Four Witnesses to the Deity of Jesus

OT Scripture

Deuteronomy 18:15 NKJV

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,

Deuteronomy 18:18 NKJV

18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

Introduction

One of the most essential doctrines of the Christian faith is the doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ. Why? Well, it’s because so many other things either stand or fall based upon that one doctrine. To put it rather bluntly, if you don’t believe Jesus is who he says that he is, then you’re not a Christian. Sadly, however, many people have tried and still try today to reduce Jesus to a simple man, saying things like he was a good teacher, or he was simply an itinerant rabbi. While the Bible does speak of Jesus in these terms, certainly he was a great teacher, and from the perspective of first century Judaism, Jesus was a rabbi, however, the Bible also speaks to the fact that Jesus was and is so much more. The Bible says that Jesus is the Son of the Living God; the Son of man, the Messiah! In fact, in chapter five of John’s Gospel God’s Word speaks to this in that we read of Jesus healing a lame man who had been unable to walk for thirty-eight years! Surely, the one who does that is more than simply a good teacher, isn’t he? C.S. Lewis often defended the deity of Jesus and wrote that,

“He told people that their sins were forgiven, and never waited to consult all the other people whom their sins had undoubtedly injured. He unhesitatingly behaved as if He was the party chiefly concerned, the person chiefly offended in all offences. This makes sense only if He really was the God whose laws are broken and whose love is wounded in every sin.”

Now, in verses 30 and 31 of our text today you see Jesus continue on with the theme found in the previous verses that he and the Father are one. When you look at Jn. 5:30 you can’t help but think, “Wow, what a statement!” In verse 30 Jesus says, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” Now, if you stop right there, it might seem like you’re left hanging, but when you read the next two verses, Jn. 5:31-32, it sheds a great deal of light on what Jesus has just said. In v.31 Jesus says, “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.” [In other words if it were just me alone.] That word “true” ἀληθής (alēthēs) in Greek carries the since of something being admissible in court or valid as a testimony. Now, look at verse 32 because it’s here that Jesus really slams his foot down and tells us what he’s getting at. In verse 32 Jesus says, “There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.” Did you catch the fact that Jesus said, “there is another …”? Well, at a point, in the rest of the text, Jn. 5:33-39, Jesus is going to tell us who the “another” is. Suffice it to say, however, at this point Jesus is reminding us here of the OT prerogative that’s given in Deut. 19:15, “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.” Here, in Jn. 5:32, Jesus has pointed out that he’s not the only witness, and in what remains of our text he’s going to appeal to four witnesses to show us his deity. So, let’s look at the text.

John 5:30–39 NKJV

30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. 31 “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 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, that the Father has sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

Prayer

Witness 1: John the Baptist

John 5:33–35 NKJV

33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

Verses 33 through 35 present us with the first of the four witnesses, that being John the Baptist. Now, the fact is that we’ve heard a lot about John the Baptist so far in this Gospel account written by John the Apostle. Early on in John’s account he spoke of John the Baptist as a witness to the coming of Jesus the Messiah. He was, in the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness …” (Is. 40:3). Now, these people Jesus was speaking to, the Jewish leadership, had heard John message. We know this because of what Jesus says in Jn. 5:33, “You have sent to John, and he has bourn [testified] to the truth.” You see, it wasn’t like these people were in the dark as to who Jesus said that he was because, as you can read, they had heard John the Baptist. In fact, look at what verse 35 says about them hearing John, “He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.” Do you realize what this verse is saying? It’s saying that these people actually listened to what John was saying, took note of it, and celebrated the fact that the Messiah was coming! Then, do you know what they did? They turned right around and wanted nothing to do with Jesus! Why? Simply put, because he didn’t fit the bill they were expecting. They were all expecting a sergeant at arms and they got a suffering servant, and when what they wanted didn’t materialize, they wanted no more to do with John’s message let alone Jesus. Do you know what I think the most amazing thing about Jesus’ mention of John the Baptist witness to his [that is Jesus’] deity is? It’s the fact that the next three witnesses Jesus mentions are himself, God the Father, and Scripture. You see, Jesus didn’t have to mention anything to them about the witness of John the Baptist, that’s the point of what he says in Jn. 5:34, I love the way one translation renders this verse, Jesus looked at the leaders and said “Not that I accept human testimony …” In other words, “I really don’t have to have a man testify to the fact that I am the Messiah.” Now, what he says next makes my jaw hit the floor; look at what Jesus says to them at the end of verse 34, “I say these things [all of this about the testimony of John the Baptist] that you might be saved.” What Jesus is doing here is this, he’s saying to these leaders, “Look guys, even though I don’t really have to have a human witness to the fact that I am God in the flesh, I’m going to show you grace by mentioning the fact that John the Baptist said I am the Messiah! Now, repent and believe before it’s too late.”

(Appeal) And do you know what? Jesus is saying the same thing to you today! Repent and believe because he’s the only hope that you will ever have!

Witness 2: What Jesus Does (His Works)

John 5:36 NKJV

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, that the Father has sent Me.

The second witness is found in Jn. 5:36 and it’s the witness of what Jesus does, or in other words, his works. If the witness of John the Baptist is not enough then surely the fact that these people are seeing Jesus do the things he’s doing will lead them to faith! (Pause) Do you remember back in the third chapter of John’s Gospel, the conversation Jesus had with one of the Jewish leaders? Do you remember his conversation with a man named Nicodemus? Do you recall what Nicodemus said to Jesus when he came to Jesus under the cover of darkness? If not, then let me give you a quick refresher, Jn. 3:2 we’re told, “This man [that is Nicodemus] came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” These people saw with their own eyes what Jesus was doing, and they still didn’t want to believe him! (Pause) Now, we read something like this, and we say, “Come on now, if I had been in that situation, I would have believed Jesus!” Don’t flatter yourself! Seeing isn’t believing. Listen to what the author of Hebrews had to say about all of those who came out of Egypt and “saw” all of the mighty acts of God.

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,

8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,

In the day of trial in the wilderness,

9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,

And saw My works forty years.

10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,

And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,

And they have not known My ways.’

11 So I swore in My wrath,

‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

You see, it’s easy to look at a situation and say, “Nope, not me, I wouldn’t have done that!” But remember, the people who left Egypt saw all of those plagues as well as the parting of the Red Sea, and they still refused to believe! Church, we have what all these people did not have, the completed canon of the New Testament which confirms the truth of what Jesus did, and who he is, and we will be held to account for the fact that we have this. And by the way, we will also be held to account for the fact that we didn’t share it! Jesus himself testified to the reality of the fact that he was and is who he says he is through the works that he did, and you have that witness recorded for you in plain English, read about it as often as you can for you will answer for what you did with the knowledge that you have!

Witness 3: God the Father

John 5:37–38 NKJV

37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

The third witness is found in vv.37-38, and that’s the witness of God the Father. Jn. 5:37 answers the question we posed back in Jn. 5:32, remember, Jesus said, “There is another who bears witness of Me …” The “another” mentioned back in Jn. 5:32 is a reference to the witness of God the Father. We know that’s true because Jesus connects verses 32 and 37 with the following phrase in Jn. 5:37, “… has testified [μαρτυρέω (martyreō) in Gk.] of Me.” Compare this with the fact that in Jn. 5:32 Jesus says that “There is another who bears witness [same word μαρτυρέω (martyreō)] of Me.” So, Jesus has made the connection between the two verses here, but what he says next cuts to the core because it’s a damning indictment to the Jewish leaders he’s talking to! Jesus says the following in the second part of Jn. 5:37 and the rest of Jn. 5:38, “You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.” Now, I could do an entire series of sermons on these two verses, but in the interest of time, I want to show you three things. First, Jesus says, “You have neither heard His voice …” That, friends, is a reference to Ex. 33:11 to Moses who “did” hear the voice of God. Exodus 33:11 says, “So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” That fact that these people do not hear Jesus’ words, and he is speaking the words of God (Jn. 3:34; 17:18 tell us this), then these people are not truly following Moses, and in the end, Moses actually turns out to be their accuser (Jn. 5:45-47). Second, Jesus tells them that they have never “seen His form”. Let me ask you a question, who in the OT saw the form of God and wrestled with him? Jacob, and what was Jacob’s name changed to? Israel! Let me ask you another question, what is Jesus? Jesus is the physical manifestation [form] of God (Jn. 1:18; 14:9). Since this is true, and these people do not recognize Jesus, then it has to follow that they are not true Israelites. The Apostle Paul actually confirms this for in Rom. 9:6-7 when he is addressing the problem of the unbelief of his fellow countrymen. Paul says, “But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” In other words, simply being a physical descendent of Abraham means doesn’t get you in! The third and last indictment comes in Jn. 5:38 when Jesus tells them that they don’t have the Word abiding [living] in them. In the last part of Jn. 5:38 Jesus tells them the reason why he can say this of them, it’s because they have rejected him, and he is the one God has sent. All of this revelation concerning who Jesus is comes from and was given to them by God the Father, Jn. 5:37, “And the Father Himself, who sent Me …” This, church, is the witness of the Father and they refused to accept it! Will you do the same?

(Appeal) Let me ask you, are you willing to accept the testimony of God the Father that Jesus is the Savior who was promised? If so, believe on Jesus Christ today and be saved!

Witness 4: The Scriptures

John 5:39 NKJV

39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

The last witness is found in Jn. 5:39, and it’s the witness of the Scriptures. Now, we need to qualify what “Scriptures” are being referred to here. When the Apostle John wrote this Gospel the NT as we have it in our Bible’s today had not been organized, so, when John uses the word “Scriptures” he’s referring to the OT and note well what Jesus says about the OT in Jn. 5:39. “You [that is the leaders he’s speaking to] search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” The question is what does Jesus mean here? Let me begin here by asking a question, when you read the OT, what do you read it looking for? A lot of people, and I would dare say many believers, read the OT with the idea that it has nothing to do with them, after all, there’s a lot of information concerning various sacrificial rituals and laws that seem to have nothing to do with anything we think about in our modern world. There’s also lots of information concerning family genealogies, and there’s also places where God commands people to do what we think of as some pretty crazy stuff, right? I’ve even heard some people make comments like, “Oh, the OT, that’s not written for us, the NT is written for us, the church!” Frankly, I don’t buy that one bit, for a number of reasons. Let me give you just a few. One, is the letter to the Hebrews. Now, there’s a lot of questions about who wrote the book of Hebrews, but what we do know is that the letter was written to what seems to be people who were coming out of Judaism into the Christian faith, and what the book of Hebrews does is it shows the reader the fact that all of the OT pointed to Jesus. Let me give you just a couple of quick examples from Hebrews, although there are more. The book of Hebrews, in chs. 9-10, teaches that the entire sacrificial system has been rendered obsolete and fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus. That means that it’s done, finished, and fulfilled. Those OT sacrifices pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The book of Hebrews also teaches that the New Covenant, inaugurated by the spilt blood of Jesus (Mt 26:28), is applied to and fulfilled in those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, these people make up the body of Christ [the Church], and that passage is a direct quote from Jeremiah 31! Second, when Jesus makes the comment, “…these are they which testify of Me.”, that’s pretty blunt. Does he say anything like this anywhere else? If you would, flip back in your Bible to Luke 24 where you’ll find the story of some of Jesus’ disciples who were walking on the Emmaus Road after the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. Now, these guys are all sad and mopey because they were really expecting Jesus to be the Messiah, and while they’re walking along comes the risen Jesus and he strikes up a conversation with them, but at this point they don’t recognize who Jesus is. After listening to them talk about how their hopes were all dashed when Jesus was killed, and how they had hoped he was the “one”, look at what Jesus says to them in Lk. 24:25-26, “25 O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” Do you realize what Jesus just said to these people? I have never seen an English translation that truly brings out the force of his statement at the beginning of Lk. 24:25, “O foolish ones …” Essentially, Jesus is looking at these guys and calling them a bunch of morons who don’t know how to read their Bibles. And if you don’t believe I’m right in saying that, look at what happens next, Lk. 25:27, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” My point is this, in John 5:39, what Jesus is doing is saying, “You people don’t know how to read your Bibles, because if you did, you would realize that it was telling you about me! The whole OT points to me, the Messiah!” (Cover this only if there is time) One final thing I’d like to point out to you concerning the OT and Jesus is found in Acts 13:26-33 (Read the Scripture). Did you catch what Paul said in Acts 13:33? He said that God had fulfilled the Promise in raising Jesus from the dead. If you trace those references through the OT what you will find is that the “Promise” being referred to here is the Abrahamic Covenant. In other words, all of those OT promises God made have been fulfilled in Jesus. That book that you hold in your hand, that book is about one person, Jesus of Nazareth.

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, in these verses we’ve looked at today Jesus presents four witnesses to the reality that he is who he says that he is. One, John the Baptist, two, the works that Jesus himself does, three, the witnesses of God the Father, and four, the witness of the Scripture, particularly the OT which points to and is about him. Now let me ask you, if you were to put Jesus on trial, who do you say that he is?

Invitation

Prayer