JOHN 5: 39-47
THE WITNESS OF THE SCRIPTURES
[Luke 24: 25-27, 44-49 / Luke 16: 19-31]
The previous passage tried to teach us that openness to belief must precede the reception of truth. Now John affirms that openness to God precedes the reception of Scripture truth. Scriptures are not to be guided by men but are to guide us to God. We are not to make Scriptures say what we think or want them to say, but let them say what God desires to reveal. To close our self off from God will close the true teachings of Scripture off to us.
Additionally simply reading or listening to Scripture is not enough. We need to listen to Jesus speaking to us out of His word. When we hear Jesus speaking to us in His Word we need to allow Him to change our perspective which will change our life. Jesus leads us to life through our receptivity to His word.
I. THE SCRIPTURES TESTIFY OF JESUS, 39-40.
II. SEEK THE GLORY THAT IS FROM GOD, 41-44.
III. BELIEF IN SCRIPTURES LEADS TO BELIEF IN JESUS, 45-47.
Intense Scripture study was intended to lead us to Christ. Verse 39 relays that the Scripture is a witness to Jesus. "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
Jesus adds the Scriptures to His list of witnesses for Him. First-century Judaism studied or painstaking scrutinized the Scriptures. They knew what the Scriptures said, in fact they intently scrutinized them, but they failed to apply its teachings to their lives. Jesus says His contemporaries did not see the central message about the Messiah, about Jesus, and how He fulfills the Scripture and bring the peoples to God. He was plainly there, the Scripture bore witness to Him. Had they rightly understood the Scriptures they would have recognized the truth of His claim.
They search the Scriptures thinking this was the way to find eternal life. There is no life in the letter of Scriptures themselves. We must follow where they lead and they lead us to the Messiah, the Servant of the Lord. It is He who gives us life. We find life not in the Scriptures themselves but in Him. Once we know Him, He then transforms our life through knowing and following the Scriptures.
They were legalistically bound to the letter but failing to grapple with its thought. The great truths of the Bible never penetrated their heart. Entrenched in their own religious system they would not let the Spirit of God change their lives. May we never be so involved in religion that we miss Jesus Christ.
Luke shows a fascinating story about how the Scriptures reveals Jesus. In Luke 24 when Jesus comes to Emmaus He there opens "Moses and all the Prophets" to these two disciples (Luke 24:27), who came understand all that the Scriptures taught of Jesus Christ. May Christ be so gracious to teach us also all that the Scripture say of Himself.
We can analyze, organize, and classify the Scriptures, yet miss the primary purpose for which they were given. The Bible is the written revelation of God’s will, and it’s intention is to acquaint us personally with the one to whom it bears witness-Jesus Christ.
[I read a story about an 18-year-old boy who was deeply interested in Scientific subjects, especially astronomy. So his father bought him a very expensive telescope. Since the young fellow had also studied optics, he found the instrument to be most intriguing. He took it apart, examined the lenses, and made detailed calculations on the distance of its point of focus. He became absorbed in gaining a technical knowledge of the telescope itself that he never got around to looking at the stars. He knew a lot about that fine instrument, but he missed seeing the wonders of the heavens.
Perhaps someone is anticipating my application by saying, "Ah, but don’t forget, we must rightly divide the word of truth.’" Yes, indeed! And I m not suggesting for a moment that an accurate and careful study of the Bible is unnecessary. Reading the Word without considering to whom it was written and just what is being said can lead to a wrong interpretation. However, to know all figures contained in the Bible is not the end for which God has given us this Book.]
The needle on a compass and the arrow of a weather vane have something in common. Both indicate the direction of natural powers. In a much broader sense, the books and writers of the Bible point to the person and power of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of the Bible. He is the constant theme of its sacred pages. From first to last, they testify of Him. At the creation, we discern Him as one of the sacred Trinity. We catch a glimpse of Him in the promise of the woman’s seed. We see Him typified in the ark of Noah. We walk with Abraham as he sees the Messiah’s day. We dwell in the tents of Isaac and Jacob, feeding upon the gracious promise. We hear the venerable Israel talking of Shiloh. In the numerous types of the Tabernacle and its sacrificial law, we find the Redeemer foreshadowed. The Prophets, kings, priests, and preachers all look to Jesus though dimly as through a veil. They stand as the cherubs did over the ark of the covenant, desiring to look within and read the mystery of God’s great redemption of man. In the New Testament, our Lord is the one pervading subject. The whole substance of the New Testament is Jesus crucified. Even its closing sentence is bejewelled with the Redeemer’s name. We should always read Scripture in this light. We should consider the Word to be as a window through which we see Jesus. His likeness is dim, but it is still a blessed preparation for when we will see Him face to face. The Bible contains Jesus Christ’s love letters to us. The Scriptures are the swaddling bands of the holy child Jesus. Unroll them and you find your Savior. The essence of the Word of God is Christ. [Spurgeon, Adapted]
Looking into the Old and New Testaments our hearts should cry out in aspirations with the apostle Paul, "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection" (Phil. 3:10). You find the LIVING WORD by looking into the WRITTEN WORD!
[You can’t see the forest for the trees!" "It’s as plain as the nose on your face!" Growing up I heard these expressions all the time. In fact, I heard them so often that it became easy to ignore their meaning. I’ve asked myself why that happens, why do we ignore or become desensitized to the obvious?
For instance, why do we drive along in our cars noting the "Speed Limit 35" sign while our speedometers silently blare 50? We see flashing blue lights in our rearview mirror, and ask, surprised, "What’s the problem?"
We diligently search for misplaced eyeglasses only to discover them perched on top of our heads or hanging from cords around our necks. The eyeglasses were there all the time, but our perspective prevented our finding them sooner.
Unlike the religious leaders in the text, we need to accept and understand God’s message as it is, not as we presume it to be. Look closely, for in them we see Jesus, the Way of life and the Word of truth. Pray that God will keep you focused on His simple yet profound message of Jesus Christ.]
Verse 40 conveys Jesus’ call to salvation is met with stubborn refusal. "...and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
The result is that they stood in the presence of Him to whom the Scriptures bear witness (µ ) who could have given them life and not only reject Him, they are antagonistic to Him. And He becomes so to them. Theses words convey rebuke for the wrong attitude toward Scriptures because Scriptures are to lead us into a deeper relationship with God or Jesus Christ. They are not an end unto themselves, certainly not one that gives eternal life. Only Jesus can do that. (Lk. 13:34).
WHY WILL YOU DIE!
A missionary told the story of the dreadful scourge of sleeping sickness that struck a certain section of Africa several decades ago. This sickness was caused by the bites of the tsetse fly, which lives in the dark, dense forests. Many natives succumbed. The Belgian government sent in a remedy for the sickness. Missionaries were supplied with it, and went in all directions into the villages to inoculate the natives. At their approach, however, many, of the natives in the faraway villages would scamper away. They were afraid of the white man and his needle. The sure remedy for their sickness had been provided, but they refused it!
God, in mercy, has provided an unfailing remedy for sleeping, sin-sick souls. Yet many refuse the remedy. Jesus provided the remedy for the scourge of sin. All who reject Him will die in their sins. Jesus said to those who rejected Him: "And you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life."
II. SEEK THE GLORY THAT IS FROM GOD, 41-44.
In verse 41 Jesus rejects the glory given from men. I do not receive glory from men;
Jesus does not set before Him the idea of pleasing men. He does not seek their approval, esteem, or praise. Jesus, in other words, was not going to conform Himself to their idea of what the Messiah should be and do. If He had, He could have had the honor they could give. Jesus though sought the honor, the glory that God alone gives.
May I ask you a question? "Whose praise do you seek? Jesus did not need the stamp of approval of these prestigious leaders. He wanted God’s approval. This is a good principle for us. If even the highest officials in the world approve of our actions and God does not, we are headed wrong. But if God approves of our actions, even if other important people don’t, we should be content." [Application Bible, 1885].
In verse 42 Jesus reveals that He knew them better than they knew themselves. " ... but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.
Jesus’ refusal to accept glory from them is bound up with His intimate knowledge of them. Jesus’ comprehension is a settled state of knowledge based on experience (Jn. 2:24). This knowing of them enables Him to say that they do not love God. They make a profession of loving Him, but there is no true love. This is always the case when man’s religion is self-willed. The Jews had worked out a system of religion and tried to fit God into it. They did not seek the way or word of God and then model their religious practice and their life after it. They had their life and tried to make the Scriptures fit it.
[A remarkable and unexpected feature of the discourse is the way in which Jesus finishes by attacking his opponents. In fact, He prosecutes them during His own trial! This was not unusual in Jewish courts. Unlike today, defendants did not simply prove their innocence and thus end the trial. Jewish trials worked to uncover the truth, and accusers who made false claims in court could find themselves placed in the defense and subject to serious jeopardy. Punishments they had hoped to inflict on their opponent now could turn back on them.
Jesus understands this. Thus as His "trial" is played out in this chapter, He turns the tables and moves from defense to prosecution. The final impact of His defense leaves the impression that Jesus’ hearers bear responsibility.] If they cannot see the Father’s work in their midst, if they cannot understand a sign when they see it, if they repudiated John the Baptist and read the Bible with closed hearts, something must be profoundly wrong. [The irony runs deeper still since these people do indeed measure the validity of human witnesses (5:43) and seek eagerly the affirmation and recognition that come from human quarters.] If the problem were intellectual, an explanation would do. But it lies deeper. Jesus’ opponents are spiritually ill. Their disbelief is deliberate and the diagnosis severe: They do not have the love of God in their hearts. They love the religious life, but they have forgotten how to love God.
The Jews did not want a Messiah with God’s credentials but one with their credentials. Verse 43 asserts, "I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
Two things evidenced their lack of love for God. First they rejected Christ, the Father’s "Representative." To insult or reject one’s ambassador is the same as rejecting him. Second, ironically they accepted other authorities, unfortunately they were false teachers or prophets. This reveals a lack of connection with the truth.
Verse 44 declares that those whose desire is to receive glory from man will not seek glory from God. "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?
An additional failure was their desire for acceptance and approval from sinful men while ignoring the favor and the will of the only God. True faith was impossible because they were seeking the wrong approval: man’s, not God’s. They were more concerned with establishing their own reputation and importance that in obeying the revelation of God which would bring His approval. Being sensitized to the opinion of man keeps us from believing and seeking the glory of God.
The issue is the glory of self which is the glory of man verses the glory of God (Jn. 12:43). This issue divides men still. The lack of belief in God and love for God always causes us to seek man’s approval.
III. BELIEF IN SCRIPTURES LEADS TO BELIEF IN JESUS, 45-47.
The final witness is contained in the next element of Jesus’ defense beginning in verse 45. "Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.
Jesus came as the Savior, not as the Judge (3:17). It was unnecessary for Him to accuse the people. Moses, whom they claimed to follow, would condemn them because they had broken the covenant he instituted and missed the Person he wrote about. On whom your hopes are set implies that they thought salvation would come by their good deeds in keeping the Law. No one is saved by Law keeping. The law accuses us and exposes us as sinners.
Jesus’ accusation stung. The Pharisees prided themselves of being the true followers of Moses. Jesus warning that Moses would accuse them would make them furious.
The pharisees had deceived themselves into thinking they followed Moses or the writings of Moses. Verse 46 indicates that they actual disbelieved Moses. "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.
Moses was a great prophet of God who wrote the first five books of Scripture. His prophetic words about the Messiah are unequivocal (in Genesis 3:15; 49:10; Exodus 12:21; Leviticus 16:5; Numbers 21:9; 21:17; Deuteronomy 18:15). Moses is the "patron saint" of Judaism, the defender of its people, an advocate on their behalf before God (see Moses’ farewell, Deut. 33). But, Jesus remarks, even Moses’ words have gone ignored. They were giving lip devotion to the words of Moses.
If the Jews really believed Moses, they would believe Christ, for Moses wrote about Him. Therefore Jesus says the Jews who reject Christ do not really believe what Moses has written.
Jesus here did not refer to any specific passage (Gen. 3:15; 22:18; 49:10; Num. 24:17; Deut. 18:15) or to any specific types (such as the Passover, the manna, the rock, the offerings, or the high priesthood). He simply stated that the Old Testament clearly points to Him. If it didn’t we would no longer do in-depth study of it.
Jesus says in verse 47 that the testimony of He and Moses are interrelated. "But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"
Moses was their constant reference and study. If these men did not really believe the things that Moses had written, then how could they have a frame of reference to believe the words of Jesus. Since Moses’ revelation was rejected (Luke 16:29-31), Jesus’ words were also rejected (Mt. 5:17).
The fault of not discerning the drift of Bible teaching is not confined to the Jews. The Bible often arouses little honest heart-searching in us. We want to apply its rebukes and warning to others and not ourselves.
Deny or not heed the Sacred Writings and all is lost. Like Jesus story of the Rich Man and Lazarus ends, "He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead’" (Luke 16: 19-31).
CONCLUSION / RESPONSE
The testimony of this supreme Witness is the Father’s Word, that is the Old Testament Scriptures by which God long ago uttered His testimony regarding the Son He would send. Then He sent us Jesus. Those of us who have felt the sting of the law we have broken will flee to the grace and peace Jesus’ offers.
Empty religion would turn the word of God into a religion that seeks man’s own glory. In the end, it is religion that would condemn and crucify Jesus as a religious duty. May we not seek what pleases men, even religious men, but what pleases God.
To please God we need to fix our attention on Jesus. If we do not fix our attention on Jesus our emphases will be on self seeking and human praise. When we are self seeking and looking to man for our support and approval we will miss the support and leadership that comes from God.
