Friday, 30 December 2022

External witnesses to the Deity of Christ-the witness of the Father

 

The three fold witness to his Deity      John 5v30-47

Following the threefold assertion of His Deity, on the back of His spectacular miracle at Bethesda, we now have a threefold witness, such a witness, as is unassailable:

The witness of the Father v30-38

The witness of the Holy Scriptures v39-44

The witness of Moses v45-47.

 

“In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established”-Deuteronomy 19v15; 2nd Corinthians 13v1.  Such witnesses would have been enough to convince any Jew.  No need to take my word for it, says Jesus. Here are infallible witnesses who bare record to me.  In the course of the verses, He says He did not place any credence on the witness of fallible men who were alive in this world.  His witness came from outside of this world, from above, the superior witness of the Father the scriptures, penned by the Holy Spirit, and the law of Moses, which was revered by all.

 

The witness of the Father 30-38.

 

He now brings the issue down to a personal level.  In v19 He  said,” The Son can do nothing of himself; now in verse 30, He says “I can do nothing of myself”; thus indicating absolutely that He Himself was the Son.  Just in case you think I am speaking of someone else, I am the Son, God is my Father.  I can do nothing of myself, as I hear, I judge.  My whole existence is to reflect the thoughts and plans of the Father.  I am in subjection to Him only in the context of the incarnation and the plan of redemption.  I follow exactly His words; when I speak, it is God  speaking and His witness is true.  You sent onto John, but I don’t receive testimony from man, I receive not honour from men.  Mere man cannot testify fully for God;  mere men cannot properly honour God this  is because man is finite in his understanding and lacking in his appreciation.  These things I say that you might be saved, freed from the degrading consequences of sin, freed from the limitations of understanding, freed from the corrupting environment in which men dwell, including their bodies of humiliation.  Concerning John, he was a burning and a shining light.  You were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.  But I have a greater witness than that of John, the works that the Father has given me.  In John10v41, it is written, “John did no miracle, but all things John said of this man was true.” These works these signs done before your very eyes, are in themselves the witness that my Father bears me.  No one but God could do these things. Not even one sent from God could do these things, but only one who is God could do these things; the same works that I do.  These are witness to me; these are witness that the Father sent me.  Of yourselves, you have not heard his voice, nor seen His shape.  And His word is not in you.  You don't believe him, you are not in a position to judge me.  Indeed, I will be the one judging you.

 

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