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Introduction
Last week we covered .
We saw that Jesus in verse 30 reminded His critics that He could do nothing on His own.
Which showed His humility and dependency on the Father.
He did this also in verse 19 of chapter 5.
In both verse 19 and 30, Jesus wanted them to know this before He talked about His role as the Son.
Before speaking about His role, which as extremely offensive due to making Himself equal with the Father, He made sure that they heard about His humility.
Which reminded of Philippians chapter 2.
So as Jesus spoke of His role under the Father in the incarnation and His role in redemption, He provided witnesses to His claims.
First, He spoke of John the baptist as a witness to His claim of equality with the Father.
Second, He pointed to His works which were Messianic fulfillments that were written in Old Testament scripture.
Third, He spoke of the Father who sent Him.
Jesus brought these witnesses to prove even by Mosiac law that He was who He said He was.
In our passage today we have a fourth witness.
Which is the Scriptures.
Which includes Moses.
Outline
Our outline today is:
The Witness of Christ in the Scriptures (v.39-40)
The Glory of Christ Rejected (v.41-44)
3) The Witness of Christ from Moses (v.45-47)
Sermon
1) The Witness of Christ in the Scriptures (v.39-40)
Verse 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me
A famous rabbi of that time, Rabbi Hillel, taught the Jews that by studying the words of the law they would gain for themselves life in the world to come.
One of the most famous rabbis of that time, Rabbi Hillel, had taught the Jews that by studying the words of the law they would gain for themselves life in the world to come.
The Mishnah recorded in the late first century another rabbi, rabbi Shammai saying, “Make your study of Torah a fixed habit”
rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai said, “If you have studied much Torah, don’t think too much of yourself because you were created for that purpose”
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), .
Another rabbi from the first century, Yohanan ben Zakkai said, “If you have studied much Torah, don’t think too much of yourself because you were created for that purpose”
The study of the Scriptures was held as sacred and a high honor.
Which it should be.
The problem here is not the study of the Scriptures.
I can see many twisting this to say something that it is not saying.
I have heard before that the study of the Scriptures is dangerous and pharisaical.
It is important to note carefully what Jesus is actually saying.
It is important to note carefully what Jesus is actually saying.
Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life.”
Question: Should a believer search the Scriptures for eternal life?
Before answering this question we have to ask what is eternal life.
Used 17 times in the gospel of John, 15 of which is spoken from Christ Himself.
We see the use of eternal life, first in .
John 3:14-
There are other passages in John where eternal life is spoken of.
Some observations I saw in John’s gospel when speaking of eternal life:
First, belief is used mostly when speaking of eternal life.
Belief in Jesus Christ is inseparable from its result which is eternal life.
If one is found to believe genuinely in Jesus then they will inevitably have eternal life!
And as someone who’s reformed and I would argue biblical, eternal life means eternal life!
Second, when speaking of eternal life we see the use of food to describe it.
John 4:
John 6:
John 6:
This explains the desire of the genuine believer.
Meaning that there is a hunger and a desire for God and His glory that exceeds earthly and temporal longings.
Lastly, when speaking of eternal life we see “not perishing” as the result.
The result of genuine faith and a desire and hunger for God is not perishing.
Meaning that one is saved from destruction and ruin.
Meaning that one is saved from destruction and ruin.
The gospel of John makes it very clear that every use of eternal life is directly linked to Jesus Christ and faith in Him.
Knowing Him as who He is and believing in Him is how eternal life comes to a believer.
So eternal life essentially comes from genuinely knowing God and believing in Jesus Christ.
Jesus would say this in .
The people Jesus was talking to did not believe.
They did not have eternal life.
They studied the Scriptures without belief in Him.
They studied the Scriptures apart from seeing Jesus Christ as the bread that came down from heaven.
Leaving them still hungry and unsatisfied.
Apart from faith in Jesus they were those that remained in a perished state.
Their refusal of Him and their diligence in the Scriptures created an oxymoronic picture.
They thought they had life in their study of the Scriptures but they refused to believe in the One in whom the Scriptures spoke of.
Question: So, should a believer search the Scriptures for eternal life?
Answer: The answer is no.
A study of Scripture does not give eternal life.
What precedes a true and good study of Scripture is saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Which is what His listeners did not do.
The problem wasn’t the study of the Scriptures.
But the problem was that they refused to have life in Christ.
Anyone can acknowledge sound doctrine.
But not everyone can have genuine life in His name.
The Scriptures have witnessed of Jesus Christ.
And one can study the Scriptures and attain right theology even, yet lack genuine belief in Jesus Christ.
You can have biblical information without genuine salvation.
Many claim to know Jesus but in their practice, they refuse Him because they have not come to genuine saving faith in Him.
In Verse 40, Jesus addresses this.
Verse 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
Remember the reason for this gospel.
That is the purpose of not only the gospel of John but of every word inspired in Scripture.
We do not study the Scriptures to gain eternal life.
We study them because we have been given eternal life and because they speak of the eternal life giver.
Because of grace given to us we now have a genuine desire to know Him more through the study of His word and prayer.
The Scriptures spoke of Him but they rejected Him.
And verses 41 to 44 shows us what is at the center of their refusal and rejection.
2) The Glory of Christ Rejected (v.41-44)
Verse 41 I do not receive glory from people.
It’s important to note that in verse 41, Jesus is talking about not having need to receive glory from man.
Jesus did not need man receiving Him.
The NLT reads,
If you remember in verse 19 and 30, Jesus had already made the point that He could do nothing of His own accord.
Proving that He did not come with the need to receive glory from man but rather He came with the approval of the Father.
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