I Tell You the Truth
April/13/2008 Filed in: Daily Walk
Series
• New
Testament Reading: John 5:16-47
• Old Testament Passage: Psalm 118:19-29
• Points to Ponder
“I Tell You the Truth”
Sometimes the best thing a defense lawyer can do is to call the accused to the stand, if indeed he is a
credible witness. In this case, it is essential that people hear from Jesus himself for at least two
reasons: 1) to establish clearly what Jesus claimed for himself, and; 2) to find out from Jesus why he
thinks people should believe that he is who he claimed to be.
In John 15:16-30, Jesus very clearly claims to be equal with God. What he says may not seem like
that much to us, but look carefully at the Jews’ response. He knew what he said and they knew what
he meant and when he answers them he continues to call God his Father. In addition, he makes
claims that only one who considered himself to be God would claim. There are those today who
would say that Jesus never claimed to be God, yet in every gospel account and in Acts and from the
earliest extra-biblical Christian writings we have, it is obvious that Jesus’ claims to deity were not an
later addition.
Since Jesus claimed to be God, there are only three possible conclusions open to us: 1) He was a liar
(i.e. he knew he wasn’t God, but claimed to be and tried through his words and deeds to deceive
people); 2) He was a lunatic (i.e. he really thought he was God even though he wasn’t), or; 3) He was,
and still is, the Lord God.
It is one thing to claim to be God; it is quite another to prove that claim. Jesus never expected
people to believe him just because he said so. He actually did want people to seriously consider the
evidence. In 5:31-47, he calls us to consider 3 types of evidence: 1) Human testimony (vv. 33-35); 2) The
work he does, i.e, his life, teaching & miracles (vv. 36-38); 3) The scriptures, i.e. OT messianic
prophecies (vv. 39, 45-47). These lines of evidence, along with his resurrection, is all the evidence an
unbiased and sincere truth seeker needs.
• Questions to Consider: Can you think of other times that Jesus claims, directly or indirectly,
to being God in the flesh? Why is it so important to establish that Jesus claimed to be divine?
Which of the lines of evidence is the most convincing to you and why?
• Old Testament Passage: Psalm 118:19-29
• Points to Ponder
“I Tell You the Truth”
Sometimes the best thing a defense lawyer can do is to call the accused to the stand, if indeed he is a
credible witness. In this case, it is essential that people hear from Jesus himself for at least two
reasons: 1) to establish clearly what Jesus claimed for himself, and; 2) to find out from Jesus why he
thinks people should believe that he is who he claimed to be.
In John 15:16-30, Jesus very clearly claims to be equal with God. What he says may not seem like
that much to us, but look carefully at the Jews’ response. He knew what he said and they knew what
he meant and when he answers them he continues to call God his Father. In addition, he makes
claims that only one who considered himself to be God would claim. There are those today who
would say that Jesus never claimed to be God, yet in every gospel account and in Acts and from the
earliest extra-biblical Christian writings we have, it is obvious that Jesus’ claims to deity were not an
later addition.
Since Jesus claimed to be God, there are only three possible conclusions open to us: 1) He was a liar
(i.e. he knew he wasn’t God, but claimed to be and tried through his words and deeds to deceive
people); 2) He was a lunatic (i.e. he really thought he was God even though he wasn’t), or; 3) He was,
and still is, the Lord God.
It is one thing to claim to be God; it is quite another to prove that claim. Jesus never expected
people to believe him just because he said so. He actually did want people to seriously consider the
evidence. In 5:31-47, he calls us to consider 3 types of evidence: 1) Human testimony (vv. 33-35); 2) The
work he does, i.e, his life, teaching & miracles (vv. 36-38); 3) The scriptures, i.e. OT messianic
prophecies (vv. 39, 45-47). These lines of evidence, along with his resurrection, is all the evidence an
unbiased and sincere truth seeker needs.
• Questions to Consider: Can you think of other times that Jesus claims, directly or indirectly,
to being God in the flesh? Why is it so important to establish that Jesus claimed to be divine?
Which of the lines of evidence is the most convincing to you and why?