Witnesses Who Acknowledge Our Lord’s Claim to Be God
John 5:30-47

Lesson 23

background notes

doctrinal / teaching points
1. The deity of Christ was confirmed by more than two witnesses.

2. The Word (Christ) cannot be separated from the word (the Scriptures).

 

practical application
Whose approval do we really want?

 

questions
1. Why did the Jews seek to kill Jesus?

2. Why did the Lord Jesus present several witnesses?

3. How many and which witnesses did the Lord Jesus present?

4. What is meant that the Word cannot be separated from the word?

answers
1. Because He broke “their” Sabbath rules and because He claimed deity.

2. He presented several witnesses who supported His claim to be God, because according to Old Testament law, for a matter to be established, it required two witnesses. See John 5:31 and Deuteronomy 19:15.

3. He presented five witnesses:
a) God the Father (see John 5:32, 37 and Matthew 3:16-17)
b) John the Baptist (see John 5:33, 35 and John 1:7)
c) the miracles (see John 5:36)
d) the Old Testament Scriptures with their many messianic prophecies (see John 5:39)
e) Moses (see John 5:46-47, Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 and Luke 24:27)

4. “The Word (Christ) cannot be separated from the word (the Scriptures)” means that if you really accept Scripture, you will accept Christ and if you really accept Christ, you will accept Scripture. They are inseparable.

 

discuss / consider
1. Are you persuaded that the Word cannot be separated from the word? Try explaining this clearly to someone after thinking it through.

2. Whose things will do you seek? Your own or God’s?

 

challenge
Whose approval do you really want? Are you more concerned about what man thinks of you or what God thinks of you?

memorize

“I can of Myself do nothing…I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father.”  John 5:30

“The very works that I do bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me…and the Father who sent Me, has testified of Me.”  John 5:36-37

“Search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and they testify of Me.”  John 5:39