A Greater Witness than John the Baptist - John 5:36

The apostle John wrote how Jesus said, “I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that bears witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true. You sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that you might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light”, and in chapter five and verse thirty-six of his book, John shared how Jesus said, “I have a greater witness than that of John” where we read:

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me.

The verse reads, “But I have greater witness than that of John:”. John began with the words, “but I have greater witness” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover I, Jesus, hold, own and possess a larger, more numerous and abundant testimony and good report” “than that of John” which means “compared to the testimony given by John the Baptist”. John shared how Jesus declared Himself to have a “more abundant report of good” than the one provided through John the Baptist.

The verse continues, “for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me.” John added Jesus' words, “for the works” which means “because, since and on account that the acts, deeds, business and undertakings” “which the Father” or “that Father God” “has given me to finish” which means “bestowed, granted, furnished and supplied Jesus to make perfect, complete and bring to an end”, “the same works that I do” or “the selfsame and like kind business, products, employment and undertakings”, “bear witness of me” which means “testify and bring good report pertaining to Jesus”, “that the Father” or “that God the Father” “has sent me” which means “dispatched and assigned Him”. John shared how Jesus said the “acts, deeds and undertakings” which His father “assigned” to Him, He completed and they “testify” that God the Father dispatched Him.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see how Jesus declared that the “works” His Father God assigned to Him served as a “testimony” concerning Him. Jesus was accomplishing the “tasks” He was given, and because He was finishing them as required by His Father, they declared to everyone who examined Him that He was indeed the Messiah and Son of God. God desires to have a personal relationship with everyone, and when they submit themselves to His Son Jesus as their “Savior and Lord”, He will “forgive them of their sins” and grant them “eternal life” with Him forever. Let all who read these words carefully observe all the wonderful “works” Jesus did that “bore witness” of who He is and who He came to be.

Next time John shares how Jesus says, “the Father himself, which has sent me, has born witness of me”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".