Advent: Week 3: Friday: Year B

1^st Reading: Isaiah 56: 1-3.6-8: My house will be called a house of prayer for all the people.

Gospel: John 5: 33-36: John was a lamp alight and shining.

The five witnesses to Jesus’ authority and power: Jn 5: 31-39.

There are five witnesses to Jesus’ authority.

1.    One’s own testimony is unacceptable (v.31):

The man’s own testimony is unacceptable and suspicious. At least two witnesses required for a testimony (Dt 17: 6; 19:15; Mt 18:16; 2Cor 13:1; 1tim 5:19).

2.    The witness within: the Spirit (v.33-35): There is the witness within , the Holy Spirit. There are three reasons why the Holy Spirit thought to be the One to whom Christ was referring.

a.    The Holy Spirit had already been given to Christ “without limit” (Jn 3:34). The Spirit was empowering him doing the works of God through Him.

b.    The Holy Spirit is One of the witnesses that bears witness to Christ (1Jn 5:6-12).

c.     Christ was talking about the innermost being , a power that works in and through him.

d.    The Lord’s words, “I know that this testimony about me is valid.” The Spirit bore witness with Jesus’ own Spirit that He was the Son of God.

e.     He knew that the testimony and the works of the Holy Spirit, in him and through him was true.

3.    The witness of John the Baptist (v.33-35): The religionist had sent some men to ask John about his witness, and John bore witness to the truth. His witness continued and still continues and will also continue. It is a trustworthy message, a testimony to the truth (Jn 1: 19-27, 29-36; Mt 3: 1-2,8; Mt 3: 10-11). The words “the truth” are a reference not only to the truth of John’s message but also to Christ himself, who is the Truth, the very embodiment of the Truth (Jn 14: 6). Jesus did not need or plead the testimony of a mere man/people. Jesus reached out to people, giving them what they required. The testimony of John was burning and shining light (Jn 1: 29). Some people rejoiced in John’s light but the religionists rejected his testimony to Jesus.

4.    The witness of miraculous works(v.36): four significant points said by Jesus:

i.                Jesus’ works were a weightier testimony than the testimony of John the Baptist.

ii.              Jesus’ works were given to Him by the Father.

iii.            Jesus’ works were the Father’s works.

iv.            Jesus’ works provided that the Father had sent Him. Godly works, healing the paralyzed man.

5.    The witness of God Himself (v.37-38): God sent his own Son to save all.

6.    The witness of the Scriptures (v.39): you diligently “study” the Scriptures. The Scriptures proclaim the message of eternal life and show us how to secure eternal life, but the Scriptures do not impart or give eternal life. Only Christ can give eternal life. The Scriptures testify of Christ (Lk 24: 27, 45; 1Pet 1:10-11).

Thought: A person does not secure eternal life by reading the Scriptures daily, by knowing the Scriptures, by being religious and profession, by doing religious works; but a person receives eternal life by believing and giving his/her heart and life to Jesus Christ. (Jn 2: 24; 3:16; 1Jn 5: 11-12)

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