Today's scripture: John 5:31-38
Jesus begins today's verses by stating a fact: One cannot bear witness about himself. In a court of law, other witnesses are needed to prove a person's innocence or guilt.
Jesus has many other witnesses that prove both His humanity and His divinity.
Although many deny it, Jesus is a true, historical person. He was a real, flesh-and-blood man when He walked the earth. The New Testament, most of which was written within just a few decades of His life on earth, is one witness. In addition, secular historians, such as Josephus, prove that Jesus did indeed live.
And the fact that all but two of the original disciples (Judas Iscariot committed suicide in remorse for having betrayed Jesus, and John died of old age ... although one could argue for his martyrdom because of his exile to Patmos) died for their faith in Jesus bears witness to the truth of His divinity.
Today's verses talk of three witnesses to the truth of Jesus' being both man and God.
John the Baptist was instilled from birth with the message that the promised Messiah had come, and that Messiah was Jesus Christ. Jesus was flesh, yes, but He was also divine.
The works that Jesus did while on earth bore witness to His being God. He healed the sick, made the blind to see, gave strength to crippled limbs, and raised the dead to life. More importantly, He forgave sin. Only God can do that.
The Father Himself (remembering we believe in a triune God) was a witness to Jesus being God the Son. For those who sought truth, such as the disciples, the Father revealed that truth through Jesus. And the same is true today: If we seek truth with open hearts, we will find it as the Father reveals it to us.
In a civil court, the preponderance of the evidence points to either innocence or guilt. In the case of our Lord Jesus, many witnesses point to the truth: Jesus did live. He did walk this earth in human form. And if that's true, then we can confidently believe the rest. He did perform miracles. He did forgive sin.
Most of all, He did die a sacrificial death to pay the penalty for our sins. For your sins. For my sins.
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