Testimony on Jesus’ Behalf (Jn. 5:31-40)

“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony cannot be verified.  32 But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.  33 You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.  34 I do not accept testimony from a human being, but I say this so that you may be saved.  35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.  36 But I have testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.  37 Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.  39 You search the scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf.  40 But you do not want to come to me to have life.”

Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath who had been ill for 38 years and when the Jews questioned him, he told them that he was doing his Father’s work (Jn. 5:1-18).  They became determined to put him to death because not only did he break the Sabbath (Ex. 31:14-15), but he blasphemed by making himself equal to God (Lv. 21:16).  In his response to the Jews, Jesus agreed that according to the Law, a person’s testimony on his own behalf must be verified (Deut. 19:15).  Then he pointed to John the Baptist, his miracles, the Father (God), and the Scriptures as witnesses to his claim that God was the Father who gave him the authority to do His works.  

Jesus reminded them that they had sent messengers to John the Baptist, whom they regarded as a prophet, and had heard his testimony (Jn. 1:19-28).  John had also testified that Jesus was the Messiah they were expecting (Jn. 1:29-34).  Jesus told them that he relied on divine testimony which is greater than John’s.  

Jesus pointed to his works among them as greater testimony.  Those works could only have been done by someone sent from God, 'If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything (Jn. 9:33).”  They were signs of his divinity and authority.  

Jesus called upon the testimony of the Father and told them that they had never heard God’s voice, seen Him, or possessed His word.  The Father is beyond their understanding, but he reveals his Father’s will to them.  

The scriptures testified on Jesus’ behalf and spoke of the coming of the Messiah, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kindred, and will put my words into the mouth of the prophet; the prophet shall tell them all that I command (Deut. 18:15-19).”  However, the Jews studied the scriptures believing they could have life through the scriptures.  They would not accept the one God sent through whom they could have life.  Since they would not receive the one God sent, they condemned themselves.  

Almighty God, help us to heed the testimony and divine witnesses of your dearly beloved Son and open our hearts to recognize him as the source of truth and salvation that leads to eternal life.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.