READ: John 5:30–47 – … But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe … But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. … For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me …
The Jews must realize that Jesus does everything in accordance with God’s will. God has sent Him for that very purpose. God seeks the salvation of His children and works this out through His Son.
God Himself is His witness that this is so (v. 32). Jesus mentions, besides the Father, other witnesses as well: John the Baptist, the Scriptures (including Moses and the prophets), and especially His own works. As for John the Baptist, it is clear that he pointed to Jesus.
But His own works are an even greater testimony (v. 36). From these, one can deduce that He is sent by the Father. Furthermore, the voice of the Father sounded at His baptism (v. 37). Also, the words of God in the Scriptures (then still the Old Testament) testify of Him (v. 39).
Yet even though the Jews have the Scriptures and study them extensively, they reject the very One who can give them eternal life!
At the end of His discourse, Jesus points to the words of Moses, who they hold in high regard, and in whom they place their hope (v. 45). But Moses also wrote about Jesus as the Christ (e.g., Gen. 3:15; Deut. 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; Leviticus).
Yet now it appears that they do not even believe Moses’ words. So, they not only reject Jesus but also Moses. If they don’t believe the Scriptures, how can they believe the words and works of Jesus, which fulfill those Scriptures? (vv. 45–47)
Jesus also identifies the root cause: “You do not have the love of God in you; you seek glory from one another and not the glory that comes from the only God” (vv. 42,44)! If they do not repent, they will be condemned—accused by none other than Moses himself.
How do we view our own honour and the appreciation of others?
Sing: Ps. 132:10