John 5, Part Two

Honoring the Father and Son (vs. 16-23)--There is so much rich material in the rest of this chapter that a book could be written on it.  The rage of the Jews is evident in that they persecuted Jesus (Greek literally, “pursue, put to flight), and some even wanted to kill Him.  What barbarity, evil, and blindness were in the hearts of these people!  It was bad enough that Jesus broke their perverted view of the Sabbath, but when He called God His “Father,” implying equality with Jehovah, they felt they had another reason to kill Him, i.e., blasphemy.  The term “Son of” is a Hebrew expression which means having the qualities and characteristics of whatever, or whoever, you are a “son of.”  Jesus called James and John “sons of thunder” because of their explosive temper.  By calling God His “Father,” Jesus being the “Son of God,” He was thus making a claim for deity.  The Jews knew it (v. 18) and “sought all the more to kill Him.”  But Jesus goes on to describe His unique relation to His Father, and in ways we do not—cannot—fully understand.  Jesus works whatever works the Father gives Him to do, marvelous works (vs. 19-20).  The Father and Son both give life—physical and eternal (v. 21).  Judgment has been committed into the hands of the Son, perhaps because He is the one who came to earth (v.23), and because of that judgment, everyone should honor the Son equally with the Father (v. 23).

The coming resurrection (vs. 24-30)—This is one of the most thought-provoking, and comforting, passages in the Bible—at least to Christians.  Eternal life comes from hearing Jesus’ words and believing “in Him who sent Me” (v. 24).  The word ultimately comes from heaven, thus any rejection of Christ’s word is a rejection of the Father (and, in effect, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  But Jesus, in this passage is discussing His unique relationship with His Father, and thus He speaks hear of damnation resulting from a rejection of that Father).  It is that word (“the voice of the Son of God,” v. 25) which gives life, because the Father has granted that authority to Christ (vs. 26-27).  The phrase (v. 27) “because He is the Son of Man” perhaps indicates that such judgmental authority has come to Jesus because of His dual nature, God and man, and He is the only one in the godhead who has occupied that position.  That “voice” (word, v. 28) will also raise “all who are in the graves” (v. 28), some to eternal life, some to eternal damnation (v. 29), depending upon how they have lived in this world.  But Jesus reiterates, in verse 30, that this authority comes not from Him, but from the Father.  Jesus’ judgment comes from what He is told by the Father—“as I hear, I judge.”

The witness of the John the Baptist and the Father (vs. 31-37)—The law of Moses required that the testimony of more than one witness was required for the death penalty (Dt. 6:17), thus establishing a principle that truth must be supported by more than one witness.  Jesus, based upon that idea, said that the Jews weren’t required to believe Him simply on the basis of His own testimony (v. 31).  John the Baptist, a second witness, also authenticated Christ’s identity (vs. 32-35), but Jesus had greater support than this—“for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent me” (v. 36).  There are two ideas here.  Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament’s predictions of Who the Messiah would be and what He would do.  But also, His miraculous deeds—power from above—were a strong testimony to His identity.  Only God could do what He did; man has never had the power to work such miracles.  Thus, these “works” gave full support to His claims, and they mean that “the Father Himself…has testified of Me” (v. 37).

“Search the Scriptures” (vs. 39-47)—And herein lay the great problem—“You do not have His word abiding in you” (v. 38).  There was something more important to the Jews—power, wealthy, national honor and splendor—than believing what God had said.  And thus their vision was warped and they did not recognize the Messiah when He came.  They simply misinterpreted the Old Testament.  They still do.  Verse 39 is a bit ambiguous.  The King James Version has “Search the Scriptures,” implying a command, the NKJV says “You search the Scriptures,” indicating simple action.  The Greek form of this word could mean either.  I prefer the KJV’s command structure.  Jesus tells them that the answer is in the Old Testament.  Study it, they testify of Me.  But they wouldn’t do it (v. 40).  They wouldn’t come to Christ because He wasn’t the kind of King they wanted.  Jesus’ honor did not come from men (v. 41); He wasn’t going to accept their accolades and become an earthly monarch.  And because of the Jews desires for Him, they did not “have the love of God” in them (v. 42).  If they truly loved God, they would love Jesus and submit to Him.  Jesus came from the Father, but they did not receive Him.  However, they would accept someone else, if he came telling them what they wanted to hear (v. 43), because they sought honor from men and not God (v. 44).  And then Jesus lays open their hypocrisy.  The Jews wanted to kill Him, initially, because He (they thought) was breaking the Law of Moses.  But they didn’t truly believe Moses, for if they did, they would believe Jesus, “for he wrote about Me” (v. 46).  That’s what the whole point of the Old Testament was—Christ is coming to redeem mankind—all men from every nation—from sin, not to exalt the Jews to a prominent national position in this world.  The Jews, like most people, had become earthly-minded, and thus could not—would not—see the true meaning of their own law.  And “if you do not believe his (Moses’) writings, how will you believe My words?” (v. 47)  What a marvelous section this is.