In this session, Jesus presents arguments that certify Who He is. John has been giving a progressive revelation of Jesus Christ. In the previous lessons, Jesus spoke of His equality with God the Father in nature, power, and authority. While revealing His equality with the Father, Jesus said He could change the destiny of anyone who believes in Him. After asserting His equality with God the Father, Jesus mentioned six witnesses that certify Who He is.

First, Jesus gives witness of His unity and equality with God.

John 5:30–31 NASB95 I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.

Jesus is not saying that He is powerless, incompetent or lacked the ability to act independently. He is reiterating the fact that He is closely united and in perfect harmony with God the Father. The bond of unity in the trinity is so great that it is impossible for Jesus to take any action that is contrary to the person, nature, or character of the Father.

Jesus’ witness of Himself was a declaration of His full fellowship and perfect harmony with God the Father. Although He had the physical power and ability to do whatever He desired, He could do nothing that was wrong. This unity impacted His thoughts, opinions, actions, works, judgments, and words. His fellowship and communication with God the Father was so close that Jesus said, “I can do nothing on My own initiative.”

The second and third witnesses of Jesus are closely connected.

In John 1:29-32, John the Baptist based his witness of Jesus on the fact that he saw the Holy Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and remain on Jesus.

The second witness Jesus mentioned is the witness of the Holy Spirit.

John 5:32 NASB95 There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.

John had said, “The One Who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is He Who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” The action of the Holy Spirit certified that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. John said, “I have seen and testify that this is the Son of God,” (John 1:34).

The third witness is John the Baptist.

John 5:33–34 NASB95  You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

John was the forerunner of Jesus Christ and his ministry and witness was like a light shining in a dark world.

The fourth witness is Christ’s works

John 5:36 NASB95 But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.

We should consider that every sign, wonder, and miracle was a testimony that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus told John’s disciples, “Go tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them,” (Luke 7:22). Every work Jesus did shows His glory, the glory of God’s Son.

The fifth witness is of God the Father.

John 5:37–38  NASB95 And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. 

Jesus was not referring to the voice that came from heaven after He was baptized that said, “This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased,” (Matthew 3:17). The Jewish leaders were familiar with the Scriptures that gave God’s witness of Jesus as the Messiah, but they refused to believe or see what was written. The scriptures foretold His birth, lineage, works, life, and death. If they would have searched the scriptures, they would have known God’s promise of Jesus Christ.

That introduces the sixth witness the Scriptures.

John 5:39–47 NASB95You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?

The Book of Romans 10:16-17 quotes Isaiah and says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The Scriptures give a strong witness of Jesus Christ.

Why did Jesus give these six witnesses of Who He is? The Law established everything by the witness of two or three.

Deuteronomy 19:15 NIV84 One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

This is the point that Jesus was making. He is stooping down to our human level.

In the judicial system established by the Law of God, a man’s own testimony is inadequate and suspicious. Jesus is establishing the fact of His legal authority based on multiple witnesses.

John 5:31 NASBIf I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. 

Jesus is saying, “a person” needs the witness or testimony of others. Jesus gave a list of witnesses of Who and what He is.

There are six witnesses to Jesus’ authority. 

1. He gave His own witness or testimony, (v. 30-31).
2. Holy Spirit (v. 32)
3. John the Baptist (v. 33-35) 
4. Miraculous works (v. 36)
5. God Himself (v. 37-38)
6. The Scriptures (v. 39-47)

Jesus could not deny or lie about His identity or being. He is precisely Who He claimed to be and the fact should have been known because His witnesses are reliable. Jesus gave sufficient legal evidence to substantiate and establish the fact that He is Who He said He is.

Who Jesus is?

• He is the Son of God.
• Jesus Christ is the One sent from the Father.
• He is the Savior of men’s souls.
• He is the Healer of the sick.
• Jesus is the Holy Spirit Baptizer.
• He is the Hope of the ages.
• He is Jesus the Christ.
• He is the Grace of God revealed.
• He is the Miracle Worker.
• He is the Bread of Life.
• Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

After presenting these persuasive witnesses of His deity and relationship with the Father, Jesus went to the other side of the sea of Galilee.

John 6:1–3  NKJV After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. 

• Matthew tells us He went by ship to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, and the large crowd followed Him by land.
• Mark said they went privately by ship to a desert place.
• Luke said the day was beginning to wear away.
• The crowds followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick.
• Matthew tells us that Jesus had compassion on them and healed their sick.

John 6:4 NKJV Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 

Jesus is about to take some of the wrapping off and show the multitudes who He is. It is a significant statement: “the Passover is near.” The Passover Feast was a yearly reminder that God saves His people. From the time of Moses, the Jews celebrated the passover. They were thinking about the blood of the covering and the lambs that were slain. Their minds reflected back to God’s deliverance from Egypt and they hoped for God’s promised reign and deliverance from all their oppressors. 

The people did not know that Jesus was the Gift of God. They did not know that He was the Lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world. They did not know that He would die on a cross and be the perfect sacrifice for their sins. They did not know that He was the release from their slavery of sin, suffering, and death.

When it says “the Passover was near,” it referred to the Jewish feast and also to God’s Gift of His Son, Jesus the Passover Lamb. 

Jesus is about to do one of the notable miracles that is a testimony and illustration that He is the True Bread of Life.  The miracle of multiplying the five barley loaves and two fish is an illustration of Who Jesus is for them.

Watch the scene unfold before them.

The people followed Him because they saw His miraculous signs, which He performed on those who were sick. The people thought He was a great prophet and healer, but did not know that He was much more.

Jesus led the multitude up onto a mountain, and He sat down with His disciples. It was evening and Jesus told His disciples to feed the multitude of people.

(Note: this is the first time Jesus fed the multitudes. Also seen in Matthew 14:13-21d; Mark 6:31-44; Luke 9:11-17. The second time is in Matthew 15:33 and Mark 8:1-10.)

It appears that everyone was talking about food and the Passover Feast. The twelve have already taken an audit of the treasury, and there was not enough money. They had gone through the multitude and surveyed what the people had brought with them. Only one lad had anything to eat and he only had five loaves and two small fish. It was obvious to them that five barley loaves and two small fish would not be enough for the 5,000 men, plus the women and children. 

They must have discussed this and decided the best thing to do would be to dismiss the meeting. Send the people away and let the people take care of themselves.

The disciples did not see the Resource that was present.

This miracle is an illustration that Jesus Christ is the Passover.

1 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.”

We know now what they did not know. They did not know that Jesus would die on a cross and rise from the grave. They did not know that He would conquer death and atone for our sins.  They did not know that He would satisfy the demands of the Law and supply the need of our spirit, soul, and body.

This miracle is a prophecy of Who Jesus is.

• He is the soul Savior.
• He is the Bread of Life.
• He is the Lamb that was slain.
• He is the Fountain of Living Water.
• Only Jesus can satisfy all of our need.

The only man present who understood what He is doing is Jesus.

John 6:10 NKJV Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Thousands of men, women and children were sitting before them, and everyone was hungry. Jesus took the loaves and the fish and offered thanks. Then He broke the bread and distributed it to the twelve and the twelve gave it to those who were seated.

What is so little among so many?  Is Christ sufficient for the task? How can One Man supply the need for the thousands that were present? This miracle is a testimony of God’s ability to supply all your need according to Christ’s riches in glory. It must have been an amazing sight to behold the miracle multiplication of loaves and fish.

John 6:11 NKJV And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 

Notice the certainty with which Jesus spoke about what would happen. “Give them as much as they want.” Jesus knew there would be enough for everyone to have as much as they wanted. That is a testimony of God’s supply that is available in Christ.

Little is much when God is in it.

You should know that the Lord is not limited by your supply. After everyone was served and filled, Jesus knew that there would be some left over. The Lord is not limited because our demand is great, and He is always able to provide more than enough.

John 6:12-13 NKJV So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

Jesus is sufficient to meet all our need.

• He can satisfy the deepest hunger of your soul.
• He is God’s provided Lamb.
• He is the Passover release and covering for the captive and the bound.
• He is the Way-Maker and the Way provided.
• He is the Bread of Life and the Living Water.
• He is present in the desert place when you are hungry and destitute.
• He is with you in your situation.
• If you need healing, He is present.
• If you need forgiveness, He is the Price that is paid and the Blood Covering for your sin.
• If you need cleansing, He is present.

His name is Jesus.