John 5 Verses 30-47

John 5:30 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. 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?” 

“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.”  With this statement, the Lord continues to affirm that He and the Father are one.  He states that he does not seek a will that is contrary to the Fathers will that sent him.  Moreover, his judgment is identical to what the Father’s judgment would be.   

In verses 31-38 the Lord lists several witnesses that bear witness of Him.  First, he said that he does not bear witness of himself.  Then he said there is another that bears witness of him and thus he alludes to the Holy Spirit bearing witness of him.  Then he said that John bore witness of him.  Next, he said that the works that the Father gave him to do bear witness of him.  Moreover, the Father bore witness of him.   

While John was a burning and shining light and bore witness unto the truth, yet, Jesus receives not testimony from man.   

“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.”  No man hath seen God at any time and those to whom Jesus addresses had not seen God, nor did they have God’s word abiding in them.  Jesus, as the Son of God, was sent by the Father, and they believed not the one whom the Father sent.  

Jesus told these unbelieving Jews, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”  These unbelieving Jews thought that through knowing the scriptures, they could obtain eternal life.  This is similar to the belief of many today, who think that the scriptures are a guidebook that tells them how to get eternal life.  However, we note that instead of getting eternal life through the scriptures, the Lord taught that the scriptures are a testimony of him.  When we read the Old Testament, we should be looking for Jesus throughout its pages.   

“And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”  In John 6:37 the Lord said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”  The ones to whom Christ was speaking in chapter 5 the Lord declared would not come to him.  The elect, whom the Father gave to him, shall all come to Him.  All the elect come to him in the Spiritual birth. 

“I receive not honour from men. 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.”  The first of the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit is love.  1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”  From this we conclude that the ones to whom Christ was speaking had not been born of God.   

“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. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” Again, those to whom the Lord was speaking and that have not the love of God in them, will receive some one who comes in his own name.  Moreover, they will receive honor one to another and will not seek the honor that comes from God only.   

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”  Moses was God’s instrument to deliver the law unto the children of Israel.  Moreover, he spoke of Jesus.  These unbelieving Jews put their trust in Moses.  They did not put their trust in God.  These unbelieving Jews did not believe Moses when he wrote of Jesus.  Jesus told them that if they believe not Moses writings, then how shall they believe Jesus words?