Sunday School Lesson
February 2
Lesson 10 (KJV)
Single-Minded Obedience
Devotional Reading: Psalm 91
Background Scripture: Matthew 4:1–11
Matthew 4:1–11
1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6. And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.—Matthew 4:10
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Define temptation.
2. Identify the core issue(s) behind each of Jesus’ temptations.
3. Make a plan to overcome a specific area of temptation in his or her life.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Deuteronomy | Due-ter-ahn-uh-me. |
| Elijah | Ee-lye-juh. |
| Horeb | Ho-reb. |
| Gethsemane | Geth-sem-uh-nee (G as in get). |
| Isaiah | Eye-zay-uh. |
| Kidron | Kid-ron. |
| Massah | Mass-uh. |
| Messiah | Meh-sigh-uh. |
| Nehemiah | Nee-huh-my-uh. |
| Sinai | Sigh-nye or Sigh-nay-eye. |
Introduction
A. Conquering Our Appetites
Churches with a liturgical heritage have long observed the “fast of Lent.” Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a 40-day period of self-denial loosely patterned on Jesus’ 40-day fast before His temptation. Traditionally, Lent has involved denying oneself certain foods.
However, many churches now promote fasting as a self-discipline during that 40-day period since many people are given to consuming large quantities of food. Other disciplines encouraged are those of Bible study and prayer as replacements for unhealthy practices involving body and/or spirit. The hope, of course, is that the 40 days will shape the rest of one’s year.
Proverbs 25:28 likens the lack of self-control to a city whose walls are broken down and therefore defenseless. How Jesus maintained His self-discipline when His defenses seemed at their lowest is still a model for us some 20 centuries later.
B. Lesson Context
The time of preparation for Jesus’ ministry was almost over but not quite. By the point where today’s lesson begins, Matthew has told us of the work of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah (Matthew 3:1–12). John’s ministry intersected with that of the Messiah himself at the baptism of Jesus. Done “to fulfil all righteousness” (3:15), Jesus’ baptism was a kind of anointing. It showed that He had accepted the task given to Him and that He had the approval of both the Holy Spirit and the Father (3:16, 17).
The account of Jesus’ temptation as recorded in Matthew 4 gives far more detail than the summary in Mark 1:12, 13. The parallel account in Luke 4:1–13 offers additional insights. The most obvious difference between the accounts in Matthew and Luke is the order in which the temptations are recorded. Luke reverses the second and third from Matthew’s order, which is usually understood to be the original. Luke’s reason for this change is not immediately apparent. Otherwise, the three accounts agree regarding the historical fact of Jesus’ temptations.
Use of the term “the holy city” to refer to Jerusalem in today’s text reveals that Matthew was rooted in the Jewish faith (compare Matthew 4:5; 27:53 with Nehemiah 11:1; Isaiah 52:1). By contrast, Luke, of Gentile background (implied in Colossians 4:11, 14), never uses that term (contrast Matthew 4:5 with Luke 4:9).
I. In the Wilderness
(Matthew 4:1–4)
A. Tempted by Bread (vv. 1–3)
1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Matthew presents the temptations of Jesus as part of God’s plan, a leading of the Spirit (compare Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1, 2). The word translated tempted can refer to a kind of test (compare the word’s various translations “prove” in John 6:6; “examine” in 2 Corinthians 13:5; “tried” in Hebrews 11:17; Revelation 2:2, 10; and “try” in Revelation 3:10). To come through a trial successfully means that one has proven oneself (compare Hebrews 4:15).
Similarities are found between Jesus’ temptations and the trials Israel faced in the wilderness (compare Exodus 16; 32; Numbers 13:17–33). Though the events are not exactly parallel, the similarities set a challenge for Jesus. Israel was tempted repeatedly in the wilderness and failed the tests. Can the Messiah succeed as God’s Son where the Israelites as God’s children failed?
| What Do You Think? Should Christians intentionally seek out a “wilderness experience” for personal growth in Christ? Why, or why not? Digging Deeper |
The devil, the agent of this temptation (compare Matthew 4:5, 8, 11), is also known as “Satan” (4:10). We are familiar with these designations as referring to the adversary of humankind. He is the one who seeks our downfall. The word devil means “accuser”; the word Satan means “adversary” (compare Satan’s role in Job 1:6–12; 2:1–7). Matthew also calls him “the tempter” (Matthew 4:3), a title that reminds us of the temptations of Eve and Adam in the garden (Genesis 3:1–7).
2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
The wilderness experiences of Jesus and the nation of Israel find a point of similarity here. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness to be prepared to enter the promised land (Joshua 5:6), and Jesus spends forty days and forty nights in the wilderness in preparation for His ministry.
Comparisons also can be drawn between Jesus’ 40 days and Moses’ time on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28) and Elijah’s time traveling to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8). Like Moses, Jesus has been fasting. Like Elijah, Jesus’ ministry will be marked by faithfulness to the Lord, even though much of Israel will reject Jesus as the Messiah and even kill Him (1 Kings 19:10, 14; Luke 4:24–30; 23:33). Jesus’ connection with those two historical figures is presented powerfully at His transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1–3).
3. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
At Jesus’ point of greatest weakness, the tempter makes his appearance (compare 1 Thessalonians 3:5). His attack is intended to exploit Jesus’ extraordinary hunger. A 40-day fast necessarily results in weakness, sometimes even disorientation.
The temptation here is not that of interrupting the fast, for it has run its course. Rather, the temptation is that of using divine power inappropriately to exchange the less important for the more important.
We should note in passing that the statement If thou be the Son of God does not reflect doubt on Satan’s part regarding Jesus’ identity; demonic forces recognize Jesus for who He really is throughout the Gospels (Matthew 8:28–34; Luke 4:31–35, 40, 41). No ordinary person can turn stone to bread. The Son of God, however, is no ordinary person, as the next verse reveals.
B. More than Bread (v. 4)
4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Jesus is not insecure. He knows He has the power to feed himself and alleviate His great hunger. We will see Jesus make bread and affirm in doing so that there is nothing inherently sinful in that action (see Matthew 14:13–21). Jesus’ feeding miracles will reveal not only His divine status but also His compassion.
But yielding to the current temptation would mark Jesus as someone who is willing to recreate His God-given role as physical needs dictate. Jesus’ response to Satan’s suggestion comes directly from Deuteronomy 8:3, words spoken first by Moses. That verse reveals a lesson that Israel should have learned in the wilderness: the manna provided by the Lord wasn’t just to feed them physically. More importantly, it was to feed them spiritually by pointing them to God as their provider (Exodus 16:15, 16). Bread in and of itself cannot feed one’s spirit. It sustains only one’s body—and that only for a limited length of time. Sadly, the wrong attitude in this regard will make a return appearance after one of Jesus’ feeding miracles (see John 6:25–27; compare 6:63).
Jesus’ answer reveals how Scripture can be recalled in times of temptation. A deep knowledge of Scripture prepares us to recognize both the Spirit’s leading and Satan’s distractions. When we are in tune with God’s Spirit and serious in our Bible study, it is amazing what godly truths will come to mind when needed.
| What Do You Think? Without giving directive advice, how would you counsel someone whose physical desires result wrong priorities? Digging Deeper |
At the Temple
(Matthew 4:5–7)A. Tempted to Prove Love (vv. 5, 6)
5. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple.
The holy city is Jerusalem (see Lesson Context), the site of the temple. This temptation comes not in the privacy of the wilderness but in the busiest, most populated place in Judea.
The location of a pinnacle of the temple is uncertain. But it likely refers to the highest point on the temple’s walls. Many students suggest this to be the southeast corner of the wall, which overlooks the Kidron Valley below. A drop from this spot would certainly be lethal.6. And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
The tempter now changes his tactics in two ways. First, he attempts his own use of Scripture as he quotes Psalm 91:11, 12 to frame the temptation. But his use of Scripture is immediately seen as insincere when we consider the historical context that Satan conveniently leaves out: that God’s protection is linked to obedient faithfulness (91:9, 14).
The tempter’s second tactical change is to appeal to Jesus’ relationship with the Father. All Jesus has to do to validate that relationship is jump from the pinnacle. This should be an act of sure death, preventable only by a miraculous intervention of the Lord. Satan quotes Scripture to give the impression that God has promised to protect His Messiah from danger by guarding His life with powerful angels (compare Matthew 26:39–42; 27:40). Bear thee up even suggests rescue by means of a midair intervention.
We must not think that all who quote Scripture do so properly or with godly motives (compare 2 Corinthians 11:14). Sincere believers may misuse Scripture unintentionally at times. Liars and charlatans do so knowingly and deviously (1 Timothy 1:3–8, 11; 2 Peter 2:1–3). When someone uses selected phrases from the Bible to justify sketchy actions, we have the responsibility to measure this by considering Scripture as a whole, not by cherry-picked proof texts divorced from context.B. Trusting the Lord (v. 7)
7. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Jesus immediately sees that the temptation goes beyond pinnacle-jumping. It has to do with testing the Lord thy God (see on Matthew 4:1, above). God invites tests in some circumstances (example: Malachi 3:10). But performing the kind of test we see here would reveal that Jesus doubts the Father. Satan intends to plant that seed of doubt in Jesus: Does the Father love me enough to save me from my folly? Of course, not being saved from foolishness does not indicate lack of love on God’s part. We often face the consequences of our actions.
Jesus does not need such a test. He knows His relationship with the Father is secure without any doubt; it was affirmed several weeks earlier at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:13–17). In resisting Satan, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16. When Moses spoke these words originally, he was warning the Israelites not to tempt God as they had when they asked for water at Massah (Exodus 17:2–7; compare Psalm 95:9).
“It Can’t Happen to Me”
Many feats of derring-do end with great pain. People participating in extreme sports must feel, to some extent, an “it can’t happen to me” attitude regarding the possibility of injury or even death.
Some of the most stunning examples of death-defying stunts are seen in videos of wing-suit fliers. The suit allows a parachute jumper to descend at a slower rate of fall while allowing a (somewhat) controllable gliding at up to 200 mph! Viewers can experience the rush of the stunt without experiencing the potentially life-ending consequences via cameras mounted to jumpers’ helmets.
When the devil dared Jesus to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, he was asserting that the death-defying stunt would not kill Jesus. Satan was inviting Jesus to adopt an “It can’t happen to me” attitude. Jesus’ refusal to take the dare was not cowardly; He knew that legions of angels were at His disposal (Matthew 26:53). Rather, Jesus saw the dare in spiritual terms: He would have been challenging God to save Him from a foolish act. Do we ever do the same?
—C. R. B.
| What Do You Think? How do you draw a reasonable line between stepping out in faith and testing God? Digging Deeper |
III. On a Mountain
(Matthew 4:8–11)
A. Tempted by Power (vv. 8, 9)
8. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.
We are not told where the exceeding high mountain is. No mountain in the world can make visible all the kingdoms, anyway. What is suggested, rather, is a visionary experience (compare 2 Corinthians 12:2). Whether a physical location or spiritual experience, it is very real for Jesus. Being shown the glory of all the kingdoms means He sees their power and wealth (compare Revelation 21:24, 26).
9a. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee.
Satan is a liar (John 8:44), and he has misused Scripture already. Does he really presume to have the authority to give Jesus all these things?
There is a sense in which Satan does indeed rule this world (see John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2). But his influence is temporary and limited (Revelation 12:9; 20:2, 7–10). Ultimately, Satan has no authority and will be destroyed. He offers a promise that he cannot keep, even if he wanted to do so.
9b. If thou wilt fall down and worship me.
To gain absolute power over the human realm, Jesus is to give allegiance to Satan. That allegiance is to take the form of worship. To fall down in that regard is to assume a prostrate position (compare Daniel 3). Such an act would have at least two implications. First, Jesus would be turning His back on the glories of Heaven and its perfection for the pleasures of and power over the corrupt earth. It wouldn’t be both/and; it is either/or.
Second, this reward would come at an unimaginable price: placing Jesus’ authority under that of the devil rather than God. Yielding to this temptation would mean rejecting God’s timing concerning when the Messiah is to receive authority (Matthew 28:18). The shortcut to prestige Satan offers may be appealing by sidestepping the pain and humiliation of death on a Roman cross. But the offer is a fiction and a mirage.
| What Do You Think? What techniques can we use to uncover a hidden agenda before we allow someone to “help” us? Digging Deeper |
The End Requires the Means (vv. 10, 11)10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
When Peter later denies that Jesus will be killed, Jesus’ rebuke is sharp: “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me” (Matthew 16:23). Thus the idea that the Messiah does not need to die is confronted more than once.
Jesus’ response in the case at hand comes from Deuteronomy 6:13. That chapter is packed with short axioms that define Israel’s relationship with the Lord (examples: Deuteronomy 6:4, 14). Only God is worthy of worship. For this reason, the ancient Israelites were constantly reminded to serve the Lord only (Exodus 20:3, 4; Joshua 24:14; Nehemiah 9:6; etc.). The same challenge confronts Christians (Revelation 22:8, 9; etc.). For Jesus to worship Satan would be not only a cardinal sin but also a repudiation of His nature as the Son of God—an impossibility.
What is the key for us to have victory over the temptations that come our way? Paul points out that one of the deficiencies in our lives is lack of self-control, which Satan exploits (Titus 2:12; compare Galatians 5:22–26). In the lesson’s account of Jesus’ temptations, we see superlative self-control. Jesus maintains a fast for 40 days. He resists three tantalizing temptations, each targeting a potential weakness in His self-control.11a. Then the devil leaveth him.
The fact that the devil leaves at Jesus’ command shows who’s really in charge here (compare Romans 16:20). The authority of Jesus prevails (compare Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 1:21–34; Luke 11:14–26).
11b. And, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
The angelic ministry that follows likely involves tending to both Jesus’ physical and spiritual fatigue. This quick appearance of angels is also instructive for us. To experience temptation does not mean that God has forsaken us. Times of temptation can indeed test us to our limits. But the Bible promises that God will not allow us to be tried beyond our strength (1 Corinthians 10:13). God will always give us a way out. When we fortify our hearts with Scripture and earnestly seek the Lord, we will be prepared for the Holy Spirit to guide us through great tests without us betraying our faith in Jesus (2 Thessalonians 2:13–15).
The righteous way that Jesus chose lead Him all the way to the Garden of Gethsemane. In that garden, He again resisted temptation, yielding obediently to death to atone for the sins of the world (Mark 14:32–42). His strength can be ours.Seeing Is Possessing
The December 17, 2017, issue of Time magazine announced “The Silence Breakers” as the magazine’s Person of the Year. This collective “person” represents numerous women who spoke out against sexual harassment and assault they had been subjected to by powerful males in their workplaces.
The hurt and anger these women experienced became part of the #MeToo movement. Women involved in the movement sought to hold men accountable for their own actions, not implicate all men unjustly for the misdeeds of some.
Vulnerable people throughout history have been considered mere parts of various “kingdoms” over which those in power have exercised authority. Many of the powerful give in to the desire to possess whatever they see. Uncontrolled sexual desire (contrast Genesis 38:15–18 with 39:1–10 with 2 Samuel 11) and lust for land (1 Kings 21) are just two examples. Even though Jesus didn’t fall for it, that hasn’t discouraged the devil from using this chance to sin on humans. Reason: it works.
—C. R. B.Conclusion
A. Triumph over Temptation
Matthew’s presentation of Jesus as the man who did not yield to temptation was confirmed during the three years Matthew lived closely with Jesus. Therefore, with full confidence that it was true, Matthew was able to write today’s account of Jesus’ successfully resisting temptations.
Jesus’ wilderness experience involved genuine temptations, offering Him the opportunity to sin. God was surely looking on this episode with a great desire and confidence that Jesus would not succumb. Even so, the Father probably still saw this as an important test of Jesus’ character.
This is true for us as well. God knows we are tempted (Hebrews 4:15). Some situations may even function as needed tests of our faith (1 Corinthians 11:19; James 1:1–3). God may test us (Exodus 16:4; etc.), but he never tempts us to sin (James 1:13–15). Successfully overcoming temptation builds character (1:2–4) and results in eternal life (1:12). Winning interim battles against everyday temptations prepares us for the great testing of faith that comes with life crises.How do we gain such triumphant self-control? This lesson gives us a pathway in that regard. First, self-control builds confidence as it is exercised. Second, self-control must be guided by Scripture. Third, we are never to forget that God is with us in our times of trial. Self-control is more successful when we know others are watching and supporting us. May we cooperate with God in allowing Him to strengthen our self-control!
| What Do You Think? What guardrails can you erect to prevent tests of character from turning into surrender to sin? Digging Deeper |
PrayerHeavenly Father, be merciful to us, for we often give in to temptation. May we draw on Your strength when we are weak. May our willingness to grow spiritually in self-control reap a harvest of eternal life among those who follow our example. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
God gives us the resources to overcome temptation. Use them!
KID’S CORNER
Who Witnessed for Jesus?
Sunday, February 2, 2020
John 5:30-38
John 5:30-38
(John 5:30) “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
In John 5:29, Jesus said that He would make the final judgment of people when He raised everyone from their graves: “those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” He affirmed that He would not do this on His own. As a matter of fact, Jesus humbly declared that He could do nothing on His own. He and the Father were so united in all their goals, intentions, and purposes that He could and would do nothing without the Father’s agreement and involvement. Jesus promised that He would judge as He heard; as He heard from His Father and as He heard the thoughts and words of those He judged. The thoughts and words of all He judged would reveal good intentions leading to good behavior and a good way of life or evil intentions leading to evil behavior and an evil way of life. Jesus also promised that His judgment is and would be just. Only God can see into the hearts of everyone to know the reasons for their actions, and Jesus can see into the hearts of everyone. God gave His Holy Law through Moses, and only God knows how people have obeyed and disobeyed His Law of Love, further defined in the Ten Commandments and applied by Jesus in His “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew chapters 5-7. In our study of John 1:14-17, we learned that Jesus is “full of grace and truth” and “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” Therefore, Jesus’ judgments are always loving, just, gracious, and merciful. Those wanting to kill Jesus were far from being loving, just, gracious, and merciful. Furthermore, unlike Jesus, they sought to do their own will, achieve their own purposes, maintain their own power, and cling to their wealth and position in the world. On the other hand, Jesus sought to do the will of God. Jesus knew the will of God, always thought according to the will of God, and always did the will of God. Knowing everyone completely, only God can make perfect judgments. As the only Son of God, Jesus made and will always make perfect judgments according to the will of God.
In Deuteronomy 17:6, we learn, “On the evidence of two or three witnesses the death sentence shall be executed; a person must not be put to death on the evidence of only one witness.” Those sentenced to the resurrection of condemnation will have two witnesses against them, the Father and the Son. But no one needs to be sentenced to the resurrection of condemnation, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).
(John 5:31) “If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.
When Jesus debated with the religious leaders, He used legal language they would understand. When Jesus said, “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true,” He did not mean that He did not speak the truth about himself. Rather, according to Jewish law, if a person made claims about themselves and no one else confirmed their claims; then, their claims were unreliable. Later, the Jews were only too willing to follow the unconfirmed claims of false Messiahs. In John 8:17, Jesus discussed this legal principle when He told the religious leaders, “In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.” Jesus was not the only one testifying about Him. Jesus had more than two witnesses testifying about Him. And the witnesses Jesus would bring forth in John 5:32-47 testified to the truth of Jesus’ words about himself.
(John 5:32) “There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.
The first witness Jesus brought forth was John the Baptist, though some believe that by “another” Jesus referred to His Father. In the preaching of John the Baptist, God the Father testified on behalf of Jesus as the Holy Spirit (Who indwelt John the Baptist before he was born) told the truth through John about Jesus and prepared people for the coming of Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus declared that He knew the testimony of John the Baptist was true, and Jesus knew the ultimate source of John’s message was from the Father through the Holy Spirit.
(John 5:33) “You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.
Jesus reminded the religious leaders that they had sent representatives to question John the Baptist’s credentials as a prophet. They had asked him why he was baptizing his fellow Jews. They had wanted to know if he was the Messiah. Jesus declared that John had told them the truth. John had baptized people to prepare them for His coming as the Messiah. In John 1:29, John the Baptist had pointed people to Jesus saying, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John the Baptist was the first faithful human witness that Jesus could have called upon to affirm that what Jesus said and did was according to the will of God.
(John 5:34) “But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
The truth that Jesus was the long-expected Messiah and the Son of God did not depend on John’s human testimony alone. Jesus referred the Jews to John’s human testimony that they might believe John and by believing John that they might repent of their sins, be baptized, and come to saving faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Jesus’ purpose in giving John’s human testimony was not to save himself from death, but so others might learn the truth and be saved by believing in Him and the truths He came to reveal. One reason Christians give their human testimony about Jesus is so people can believe in Jesus and become children of God (John 1:12).
(John 5:35) “He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
Jesus compared John to a lamp that burned; a lamp that depended on the fuel of God to keep burning and giving light, a lamp that eventually burned out when King Herod beheaded him according to God’s perfect timing. The Jews delighted in John for a while. Some delighted in John when they turned from their sins and prepared themselves to meet Jesus. Others delighted in John because it had been about four hundred years since God had sent a prophet to the Jews, and they were amazed to hear a true prophet. Some rejoiced when they heard John preach whether they repented or not. Before he killed John, even King Herod liked to hear John preach! In Mark 6:20, we read, “Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.” John was a lamp sent from God to prepare people to meet Jesus the Messiah. In John 1:7-8, we read about John, who himself was not the light, but a lamp: “He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.”
(John 5:36) “But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.
After His own testimony about himself, Jesus had the word of a prophet, John the Baptist, for a second witness about Him. But as a third witness, Jesus told them that the works He was doing in their midst were a greater testimony than John’s testimony. Jesus was not doing works like a magician to impress people and thereby convince them that He was great and they should adore Him. Rather, Jesus was doing the works that God the Father had given Him to do. When Jesus healed the sick man on the Sabbath, He did a work that His Father wanted Him to do. Jesus’ works of compassion testified that the Father had sent Him. Rather than seeing Jesus as a man who broke the Sabbath when He healed someone or as a person who threatened their privileged place in society, Jesus insisted that they should have seen His works of loving power as evidence that the Father had sent Him and was testifying in His behalf.
(John 5:37) “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.
The Father sent His Son into the world, and He testified in His behalf by showing Jesus different signs that Jesus could work to help people that no mere human being could do. For example, though it may only take about two weeks to ferment a bottle of wine, it takes much longer than that to plant a grape vine, grow and harvest the grapes, and follow through all the processes to bottle a world class wine. Jesus made wine from water in less than a second, and the steward said it was the best wine. All things were made by Jesus in the beginning, so making wine for a wedding was no problem for Jesus (John 2:1-11). Even more spectacular than making the wine was Jesus’ reason for doing so. He had compassion for a new groom and bride who would have suffered much embarrassment in their culture if they had run out of wine; so, He quietly worked a miracle in their behalf without drawing attention to himself. Jesus did what God the Father would do. The Jews who wanted to kill Jesus had never seen or heard the voice of God, but God the Father testified in Jesus’ behalf by what Jesus did to help others and by the loving way Jesus helped them. Still today, God the Father and God the Son work miracles in behalf of their children that most of us never recognize as testimonies to their love, justice, grace, and mercy.
(John 5:38) “You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.”
John 5:38 leads into the last section of Jesus’ confrontation with the Jewish leaders. In John 5:39-47, we will learn that in addition to God’s acts in history and God’s acts in the life and work of Jesus that God also testified in Jesus’ behalf in the Scriptures (specifically, the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament). The Jewish leaders studied the Scriptures, but they studied the Scriptures for the wrong reasons. They studied the Scriptures to learn ideas that would help them win debates among themselves. They studied the Scriptures in order to create laws and traditions that gave them a reason to be teachers, leaders, and judges over others. Hence, they used the Scriptures to devise all sorts of rules that bound people into a legal instead of into a loving relationship with God. In this sense, even though they might have known a lot of Bible quotes and rules, the word of God did not abide (remain) in them and influence their decisions and treatment of others. In some sense, as they studied and talked about the word of God, the word “went in one ear and out the other” and never into their hearts to remain there. For example, in Deuteronomy 10:12-13, we read, “So now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? Only to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD your God and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well-being.” If God’s word had abided or remained in the leaders who wanted to kill Jesus, they would have loved the LORD and would have loved to serve the LORD with all their heart and soul. If the word of God had abided within the Jewish leaders, they would have practiced what the prophet Micah told them to do in Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” The Jewish leaders who condemned Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath who had been ill for thirty-eight years knew nothing about justice, did not love to act kindly, and certainly did not walk humbly with God. If the word of God had abided within them, they would have done what God required of people, and they would have treated the man Jesus healed (and Jesus himself) with justice, with kindness, and with the humility that people needed to learn from Jesus and what Jesus’ signs testified about Jesus and His relationship with God. If the word of God had abided within them, then the word of God within them would have testified to their hearts and minds that Jesus’ acts and words were the acts and words of God who had sent Him into the world.
Who Witnessed for Jesus?
Sunday, February 2, 2020
John 5:30-38
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. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not (John 5:37-38—KJV). And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent (John 5: 37-38—NASB). And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent (John 5: 37-38—NRSV).
When Jesus debated with religious leaders, He used legal language they would understand. For example, in John 5:31, when Jesus said, “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true,” He did not mean that He did not speak the truth about himself. Rather, according to Jewish law, if a person made claims about themselves and no one else confirmed their claims; then, their claims were unreliable. In John 8:17, Jesus discussed this legal principle when He told the religious leaders, “In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.” Jesus testified about himself, and He also said others testified in His behalf. First, God the Father, who sent Him into the world, testified in His behalf. Jesus declared that He did what He saw the Father doing and He spoke what He heard the Father speaking. As He heard the Father making judgments, He judged; furthermore, His judgments were just, because He always did the will of His Father. Second, in addition to the testimony of the Father, Jesus reminded the religious leaders that John the Baptist prophesied about Him and John had prepared people for His coming. Third, more than John’s testimony, Jesus said that His works in the world proved that God the Father had sent Him. Jesus said that if these religious leaders had truly believed in and remained true to God’s word, then they would have recognized the actions of the Father in His words and works.
Thinking Further
Who Witnessed for Jesus?
Sunday, February 2, 2020
John 5:30-38
Name __________________________
- What are some of the actions that Jesus can take without consulting His Father?
- What did Jesus mean when He said His testimony about himself was not true?
- Who did Jesus say truly testified about Him?
- Why did Jesus refer people to the human testimony of others? Why do we tell others about Jesus?
- What and/or who did Jesus say was a greater testimony that John’s testimony?
Discussion and Thinking Further
- What are some of the actions that Jesus can take without consulting His Father? The Father and the Son are so closely united in thought, word, and deed that Jesus never did or does anything independent of His Father or without consulting His Father.
- What did Jesus mean when He said His testimony about himself was not true? Following the Jewish law, if a person testified about himself with no one else or nothing else testifying in His behalf, then the testimony was not true (or people should at least be doubting about the person’s claims). Jesus had other testimonies than His alone; therefore, we know His testimony was true.
- Who did Jesus say truly testified about Him? John the Baptist and Jesus’ Father.
- Why did Jesus refer people to the human testimony of others? Why do we tell others about Jesus? That they might believe and be saved. People should consult more than one witness and the Bible tells us that we need more than one witness or we should at least consult more than one witness before believing someone’s claims. We tell others about Jesus so they might believe and be saved.
- What and/or who did Jesus say was a greater testimony that John’s testimony? His works and His Father and the Scriptures (the word of the Father that did not abide or dwell in them, because they did not believe Jesus).
Word Search
Who Witnessed for Jesus?
Sunday, February 2, 2020
John 5:30-38
Name _____________________________
W Y N O M I T S E T L G U H S
Y O V Q Y E M U M R M I O R J
Z F S K R O W S F U D V G C X
Q W I N X J Z E O E J B U H Q
D O H T E O Q J I U A N S X T
S R U K S W H F O K Q E P U W
E D S J M E I B A B I D I N G
I G L C U T T N V E P T K C Q
F J I T S D B A T S F M R B P
I U A E J V G R Z N A B A W A
T S T D G U U M X Q T V Q L J
S T K C W T D P E C M Z E T B
E B P T H L O G S N H N H D N
T V X V I U T H E R T W F V O
G Z Q J H S R E G N E S S E M
Judge
Judgment
Just
Testify
Testimony
Testifies
Testified
Messengers
Truth
Saved
Lamp
Light
Works
Word
Abiding
True and False Test
Who Witnessed for Jesus?
Sunday, February 2, 2020
John 5:30-38
Name ________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- Jesus could only do things on earth by himself and His Father could only do things in heaven by himself. True or False
- Jesus judged justly because He sought to do the will of His Father who sent Him. True or False
- According to Jewish law, if Jesus were the only one to testify about himself, His testimony did not need to be accepted as true. True or False
- Jesus said that John the Baptist’s testimony about Him was true. True or False
- When the religious leaders sent messengers to John the Baptist, he tricked them, so they did not know that he had not told them the truth. True or False
6, Jesus sought human testimonies about Him because He sought the approval of God and the Jews. True or False
- Because the Jews rejoiced in the light of John the Baptist, Jesus said that his lamp would never go out. True or False
- The works that the Father gave Jesus to complete and the works that Jesus did testified that the Father had sent Him. True or False
- When the Father spoke to the Jews, they heard His voice from the temple, but they still refused to believe in Jesus. True or False
- Since the word of God did not abide in the Jewish leaders, they did not believe in Jesus. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- False
- False
- True
- False
10.True
Prayer
Heavenly Father, be merciful to us, for we often give in to temptation. May we draw on Your strength when we are weak. May our willingness to grow spiritually in self-control reap a harvest of eternal life among those who follow our example. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.