John 5:31-38

³¹"If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. ³²There is another who testifies in My favor, and I know that His testimony about Me is valid. ³³"You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. ³⁴Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. ³⁵John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 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. ³⁷And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified concerning Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, ³⁸nor does His word dwell in you, for you do not believe the One He sent.

The apostle John esteems the importance of reliable testimony to the Person and works of Jesus, and so he includes this particular portion of Jesus’ monologue for our benefit. Jesus is not saying here that His own testimony is untrue; rather, He recognizes that if He is alone in testifying about Himself, then there is no compelling reason to believe Him – after all, the Law demanded the witness of at least two persons (Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15; Matthew 18:16; John 8:16-18; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28). In a court of law, no person is a competent witness in his own cause; every suspect needs an alibi. While we should never demand additional evidence from Jesus, as His word is enough, He surrenders His authority as God Incarnate to testify about Himself, that He may convince His enemies by additional testimony – namely the authority of God. He’s making a distinction between something being true and something being valid in court. There’s a trial going on; the Jews are accusing Jesus of blasphemy, and He is defending Himself. Picture Jesus saying, “If My testimony sounds suspect to you, count it as nothing. Don’t take My word for it. There is other testimony to prove who I am.”

The first of Jesus’ four reliable witnesses that uphold His claims is John the Baptist. Although Jesus makes clear that He does not need to receive John the Baptist’s testimony (“Not that I accept human testimony”), John’s testimony was valid and reliable testimony, not for Jesus’ sake, but for the salvation of those who had heard and believed him (v34). “I mention it that you may be saved.” Jesus exhibits great care for His people with this statement. It contains a “hina” clause – Jesus mentions John’s testimony as an additional testimony (not one He requires) for the purpose that those who believe John’s testimony would certainly be saved.

Because eternal life is only in Christ, God was very gracious in sending many reliable witnesses of Christ, that people might have plenty of reasons to believe and so be saved. Although John the Baptist was not the true Light, he was, as we are, a lesser light, in that he pointed people to the true Light, Jesus Christ. The tragic irony is that, although the Jews enjoyed John the Baptist (v35), they despised the Light to which he witnessed. Is that not similar to us as well? Do we have unbelieving friends who like us, who enjoy our company and see us as good people, but who despise our faith? The Jews knew that John the Baptist was a prophet from God, but they despised and disobeyed his message.

Since the Jews did not cherish and heed what John had said about Jesus, He, being God, offers the testimony of three more witnesses, in the coming verses, for this mock trial as fitting evidence that He was and is the Messiah.

First, His works – not just extraordinary deeds, but the miracles of God – are a divine testimony that He is the Son of God (v36). Recall Jesus’ reasoning with Pharisees in Matthew 12:24-28. If He was doing miracles by Satan’s power, then Satan’s kingdom is divided against itself and must fall – for Christ’s works were always in fulfillment of the Father’s will and in opposition to Satan. But if Jesus has authority to do miracles, and if His authority is always exercised in the accomplishment of the Father’s will, then Jesus must be One with the Father, and the heavenly Kingdom of the Father must be present in the ministry of Jesus. Second, the Father Himself has testified concerning Jesus (v37a) in three ways: (1) through the miraculous works that Jesus does (the power behind them), (2) in the God-breathed Old Testament Scriptures, which very clearly pointed to Jesus (i.e. Isaiah 53), and (3) directly by His voice at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:17), at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:5), and at the Triumphal Entry (John 12:28-30). Third, Jesus will speak of the Scriptures testifying of Him as well (v39). We’ll look at that in a minute, but note that all of these testimonies are irrefutable. And, thus, there is other reason why the Jews refuse to receive Jesus as the Son of God, as Messiah.

Jesus uses strong metaphorical language – “You have never heard His voice,” “You have never seen His form,” “His Word does not dwell in you” – to basically say to them, “The testimony about Me won’t matter unless you’re hearts are opened to the message of the Gospel. You don’t know the Father, because you don’t accept Me as the Messiah.” Think of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Luke 16:31 effectively summarizes Jesus’ point here: “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

The evidence that the Jews have never heard God, nor seen Him, nor had His Word dwell in them, is that they do not believe Jesus. They do not believe His testimony or the testimony about Him that comes from human or divine sources. The veil still covers their faces (2 Corinthians 3:14-16). The Jews had the same problem as the crippled man at the beginning of the chapter. Remember Jesus question, “Do you want to get well?” It’s a problem of the will and of desire. We’ll learn more about this as we continue.