JOHN 4:43-54 (NASU) NO HONOR, SIGN-SEEKERS, FAITH

43 After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

Jesus stays two days with the Samaritans. What started as a stop for water and food turned into a two-day teaching seminar by the Messiah. What is missing is interesting. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John does not record anything Jesus says to them. All we know is what they testified about that they now believed him to be the Savior of the World (vs. 42).

Why John inserts the parenthetical statement about a prophet being without honor in his own country is beyond me. There is nothing in the immediate context that would indicate why this is inserted. It is only in the Synoptic Gospels that we can find the details (Matt 13:57, Mark 6:4, Luke 4:24). Luke provides the most details of his rejection at Nazareth. Luke 4:16-30 describes Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath, teaching from Isaiah that he is fulfilling the Scripture. Each version express that they were astonished at his teaching but viewed him as someone unworthy of being able to teach because he was one of them. They didn’t believe. But Luke tells that they actually tried to kill him. All of this apparently happened before he leaves Nazareth and heads off to Cana.

One of the important things about these accounts is that the people had seen Jesus doing miracles in Jerusalem. They had expectations but these expectations were limited by their perceived concept that a local couldn’t be someone special.

Do we do the same thing. Sometimes being too familiar with someone often lets us see their weaknesses instead of what they have overcome and become. Sometimes it is jealousy that we aren’t endowed with the same gifts. 

46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe." 49 The royal official said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50 Jesus said to him, "Go; your son lives."

Cana is about five miles north of Nazareth and it is about sixteen miles from Capernaum. So Jesus is far from where he was almost killed. The royal official must have also been in Jerusalem or had heard from the people what Jesus had done. He takes the trip to Cana to save his son. As a royal official, he is not the type to go begging anyone for anything. He comes to Jesus in humility, not demanding as a royal might, but begging. He has the right attitude and is coming to the right person. (We need to come to Jesus with the right attitude and belief.) At this point, he must have believed that Jesus could heal him. So what happens when he asks Jesus to come and heal his son?

Jesus rebukes the people for only believing after seeing signs. Put yourself in this guy’s position. Your son is dying, and Jesus stops to tell everyone around him that they are shallow in their faith. How would you react to that? Would we give up and walk away? Is that the way we react when we pray for something and don’t get it? Or do we change our prayer? Should we change our prayer or our attitude? According to James, we may have to do both (James 4:1-3). This guy is still begging Jesus to go to Capernaum.

In this case, Jesus shows that he is more than a healer who must go to the ill to heal them. This is both a testing of the man’s faith to go and believe or stay and continue to beg. It is also a demonstration that he is much more than who the sign-seekers believed him to be.

How often do we pray and continue to pray for something when God has clearly provided a different answer, but we don’t move on? Our faith needs to be more like the royal official.

50b The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. 51 As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. 52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

He took Jesus at his word. This is belief. This is what we are doing when we read the Bible and believe what it says. Jesus is the Word. Every word of God is true. We have no reason to doubt what is in the Bible. The miracles were given to show that Jesus is the Word. What he says happens (Isa 46:10).

Rabbit trail. The seventh hour is about 1:00 PM. The time it takes to walk from Cana to Capernaum is about 8 hours. Why didn’t the man leave to go home as soon as Jesus told him his son would live? He would have been home by 9:00 PM. Which answer would you pick?

a.      It would have been dark before getting home so it would have been too dangerous.

b.     He did start home but had to stop along the way (see #1).

c.      He was a royal official and couldn’t leave.

d.      He believed and was in no hurry to get home, he knew his son was well.

I think I would answer with d.

53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives"; and he himself believed and his whole household.

It is interesting that it states that he believed. I thought he already believed. His faith may have been strengthened but the big point is that his household believed. His household would not have believed if he had not shared what had happened. It is important for us to give credit to the Lord for the good things he has done for us. It helps other believe and strengthens our own faith.

54 This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee. 

Just an FYI, this can be read a couple of ways. This was Jesus’ second miracle but verse fort-five would indicate he did some miracles in Jerusalem. It could mean it was the second miracle he did in Galilee, turning wine into water being the first. This is possible but there is also the possibility and the New Living Translation explains it as the second miracle after coming back from Jerusalem. None of this is terribly significant. The important part is to see that many people would only believe after seeing miracles and some of them, as in Nazareth, would not believe even when a miracle occurred.

John 4:27-42 (NIV) Marveling, Witnessing, Dedication

27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"

We’ve already talked about how the Jews would consider it scandalous to talk to a woman alone. Seeing Jesus doing it really surprised his disciples. Surprised may be a very weak word to describe their reaction. Strong’s defines it as “admire, have in admiration, marvel, wonder.” The ESV translation uses marveled defined as, “be filled with wonder or astonishment.” In cases like this you have to put yourself in the place of the disciples to get the full impact of how they felt. Here is their Messiah who has been baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness doing something that is totally contrary to their culture. Yet they didn’t ask him why he was doing it.

Is that the way we are when we don’t understand God’s ways? When we read something in the Bible that we don’t understand or like, do we marvel but don’t go further? When we see God doing something in the world that we think is wrong, such as bringing COVID, or putting someone in office that will obviously bring about antichristian policies? Do we just drop our jaws open and wonder? In we don’t understand or like what the Bible says, shouldn’t we be diligent in searching the Bible so that we can know the Lord better and be obedient to his Word? When we see these puzzling things in the world we shouldn’t be amazed because he has given us many clues in the Bible as to why things work the way they do. We may not like what is happening, but we will not chaff against it when we understand God’s sovereignty.

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"  30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

The woman’s reaction wasn’t bogged down with the culture that the disciples had. She was free to testify about Jesus.

Witnessing lesson Ten: a personal testimony can’t be refuted. You are telling what you know about Jesus. You tell how he has impacted your life. A lesson in developing your testimony is to be able to have a thirty-second version and a Five-minute version. The woman had a two-second version and it brought the townspeople out to meet Jesus!

31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33 Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"

How often do we substitute the physical for the spiritual? Do you ever feel bored or listless? Many people, even Christians don’t feel fulfilled in their lives, and they turn to the physical world to satisfy their inner discontent. The disciples were actually urging Jesus to find his contentment and satisfaction in physical substance.

34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

Jesus points us to the reality that he had a work to do. It was more important that eating. We pale in comparison to his dedication to his mission to save us. We may be on fire for Jesus, but nothing compares to his mission and the satisfaction that he got and is getting from finishing his work in the world. Hebrews 12:3 says he saw his joy in coming from the aftermath of the cross.

He gives us and his disciples a clue that even after he has gone to the cross and sits enthroned in heaven, we are to continue working. Jesus is the sower and we become the reapers. Remember that though we spread the word and we “lead people to Christ,” the true sower is the one that causes us to be born again. It is the triune God who sows his spirit into us.

There is much joy in heaven when someone come to Christ. So it is with us when we see people coming to Christ, whether we are part of the ministry or just observers.

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." NIV

Certainly, the woman made the contact with the people and some believed because of what she said. But they needed more to firm up their faith. They are just like us. We come to Christ with little knowledge and then our faith is strengthened as we learn more and more. “Christians” who make a profession of faith and never have a hunger to learn more about Jesus and their faith are most likely those whom Jesus will say “Away from me you workers of iniquity” (Matt 7:23).

JOHN 4:16-26 (NIV) WITNESSING, SEXUAL SIN, TRUTH

16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

This part of the encounter shows that the divine nature of Jesus revealed the woman’s situation to his human nature. Just as we saw his human nature revealed in his physical tiredness, now his divine nature is revealed through his knowledge of the woman’s sin.

Witnessing Lesson Six. We don’t have the ability to know a person’s sinfulness, however, if you know that someone is deep in a sinful activity or relationship, bring it up. How you bring it up should be sensitive. Remember that questions convict and accusations condemn resulting in defensiveness. Give them the chance to own the sin.

In this instance, Jesus knew what her big problem was, promiscuity. Not in the sense we see it today but having multiple husbands and now living with a man. She was unable to commit to a relationship or she was so hard to get along with that her husbands divorced her. I would speculate on the side that she was seeking satisfaction in a perfect relationship and was always looking for greener pastures.

It is clear from Jesus’ comment that she had actually been married five time. This is not necessarily the actions of a prostitute, though it could be why she was divorced by them.

People often claim that once a couple lives together then then they are married in the eyes of the Lord. This most likely comes from 1 Corinthians 6:15-16.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh” (NIV).

These verses condemn sexual promiscuity and do not claim that people are married who live together. It is speaking of the destruction of the relationship with Christ that occurs when a person gives his or her body over to another outside the bonds of marriage.

Marriage requires a commitment. The commitment comes before sexual consummation. In fact, sex is not a requirement for making the commitment. A betrothed man and woman were just as much married in the OT as they would be after consummation. The penalties for adultery applied to them as well.

What about a person who has been married many times or has never been married and has been sexually active? How does God look upon them when they come to Christ?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor 5:17 NIV).

We start over. We are a new creation. I’ve heard people describe this as being virtual virgins. The new life starts, and the past sins are gone. However, there is still the memories and the accusation by Satan. How do you deal with that? You can quote 2 Corinthians 5:17 or other verses that verify that our past sins are forgiven. Even a Christian who has lapsed into sexual sin can confess and be cleansed from all unrighteousness.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NIV)

Note that this promise is to purify us from all unrighteousness. Of course, if a person then persists in this behavior, the confession and repentance is false and that is a big problem including the possibility the person is not really a Christian.

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

The woman didn’t deny what Jesus said. However, she still wasn’t ready to openly admit her sin. In fact, she tried to divert him away from the issue by bringing up a theological issue.

Witnessing Lesson Seven. Always be ready for excuses or deflection from the gospel. These are almost always a smokescreen covering up sinful behavior that they don’t want to give up. Be attentive to the excuse and see how it is phrased. The woman addressed Jesus respectfully and admitted his ability as a prophet. This was an opening that showed her distraction was something that could legitimately stand in the way of her ability to recognize Jesus as her Savior.

The issue of where to worship was a bone of contention between the Jews and Samaritans. The issue of being able to worship on any hill or mountain had been one of the things that was a snare to Israel. Even in the times of David and Solomon, people were still worshipping at the high places. God had been gracious to overlook it, but it didn’t please him. The reason was that the high places were also where the pagans had worshiped. It didn’t take much for the people who worshiped the Lord to look around and contaminate their worship with pagan practices. A good answer to this question would help the woman see clearly Jesus as Messiah.

If someone persists in bringing up smokescreens then you have to ask such as, “If I answer this question, are you willing to examine the truthfulness of the gospel or are you evading your accountability to God?” Call them out for their evasiveness without any true desire to learn.

21 Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Witnessing lesson Eight. Don’t water down the truth in trying to answer an objection or distraction. Always bring the distraction back to the gospel. Don’t shy away from the truth in any way. Jesus affirmed that the correct form of worship at that time was in Jerusalem. He clarified the Samaritan’s error and spoke the truth about where salvation comes from, and it is tied to worship. You can’t be saved when you are trusting in anything but Jesus for your salvation. You can’t mix works and Jesus or idolatry and Jesus. It must be Jesus alone.

Jesus then pushed right past the issue to the future, worshiping God in spirit and in truth. See how he directs her to the truth of God being spirit. Because He is spirit, his worship must come from our spirit (which we can’t do it until we are born again). We must know the truth of who he is because worshiping a false notion of Jesus or the Father will not do any good. Worshiping a Jesus who is the brother of Satan is not going be a worship that brings about salvation.

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

It is remarkable that the woman is ready to now talk about the Messiah. She may not have understood what Jesus was saying in his comment, so she defers to him when he set everything straight. She may have had a much better understanding of the Messiah than some of the Jews who were only looking for a king to save them from Rome. She was at least looking to him for spiritual leadership.

26 Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”

Witnessing lesson Nine. Always point them to Jesus. I can’t imagine the shock she must have had at his revelation. He hadn’t even told his disciples who he was in such clear language.

John 4:1-15 Baptism, Nondiscrimination, Evangelism

 

1 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. (ESV)

     How did the Pharisees hear about people being baptized by Jesus? I’m not sure, but it could have been hearsay, or it could be that they had spies keeping track of him.  He had gotten their attention by cleansing the temple so it makes sense that they would be concerned about what he was doing. Unfortunately, their reconnaissance wasn’t totally accurate.  They were also mistaken about who was doing the baptizing as John clarified that Jesus’ disciples were the ones who were baptizing people. The point of this is that Jesus was also aware that they were keeping tabs on him. Their fear of him becoming too popular would interfere with his broader ministry and so he withdrew.

    Do you ever wonder why Jesus never baptized anyone? I can only speculate but Paul had a problem with people saying they were following him or Cephas or Apollos because they were possibly baptized by them (1 Cor 1:12-17). Perhaps Jesus didn’t want to baptize anyone because they could then claim some kind of authority. “I was baptized by Jesus, so you must follow me.” This kind of thinking would only draw people away from Christ. It shows how vulnerable we are to temptations and vulnerable we are to follow people instead of Christ.

    This also shows that we should assess our ministry or work in the same way. We have to keep an eye on the long-term goals so that we don’t get distracted by short-term circumstances. Unlike Jesus, we would most likely have looked at the success and believed God was calling us to increase the ministry at the Jordan. Jesus wasn’t called to a ministry of popularity. He knew his ministry was to become the Savior and it had to be done at the right time, so he left.

4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

    It's interesting that this information about Jacob giving Joseph a plot of ground isn’t recorded in the OT. Chasing down this rabbit hole could be a distraction. What is important is the location. It depicts a real place. It gives us some immediate information showing that Jesus didn’t have the snobbery of the Pharisees who wouldn’t even go through Samaria and become defiled by its people. It gives credibility to the reality of what is about to happen as well as the nature of Jesus to seek and save the lost. About noon – it was a pretty hot time of day. And Jesus was tired, it shows his human nature.

7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"  8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

    This is lesson one in evangelism. Look for a common interest in striking up a conversation. Even showing vulnerability. Don’t look at the person’s outward appearance, man, woman, ethnicity, education, social position, or anything else. You probably are aware that a Pharisee wouldn’t be caught dead speaking to a woman in public much less a Samaritan woman. Had any Pharisees been there they would have been totally shocked that Jesus intended to drink from her hands. He broke all the cultural taboos just talking to her.

    One way of witnessing for the fainthearted is to pass out tracts. I do it at the gas station. I only have a few seconds to get a person interested. I often make a comment about their car or whatever the Holy Spirit brings to mind. As they finish filling their tank or I have to turn back to mine, I give them an attractive gospel tract. My favorite is a “Smile.” You can find it at https://on-tract.com. With the author’s permission, I’ve modified it slightly and is in color with our church’s information so they can have a good place to attend should they come to Christ.

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

    John gives us this is information because we need to understand how radical Jesus’ request was. Not everyone who reads the Gospel of John knows this and it is vital to see that the gospel is for everyone, and we must penetrate all barriers to bring the good news.

10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

    Lesson two in evangelism is to introduce spiritual content into the conversation. Even though Jesus asked for a drink and the woman came back with an evasive response, he still persisted and talked of God and something she didn’t have a clue about – living water. Ask a question like where they go to church. Don’t ask if they go to church. Even if they say they don’t, it may be an opening. If they ignore it completely, or answer with a negative attitude, that may be the end of the conversation. It isn’t time to talk further with them about the Lord.

11 "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

    Lesson three, pay attention to the answer. Though she might have been curious about the gift of God, she ignored it. The water was the lead into spiritual things. She didn’t have the foggiest idea what Jesus was talking about. But her curiosity hit on it. Note that she was still defensive and challenged Jesus. She was claiming Jacob as her ancestor. She imagined her spiritual future was based on her ancestors just as the Jews did. In today’s world this would have been the same as answering about going to church that or that her great grandpappy was a deacon or a preacher.

    We do the same when we depend on our denomination to define our relationship with God. Other ways of defining ourselves is by claiming to be Calvinist or Arminian, reformed, evangelical, dispensationalist or covenantalist. Identifying ourselves in these ways locks us into theology that will eventually come into conflict with Scripture. Though each has its good sides, they also have errors. It is best to identify with Christ and let the Bible determine your theology and have no other label.

13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

    Lesson four, look for any opening that will let you talk more about the gospel. Jesus immediately turned her focus away from the physical water to eternal life.  Specifically, Jesus was speaking of the Holy Spirit. We don’t want to miss this in comparing this to our lessons in witnessing. He points her to the fact that there is eternal life. We would probably ask the person the two questions:

“If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would go?”

“If you did die and you stood before God and he ask you why he should let you into heaven, how would you answer him?”

    These two questions reveal what they believe about eternity and what they are trusting to save them.

15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

    Lesson five, don’t be put off by a response that still doesn’t look like it will go any further. She is still thinking of physical things. Our subjects may be still thinking about salvation by works or may even say they don’t believe in heaven or hell. But they are responding. They haven’t told you to get out their face. So, press on. Tell them that the Bible tells us that heaven is a free gift and can’t be earned. Ask them if he would like to hear more.

JOHN 3:22-36 DISCIPLES, MINISTRY, TRUTH

JOHN 3:22-36 (NIV) 22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan — the one you testified about — well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."

At this point we only have four disciples named, Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathaniel. We don’t know if there were others, but the implication that they were baptizing people indicates that there were many more. In fact, there had to be so many that John’s disciples began to notice that fewer people were coming to him than to Jesus.

Here are some key things to remember. If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you must spend time with him. You can’t just say “Here I am” and then continue with your daily life as if nothing has changed. They went on a retreat and that indicates that it was a special time set aside for fellowship and being taught. We can have that time with
Jesus on a daily basis but there should be times when we take a longer time-out from the things of the world to have intense time. I don’t do so good with that.

The Jew and John’s disciples were arguing but it didn’t get specific, only that it was about ceremonial washing. The Jews, as we understand from what Jesus said about them washing the outside of dish but not the inside, made it clear that their ceremonies for cleansing didn’t do anything for the person’s sanctification. Their hearts were still corrupt as opposed to John’s baptism for repentance which was an appeal to God for forgiveness. The Jews had so many ceremonial requirements that it was nearly impossible to live a day without having to do some kind of ceremonial washing to cleanse themselves from the outward defilement that came every day. This is quite a contrast to John’s simple requirement.

But the question for his disciples quickly degenerated into jealousy for their master. They blame John for Jesus’ success in a manner that is accusatory. “If you hadn’t said this about him, we would still be getting people baptized.”

27 To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.

John’s disciples may have been jealous but John wasn’t. He knew his role in life and that was to point people to Jesus. He had his head on correctly about where his ministry came from and where it was to go. This is a remarkable admonition to each of us. We can get caught up in how good of a job we are doing for Jesus that we forget that we can do it only because God gives us the ministry. Ministry is not just about preaching and baptizing. It is about whatever vocation God has called us to do. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (NIV).

We should find our joy in knowing we are serving our Lord and not in the people who are giving us accolades. We should be listening for Jesus to tell us that we are doing a good job.

31 "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."  NIV

John gets to the nitty gritty of who Jesus is. He is sovereign (he is above all stated twice), he is not speaking from earthly wisdom but with God’s wisdom. It is firsthand wisdom and not something he learned from someone else.

John speaks paradoxically when he says no one accepts what Jesus says but when a man does accept it, his acceptance certifies God is truthful. Who is this man that has accepted it? Is he talking about himself, or others? This is the same kind of distinction that is made when Jesus says that whoever believes has eternal life then speaks about those who are condemned and those who aren’t. The man who accepts can only refer to the elect.

Now he is talking about Jesus as the one whom God has sent. What John says about Jesus here is almost the same as what Jesus says about himself later. It is almost a summary of what we will see about Jesus as we continue through the Gospel of John. He speaks for God, He gives the Spirit. There is a love relationship between the Father and the Son, The Father has given everything into Jesus’ hands.

Our salvation or condemnation is made evident when we either believe in Jesus or reject him. Belief, certifying the God is truthful brings eternal life. Not accepting what we hear about Jesus confirms that God’s eternal wrath remains on the unbeliever. This too certifies that God is truthful. Pretty scary!