 5:44 NIV

44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

If you don’t believe that Jesus is who He says He is

You can’t honor God

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day could spout great truths about the glory of God. They could tell you all the stories of the glory of God throughout Israel’s history.

But when it came down to it, they were more concerned about being honored by men than they were about honoring God.

The glory of God in the person of Jesus was standing in front of them, speaking to them. And they dismissed it.

The only way to honor God is to humble yourself and admit that God sent His Son Jesus into the world to rescue you. You cannot deny the deity of Jesus and honor God.

John 5:45–47 NIV

45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

You can’t escape judgment

Ultimately, rejecting Jesus Christ is going to bring the religious leaders under God’s judgment.

In spite of all their religious training, these men had misplaced their hope. Their hope was in how good a job they did keeping the commands of God Moses wrote down. Their hope was in their own goodness, their own righteousness.

Moses wrote that all people are sinful and rebellious. We all fail to obey what God has said. No one perfectly obeys all the commands in the Bible. No one but Jesus.

Jesus is the One Moses wrote about. Moses wrote that a Deliverer would come to redeem His people.

The only way to have life, the only way to escape judgment is to come to Jesus and trust that He has done what you cannot.

If you deny the truth about Jesus and who He is, you will not avoid judgment, you can’t honor God, you don’t love God, and you will not understand the Bible.

Simply put:

Jesus is LORD.

and

Jesus is GOD.

These are indispensible, essential truths about Jesus.

It matters what you believe. What you believe about Jesus is the single most important thing about you.

John 20:31 NIV

31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.