John 5:36 - Exposition

(g) The witness of the works. But the witness which I have is greater £ than [that] of John . The testimony of John was memorable and uoteworthy in many respects. If the people had accepted it, they would have admitted the Divine authority of One who was "mightier" than John. The synoptic Gospels show that Jesus made a similar appeal to the conscience of his critics on a later occasion ( Matthew 21:25 , and parallels). Though John's baptism was "from heaven," and though John's testimony was "great," yet that which accompanied the ministry of Jesus was "greater" still. The words of John were not merely John's words, or they would have been valueless. Moreover, "the testimony that I have" is in itself convincing; it has a Divine, self-evidencing force, which, added to my word, confirms and establishes my claim. The proof or illustration of this is as follows: For the works which the Father hath given me that I should bring them to completion, the very works, which I am doing, bear witness concerning me, that the Father hath sent me. The works of Christ are his normal activities—the deeds which express the nature and compass of his will, and indicate the qualities of his Person. They would be τέρατα and θαύματα , should any other perform such things or live on such a platform of exalted activity. They are his "works." This term is often used for the special manifestations of his alliance with the supernatural, Divine realm ( John 7:3 ; John 9:3 ; John 10:25 , John 10:32 , etc.; John 14:10 : John 15:24 ). They are in their fulness and summation the ἔργον of the Lord ( John 4:34 ; John 17:4 ). They are, moreover, "given" to him to "do" or to "finish . " This idea is frequently expressed. "All things are given into his hand" ( John 3:35 ), all judgment is given him to execute ( John 5:22 , John 5:27 ). The Father hath given him self-existence (verse 26; cf. John 17:2 , John 17:6 , John 17:9 , John 17:12 , John 17:24 ; John 18:9 ). It is impossible to dissociate these "works "from those great miracles which ought to command assent to his claims, even if, alas! his bare words are not sufficiently convincing. John's Gospel makes numerous references to these proofs of the Divine commission, these illustrations as well as evidences of his right to speak. But the "works" are not limited to the miraculous healings, to multiplication of breed and wine, and resurrection from the dead. The whole of his work, from his baptism and temptation to his own resurrection from the dead, was his ἔργον . This was made up of all the self-revelation of his life, of all his consecration and sympathy, of all his character, of all the resuscitation of dead souls, of all the joy he was pouring into broken hearts, and all the life he was evoking in moribund humanity. "These works that I am doing bear witness concerning me, that the Father hath sent me." They are of such a character that he confidently declares about them that they proclaim his Divine commission. The entire work, reaching special expression in certain typical acts and deeds, was greater than the verbal testimony which John bare to his mission. All that John said was true, but Christ's "works" prove it.