Jesus knew that His critics would not accept the Father"s witness to His identity even though Jesus claimed that His words accurately represented the Father"s will. He could not prove this claim to their satisfaction. Therefore He cited another human witness who testified about Jesus" identity, namely, John the Baptist. John came into the world to bear witness to the light ( John 1:7). Moreover he had borne witness about Jesus to the Jews who had come from Jerusalem to ask who He was ( John 1:19-28). Furthermore he had identified Jesus publicly as the Lamb of God ( John 1:29-34). John had truly testified that Jesus was the divine Messiah (cf. John 1:40-41). [source][source][source]
Context Summary
John 5:30-38 - Jesus' Works His Sufficient Witness
The one desire and purpose of our Lord was to do God's will. We cannot penetrate the mystery of His ineffable being, but clearly, so far as His human nature was concerned, he had a will which could be denied and subordinated to the Father's. See John 5:30; John 6:38; Luke 22:42. It meant shame, a breaking heart, a soul exceeding sorrowful, the cry of the forsaken, but he never swerved. He clung to it as to a hand rail down the steep dark staircase that led to Calvary. Let us live according to God's will. It feeds the spirit, John 4:34. It clears the judgment, John 5:30. It gives rest and tranquility to the heart, Matthew 11:29. It is the key of certain and assured knowledge, John 7:17. It introduces us into a great circle of others, who in the past and present, in heaven and on earth, are living with the same purpose. Our Lord cites as allies John the Baptist, John 5:6; the Scriptures, John 5:39; and Moses, John 5:45. Choose this life policy! There is no other way! Remember that God's will is goodwill, and that His love is endless and changeless. [source]
Chapter Summary: John 5
1Jesus on the Sabbath day cures him who was diseased thirty-eight years 10The Jews therefore object, and persecute him for it 17He answers for himself, and reproves them, showing by the testimony of his Father, 31of John, 36of his works, 39and of the Scriptures, who he is
Greek Commentary for John 5:33
Ye have sent [υμεις απεσταλκατε] Emphatic use of υμεις humeis (ye) and perfect active indicative of αποστελλω apostellō official and permanent fact and so the witness of the Baptist has to be recognized as trustworthy by the Sanhedrin. The reference is to the committee in John 1:19-28. He hath borne witness Perfect active indicative of μαρτυρεω martureō showing the permanent and abiding value of John‘s testimony to Christ as in John 1:34; John 3:26; John 5:37. So also John 19:35 of the testimony concerning Christ‘s death. This was the purpose of the Baptist‘s mission (John 1:7). [source]
Ye sent [] Rev., rightly, have sent. The perfect tense, with allusion to something abiding in its results. Similarly, bare witness should be hath born. Note the expressed ye ( ὑμεῖς ), emphatically marking the contrast between the human testimony which the Jews demanded, and the divine testimony on which Jesus relies (John 5:34). [source]
John 1:7For a witness [εἰς μαρτυρίαν] Revised version of the New Testament, more correctly, for witness: a witness would be, μάρτυρα as Acts 1:8. The sense is for witness-bearing or to bear witness. On the word, see Acts 1:22; 1 Peter 5:1. It is one of John's characteristic words, occurring nearly fifty times in various forms in his Gospel, and thirty or forty times in the Epistles and Revelation. The emphatic development of the idea of witness is peculiar to this Gospel. “It evidently belongs to a time when men had begun to reason about the faith, and to analyze the grounds on which it rested” (Westcott). He develops the idea under the following forms: The witness of the Father (John 5:31,John 5:34,John 5:37); the witness of Christ himself (John 8:14; John 18:37); the witness of works (John 5:17,John 5:36; John 10:25; John 14:11; John 15:24); the witness of Scripture (John 5:39,John 5:40,John 5:46; John 1:46); the witness of the forerunner (John 1:7; John 5:33,John 5:35); the witness of the disciples (John 15:27; John 19:35; John 21:24; 1 John 1:2; 1 John 4:14); the witness of the Spirit (John 15:26; John 16:13,John 16:14; 1 John 5:6). Note the emphasis attached to the idea here, by the twofold form in which it is put: first, generally, for witness, and then by giving the subject of the testimony. [source]
John 5:31If I bear witness of myself [Εαν εγω μαρτυρω περι εμαυτου] Condition of third class, undetermined with prospect of determination The emphasis is on εγω egō (I alone with no other witness). Is not true In law the testimony of a witness is not received in his own case (Jewish, Greek, Roman law). See Deuteronomy 19:15 and the allusion to it by Jesus in Matthew 18:16. See also 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19. And yet in John 8:12-19 Jesus claims that his witness concerning himself is true because the Father gives confirmation of his message. The Father and the Son are the two witnesses (John 8:17). It is a paradox and yet true. But here Jesus yields to the rabbinical demand for proof outside of himself. He has the witness of another (the Father, John 5:32,John 5:37), the witness of the Baptist (John 5:33), the witness of the works of Jesus (John 5:36), the witness of the Scriptures (John 5:39), the witness of Moses in particular (John 5:45). [source]
John 5:32Another [αλλος] The Father, not the Baptist who is mentioned in John 5:33. This continual witness of the Father (ο μαρτυρων ho marturōn who is bearing witness, and μαρτυρει marturei present active indicative) is mentioned again in John 5:36-38 as in John 8:17. [source]
John 5:34But the witness which I receive [Εγω δε ου την μαρτυριαν λαμβανω] “But I do not receive the witness” simply from a man (like John). The εγω egō (I) in sharp contrast with υμεις humeis (ye) of John 5:33. Jesus complained of Nicodemus for not accepting his witness (John 3:11). Cf. also John 3:32. In 1 John 5:9 the witness of God is greater than that of men and this Jesus has. That ye may be saved Final clause with ινα hina and first aorist passive subjunctive of σωζω sōzō This was the purpose of Christ‘s coming, that the world might be saved (John 3:17). [source]
John 5:35He [εκεινος] “That one” (John of John 5:33). Common demonstrative (that one) in John to point out the subject. Used in John 1:8 of the Baptist as here. John was now in prison and so Christ uses ην ēn (was). His active ministry is over. The lamp The lamp in the room (Mark 4:21). Old word for lamp or candle as in Matthew 5:15. Used of Christ (the Lamb) as the Lamp of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:23). Λαμπας Lampas (Matthew 25:1,Matthew 25:3, etc.) is a torch whose wick is fed with oil. The Baptist was not the Light “Non Lux iste, sed lucerna.” Jesus by his own claim is the Light of the World (John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46). And yet all believers are in a sense “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) since the world gets the Light of Christ through us. That burneth See Matthew 5:15 for this verb used with λυχνος luchnos (lighting a candle or lamp). The lamp that is lit and is burning (present passive participle of καιω kaiō and so is consumed). And shineth See John 1:4 for this verb used of the Logos shining in the darkness. Cf. 1 John 2:8. John was giving light as he burned for those in darkness like these Jews. And ye were willing “But ye became willing.” Ingressive aorist active indicative of τελω thelō Reference again to John 1:19. Cf. also for the temporary popularity of the Baptist Mark 1:5; Matthew 3:5; Matthew 11:7; Matthew 21:26. The Jews were attracted to John “like moths to a candle” (Bernard). To rejoice First aorist passive infinitive of αγαλλιαομαι agalliaomai late word for αγαλλομαι agallomai for which see Matthew 5:12. “They were attracted by his brightness, not by his warmth” (Bengel). Even so the brightness of John‘s shining did not really enlighten their minds. “The interest in the Baptist was a frivolous, superficial, and short-lived excitement” (Vincent). It was only “for an hour” (προς ωραν pros hōran) when they turned against him. [source]
What do the individual words in John 5:33 mean?
Youhave sentuntoJohnandhe has borne witnessto thetruth
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: μαρτυρέω
Sense: to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration.
Greek Commentary for John 5:33
Emphatic use of υμεις humeis (ye) and perfect active indicative of αποστελλω apostellō official and permanent fact and so the witness of the Baptist has to be recognized as trustworthy by the Sanhedrin. The reference is to the committee in John 1:19-28. He hath borne witness Perfect active indicative of μαρτυρεω martureō showing the permanent and abiding value of John‘s testimony to Christ as in John 1:34; John 3:26; John 5:37. So also John 19:35 of the testimony concerning Christ‘s death. This was the purpose of the Baptist‘s mission (John 1:7). [source]
Rev., rightly, have sent. The perfect tense, with allusion to something abiding in its results. Similarly, bare witness should be hath born. Note the expressed ye ( ὑμεῖς ), emphatically marking the contrast between the human testimony which the Jews demanded, and the divine testimony on which Jesus relies (John 5:34). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 5:33
Emphatic, in contrast with ye (John 5:33). [source]
Revised version of the New Testament, more correctly, for witness: a witness would be, μάρτυρα as Acts 1:8. The sense is for witness-bearing or to bear witness. On the word, see Acts 1:22; 1 Peter 5:1. It is one of John's characteristic words, occurring nearly fifty times in various forms in his Gospel, and thirty or forty times in the Epistles and Revelation. The emphatic development of the idea of witness is peculiar to this Gospel. “It evidently belongs to a time when men had begun to reason about the faith, and to analyze the grounds on which it rested” (Westcott). He develops the idea under the following forms: The witness of the Father (John 5:31, John 5:34, John 5:37); the witness of Christ himself (John 8:14; John 18:37); the witness of works (John 5:17, John 5:36; John 10:25; John 14:11; John 15:24); the witness of Scripture (John 5:39, John 5:40, John 5:46; John 1:46); the witness of the forerunner (John 1:7; John 5:33, John 5:35); the witness of the disciples (John 15:27; John 19:35; John 21:24; 1 John 1:2; 1 John 4:14); the witness of the Spirit (John 15:26; John 16:13, John 16:14; 1 John 5:6). Note the emphasis attached to the idea here, by the twofold form in which it is put: first, generally, for witness, and then by giving the subject of the testimony. [source]
Condition of third class, undetermined with prospect of determination The emphasis is on εγω egō (I alone with no other witness). Is not true In law the testimony of a witness is not received in his own case (Jewish, Greek, Roman law). See Deuteronomy 19:15 and the allusion to it by Jesus in Matthew 18:16. See also 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19. And yet in John 8:12-19 Jesus claims that his witness concerning himself is true because the Father gives confirmation of his message. The Father and the Son are the two witnesses (John 8:17). It is a paradox and yet true. But here Jesus yields to the rabbinical demand for proof outside of himself. He has the witness of another (the Father, John 5:32, John 5:37), the witness of the Baptist (John 5:33), the witness of the works of Jesus (John 5:36), the witness of the Scriptures (John 5:39), the witness of Moses in particular (John 5:45). [source]
The Father, not the Baptist who is mentioned in John 5:33. This continual witness of the Father (ο μαρτυρων ho marturōn who is bearing witness, and μαρτυρει marturei present active indicative) is mentioned again in John 5:36-38 as in John 8:17. [source]
“But I do not receive the witness” simply from a man (like John). The εγω egō (I) in sharp contrast with υμεις humeis (ye) of John 5:33. Jesus complained of Nicodemus for not accepting his witness (John 3:11). Cf. also John 3:32. In 1 John 5:9 the witness of God is greater than that of men and this Jesus has. That ye may be saved Final clause with ινα hina and first aorist passive subjunctive of σωζω sōzō This was the purpose of Christ‘s coming, that the world might be saved (John 3:17). [source]
“That one” (John of John 5:33). Common demonstrative (that one) in John to point out the subject. Used in John 1:8 of the Baptist as here. John was now in prison and so Christ uses ην ēn (was). His active ministry is over. The lamp The lamp in the room (Mark 4:21). Old word for lamp or candle as in Matthew 5:15. Used of Christ (the Lamb) as the Lamp of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:23). Λαμπας Lampas (Matthew 25:1, Matthew 25:3, etc.) is a torch whose wick is fed with oil. The Baptist was not the Light “Non Lux iste, sed lucerna.” Jesus by his own claim is the Light of the World (John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46). And yet all believers are in a sense “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) since the world gets the Light of Christ through us. That burneth See Matthew 5:15 for this verb used with λυχνος luchnos (lighting a candle or lamp). The lamp that is lit and is burning (present passive participle of καιω kaiō and so is consumed). And shineth See John 1:4 for this verb used of the Logos shining in the darkness. Cf. 1 John 2:8. John was giving light as he burned for those in darkness like these Jews. And ye were willing “But ye became willing.” Ingressive aorist active indicative of τελω thelō Reference again to John 1:19. Cf. also for the temporary popularity of the Baptist Mark 1:5; Matthew 3:5; Matthew 11:7; Matthew 21:26. The Jews were attracted to John “like moths to a candle” (Bernard). To rejoice First aorist passive infinitive of αγαλλιαομαι agalliaomai late word for αγαλλομαι agallomai for which see Matthew 5:12. “They were attracted by his brightness, not by his warmth” (Bengel). Even so the brightness of John‘s shining did not really enlighten their minds. “The interest in the Baptist was a frivolous, superficial, and short-lived excitement” (Vincent). It was only “for an hour” (προς ωραν pros hōran) when they turned against him. [source]