At the beginning of John chapter 5, Jesus performs a tremendous miracle. Beside a pool there was a paralyzed man who had been by the pool for 38 years seeking a miracle. When the water was stirred, the first person into the water was healed. This man being paralyzed, and with no one to help him, was never the first one in.
But, Jesus came along and saw the wretchedness of this poor man's condition and instantly healed the man from his debilitating paralysis.
There was one problem. Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath, and that didn't sit well with the religious authorities of that day. They began to criticize Jesus for healing on the Sabbath.
In response, Jesus said in verse 17, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."
This just infuriated the religious authorities all the more since by His statement, Jesus was declaring Himself to be God.
In the verses following, Jesus didn't back down from declaring Himself divine. Jesus said that just like the Father, He had the power to raise the dead. Jesus also said that He had the power to grant eternal life, and the right to pass judgment was given to Him by the Father. In fact, at the end of time, Jesus will judge every person that has ever lived.
These were all words Jesus was speaking about Himself. In other words, He was testifying about Himself. Jesus said in verse 31 that just testifying about Himself wasn't enough. Just because He was saying these things about Himself didn't prove they were true. As the Scriptures say, everything is to be proved by two or three witnesses. In the verses which follow, Jesus lays out the case for the other witnesses that proclaim He was who He said He was.
The first witness Jesus calls on to testify about Him is John the Baptist. Even though many of the religious authorities rejected John, as they rejected Jesus, the vast majority of the people believed that John the Baptist was a great and mighty prophet like those from the Old Testament days.
What was John the Baptist's testimony concerning Jesus Christ? We find it recorded in chapter 1 of John's Gospel. Hear these words John the Baptist said about Jesus from John 1:29-32. "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I meant when I said, a man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me. I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to all Israel......I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, the man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
John's testimony was great. However, greater that John testify concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus says, "the very works that I am doing bear witness about me that the Father has sent me."
Jesus performed great and powerful miracles confirming that He was the Messiah, the one sent from God. Jesus fed the 4,000 and the 5,000. He cleansed the lepers and made the lame to walk. He opened blind eyes and raised the dead to new life. Only one blessed of God could do such things. Jesus was the epitome of doing and being good.
But, Jesus had more witnesses to Him than John the Baptist or even the tremendous miracles He performed. God the Father Almighty testified about His Son at least twice.
The Bible records in Luke 3:21-22 what occurred at the baptism of Jesus. Jesus went to be baptized by John in order to fulfill all righteousness. After the baptism the Bible says, "the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, you are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
The voice of the Father directly from Heaven gives testimony that Jesus is God come in human form and that what Jesus was doing and saying was well pleasing to His Father in Heaven.
There is another occurrence in Scripture where the Father bears witness of the Son, namely, the transfiguration. In this instance, Jesus was on a mountain top with Peter, James and John. While on the mountain, Jesus' face shone like the sun and His clothing became as white as light. During this time, Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah. After this, the voice of the Father was heard saying, "This is my beloved Son, with who I am well pleased; listen to Him." What a testimony to the person and work of Jesus the Messiah.
If these witnesses weren't enough, Jesus mentions one final witness. In John 5:39, Jesus states, " You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me."
I don't know if you've ever done a study of the Old Testament prophecies Jesus fulfilled. It's incredible. Isaiah 7:14 foretold the virgin birth. Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Zechariah tells that the Messiah would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. Isaiah 53 is a great prophecy of the suffering the Messiah would endure. These all speak of Jesus. Jesus fulfilled all of these Old Testament prophecies perfectly.
Sadly, with all of these witnesses to Jesus, the people still rejected Him. They crucified and buried Him. But praise God, the Father once again bore witness to the Son when Jesus rose up from the grave.
What will you do with these witnesses to who Jesus is? Will you believe?
Lord, thank you for coming to earth for us. Help us to believe in You and follow You fully. Amen.
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