John 5:31-47

 (1) After Jesus claimed that He is equal with His Father Jesus showed the support of this claim.

i. The testimony from John the Baptist v.31-35

v.34 I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved.

(BKC) Jesus did not need human testimony, but John’s work helped people because in their darkness he pointed them to the light. John’s work was that you may be saved. His great popular movement was only an anticipatory one, in which he pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God.

ii. The testimony of the deeds that the Father has assigned Jesus to complete v.36-38

5:37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time,5:38 nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent.

 Starting from here, Jesus turned the argument into the real reason people did not believe Him-because they did not believe in God.  

iii. The testimony from Scriptures v.39-47

5:39 You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me, 

v.46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.

Therefore, Moses/the Law of Moses would become a base of accusation to the people in judgment v.45.

(2) Jesus' heart was not focusing on people's recognition of Him v.41, but on whether they love God or not v.42.

5:43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 5:44 How can you believe, if you accept praise from one another and don’t seek the praise that comes from the only God?

It was almost ridiculous that people accepted one-another, i.e. another human being, to be the Messiah, but not Jesus as their Messiah. 

Summary: The sin of man is not intellectual (i.e. can they recognize Who is from God), but theological (i.e. we do not love God, nor welcome anyone from God). People act like Jesus' claim was without evidence and therefore they did not believe, but Jesus pointed out the 3 sources of testimonies. More importantly, Jesus pointed out the real reason they did not accept Him was because they did not love God. 

Reflection: Do you love God? Do you welcome Jesus Who is from God? 

Do you welcome things about God or do you welcome things about this world? Do you enjoy talking about things in the Bible/about Jesus/about God? Or do you chat with friends more about fashion/politics/philosophy? 

Do you occupy your minds with things in heaven/ministry/Bible? Or we are self-seeking like the Jews in John 5?

Audrey