In John 5, the Jews wanted Jesus put to death. They 1st charged Him with violating the Sabbath because He had healed an infirmed man of 38 years. In response to this charge, Jesus said, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” John 5:17
“Therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.” John 5:18
The statement Jesus made, and what followed in V19-29, certainly claimed deity as the anointed Son of GOD. While true, the witness of one was not to be accepted. According to Jewish law, by the mouth of 2-3 witnesses a matter would be established. (Deuteronomy 19:15)
Jesus had no desire to sidestep what the Law required, and said unto them, “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.” (John 5:31)Jesus is saying, if I was making this claim about myself alone, with no additional testimony, then my witness should not be accepted. Even though everything Jesus said about Himself, and the Father was true, He respected the Jewish Law and provided additional witnesses from four reliable, trustworthy sources to verify His claim.
Jesus called as witnesses, the prophesied forerunner John the Baptist, the miraculous works He performed, the Father Himself and finally the GOD breathed scriptures.
- John the Baptist: Isaiah 40:3-5 spoke of the forerunner of the Christ. Matthew 3:1-4 confirms John as the one Isaiah spoke of. Bearing witness of the Messiah was John’s mission. In John 1:29, when he saw Jesus coming toward him, he said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
- The works given to Jesus by the Father: “…for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.” (John 5:36) The works given by the Father to the Son were for the purpose of declaring Jesus as the anointed Son of GOD. “…these are written, (the signs and wonders done by Jesus) that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:31
- The Father: On two occasions, a voice from Heaven uttered these words, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The occurrences were at the baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3:17 and on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:5.
- The Scriptures: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” (John 5:39) Multiple places in scripture spoke of the coming Messiah, but Jesus specifically speaks of what Moses wrote concerning Him in Deuteronomy 18:15-18. The Jews claimed to revere the writings of Moses, but within them, the coming Messiah was prophesied.
The testimony of these 4 witnesses, verified the claim of Jesus being the Son of GOD. The responsibility to accept the testimony of these witnesses and respond lies with the individual. For those who believe, there is life in His name.
Prospering Pathway 
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