Key Verse: "I have testimony weightier than that of
John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am
doing, testifies that the Father has sent me."
John 5:36
Today Jesus continues with His defense of Himself and His
ministry. Remember, this confrontation came about because, once again, Jesus
had supposedly broken Jewish Law by healing a paraplegic on the Sabbath. To
make matters worse, He had claimed God as His Father, which in His accusers’
eyes, was the same as saying, "I am equivalent to God."
As any lawyer will tell you, a defendant's case is not very
strong if his defense relies solely on the defendant's testimony. A case is
always strengthened by collaborating witnesses. This was also true for Jesus'
day. Therefore, In His own defense, Jesus names five witnesses that point to
the fact that He is speaking the truth about Himself and His relationship to
God.
The first witness that He calls to His defense is God
Himself. "There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that His
testimony about Me is valid." (John 5:32) Next He refers to John the
Baptist, even though Jesus knew that the leaders to whom He is speaking didn't
take John very seriously either. Jesus then points to His own works, (John
5:36) which His accusers have often credited to the devil. Next, he refers to
all of Scripture, which, as we have been seeing throughout the year, abundantly
points to Jesus as the Christ. Here, Jesus accuses them of not being better
students because, though they claim to know all of Scripture, they do not
recognize Him. Finally, Jesus refers to the revered Prophet, Moses, himself,
who the Jews see as the giver of the original law. (John 5:45-47) Moses, from
Genesis to Deuteronomy, had promised that God would walk among men in a way
that would not frighten them, as they had been frightened by Him at Mount Sinai.
Now, here He was, God's promise fulfilled, the true giver of the law Himself,
being accused of breaking His own law by mere men who worshiped their religion
and tradition more than God Himself.
This whole passage urges us to be careful. First of all, we
must guard our hearts from letting our comfortable way of doing things, our
traditions and preferences, keep us from God's truth when it is revealed.
Secondly, just like Jesus, we must realize that, as His followers, we too live
a life always on trial by Satan. The great accuser would love to find fault
with us, ways that we have not lived up to Christ's name and reputation. If you
were accused of being a Christian, how would your trial go? Could you call on
witnesses who could testify to your walk with the Lord, or is it hard to tell
for most observers?
Hymn: "At the Name of Jesus"
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