Why Doesn’t Everyone Believe in Jesus. (Pt 2)
John 5:19-47
Transcript.
We saw last time that Jesus following his healing of the man at the pool of Salome faced two accusations.
1: Breaking the Sabbath.
2: Making Himself equal with God.
We saw that because of this the began to seriously plot to kill him. Perhaps prior to this point it had just been a discussion in small groups. Thinking if we do not stop Him, there is no telling where it will end.
So, the plot to kill Him grows. The demonstration of His deity in the healing and the dispute that follows because he did it on the sabbath and declared that He and the father where one forms the backdrop to the long sermon discourse Jesus gives beginning at verse 19.
Going all the way to the end of the chapter now he gives an extended discourse he first makes several claims and then he will prove those claims and that is what we are going to look at today. TBPDP
So let's look at his claims, he says in verse 19.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him. 24 ‘Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 ‘Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out – those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
(John 5: 19-30)
Let’s me transparent, in these verses, Jesus is claiming equality with God. Mark it well, that's exactly what He's claiming, and the Jewish leaders understood this. It says they recognized He was making Himself equal with God and Jesus does not refute this; He doesn’t even attempt to clarify it. Instead, He confirms it.
He says in verse 19, "The Son can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do." In other words, there is an equality between Him and His Father. Jesus then provides several explanations to support this statement. Notice the little word "for" at the beginning of verse 19, verse 20, verse 21, and verse 22. Each of these statements are offered as support for the idea that He and the Father are one.
He also says, "For what He does, the son does also. Jesus is saying, "We are one; we have a unity. Whatever He does, I do and vice versa. I am completely dedicated and devoted to the work of the Father."
Jesus then adds, "You’re going to see even greater things than this miracle that just happened."
Then in verse 21, He says, 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
Here, Jesus not only claims equality with God and claims to do the work of God but adding only God has the power to give life and raise the dead, and Jesus claims this authority for Himself.
Importantly we also see here that Jesus also claims the right to judge, a role traditionally reserved for God alone. He is asserting that He does what God does He does in every way: He gives life, and He judges. He’s saying, "I am equal with God and because of this, I can do these things."
The miracle of healing the paralyzed man was an illustration of this. The man, unable to walk, is given a new kind of life through healing. This symbolizes the spiritual and eternal life Jesus offers to those who are willing to come to Him. For those who are unwilling, the second work of God will applies in that they will be judged, but under the law of grace.
Verses 19 to 22 establish Jesus’s claim to be equal with God, and they highlight His divine roles of giving life and judging. In verses 23 to 30, Jesus applies these truths to humanity:
Jesus is saying, "I give life right now." He emphasizes this when he says, “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."
Verse 24 is pivotal: "He that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life." Those who trust in Jesus will have a new kind of life, an eternal life.
For those who choose not to trust in Him, judgment awaits, but not under the law of grace, under the law of God as revealed in the Old Testament 10 commandments.
Instead of passing from death to life, they remain in death. Jesus is giving life now, but in verses 28-29, He also speaks of a future fulfilment:
He’s saying, "I give life now and in the future." But there will be a resurrection, where He will give physical life to those in the graves and judge them.
So up to this point, the Lord has defends Himself by proving His claims.
But in verses 31-39, He provides three proofs of who He is. He begins in verse 31 by saying...
Testimonies about Jesus.
31 ‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favour, and I know that his testimony about me is true. 33 ‘You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John 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 works that the Father has given me to finish – the very works that I am doing – testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 ‘I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 ‘But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?’
(John 5: 31-47)
John goes on to say, "There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he gives is true." Jesus doesn't need human testimony to prove His identity, but He offers it so people might be saved.
He mentions John the Baptist as the first witness describing him as, "A burning and shining lamp." John the Baptist was a respected figure among the people, and he testified that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
This was a significant proof because it comes from a trusted source. Jesus points to a well-known figure, emphasizing that even those the people trust recognize His divine identity.
In modern evangelism, personal testimonies can have a powerful impact. The personal transformation of someone who knows the Lord against the background of their previous life can have a powerful impact on bringing people to faith, as they see the real-life impact of the Gospel on someone those they might know and trust.
Jesus then provides a second proof in verse 36: "But I have a greater witness than John’s: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me." Jesus points to His miracles as evidence of His divine mission. These works include turning water into wine, healing the sick, calming the sea, and raising the dead. Even His enemies could not deny these miracles, although they attributed them to the power of Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24).
While physical miracles hold significant weight, Jesus' ongoing spiritual miracles are equally powerful. He continues to transform lives by changing sinners into saints, healing the spiritually sick, calming troubled souls, and resurrecting the spiritually dead. These spiritual transformations are powerful testimonies to the living presence and divine power of Jesus Christ.
Consider the example of an agnostic who initially denied Jesus' divinity. After reading the Gospel of John and seeing Jesus' claims and works, he came to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and trusted Him as his Savior. This man's transformation from skepticism to faith is another testament to Jesus' ongoing work and the power of His words and actions.
In conclusion, Jesus presents two powerful proofs of His divine identity: the testimony of John the Baptist and His own miraculous works. These proofs, combined with the ongoing spiritual transformations witnessed in the lives of believers, provide compelling evidence of Jesus' deity and His unique role as the Savior of the world. Jesus' claims and the testimonies that support them invite people to believe in Him and receive the eternal life He offers.
Continuing from where we left off, the final section of the passage provides additional proofs of Jesus' divinity and addresses the reasons why people may choose not to believe in Him.
Jesus presents His third proof in verse 36: "‘I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish – the very works that I am doing – testify that the Father has sent me."
This emphasizes that His miraculous works serve as testimony to His divine mission. His miracles—turning water into wine, healing the sick, calming the sea, raising the dead—are direct evidence of His Godly authority. Even Jesus' enemies could not deny these miracles, though sometimes they tried to attribute them to the power of Beelzebub.
Jesus then highlights the third and final proof of His divine identity: the testimony of the Father and the Scriptures.
The Old Testament scriptures, which these religious leaders studied diligently, bore witness to Jesus. Prophecies about the Messiah, such as being from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10), the family of David (Isaiah 11:1), born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and suffering for the sins of humanity (Isaiah 53), all point to Jesus. Jesus fulfilled these prophecies, again proving His identity as the Messiah.
Jesus' argument is clear: His identity and mission are validated by multiple witnesses—John the Baptist, His own miraculous works, and the Scriptures. Despite this, many people still refused to believe.
He says, "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. But these are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." He emphasizes that their refusal to believe is not due to a lack of evidence but a matter of the heart. They seek honour from one another rather than from God, leading to their rejection of Jesus.
In modern evangelism, the resistance to believing in Jesus often stems from similar issues. What lies behind this is usually not a lack of evidence but a reluctance to submit to the authority of Christ.
Many people, whether highly educated or not, wealthy or poor, share testimonies of how Jesus transformed their lives, demonstrating His ongoing work and presence across all types of people.
Jesus concludes by warning these religious leaders that their rejection of Him will result in judgment. Their reliance on the Law and their failure to recognize its fulfilment in Him will ultimately lead to their condemnation.
The message is clear: Jesus is the Son of God, and the evidence of His identity is compelling. The problem for those who reject Him is not intellectual but spiritual. It's a matter of the will and the heart. As Jesus said, "It is about your free will choice." If you choose to trust in Him, you will receive eternal life. The story of the wise hermit and the bird encapsulates this truth perfectly: our response to Jesus is ultimately a matter of our will. Will we trust Him and receive the life He offers, or will we reject Him and face the consequences?
In conclusion, this last two days covering this chapter have been about inviting us to examine our hearts and consider our response to Jesus.
The evidence of His identity is clear, and the offer of eternal life is open to all who will believe. It is a call to trust in Jesus, the Son of God, and to experience the transformation and eternal life that only He can provide.
