John 5:47

But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? BUT IF YE BELIEVE NOT HIS WRITINGS (see the note at ). HOW SHALL YE BELIEVE MY WORDS? - a remarkable contrast, not absolutely putting Old Testament Scripture below His own words, but pointing to the office of those venerable documents to prepare Christ's way, to the necessity universally felt for documentary testimony in revealed religion, and perhaps, as Stier adds, to the relation which the comparative "letter" of the Old Testament holds to the more flowing "words" of "spirit and life" which characterize the New Testament. Remarks: (1) The light in which the ministry of angels is presented to us in connection with the pool of Bethesda is most interesting and instructive. First, it would appear that one particular angel had charge over the mira...

47._But if you do not believe his writings. _Christ appears here to claim less authority for himself than for Moses; and yet we know that _heaven and earth have been shaken by the voice _of the Gospel, (Hebrews 12:26.) But Christ accommodates his discourse to those to whom he speaks; for the authority of the Law was, beyond all controversy, held sacred among the Jews; and thus it was impossible that Christ should be inferior to Moses. To the same purpose is the contrast between _writings _and _words_; for he shows their unbelief to be more aggravated, because the truth of God, recorded in an authentic form, has no authority with them....

45-47 Many trust in some form of doctrines or some parties, who no more enter into the real meaning of those doctrines, or the views of the persons whose names they bear, than the Jews did into those of Moses. Let us search and pray over the Scriptures, as intent on finding eternal life; let us observe how Christ is the great subject of them, and daily apply to him for the life he bestows....

Verse John 5:47. _BUT IF YE BELIEVE NOT HIS WRITINGS_, c.] If you lay them not to heart - if you draw not those conclusions from them which their very letter, as well as their spirit, authorizes you to draw, _how shall ye believe my words_, against which ye have taken up the most ungrounded prejudice? It is no wonder that we find the Jews still in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity: as they believe not _Moses_ and the _prophets_, in reference to the _Messiah_, it is no marvel that they reject _Christ_ and the _apostles_. Till they see and acknowledge, from the law and the prophets, that Christ must have come, they will never believe the Gospel. St. Paul says, 2 Corinthians 3:15, that _even until this day, when Moses_ (i.e. the law) is read, the VEIL...

IF YE BELIEVE NOT HIS WRITINGS - If you do not credit what he has written which you profess to believe, it is not to be expected that you will believe my declarations. And from this we may learn: * That many men who profess to believe the Bible have really no regard for it when it crosses their own views and inclinations. * It is our duty to study the Bible, that we may be established in the belief that Jesus is the Messiah. * The prophecies of the Old Testament are conclusive proofs of the truth of the Christian religion. * He that rejects one part of the Bible, will, for the same reason, reject all. * The Saviour acknowledged the truth of the writings of Moses, built his religion upon them, appealed to them to prove that he was the Messiah, and commanded men to search them. We have the testimony of Jesus, therefore, that the Old Testament is a revelation from God. He that rej...

EXPOSITION Here commences the second division of the Gospel (John 5:1) II. THE CONFLICT WITH THE CHOSEN PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM, GALILEE, AND JERUSALEM, TO THE DEATH SENTENCE RECORDED BY THE SANHEDRIN. JOHN 5:1 1. _Christ proved, by signs and wonders and testimonies, to be Source of life._ JOHN 5:1 (1)

BUT IF YE BELIEVE NOT HIS WRITINGS,.... They believed them to be his writings, and that they were the word of God, and yet did not believe the things contained in them, respecting Christ; or did not see, and could not believe that they belonged unto, and were applicable to Jesus of Nazareth; and therefore it could not be supposed they would give credit to him, or his words: HOW SHALL YE BELIEVE MY WORDS? not that Moses was greater than Christ, or rather to be credited than he; Moses indeed was faithful, but Christ was worthy of more honour and credit than he was; Moses was but a servant, but Christ was a son in his own house: but this is said with respect to the Jews, with whom Moses was in great veneration and esteem; and it was more likely they should regard what he should say, than what Jesus of Nazareth should, whom they despised....

CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The Healing of the Impotent Man. (John 5:1 .)_ 2. The Opposition of the Jews. (John 5:10 .) 3. His Unity with the Father. (John 5:19 .) 4. The Present Hour. Believers Delivered from Death and Judgment. (John 5:24 .) 5. The Future Hour. His Power to Raise the Dead. (John 5:26 .) 6. Witness Concerning Himself. (John 5:30 .) 7. The Witness of John. (John 5:33

This summary suggests that Jesus-' opponents had accused Him of self-glorification. In answer He traces back their failure to accept His message to want of that love of God which their study of Scripture should have taught them (Deuteronomy 6:5). If a false prophet were to come on his own authority (_cf._ Deuteronomy 18:20), and speak presumptuously in God's name, flattering their pride and self-seeking, such an one they would welcome. There is no reference in John 5:43_ b_ to the pseudo-Messiah, Bar-Kochba (A.D. 135). Deuteronomy 18:20 and the character of popular Messianism in the last century B.C. are adequate explanat

HAD YE BELIEVED MOSES, YE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED ME. Moses recorded various prophecies that were fulfilled in Christ, and all the types, shadows and symbols pointed to him. Had they believed Moses they ought to have accepted Christ. The reader should note the reverence with which Christ always alludes to the writings of Moses. The fault that he charges upon the Jews is not that they reverence Moses too highly, but that they disregard his sayings. There is not the slightest intimation that he regarded the Pentateuch aught else but the genuine composition of Moses. Those critics of our times, who profess. profound reverence for the authority of Christ, but insist that the books assigned to Moses are frauds of. later age than his time, should learn. lesson from the example of Christ. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. 1. Unbelief is due to the heart rather than to the mind. The unbeliever chooses unbe...