Jesus on Trial: Witness Testimony

Introduction

Monday - time in court

observed a few hearings

one contained testimony from the plaintiff and the defendant

one attorney had multiple items of evidence that was used to set to help make the case for his client

He was even prepared with witnesses.

It was fascinating to watch and listen. I don’t spend much time in courtrooms - thankfully, but the process is kind of interesting nonetheless.

Two weeks ago, we began looking at John 5 - which seems to act like a hearing in a larger trial.

Jesus on Trial because he healed a man on the Sabbath and then was indicted for calling himself equal with the Father - essentially calling himself God (1-18), last week, Pastor Armal discussed how…

Jesus defended his authority (19-29)

We come to the final part of this trial or hearing as Jesus introduces his witnesses (30-47)

All of this is leading us to do something with Jesus. We need to come to a verdict - instead of guilt or innocence - the verdict is belief or unbelief. Will we believe in Jesus, or will we continue in unbelief?

So today, we we come to the final part in this hearing, we come to the witness testimony.

Let me encourage you to grab your bible or use the one in front of you to follow along. We will have some of the scripture on the screen. You can find the passage we’re discussing on page: 754 of the pew Bible.

If you’d like to use the notes in your bulletin to follow along, we are going to begin by noting...

Jesus’ acknowledgment that He needs witnesses (30-31)

John 5:30–31 ESV

“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. If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.

Jesus seems to acknowledge that while he is acting with integrity, it would be difficult for people to believe him or to accept his statements as valid because they would be unverified.

When I observed the hearings in the court the other day, there was testimony from both a man and a woman in the case - the plaintiff and the defendant. They were talking about the same incident, but their words were not matching up. It was clear that the truth was somewhere in between. It was a clear case of “he said, she said.” That’s why the plaintiff’s attorney was prepared with photos and the testimony of others in order to present his client’s case before the judge. The evidence and witnesses could help to verify or invalidate the testimony of the couple.

Jesus recognizes that he could say anything - but his information and character would need to be corroborated for people to believe. And so, he references some witnesses.

The first witness that he presents is...

The witness of John: truth of Jesus’ identity and purpose (32-35)

John 5:32–35 ESV

There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

This is John the baptist that he is referring to.

John was a predecessor to Jesus. His ministry had created quite an interest.

John 1:6–7 ESV

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

Don Carson noted in his commentary on this passage:

The Gospel according to John (b. The Witnesses concerning Jesus (5:31–47))

The Jewish people generally, and even many of the leaders, chose for a time to enjoy his [John’s] light. Both the New Testament and Josephus [an early Jewish historian] record that the ministry of John the Baptist generated considerable messianic excitement.

But, he was very clear that his ministry was designed to point people to someone else.

John 1:19–23 ESV

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

A little later in John 1, John the Baptist points directly to Jesus

John 1:29–34 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John’s entire ministry was centered on preparing the people who would listen for Jesus’ arrival on the scene. He acted like a sort of ambassador or advance team representative making appropriate arrangements for Jesus.

His ministry had an impact and made a difference for some people.

His testimony would stand as a witness in favor of Jesus’ …

identity as the Son of God (remember Jesus called God his father in John 5:17 - which is the main reason behind this trial)

purpose - to bring salvation (the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world - John 1:29)

So the first witness steps down and Jesus calls forth another witness -

The witness of the Father as seen in Jesus’ works (36-38)

John 5:36–38 ESV

But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

In my personal devotional time I’ve been working my way through Scripture. Over the last several days I’ve been reading in the books of First and Second Kings. One of the very interesting elements is that greatest portion of these books Chronicle the activities of the Kings of Judah and Israel (the south and the north) through the lens of whether or not they served as instruments of God - obeyed the laws of God. At various points through these books, the activities of some of the prophets are mentioned - Elijah, Elisha and other people called the “man of God.” These men have a sort of teaching ministry to some of the Kings, but they also perform great miracles - raising the dead, healing lepers, causing and releasing a drought, and so much more. Their activity, their works, clearly identified them as men of God - because they worked as instruments of God in the nation.

Jesus, in these verses, seems to be calling people to look at his works as a witness that he had been sent from God. John’s gospel pulls out several works or signs - the work for which he had been indicted - healing a lame man on the sabbath - was simply one of those works. So far in the book, we’ve seen the water turned to wine (John 2), the official’s son healed (John 4:46-54) and the lame man healed (John 5:1-17) - but there were clearly other signs.

But the most significant of these signs is the work that Jesus would do just a year or two later on the cross. His greatest and most horrific work would be to offer his holy life as a substitutionary sacrifice for all of humanity. He rose from the tomb three days later as victor over the curse of sin (death).

(Possibly skip this section:)

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Counter Indictment

But here, in referencing his works as witness on behalf of the father, Jesus turns around and makes a three-fold accusation against his accusers. Look at verse 37-38.

John 5:37–38 ESV

And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

Notice what he points out to them these three indictments (as noted by Carson):

They have never heard God’s voice - Moses heard the voice of God (Ex. 33:11) and conveyed those words to the people of Israel. As we’ll see in a moment, some of those words referred to Jesus. Since they are not hearing the voice of God through Jesus, they are not true believers in what Moses taught (Carson).

They have never seen God’s form - now, God is a spirit - and truly has no form, but has taken form at different times in History. Genesis 32:30-31 records an encounter when Jacob saw God’s form when he wrestled with God. Carson writes that “since Jesus is the very manifestation of God (John 1:18; 14:9), and the Jews do not see God in Jesus, it follows that they are not true Israelites.”

They do not have God’s Word abiding in them - Joshua 1:8-9 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”” and Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Again - as we will see in a moment, since the Word of God ultimately reveals Jesus who is the Word of God made flesh - these people are rejecting Jesus because of their failure to recognize that which should already be dwelling in them.

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So Jesus has presented John the Baptist and the Father as his first two witnesses. Next he turns to the very thing that was near and dear to his accusers…the scriptures.

The witness of the Old Testament - (39-44)

John 5:39–44 ESV

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 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 receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Let’s think about the origin of the law for a moment.

Noah - God chose Noah to be his instrument in the world. God entered into a covenant with Him and provided the sign of the rainbow (Gen. 8:20-9:17).

Abraham - again - God chose Abraham because he chose to. He entered into a covenant with Him and promised to give him numerous descendents and land. IN the promises of this Covenant - God told Abraham that his descendents would be strangers in a foreign land and would return after four hundred years He later called Abraham and his descendents to be different from the other nations of the world by giving them the sign of circumcision. (Gen. 15; 17).

Moses - Roughly 400 years later, God fulfilled his covenant to Abraham and brought the people out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses. He then called the people to live in a way that was distinct from the nations around them - providing the law as a means of helping them fulfill their part of the covenant.

Jesus accuses them because they think that there is life found in studying the scriptures. The scriptures were given as a guide for living and a recorded history, but they were also given to reveal Jesus.

One of those first glimpses of Jesus is found in the opening chapters of Genesis. After Adam and Eve sinned, God issued a curse and promised that a future son of Adam would come to crush the deceiver.

Genesis 3:15 ESV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

The scriptures revealed that no immediate son of Adam, no patriarch, no king or prophet was successful in bruising the head of of the serpent. They are pointing to someone else.

The prophet Daniel provided a timeline that gave indications that there would be something happening, some one coming around the time of Jesus - which is in part why there was so much Messiah fever in the first century (Carson).

Several passages in Isaiah point to a coming one. We often read Isaiah’s child prophecies around Christmas time (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7). But Isaiah also prophesied clearly about the work of the servant of God - or the Messiah.

Isaiah 53:4–6 ESV

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

On Friday evening at our Tenebrae service, we will reflect on Isaiah 52-53 as they give a clear picture of what Christ would do.

The point that Jesus seems to be making is that the Jewish leaders looked to scripture as a means of earning eternal life by obedience to the law. But the law was never designed to provide salvation - the coming one - Jesus would do that. The law shows us how to live as covenant people - but covenant people do not earn their way into that covenant - they are chosen. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the nation of Israel - all point to God’s sovereign choice to choose a people for himself.

Jesus is and has always been the means of salvation - of eternal life for God’s covenant people - past, present, and future.

Have you responded to His call for salvation?

But there is one final witness that Jesus presents. This witness is the hero of the religious leaders...

The witness of Moses: Jesus is our hope (45-47)

John 5:45–47 ESV

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. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Even as Jesus brings Moses into the picture, this section turns to be a counter indictment against the people who are accusing Jesus - It’s almost like his closing argument.

In Moses’ final address to the people of Israel before he died, gave the people a call to obey the covenant of God - to follow his statutes - knowing that they would fail. But he also called them to pay attention to someone coming on the horizon.

Deuteronomy 18:15–18 ESV

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

There is a sense in which all of the true prophets of God acted in this capacity. That was common for prophetic fulfillment - to have a near term fulfillment and a far off fulfillment.

Closing Comments

On Monday in the courtroom, as the plaintiff was testifying and making comments about pictures entered in as evidence, the Judge interrupted the attorney and asked how much more there would be - as he had a very full docket that day. That specific hearing was postponed for another time. All of the parties involved are left with a sort of cliff-hanger. There was no judgment or decision.

In a similar way, John, as he is recording these events, pauses the hearing and the trial of Jesus - the next chapter of the book moves on to another scene in Jesus’ life and ministry. He leaves us hanging - no verdict, no decision.

The question really comes back to us - what will we do with this trial. What will we do with the evidence that is placed before us? Will we grow in our faith?

Beloved - brothers and sisters in Christ, I hope that we will grow confident knowing that Scripture, the Law, and Individuals all point to the identity of Jesus. When people want to refer to Jesus as simply a good teacher or a moral man, we can confidently respond that he is so much more - and we have witness testimony to back that up.

Beyond that, let’s consider a couple of other applications from this encounter.

Do what’s right no matter the consequences - This whole situation started because Jesus saw this man in need and did what only he could do to help the man. It was a sabbath, there could be consequences, but it would be worth it - for the man and for the spiritual growth of those around him.

Live and speak in a way that adequately and accurately witnesses of the identity and purpose of Jesus - John the Baptist had a special call, but as followers of Christ, Jesus should be on display in our lives and a primary subject of conversation on our lips. (convicted of when I wanted to talk to some guys who were talking about Rivian trucks, but was not brave enough to engage them in a real/spiritual conversation).

Abide in the Word of God - Col. 3:16 - tell us to “let the word of Christ dwell in us richly.” We need to allow the word to educate and inform, but we also need it to rest on our minds and invade our lives. The Pharisees seemed to approach scripture with an academic and legalistic eye. We should let scripture guide our actions, but also our way of thinking. Take time and be immersed in the Word.

Friend - if you’re not yet a follower of Christ, how is the testimony of these witnesses moving your belief? You may not have to get it all now, but are you considering it - is it moving you forward?

You’ll notice in your bulletins that we have included a graphic for you to consider. This was popularized by a former professor at Wheaton College as he sought to understand and delineate how people move in their faith.

(Engel Scale)

As you look at this scale - where do you find yourself? Are you moving forward in your faith journey or back? Before you leave, will you share with someone around you where you think you are on that scale? Will you share that with me on your way out? It will certainly help me know how I can pray for you.

Let’s close in prayer.

Benediction

2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Sources:

Burge, Gary M. The NIV Application Commentary: John. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000.

Carson, D. A. The Gospel according to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991.

Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.

Milne, Bruce. The Message of John (The Bible Speaks Today). Downers Grove, IL. Inter-Varsity Press, 1993