“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.” John 5:31-35.

Jesus, having healed a man at the beginning of John chapter five and telling him to take up his bed and walk, the Lord then makes some extraordinary statements about Himself to the Jewish authorities (see John 5:16-30).

Now in John 5:31-39, Jesus lays out His case authenticating His claims.

According to Jewish law the first sentence of our verse is a valid statement. “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.”

The J. B. Phillips version expands and clarifies this statement a little more, “You may say that I am bearing witness about Myself, that therefore what I say about myself has no value…”

The Mosaic Law says the following about witnesses in court.

“One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.” Deuteronomy 19:15.

Jesus gives the Jewish legalists five witnesses to His authenticity as Christ. Witness number one is Christ Himself; then John the Baptist, then Jesus’ own miraculous signs, next is God the Father’s oral statements, and finally, the Scriptures themselves.

“There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.” John 5:32-33.

It is always important to examine a person’s claims carefully, because no matter how sincere or godly someone appears, there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3.

If Jesus had come along with nothing more than the statement, I and the Father are witnesses to my claims to being the Christ; it would have been legitimate for the Jews to reject His claims. In fact, it would have been foolish for them not to have done so.

A few years back I read of a man who claimed to be Jesus returned from heaven. He did not have a charismatic personality, did no miracles, did not preach salvation, nor was his life particularly Christlike; yet people gave him money and followed him.

I have no idea whatever became of him. How tragic for him and his followers when they stand before the real Christ on Judgment Day.

A more famous false Christ was head of the Unification Church, the so-called Reverend Sun Myung Moon, who at one gathering in 2004 claimed to be, “…none other than humanity’s savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent.”

The True Parent designation seems to mean that he and his wife will return the world to a sinless state, and as such, claim that their children were born without original sin.

Moon stated that he received a vision of Jesus at the age of 16, asking him to continue as Messiah to finish the work that Christ failed to complete when He was crucified.

The church’s theology which sounds Christian with a careless reading, does not teach the central Christian theme of salvation by grace through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. While they claim to follow the Bible, their doctrines are demonic.

The current church membership of about one million souls was started in 1954 by Moon.

These and the thousands who have died without Christ since 1954 were deceived by a man who did no miracles, is not alluded to in Scripture, and who does not follow the teachings of the Bible.

Sun Myung Moon, was born February 25th, 1920, and died on September 3rd, 2012. Moon, an antichrist, is now miserable, in hell, and awaiting judgment day.

Jesus tells us in His own words.

“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ’, and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4b-5.

Deferring to the need of confirmation, the Lord refers the Jews back to John the Baptist’s witness.

“You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth” John 5:33.

This refers us back to John 1:19-20.

“Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’” John 1:19-20.

Upon questioning John further as to why he was baptizing if he were not the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet, John responded with this powerful statement.

“I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” John 1:26b-27.

Possibly, this same group or others like them were there the next day.

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” John 1:29.

Pretty explicit statement is it not? You can be sure that this is not the only time that John told the people who the Christ was.

The common folk loved this man, even if the religious leadership held him in disdain.

“But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish – the very works that I do – bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.” John 5:36.

These works that Jesus did should have been the clincher. While it is possible for many seemingly miraculous things to be done through the demonic their works are usually evil and selfish.

The sheer weight of good and beneficial miracles that Jesus wrought, while doing nothing to benefit Himself, indicates that He was from God.

The Apostle John’s own words at the end of this book are an indication of how much the Lord was able to do in His three and a half year ministry.

“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” John 21:25.

Still, the religious leaders did not seem to get it.

“Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, ‘How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.’” John 10:24-25.

Even a young man born blind, who would be considered ignorant, could see who Christ was.

Having been healed by Jesus, a young man finds himself in the synagogue, being grilled by the Pharisees, and this fellow is really beginning to annoy them.

We pick up here where the Pharisees are presenting another argument to the young man.

“Then they reviled him and said, ‘You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.’ The man answered and said to them, ‘Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.’” John 9:28-33.

The religious leaders rejected the testimony of Christ, John the Baptist, and the works; surely they will hear the Father.

“And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.” John 5:37-38.

Three times the Father spoke in an audible voice, twice with a mixed group within hearing distance surrounding Jesus. Once with just Peter, James, and John present.

“Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17.

While on the mount of transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, Jesus was transfigured before them with His clothing becoming white like snow. The account in Matthew stated that His clothes were white as light.

During this transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Jesus, and then a cloud appeared over them.

“And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!’” Mark 9:7.

See all of Mark 9:2-9 for context, also, Matthew 17:1-9 and Luke 9:28-36.

The apostle Peter refers us back to this incident in 2 Peter chapter 1.

“For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He receive from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” 2 Peter 1:16-18.

Shortly before His arrest and crucifixion the Lord made the following statement.

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to Him.’ Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.” John 12:27-30.

As with the Lord’s baptism, bystanders heard the voice from heaven. But what did they hear, thunder, an angel, or the voice of God? I believe that unbelievers heard only thunder because, as Jesus said.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27.

These religious leaders would not hear the voice of God; surely their own Scriptures would convince them.

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:39-40.

After Jesus’ resurrection He met two men walking to a village called Emmaus which was about seven miles from Jerusalem; joining up with them He asked them what they were discussing.

They did not recognize Him and responded by telling Him of their confusion over the crucifixion and rumors that Jesus had arisen from the grave.

“Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27.

In the sermon Peter gave after healing a man born lame, he made this statement.

“But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.” Acts 3:18.

Let us never forget that it is all about Jesus, all about Jesus, of whom God has said.

“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Matthew 17:5b.

You Search the Scriptures, John 5:31-40 taken from godisrevealed.com posted 8-31-12, updated on 8-3-17.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.