google-site-verification=KLXbZs4REiiyFtR470rdTak3XcyrQkzDDVZoqK_r5hQ
1 John 5:9-12 We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
JOHN follows his affirmation of water, blood and Spirit as three witnesses that Jesus is the Son of God, who gives eternal life. Proper testimony is very crucial in God’s law. One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. (Deuteronomy 19:15) In his gospel, John writes that Jesus affirmed this law when he said, “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.” (John 5:31-32) Then Jesus named four witnesses to his deity. First is John the Baptist: John 5:33 In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true. Second are the works of Jesus: John 5:36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.” Jesus’ works, including his preaching, miracles, the cross and ascension witness that Jesus is God’s Son. The third witness is the Scriptures – the Old Testament: John 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. A fourth witness is Moses: John 5:45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” To the Jews, Moses was the greatest prophet. Moses foretold of Jesus through such specific passages as Deuteronomy 18:15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. And Moses wrote about Jesus when he described the Passover, manna from heaven, the high Priest, water from the rock, blood sacrifices and light in the tabernacle. Then the gospels give us a fifth witness: the Father. He called out at Jesus’ baptism and Jesus’ transfiguration, “This my Son.” (Matthew 3:7). In this and the previous lessons, we have learned of eight witnesses that Jesus of Nazareth is God’s son. 1) water 2) Spirit 3) blood 4) John the Baptist 5) Jesus’ Works 6) Scriptures 7) Moses 8) The Father. Jesus’ witnesses are true. Life, indeed, is in the Scriptures. That life is Jesus. God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Comments are closed.
|
AuthorBob James Archives
January 2025
Categories |