Jesus Provoked Testimony

What Did Jesus Do?

And this is the testimony of John (the Baptist)...
John 1.19

To all who are familiar with the New Testament Luke is known as the “beloved physician” (Colossians 4.14). When I read John's Gospel I can't help but wonder if he might have been a lawyer. No, the Bible never makes any such reference, but the fourth evangelist's Gospel reads so much like some kind of court transcript that it causes me sometimes to imagine John as an officer of the court. If not a lawyer, then perhaps John might have been a first century investigative journalist. Either way, the Gospel of John is just full of testimony and witnesses, beginning with John the Baptist.

One time investigative journalist Lee Strobel has written several books with the common theme of building “the case for...” Including The Case for Christ, The Case for Christmas, The Case for a Creator, The Case for Easter, The Case for Faith, and The Case for the Real Jesus. Certainly, with the parade of witnesses, from John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” 1.29, to the woman of Samaria: “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 4.29, to the man born blind: “We know that God does not listen to sinners...If this man were not from God, he could do nothing,” 9.31, 33, even to “doubting” Thomas: “My Lord and my God!” 20.28, throughout the fourth gospel John was building his case for believing in Jesus on the basis of the testimony of eyewitnesses.

While Luke states that he set out to compile an orderly, that is, historical, account of the events of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in order to offer support for his friend, Theophillus, for “the things you have been taught” (Luke 1.1-4), John recorded his “court transcript,” or wrote his investigative journalistic piece, so we “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing have life in his name.” (John 20.31) It could not be any other way, because, from John's perspective, Jesus provoked, and continues to provoke, testimony. It just is not possible to be neutral about the Lord—one can either affirm him or deny him—but one cannot choose simply to ignore him. At some point everyone will have to offer their personal testimony for or against Jesus; in the end, there will be but one testimony offered:

“...Every tongue (will) confess that Jesus Christ is Lord...”
Philippians 2.11

Jesus, who himself came to testify (John 18.37), provoked the testimony of witnesses, and continues to do so. The Church is that body of believers which, individually and corporately, testifies, now and forever, that Jesus is the Son of God. John would have us understand that no one can merely sit in the “gallery” and watch the proceedings. If we feel no compulsion whatsoever to testify we may well ask ourselves if Christ is in us, because testifying and provoking testimony is what Jesus did; testifying is what his disciples do.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4