16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
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. 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, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 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. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
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?”
Read John 5:16-47 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
During a response Jesus gave to a group of Jewish leaders, He shares a statement and concept that is incredibly profound when we stop to think about it – and in this statement is something that we can all apply in our lives 2,000 years later.
While giving His response, Jesus told the Jewish leaders, “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.” (v. 31-32)
Perhaps you have known someone who seems to speak highly of themselves and their accomplishments. Individuals like this will brag about things they have done, who they know, what they own, or any number of other things that help them look good in whatever conversation they are having.
However, the principle Jesus shares is that testimony about oneself should always make us cautious about believing it because it is rarely ever true. When someone else says something positive about the individual, it is more believable.
Jesus says that His testimony about Himself, if it were by itself, would not be valid, but there is another who testifies about Him, making Jesus’ claims valid. While we might be quick to point out John the Baptist, who was Jesus’ cousin and forerunner in ministry, Jesus immediately acknowledges but discounts John by saying, “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.” (v. 33-35)
Jesus mentions John the Baptist as a secondary witness that would be someone everyone would know of – including the non-believing Jewish leaders. However, Jesus Himself does not need to rest on John’s testimony. Jesus continues His response by saying, “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. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.” (v. 36-38)
God the Father is Jesus’ second witness, and God the Father validated Jesus’ ministry by giving Him the power to do the tasks that He had send Him to do. God the Father even spoke from heaven on a number of occasions, but those present who didn’t believe did not understand what was being proclaimed.
The key in Jesus’ words to learning the truth about Him and the key to being able to hear the Father is simply by believing in the One He sent and by paying attention to the truth He has already shared in the past. These Jewish leaders did not believe in Jesus, and because of this, they missed out on seeing, hearing, and experiencing what He was doing during their lifetimes – and their unbelief led them to crucify their own Messiah.
For us, we should focus on the testimony we have been given regarding Jesus and on the truth God has revealed through the Bible, and when we have these two things in place, we can move forward through life with Him by our side directing our steps.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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