John 5:19-47

The Central Idea of the Text is that Jesus operates in harmony with the Father and has authority to give life and to judge.  He also reveals four witnesses to His divine nature and work: God the Father, John the Baptist, Jesus’ signs, and Scripture. Jesus operates in harmony with His Father; who has given Him authority to act (John 5:19-21).  The Father has given the right to judge to the Son (Acts 17:31), and to reject the Son is to reject the Father (John 5:22-24).  Anyone who claims to know God, but rejects Jesus as the Christ, knows neither the Father nor the Son.  Jesus will judge all those He raises from the dead (John 5:25-30), and the good works of believers will testify to their new life (see John 3:16-21; 6:28-29; Eph. 2:8-9).  Jesus’ claims to heal, give life, and judge have the witness of others (John 5:31-32).  Biblically, two or more witnesses were necessary to validate a legal claim (Deut. 17:6; 19:15).  Jesus had four who testify that He is Messiah and has authority: God the Father (John 5:31-32; 37-38), John the Baptist (John 5:33-35; cf. John 1:7; 29-36), Jesus’ signs (John 5:36), and the Scripture (John 5:39-40).  The Jewish leadership rejected Jesus and, therefore, rejected life (John 5:40).  Jesus did not seek glory from men (John 5:41).  The Jewish leadership did not have the love of God within them (John 5:42), and like many of their forefathers, they would accept a false prophet (John 5:43).  They preferred the glory of men to the glory of God (John 5:44).  The Jewish leadership claimed to follow Moses, but their claim was false, for Moses pointed to Jesus, whom they rejected (John 5:45-47).