Do You Believe in Jesus?
John 5:30–47
Jesus said, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. 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.”
“You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings. But I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”
Our pericope from John’s gospel today is a continuation of the harsh criticism Jesus receives earlier in this chapter. The religious leaders are upset because Jesus healed a man who had been sick for decades on the Sabbath, a direct violation of Sabbath laws. By healing on the Sabbath, Jesus was essentially claiming authority over the Sabbath, its laws, and his equality with God which the Pharisees refuse to accept. The Jewish leaders reject Jesus’ claims and are only willing to consider a Messiah that
reinforced what they already believed.
Perhaps it is human nature to favor information that aligns with our pre-existing beliefs and dismiss or downplay information that contradicts them. There are times when we only want information that will reinforce what we already believe. We can become so convinced of our view that we are not willing to openly engage new information. We see this behavior unfolding in our reading today.
In justifying his actions, Jesus begins by pointing to his relationship with his Father, when he says, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” Jesus then provides credible witnesses.
Defending his claims and actions to the Jewish leaders, Jesus argues that his testimony is not based on his own authority but on the testimony of his works, the Father, John the Baptist, and the scriptures, ultimately highlighting the importance of believing in the Son. The religious leaders, however, are still not convinced. They remain stuck and unable to see that even with all of their biblical knowledge that the scriptures point to Jesus. They may have known about God, but they did not know God preventing them from seeing the one sent by God.
prayer
Almighty and most merciful God, drive from us all weakness of body, mind, and spirit; that, being restored to wholeness, we may with free hearts become what you intend us to be and accomplish what you want us to do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Lesser Feasts & Fasts, 2006, p. 53)
Daily Lenten meditations each have a companion morning prayer video offered by the same clergy. View the YouTube playlist to find this meditation’s companion video, or to watch others.