Bear Witness
31 If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which he witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent John and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things, that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and the shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have a greater witness than John’s for the works which the Father has given Me to finish – the very works that I do – Bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
To prevent a case of he said she said, one cannot be a witness for them self. In order for my testimony to bear any weight of legitimacy there must be another witness on my behalf. Also the more that can testify on my behalf the more legitimate my claims become.
This is why Christ starts out this section by saying, “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
Therefore, there must be another that bears witness of Christ. We have read about John the Baptizer before. John was born, to bear witness or shed light on the fact that the Messiah, the lamb of God was about to start his ministry. John bore testimony to the fact that Jesus was the messiah, which was confirmed at Christ’s baptism, by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove resting upon Christ.
Therefore Christ is building up John and John’s ministry to further his own claim he had been making before the Sanhedrin. What was this claim? That Christ is the Messiah. John’s message of repentance and the soon coming of the messiah was the burning of the shining lamp. It was the gospel message being illuminated before the people. For a while, you paid attention and were willing to rejoice in the light, but soon you tired of this light, and therefore began searching for another. As John testified and all Heaven also testified, this is the light that John prophesied of.
John bore witness that the Father testifies of me and has send me. But as prolific as John’s teaching and preaching was, it pales in comparison to the works of Him who sent me which is the Father and by the Father’s will, I have performed the miracles you have witnessed. Therefore the very works that I do bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent me.
As the members of the Sanhedrin heard these words their hearts grew hard. Unbelief crept into their minds and so they rejected Christ that day.
You and I are not able to see the miracles that Christ performed but we are able to read the testimony of those that saw them take place. Yet all around us our churches are filled with lives that have been changed by coming into contact with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
So as you read this and contemplate upon the things seen and learned, we each are faced with the same decision the Sanhedrin had to make nearly two thousand years ago.
Based on the body of evidence and the testimonies of those present, will you accept Christ as your messiah, Lord and Saviour.
Like the Jews of old, will your acceptance only be for a season, or will it last the rest of your life?
The Bible In Your Hand 