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In this lesson:
Jesus had witnesses but was still rejected. Every word in this passage is spoken by Jesus. Study Tip: It helps tie the Bible together in your mind if you go back and review past lessons. |
Jesus Christ blessing the bread and wine.
By Czech artist and New Testament scholar Jan Ladislaw Sykora. |
The Gospel According to St. John
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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John 5:30-47
Testimonies to Jesus 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. 31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 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. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 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. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41 I receive not honour from men.test 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. 43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? |
Margin notes:
"I can of mine own self do nothing." (5:30) - Everything Jesus does is according to the will of God. Jesus is repeating this vital message from verse 5:19 (lesson 174). "I seek not mine own will." (5:30) - Jesus is emphasizing that He came to earth to fulfill the will of God. Because this message is so vital to understanding His mission, Jesus is repeating it from John 4:34. He will reinforce it again in verse 6:38. We will learn in John 17:4 that Jesus saw His mission through to completion. "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true." (5:31) - According to Mosaic Law, anyone testifying on their own behalf is suspect (John 8:13). Two or more witnesses were required to settle an issue as fact (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). Fortunately, there are many witnesses to Jesus' divinity. Listed in this passage alone are John the Baptist (5:32-35), all the Old Testament prophets (5:39-40), and God Himself (5:37-38). Even Jesus' miracles (5:36) act as a testimony to His divinity. "There is another that beareth witness." (5:32) - The witness is John the Baptist. "Ye sent unto John." (5:33) - "You went to John (the Baptist)." "Ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." (5:35) - "You were willing for a while to rejoice in his message." "I have greater witness than that of John." (5:36) - Jesus is referring to God (John 8:18; 1 John 5:9), an even greater witness than John the Baptist. "The Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me." (5:37) - God bore witness that Jesus was His son (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). "Nor seen his shape." (5:37) - Not even Moses, even when God gave him the Ten Commandments, saw God (Deuteronomy 4:12). "Abiding in you." (5:38) - "Living in you." "I receive not honour from men." (5:41) - "I don't want praise from men." "Moses...wrote of me." (5:46) - Moses prophesized the coming Messiah in Deuteronomy 18:15, and 18:18. Jesus was also prophesized in Genesis 49:10, Number 24:17, and in many other passages in the Old Testament. "His writings." (5:47) - Moses' writings are called the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. |
New Living Translation
John 5:30-47
30 I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.
Witnesses to Jesus
31 "If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid.
32 But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true.
33 In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true.
34 Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved.
35 John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message.
36 But I have a greater witness than John-my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me.
37 And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face,
38 and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me-the one he sent to you.
39 "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!
40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
41 "Your approval means nothing to me,
42 because I know you don't have God's love within you.
43 For I have come to you in my Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them.
44 No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.
45 "Yet it isn't I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes.
46 If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.
47 But since you don't believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?"
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
30 I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.
Witnesses to Jesus
31 "If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid.
32 But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true.
33 In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true.
34 Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved.
35 John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message.
36 But I have a greater witness than John-my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me.
37 And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face,
38 and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me-the one he sent to you.
39 "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!
40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
41 "Your approval means nothing to me,
42 because I know you don't have God's love within you.
43 For I have come to you in my Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them.
44 No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.
45 "Yet it isn't I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes.
46 If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.
47 But since you don't believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?"
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"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." (5:30)
"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. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape." (5:36-37)
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (5:39)
"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. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape." (5:36-37)
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (5:39)
Today's Question:
1. What did Moses prophesize about Jesus? (5:46)
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1. What did Moses prophesize about Jesus? (5:46)
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Answer: (Do you agree?)
1. In the Old Testament, centuries before the birth of Jesus, Moses foretold of a Messiah who would come out of Judah bringing God's plan of salvation to all mankind. Moses prophesied that this Savior would be rejected and killed, thus becoming the ultimate and final sacrifice to wash away our sins. Moses wrote so people would easily recognize the Messiah when He arrived. Although Moses laid out the many signs to look for, the Jewish religious leaders didn't recognize Jesus as the prophesied Savior. They had blinded themselves to the truth.
Application thought for the day:
Why do you suppose people refuse Jesus?
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies; " "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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© 2026 evolke