Jesus Confronts some Angry Jews
Study No. 12. Chapter 5:31 – 47 A quick overview of the verses we are examining in this study
Jesus speaks to antagonistic Jews (Ch 5:19-47)
19-23 In no uncertain terms Jesus affirms His deity, showing his total equality with the Father, and clearly claiming to be the Messiah.
24-25 In the previous two verses He gives a clear gospel message to these ‘hard-nosed’ legalists. This is not considered casting pearls before swine … it is more an ultimatum for which they will be held accountable.
26-29 Here He gives the solemn bottom line. Whether they believe it or not they have been duly warned that the very One with whom they are speaking will be their final judge.
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.
The Jews will want some evidence of the validity of Jesus words.
Now He offers five witnesses to do just that:
31 Himself. He is not saying that He cannot be His own witness … He is saying if He were the only witness, his testimony would not be valid in their eyes.
De 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
32 - 35 John the Baptist. He momentarily refers to John but quickly says that he will not be using a human as a witness. He knew they had respected John somewhat and reminded them of the call to salvation which they clearly heard from John.
36. So, though they were intrigued by John and his message, and though John clearly said the Messiah was on His way and then clearly announced, “this is He of whom I said …” Jesus says I have a greater witness.
His own works.
Jesus calls their attention to His works as evidence of His deity. He finds it necessary to do this … after all, they had just called him down for ‘working’ on the Sabbath day … and had failed to even acknowledge what it was he had done. A healing of such magnitude, possible by absolutely no one else, certainly not one of them!
37 His Father in Heaven
He now brings the Father in as a witness; But the voice of the Father at Jesus’ baptism they seem to have missed
38 – 39 The Scriptures
The Father has borne witness of Jesus in the scriptures. Because they reject Jesus’ authenticity, Jesus says you search and know the scriptures but you do not believe the scriptures … hence are unsaved. I am sure this would not sit well with these ‘religious leaders’.
41 “I receive not honour from men”. (“Like you do.”)
42 – 47
Jesus accuses them of the very serious consequences of conducting themselves primarily for the ratings. Everything they do is for recognition and praise. They bend to the will and whim of the people so as to remain high in public opinion. In the process of it all they depart from Moses and his writings pertaining to Christ.
We too must listen to the witnesses
Two additional witnesses:
1. One is for us: The Holy Spirit John 15:26 ¶ "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
2. The other is for the World: Believers. John 15:27 "And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
We must Search – and believe- the Scriptures
The Jewish leaders assume they have eternal life
They based it on the scriptures.
They do not have eternal life. Why? They were basing it on knowledge and not heart trust. Pride vs humility.
John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
The JW’s version: This means eternal life: the taking in knowledge of you.
Are we correct in saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know!”?
It was a common but corrupt saying among them, He that has the words of the law has eternal life; Matthew Henry commentary.
So eternal life is not the result of Bible study. Eternal life is the result of having found Christ in scripture.
We must never allow a desire for reputation and honor to control us.
John 5:44 "How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?
Jesus says, “I do not receive honor from men”. Or, “I don’t care about what people say about me”. (to the Jews He is saying: Obviously you do care what people are saying about you, and you are totally controlled by it, and as a consequence are missing out on eternal life!)
Does it matter to you what people think and say about you?
Listen to Paul, Galatians 1:10 ¶ …. Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
What was the true reason they rejected Christ?
- Their Christ should have pomp and glory
- He would set up a physical kingdom
- He would deliver them from the Roman yoke.
Someone who might come along in their own name, speaking great and pompous words they will receive – regardless of the lack of the witnesses which Christ had.
Daniel 7:20, 25. 8:24, 25. 11:36,37 2 Thess 2:4, Rev. 13:5,6
Who is the accuser? v45
Not Christ. John 8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
:11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
John 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Lucifer Re 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Christ is known as our Intercessor
John 17:9 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.
1Jo 2:1 ¶ My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Ro 8:34. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Heb 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Christ Jesus is our intercessor. But He calls on us to be ‘Christ-like’. When we are Christ-like, we too will be intercessors. We will intercede for others. We will intercede for one another.
1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
When we are ‘intercessors’ we are Christ-like.
When we are ‘accusers’ we are ……………. like.
Jesus speaks to antagonistic Jews (Ch 5:19-47)
19-23 In no uncertain terms Jesus affirms His deity, showing his total equality with the Father, and clearly claiming to be the Messiah.
24-25 In the previous two verses He gives a clear gospel message to these ‘hard-nosed’ legalists. This is not considered casting pearls before swine … it is more an ultimatum for which they will be held accountable.
26-29 Here He gives the solemn bottom line. Whether they believe it or not they have been duly warned that the very One with whom they are speaking will be their final judge.
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.
The Jews will want some evidence of the validity of Jesus words.
Now He offers five witnesses to do just that:
31 Himself. He is not saying that He cannot be His own witness … He is saying if He were the only witness, his testimony would not be valid in their eyes.
De 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
32 - 35 John the Baptist. He momentarily refers to John but quickly says that he will not be using a human as a witness. He knew they had respected John somewhat and reminded them of the call to salvation which they clearly heard from John.
36. So, though they were intrigued by John and his message, and though John clearly said the Messiah was on His way and then clearly announced, “this is He of whom I said …” Jesus says I have a greater witness.
His own works.
Jesus calls their attention to His works as evidence of His deity. He finds it necessary to do this … after all, they had just called him down for ‘working’ on the Sabbath day … and had failed to even acknowledge what it was he had done. A healing of such magnitude, possible by absolutely no one else, certainly not one of them!
37 His Father in Heaven
He now brings the Father in as a witness; But the voice of the Father at Jesus’ baptism they seem to have missed
38 – 39 The Scriptures
The Father has borne witness of Jesus in the scriptures. Because they reject Jesus’ authenticity, Jesus says you search and know the scriptures but you do not believe the scriptures … hence are unsaved. I am sure this would not sit well with these ‘religious leaders’.
41 “I receive not honour from men”. (“Like you do.”)
42 – 47
Jesus accuses them of the very serious consequences of conducting themselves primarily for the ratings. Everything they do is for recognition and praise. They bend to the will and whim of the people so as to remain high in public opinion. In the process of it all they depart from Moses and his writings pertaining to Christ.
We too must listen to the witnesses
Two additional witnesses:
1. One is for us: The Holy Spirit John 15:26 ¶ "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
2. The other is for the World: Believers. John 15:27 "And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
We must Search – and believe- the Scriptures
The Jewish leaders assume they have eternal life
They based it on the scriptures.
They do not have eternal life. Why? They were basing it on knowledge and not heart trust. Pride vs humility.
John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
The JW’s version: This means eternal life: the taking in knowledge of you.
Are we correct in saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know!”?
It was a common but corrupt saying among them, He that has the words of the law has eternal life; Matthew Henry commentary.
So eternal life is not the result of Bible study. Eternal life is the result of having found Christ in scripture.
We must never allow a desire for reputation and honor to control us.
John 5:44 "How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?
Jesus says, “I do not receive honor from men”. Or, “I don’t care about what people say about me”. (to the Jews He is saying: Obviously you do care what people are saying about you, and you are totally controlled by it, and as a consequence are missing out on eternal life!)
Does it matter to you what people think and say about you?
Listen to Paul, Galatians 1:10 ¶ …. Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
What was the true reason they rejected Christ?
- Their Christ should have pomp and glory
- He would set up a physical kingdom
- He would deliver them from the Roman yoke.
Someone who might come along in their own name, speaking great and pompous words they will receive – regardless of the lack of the witnesses which Christ had.
Daniel 7:20, 25. 8:24, 25. 11:36,37 2 Thess 2:4, Rev. 13:5,6
Who is the accuser? v45
Not Christ. John 8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
:11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
John 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Lucifer Re 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Christ is known as our Intercessor
John 17:9 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.
1Jo 2:1 ¶ My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Ro 8:34. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Heb 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Christ Jesus is our intercessor. But He calls on us to be ‘Christ-like’. When we are Christ-like, we too will be intercessors. We will intercede for others. We will intercede for one another.
1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
When we are ‘intercessors’ we are Christ-like.
When we are ‘accusers’ we are ……………. like.