Christian teaching

Testimonies to Jesus

The Father’s testimony to Jesus: ³¹If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. ³²There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

1. The testimony of John the Baptist: ³³You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. ³⁴Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

2. The testimony of the works of Jesus: ³⁶But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.

3. The testimony of the Father’s word: ³⁷And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me.

Countercharges regarding the Father’s word

a. Don’t have God’s word in them/unbelief in Jesus: His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, ³⁸and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

b. The Scriptures bear witness to Jesus/their false hope/life:  ³⁹You search the Scriptures (writings) because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, ⁴⁰yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

 c. Receiving glory/seeking God: ⁴¹I do not receive glory from people. ⁴²But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.

 d. Receiving agents: ⁴³I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me.

d¹. Receiving agents: If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

c¹. Receiving glory/seeking God: ⁴⁴How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

b¹. Judgment/their false hope/Moses wrote of Jesus: ⁴⁵Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. ⁴⁶If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.

a¹. Don’t believe Moses/unbelief in Jesus: ⁴⁷But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”