Five Witnesses To Jesus' Authority And Power

Tonight we are going to take a look at five witnesses that help to prove Jesus’ authority and power as God’s Son. Let’s get right into the Scripture. READ 31.

The first thing Jesus says about a witness for Him is based upon the world’s judicial system. Let’s face it; in our world a man’s own testimony is unacceptable and suspicious. If I were being charged for murder and I testify as a witness for myself, what good is it? What will I say? “Not guilty. I wasn’t there. It was someone else.”

The witness of a person has to be supported by other witnesses and at least two witnesses are required. This is one of the most fundamental laws of society throughout the world. This is the point Jesus is making. So here we see Him stooping down to the level of man. What He had said was true. He was the Son of God. He wasn’t lying. He was precisely who He claimed to be, and the fact should have been known.

If the people were really searching and seeking after God, they couldn’t have missed the fact that He was the Son of God. He was so different from everyone else—so Godly. But to meet their need, Jesus would prove that fact by meeting the demands of justice. He is going to call forth not just two witnesses but five to prove His claim.

The fact that Jesus felt that He had to do this shows the untrustworthiness of man. It shows the poor stuff we are made of. Man’s word can’t be trusted—not even in a court of law.

Something else to be noted thus far is the love of Christ for man. He loved us so much that He stooped to man’s level to convince them so that they might be saved.

READ 32. When I first read this verse I figured Jesus was talking about God. Actually He was talking about the Holy Spirit. So the first witness Jesus brings is the Holy Spirit. Why the Holy Spirit and not God?

1. The HS ha already been given to Jesus without limit. READ Jn. 3:34. The Spirit was empowering Him and doing the works of God through Him.

2. The second reason I feel Jesus was talking about HS here is that the HS is One of the witnesses that bears witness of Christ. READ 1 Jn. 5:6. When John talks about the testimony to Christ, he mentions the Spirit. And if Jesus is not talking about the Spirit in this verse, then the spirit is not listed as one of the witnesses in this passage. And since Jesus is going to mention God as one of the witnesses in verses 37-38, surely He must be talking about the HS here.

3. If we look closely at this verse, Christ seems to be talking about an inner witness, the testimony of a Presence which He senses within His innermost being, a Power that works in and through Him. Yes, He could be talking about God here, but again it could also be the Spirit which fits more naturally.

Jesus says, “I know that this testimony about me is valid.” He meant that He knew the truth of the testimony within His own heart. He had the sense of the Spirit’s witness within His inner being. The Spirit bore witness with Jesus’ own Spirit that He was the Son of God. He knew it was true.

READ 33-35. Jesus’ second witness is John the Baptist. The religionists had sent some men to ask John about his witness, and John bore witness to the truth. John’s witness was not a fly by night testimony that appeared on the scene and suddenly disappeared. His witness continues and still continues today. It was a trustworthy message, a testimony to the truth.

The words “the truth” (v. 33) are not only a reference to the truth of John’s message but also to Christ Himself, who is THE TRUTH. Jesus didn’t need this testimony of a mere man. The testimony of God’s Son should be counted the strongest of witnesses, but tragically men want the testimony of other men. That’s why Jesus uses the testimony of John the Baptist to prove His case. He knew they would probably accept the testimony of a man over whatever else Jesus used.

After all, John’s testimony was as clear and pointed as it could be: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John’s testimony definitely showed men the way to God, just as a light shows men the way out of darkness.

BUT…even though the people rejoiced in John’s message, it was only for a season. If John said anything that did not allow them to do as they pleased, they rejected it.