SEEK TO KNOW AND PLEASE GOD

Passage: John 5:30-47

Key verse: 44

NIV

30 By myself I can do nothing;(A) I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just,(B) for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.(C)

Testimonies About Jesus

31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.(D) 32 There is another who testifies in my favor,(E) and I know that his testimony about me is true.

33 “You have sent to John and he has testified(F) to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony;(G) but I mention it that you may be saved.(H) 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light,(I) and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John.(J) For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing(K)—testify that the Father has sent me.(L) 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.(M) You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,(N) 38 nor does his word dwell in you,(O) for you do not believe(P) the one he sent.(Q) 39 You study[a] the Scriptures(R) diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.(S) These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,(T) 40 yet you refuse to come to me(U) to have life.

41 “I do not accept glory from human beings,(V) 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[b]?(W)

45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses,(X) on whom your hopes are set.(Y) 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.(Z) 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”(AA)

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Footnotes
  1. John 5:39 Or 39 Study
  2. John 5:44 Some early manuscripts the Only One
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Witnesses to Jesus

30 (A)“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and (B)my judgment is just, because (C)I seek not my own will (D)but the will of him who sent me. 31 (E)If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is (F)another who bears witness about me, and (G)I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 (H)You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that (I)the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and (J)shining lamp, and (K)you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But (L)the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For (M)the works that the Father has given me (N)to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, (O)bear witness about me that (P)the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me (Q)has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, (R)his form you have never seen, 38 and (S)you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 (T)You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and (U)it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet (V)you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 (W)I do not receive glory from people. 42 But (X)I know that you do not have (Y)the love of God within you. 43 I have come (Z)in my Father's name, and (AA)you do not receive me. (AB)If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and (AC)do not seek the glory that comes from (AD)the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, (AE)on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for (AF)he wrote of me. 47 But (AG)if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Valid testimonies (3

-39)

Jesus did not seek to please himself; he sought to please God who sent him. Faith in Jesus is not blind, nor does it rest on changeable feelings; it rests on the testimony of reliable witnesses. John the Baptist testified about Jesus so that men might believe (1:7). The most authoritative witness is God himself. Although we cannot see him or hear him, he testifies to Jesus in two ways: First, he establishes the mighty work he sent Jesus to do; second, he testifies to Jesus through the Scriptures (39,46). The Bible points to Jesus. If we hold God's word in our hearts, it will lead us to Jesus. When we come to him, he gives us life.

2. Why, then, don't men believe? (4

-47)

People don't believe because: 1) they do not accept God's word in their hearts; 2) they do not come to Jesus to have life; 3) they do not love God or truth; 4) they seek to please men instead of God (44).

Prayer: Lord, teach me to come to you each time I study the Bible. Help me to seek and follow truth. Help me to seek to please you, not people.

One Word: Please God, not men