witness Cf. John 8:14. In John 5:31 our Lord, defending His Messianic claims before Jews who denied those claims, accepts the biblical rule of evidence, which required "two witnesses" ; John 8:17; Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6. A paraphrase of verse John 5:31 would be: "If I bear witness of myself ye will say my witness is not true." Cf. John 8:14. read more
Shall we turn in our Bibles to the fifth chapter of the gospel of John.John has just recorded in the fourth chapter the ministry of Jesus in the Galilee when He was at the city of Cana and the nobleman came to Him concerning his son, who was sick. And Jesus spoke the word and some twenty miles distance the Spirit of God did a work and healed the nobleman's son.So after this, that would be after His ministry there in Cana, and the healing of the nobleman's son,There was a feast of the Jews; and... read more
John 5:2 . Now there is at Jerusalem a pool, called Bethesda, which signifies a house of mercy, beneficence, or alms. The pool was situate at too great a distance from the temple to be a place for washing the sacrifices, but people washed here who had any ceremonial impurity. The verb being in the present tense, proves that both Jerusalem and the pool existed when the evangelist wrote, as stated in the introduction. This gospel therefore was written before the destruction of the city. John... read more
John 5:31-40If I bear witness of Myself My witness is not true.There is another that beareth witness of MeThe witnesses of the SonI. A GREAT WITNESS, His forerunner. The Baptist as a witness for Christ was 1. Human (John 5:34; cf. John 3:31). 2. Brilliant. While he lasted he was like the lamp that gave light to the whole household of the Jewish people. So should every Christian in his place as parent, master, teacher, citizen, be a blazing torch, or, at least, a useful lamp, to guide others to... read more
31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. Ver. 31. My witness is not true ] That is, fit, firm, valid, foro humano, Concessio rhetorica. Beza. read more
John 8:13, John 8:14, John 8:54, Proverbs 27:2, Revelation 3:14 Reciprocal: John 3:11 - ye John 8:18 - and John 10:37 - General 1 John 5:9 - we read more
If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.If I testify of myself — That is, if I alone, (which indeed is impossible,) my testimony is not valid. read more
First great discourse, furnished by John, of Jesus to the hostile Jews, John 5:17-47. The best biblical scholars consider this defence, or self-explanation, to have been delivered by Jesus before the Sanhedrim. It bears, hence, some slight resemblance to the Apologia, or defence of Socrates before the Helioea, or popular court, of Athens. The two discourses resemble at least in this, that both refuse to extenuate, but boldly magnify and glory in the matter charged. Hence Luther calls this “a... read more
1 . The witness of the Father, through John, John 5:31-35. 31. My witness is not true It was the province of the Son to be authenticated by another, whom he will adduce in the following verse. HE by whom the Son was sent furnishes all the credentials of his genuineness. If Jesus is without His testimony, his own claims, and all his self-witnessing, are false. The universal maxim applies to him, that no man’s evidence, uncorroborated, is valid in his own case. read more
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Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - John 5:19-47
EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTESJohn 5:19. The Son can do nothing of Himself.—This statement refers back to and justifies that of John 5:17. He is still speaking of the eternal relation in which He stands to the Father, but also of that relationship as manifested in His activity as the Son Incarnate. Even when in the form of a servant He sees and knows the Father’s working as men cannot see and know it, and His actions are the works of the Father.John 5:20. Loveth.—φιλεῖ expresses a feeling of... read more