Imagine you were waiting to be called to the witness stand to testify about Jesus, your Lord and Savior. Do you know what you’d say? If you’ve never been in a court of law, you’ve probably seen dramatizations on television or in films. Jesus continues to speak to the religious leaders who are questioning him, even though Jesus said his own testimony would not be “valid,” and he didn’t need human witnesses either. Why do I feel so compelled to stand up for Jesus?
The religious leaders Jesus was speaking to couldn’t grasp who Jesus was. While he wasn’t pleading his case, Jesus did point to his Father and all the teachings and miracles he had performed. I can’t imagine how you could witness those things and not know for certain that you had seen God’s Son.
For these religious leaders and Jews in general, they were waiting for a different kind of Messiah. Jesus showed compassion and mercy through his miracles and teachings. To see Jesus in action was to see the heart of God. So, because Jesus’ actions didn’t match their version of what the Messiah would be, Jesus couldn’t be the one.
Even more telling is what Jesus said in verse 39. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” I’m sure that statement sent the religious leaders over the edge. They would have spent hours studying and memorizing Scripture. How dare this man claim that their holy scrolls spoke of him?
We can see Jesus all over Scripture. These leaders would have only had portions of the Old Testament, but Jesus is there. Perhaps it’s easier for us to see Jesus because we know who we are looking for. God’s story began with Jesus in creation, and each step of history drew us closer to Jesus coming to redeem the world lost in sin.
Jesus wasn’t looking for approval here, and there were no official court proceedings taking place. Jesus simply made an observation and called them out for their unbelief. Jesus didn’t seem shocked, did he? In fact, Jesus did not sugarcoat what would happen to those who did not believe, leaving them to their own destiny.
We may face opposing views in our own day. Even within the church, we can find people stuck, blinded by tradition. We have both the Old and New Testaments to help us get to know Jesus. How would you describe Jesus to someone who didn’t know him or who had a mistaken impression of who Jesus was?
Let’s pray. Lord Jesus, I want to always be ready to witness to you and your love for the world. Help me to never feel afraid and trust that you speak through me with the appropriate words. Help me to see those opportunities. I never want to be hard-hearted like the religious leaders. Help me to be open and ready to receive you and your will for my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
