Jesus Assembled Witnesses

What Did Jesus Do?

“There is another who bears witness about me.”
John 5.32

There is a wide gulf between self-promotion and independent affirmation and testimony. Anyone can put a resume together that makes all kinds of claims about one's educational and vocational history. But without the testimony of transcripts, and employment and personal references, even the most impressive resume isn't worth more than the paper it is printed on. A record of our grades, degrees, and diplomas bears witness to our academic accomplishments. And the reports of former employers or customers supply a similar witness to our work history. Jesus was not a self-promoter, rather, he assembled witnesses to the truth about who he was. In John 5.30-47 the Lord talks of five witnesses who testify on his behalf.

There was a witness in the form of a “beacon” shining in the darkness. The testimony of John the Baptist was as the illumination of a burning lamp (5.35). Many indeed rejoiced, for a time, in the truth John testified to regarding the Messiah. But Jesus did not want to merely direct people to the testimony of men, for there were greater witnesses which Jesus had assembled.

More convincing than even the powerful proclamation of John were the works Christ was doing. These works, which the Father had given to the Son to accomplish, were eloquent and powerful witnesses to about Jesus (5.36). As John's preaching offered testimony for ears to hear, so the works Jesus did supplied testimony for eyes to behold.

There was also a witness whose voice many would never hear, whose form many would never see—the witness of the Father himself. Tragically, the testimony of the Father was not received because people, in their rejection of Jesus, refused to believe the Incarnation of the Father's testimony in their midst (5.37-38).

The testimony of the fourth witness which Jesus assembled had been compiled over a thousand years, and carefully preserved. The Hebrew Scriptures bore comprehensive and compelling evidence to the person and work of the Christ. Unfortunately, though they were diligently searched, those who scoured the Law and the Prophets searched with blind eyes, and never saw nor understood who Jesus was (5.39-40).

The fifth witness was Moses, who would also fill the role of a prosecuting attorney, bringing accusations against all those who neither believed Moses's writing, nor the words of the One about whom Moses wrote (5.46-47). Jesus assembled witnesses, but many simply did not accept their testimony.

Those of us who today are believers have embraced the testimony of witnesses to Christ who literally surround us (see Hebrews 12.1). The Father gives disciples of Jesus ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to receive and accept what witnesses testify about the Son. Having believed the witnesses, we in turn are called to add our own testimony, for Jesus is still assembling witnesses. And many still remain, at home, at school, at work, even in church, who need to hear from us. Can Jesus include us among his witnesses?

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4