January 24
JOHN 5
30 “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. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 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. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. – John 5:30-38
JOHN 5 JESUS CONFRONTS THE LEGALISTIC JEWISH LEADERS
In this account, we witness once more the legalism of the Jewish leaders who wanted to charge Jesus of working on the Sabbath and also claiming he is the Son of God. But Jesus threw back their due process of the law which they seem to love most. Everyone must follow the laws to the letter. So, Jesus threw back at them Deuteronomy 17:6 which says
“Never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness. There must always be two or three witnesses.”
According to Barclay’s commentary, it says that it was universally held that a man’s evidence about himself could not be accepted. The Mishnah said: “A man is not worthy of belief when he is speaking about himself. Ancient law well knew that self-interest had an effect on a man’s statements about himself. So, Jesus agrees that his own unsupported testimony to himself need not be true.”
Jesus further gives them another witness with John the Baptist attesting his character. In verses 36-38, Jesus spoke clearly how God the Father bore witness to him because he has followed through with all the work that the Father has sent him to do. Of course, we already expected how legalists would twist any truth they hear if they are not the focus of attention and honor.
REFLECTION
• Why did Jesus confront the leaders’ legalism the way he did in this account?
