We return with Christ still speaking to the pharisees. Let’s dig in.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

How are you with your judgments? Are you quick to judge? Do your judgments align with our Father’s? Can you be sure what God’s judgments are?

John 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

This is a very old principal that we see used everyday. If someone comes in and says they are great and they can do or have done all these things, what is your first reaction? We reject that person or we wish they would stop blowing their own horn, however if someone else introduces that same person and that person does not have to go on about themselves we are much more likely to listen.

John 5:32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. (33) Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

This was John the Baptist’s whole mission and he did it spectacularly. How easy would it have been for John to start to take pride in himself? John was Christ’s cousin. How easy would it have been to forget who Christ was, especially before His ministry began? The people flocked to him wandering out to the river Jordan to be baptized and hear him speak. How many people in the world would be able to not begin to think of themselves as great? Is it no wonder then that Christ said in Luke 7:28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

Stop and think about that for moment. There are a lot of big names to consider, Elijah, David, MOSES and Christ just placed John the Baptist on the top.

John 5:34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

God does not want to see his children parish and he wasn’t born of woman and crucified on the cross just for kicks. He did it for us. He came here to show us the way for US. For you and for me. His words are important and if you have the desire to be saved I suggest you listen to what he has to say.

John 5:35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. (36) But I have greater witness than that of John: 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.

As great as John was, Christ works were greater. Christ didn’t need John to prove who he was. He could make the dead rise, heal the sick and produce endless supplies of food. Even though he could do all these things, this generation rejected him. They beat him, mocked him and cast lots for his clothes. When they took him in the night and Peter smote the ear of one of the guards, he healed it. He healed it. He knew what was coming, yet he stopped enough to heal the man’s ear. Why didn’t that man stop and wonder at His greatness? Wouldn’t you think the man would suddenly turn and fight to defend the life of this innocent man? Are we so much different? How hard is it to stop in the face of a mob and say, “This isn’t right?”

I digress. We will pick this up on the next post and finish this 5th chapter of John. God Bless.