The Gospel According to John

Biblical Research Monthly
April, 1956
Dr. David L. Cooper
(Installment Fifteen)

THE FOUR WITNESSES TO THE DEITY OF CHRIST

As we have seen in the last two studies, our Lord's healing on the Sabbath the man with an infirmity thirty-eight years standing was the occasion of a sharp controversy between Christ and the Jerusalem authorities. We are indeed glad that this discussion came about, because it brought out in bold relief certain truths concerning our great and wonderful Lord. The last part of the debate is found in John 5:30-47.

Jesus begins this section of His message by saying, "I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." In this connection we recall the declaration of Jesus that both His Father and He continue to work and that, whatever He saw the Father doing He himself did. In this verse He asserted that He of Himself could or would do nothing; that as he heard, he would judge; and that his judgment was correct; because He was not seeking His own will but the will of the Father who sent Him. As the God-man, or the Son of Man, into whose hand all judgment is committed, He will do nothing except as He hears from God the Father. His judgments and decisions will be right because He is not seeking His own glory, but the good of all and the glory of God.

Moreover, the Lord Jesus emphasized that, if He bore witness of Himself alone, His testimony would not be accepted as true. There is another, declared the Lord, who bears witness concerning Him. Then Jesus assured His audience that the one who testified concerning Him was true. Since He mentioned the Baptist in the next statement it is very probable that the witness to whom He was referring was none other than John.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

Although Jesus and John were first cousins, John did not know the Lord—that is, that Jesus was the Messiah. On one occasion, when John the Baptist saw Jesus at a distance coming toward him, he pointed to Him, exclaiming, "This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water. 32 And John bore witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he hath sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit. 34 And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God" (John 1:30-34). In this language is the clear ringing testimony of John the Baptist that Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel.

The Testimony of the Works of Jesus to His Sonship

Although the testimony of John the Baptist to Christ is clear and convincing, the Lord Jesus said that He had a greater witness than John. "… for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me" (John 5:36). Jesus did only those things that Messiah was to perform and taught the things that were foretold of Him. Thus His works and teachings were a testimony that He was what He claimed to be, the Messiah of Israel and the son of God.

The Testimony of the Father to the Son

"And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me" (John 5:37a). When Jesus was baptized, He was praying as He came up out of the water. Then the heavens were rent asunder, and the Spirit of God like a dove came upon Him. Out of the heavens God the Father spoke, saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." This language was directed to John. Thus, God the Father bore personal testimony to Jesus that He was the Son of God in a unique sense and the Messiah of Israel.

The Testimony of the Scriptures to Jesus

To His opponents Jesus said, "Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; 40 and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life" (5:39,40). Beginning with Genesis 3:15, a person can trace the Messianic prophecies throughout the Old Testament. What one prophet declares always supplements what the others have said. As the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, when put together properly, perfectly presents the complete picture, parts of which are pasted on each piece, thus all the Messianic prophecies put together make a glorious mosaic picture of the Messiah. God thus painted the portrait of Messiah when He would come—as He did in the first century—that those who wanted the truth might see and recognize Him. Jesus said that the Scriptures bore testimony concerning Him—and the Sacred Writings cannot be broken (John 10:35).

With an incisive stroke Jesus laid bare the corruption of the hearts of those who were attacking Him. He revealed to them that they did not have the love of God in their hearts. If He had come in His own name, they would have received Him; but, since He came in the name of the Father, they would  not receive Him. Then He foretold that one will yet come in his own name and that the Jews will receive him. The one to whom He was referring doubtless is none other than the Antichrist, who will come in his own name.

Jesus showed that it was impossible for His opponents to believe because they received glory from one another and were not interested in the glory that comes from God alone. In bringing this indictment against them, Jesus urged them not to think that He would accuse them to the Father. But there is one that accuses them, even Moses, on whom they had put their hope. If they had believed Moses, they would have believed Him and received Him. Jesus concluded His remarks with the Pharisees by saying, "If ye believe not his writing, how shall ye believe my words?"

We praise God for the abundance and the unimpeachable character of the testimony that was borne to the Lord Jesus Christ. All of it proves that He was and is the Son of Man, the Saviour of the world, and Israel's coming Messiah.

Thus far in the study, we have noticed the four witnesses to the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ as set forth in His statement on this occasion. Having briefly glanced at them, I now wish to turn back and examine three key verses, 38-40: "And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he sent, him ye believe not. 39 Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; 40 and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life."

The Lord addressed these words to the Jewish authorities at Jerusalem. These men were the outstanding leaders of the nation at that time. Those who minister in spiritual things, and who are guides to the people, naturally are thought of as being sincere, honest men, who really believe that they profess what they preach. But the leaders of the people are not always true characters. There are many who are in the ministry, engaging in this holy service just as men follow an ordinary profession. They choose the ministry as a means of livelihood and as men choose a secular profession. This statement is a hard one to make, but facts prove such to be the case in all too many instances. To such time-servers, the Lord Jesus, who looked into the depths of their souls, declared, "And ye have not his word abiding in you." The word had not sunk down into the depths of their innermost beings. They might have been able to quote the Scriptures, to speak of them in eloquent terms, and to expound them in a manner most acceptable to their audiences. But from our Lord's statement, it is clear that their lives were little affected by the Word. The Scriptures had not become a controlling power in their thinking and conduct. If it had been a dominating factor in their lives as it should have been, they would not have rejected Him. The fact that they were giving Him no consideration, but were opposing Him with all the might of their beings, is proof that the Word was not abiding in their hearts. If they had believed and received the Word of God with a living faith, they would have believed on Jesus and accepted Him as their Lord, Master and Saviour.

Ministers and teachers can engage in Bible study and can have a head knowledge of what God says and think that they have eternal life, whereas they do not. Thus, He said (vs. 39) "Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me." If this rendering of the original is the proper translation, Jesus told His opponents that they searched the Scriptures because they thought that in them they had eternal life. They thought they could tell by the Scriptures that they were saved. They were probably trying to study the Scriptures to get every shade of idea possible. Many of them doubtless were profound students of the Word and really enjoyed studying it, learning and discovering new truths revealed therein. Not withstanding this diligent search of the Word, the facts showed that they did not have life in themselves, because they would not come to Him. If they had had the life that they professed to have, they would have most clearly recognized in Jesus the Son of God and would have come to Him.

The marginal reading of verse 39 is "Search the scriptures…" In the original Greek the same form is used in the second person plural number of the indicative mood, which simply makes a statement, and the second person plural number in the imperative mood. It is only by the facts of the context that we can determine whether or not the statement is declarative or is a command. As a rule, we can tell from the context which kind of statement is intended. The same situation exists in John 14:1, which reads in the text of the American revised version, 1901 edition: "Believe in God, believe also in me." The marginal reading is "Ye believe in God …" According to the text reading in this latter passage, the word is in the imperative mood and is an exhortation for the disciples to believe in God and also in Him, the Lord Jesus Christ. But in the marginal reading we have the translation of the same verb considering it as being in the indicative mood, making a declarative statement, "Ye believe in God."

If we take the marginal reading of John 5:39, we must render it as an imperative: "Search the Scriptures…." Jesus might have urged His opponents to search the Scriptures to see whether or not they had eternal life, because they were confident that they did, but we know from their lives and actions that they did not have the life.

Everyone would do well to heed the admonition to search the Scriptures to find out what the will of God is concerning him. We should pray to the Lord to open our eyes that we may behold the wonderful things that are found in the Word; and, as we learn new truth, we should step out upon it and take our stand fearlessly for God and for truth.

May we be diligent students of the Word. It is with the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God, that we are to conduct our fight with the devil and the forces of evil. By searching the Scriptures with honest hearts, we can grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Let us have as our motto, "The will of God, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else."