Three Witnesses of Jesus: John 5:19-47

March 18, 2011 by William Hamblin

Continued from Page 2

Thus, Jesus provides three witnesses that he is the Messiah: the testimony of John the Immerser, the testimony of the signs he performs in the name of the Father, and the testimony of scripture and Moses. He has thus provided the three witnesses necessary to prove his case according to Deuteronomic Law (Dt. 19:5), and has given a prophecy that he will raise the dead as a test of his prophetic claims.

Thus Jesus leaves the Jews—and, for that matter, modern readers—no option of accepting him merely as a wise teacher or even an ordinary prophet. Jesus is forcing his first century listeners to make a stark choice: they must either accept him as the Messiah, or reject him as a false prophet and put him to death. The stage is thus set for the final confrontation culminating in the execution of Jesus.

A pdf of the full version of this column, with extensive references and notes, can be found at:

http://byu.academia.edu/WilliamHamblin/Papers/468315/John_5_19-47

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