John 5:30-39

John 5:31-39     Court-Room Defence - Jesus Reveals the Father

The reflection would continue by scripting a kind of court-room investigation where Jesus would conduct his own defence. Significantly, there would be no Jewish trial of the arrested Jesus in the Passion narrative. The author so constructed his Gospel that the whole Gospel would effectively be the trial of Jesus (or, perhaps more pertinently, the trial of the Jewish authorities by Jesus, the Son of Man and universal judge).

The purpose of the reflection would continue to be that of strengthening the faith response of disciples who lived under constant pressure from their synagogue opponents. Ultimately, the question facing them was: Why believe Jesus?

A freer translation could be: my testimony about myself cannot be admitted as evidence. Clearly, it was true, but, in a trial context, it was not acceptable. In Jewish law, truth was to be ascertained by the testimony of two or more witnesses. Jesus would, therefore, proceed to list four witnesses on his behalf:

• the Father,
• John (the Baptist),
• his life and work,
• the Hebrew Scriptures.

The Father’s Testimony

The identity of the other who gives testimony about Jesus is not immediately clear. Many commentators believe it referred to the Father; in which case, it may have been a reference to the heavenly witness given to Jesus at his baptism. As John (the Baptist) recounted: I have seen the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it rested on him.   And I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptise with water, he said to me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit coming down and resting, he is the one who baptises with the holy Spirit' [1.32-33].

John’s Testimony

As second witness, Jesus then cited the further evidence of John:

Jesus made the point that he did not need human testimony to establish his credibility; but, given the situation, John’s testimony to Jesus should have been significant to those who took John seriously. In fact, as the author had written beforehand in relation to John’s ministry, official delegations from Jerusalem seemed unwilling to accept the mission of John, and challenged his authority [1:19-27].

John had never become a disciple of Jesus. He could stand as an independent witness.

The Prologue had identified Jesus as the true light. John had a lesser role: to be simply a burning beacon shedding light.

The Content of John's Witness

Earlier in the narrative, John had identified Jesus as the one 

• the thong of whose sandal he was not worthy to untie [1:27]
• who ranks ahead of me because he was before me [1:30]
• on whom the Spirit descended from heaven and remained [1:32]
• who baptises with the Holy Spirit [1:33]
• who is the Son of God [1:34]
• who is the Lamb of God [1:36]
• the bridegroom, at the sound of whose voice he rejoices greatly [3:29]

Significantly, the author wished to reassert the tone and purpose of Jesus' participation in the dialogue: I say these things so that you may be saved. Jesus was not arguing with any sense of bitterness.

Jesus’ Works as Testimony

Jesus’ third witness to the truth of his claims about himself was the integrity and authority of his own life. The works of Jesus were not just the signs he accomplished; they were, also, the intangible things about him that had led the first disciples and the Samaritans to follow him. These works of Jesus were empowered by the Father, and testified to his unique relationship with the Father.

Jesus had already made the point: My Father is at work right up to now; and I am at work [verse 17]. Jesus interpreted his working as something done in co-operation with the creating Father to complete the work begun by the Father. Creation was still unfolding, still bursting into life – as the bounteous provision of wine at Cana had so gloriously symbolised [2.7-9]. Similar bounty was evident in the springs of living water promised to the Samaritan woman [4.14], in the life restored to the son of the royal official at Capernaum [4.50-51] and in the recovery of mobility by the man crippled for thirty-eight years [5.8-9].

As the Father testified to the integrity of the Son, so the Son testified to the ever-active involvement of his Father on behalf of the world.

Jesus recognised that the witness of his works would carry little weight with his would-be prosecutors who were not sufficiently attuned to the things of God. Had they allowed the word of God to abide in them, it would have disposed them to discern the truth of Jesus. Had his adversaries humbly allowed themselves to be gently drawn into genuine intimacy with the Father, heard his voice or seen what he looks like, they would have been sensitive to the specialness of Jesus. Indeed, the only adequate way to hear the Father's voice and to see what he looks like was to recognise them as revealed in Jesus.

Scriptures as Testimony

As his fourth and final witness, Jesus cited the evidence of the Hebrew Scriptures. An enlightened reading of them would have indicated the truth of the person and mission of Jesus.

The Beloved Disciple was not particularly concerned about the persuasive power of these witnesses for those Jews who were already opposed to the Christian movement. He was encouraging fellow disciples in the community. To some of them, the witness of John had been pertinent. Many scholars believe that a group of former followers of John had come, in time, to align themselves with the community of disciples.

The historical Jesus was unknown to most of the community. But they had experienced the risen Jesus in their own hearts. It was this impact, these works, that the Disciple wished them to contemplate. Their abiding in Jesus would be a powerful source of nourishment for faith.

He wanted them also to reread their Scriptures in the light of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. To those with open minds, the Scriptures may not prove the truth of Jesus, but would serve to confirm and illustrate the role and the message of Jesus. 

From conducting his own defence, Jesus would move to assume the role of prosecutor, with the Jews becoming the defendants.

Next >> John 5:40-47