John 5:36 kjv
But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
John 5:36 nkjv
But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish?the very works that I do?bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
John 5:36 niv
"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish?the very works that I am doing?testify that the Father has sent me.
John 5:36 esv
But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
John 5:36 nlt
But I have a greater witness than John ? my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me.
John 5 36 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 10:25 | Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do... bear witness about me." | Works validate Jesus' claims. |
| John 10:37-38 | "If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them... believe the works." | Believe the works as proof. |
| John 14:10-11 | "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak... but the Father... does his works." | Works reveal Father in Jesus. |
| Acts 2:22 | "Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs..." | God attested Jesus through mighty works. |
| Matt 11:4-5 | Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight..." | Jesus' works confirm prophetic expectations. |
| Luke 7:21-22 | At that very hour he cured many people... and he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard..." | Works as evidence for John the Baptist. |
| John 5:17 | But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." | Father and Son work in unity. |
| John 5:19 | So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing." | Son acts in submission and imitation of Father. |
| John 3:17 | "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved..." | Father's purpose in sending His Son. |
| John 4:34 | Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." | Jesus' mission is to complete Father's work. |
| John 6:29 | Jesus answered, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." | Believing in the One sent is God's primary work. |
| John 17:4 | "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do." | Jesus' fulfillment of His mission. |
| Gal 4:4 | "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law..." | God sent His Son at the appointed time. |
| Isa 35:5-6 | Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap... | Prophetic foretelling of Messianic works. |
| Isa 61:1-2 | The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor... | Prophetic role of the Messiah (Luke 4:18-19). |
| Psa 78:43 | He performed his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Zoan. | God's works demonstrating His power. |
| Rom 1:3-4 | ...concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection... | Jesus declared Son of God through power. |
| Heb 1:1-2 | Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son... | God speaks ultimately through His Son. |
| 2 Cor 5:19 | That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself... | God acting through Christ for reconciliation. |
| Matt 7:20 | Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. | Actions revealing true identity. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood... that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you... | Believers are called to proclaim God's works. |
| John 2:11 | This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. | Signs manifest Jesus' glory. |
John 5 verses
John 5 36 Meaning
John 5:36 presents Jesus' argument that His "works" (deeds and miracles) are a more significant and conclusive testimony to His divine identity and mission than the witness of John the Baptist. These works, which originate from and are given by God the Father, actively demonstrate that Jesus is the one sent by the Father, thus affirming His unique relationship and authority as the Son of God. It is an irrefutable, divine validation of His claims.
John 5 36 Context
John 5:36 occurs within a deeply controversial discourse between Jesus and the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. The chapter begins with Jesus healing a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, instructing him to pick up his mat. This act, along with Jesus' declaration of God as "My Father" (John 5:17), leading the Jewish leaders to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath and, more significantly, making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). Jesus' entire speech from John 5:19 to the end of the chapter is a detailed defense and exposition of His divine authority and unique relationship with the Father. In this defense, Jesus systematically appeals to various forms of witness for His identity: the Father Himself, John the Baptist, the Scriptures, and prominently, His own works. Verse 36 elevates the testimony of His works as supreme evidence, surpassing even John's revered witness, and solidifies His claim of being sent by the Father.
John 5 36 Word analysis
- But (Allá): A strong adversative conjunction, highlighting a contrast. Jesus contrasts His witness with John's, asserting the superiority of His own.
- I (Egō): Emphatic first-person pronoun. Jesus personally states His source of validation.
- have (echō): Indicates possession or, in this context, the presence of. Jesus possesses a superior testimony.
- a greater (meizō): From megas (great). Comparatively larger, more significant, weightier. Highlights the unparalleled nature of Jesus' validation.
- witness (martyrian): (Greek: μαρτυρία). Testimony, evidence. This term comes from a legal context, signifying proof or corroboration. Jesus presents evidence in a divine "courtroom."
- than John (Ioannou): Refers to John the Baptist. While John's witness was divinely appointed and highly respected (John 5:33-35), Jesus states His own evidence is weightier.
- for (gar): Causal conjunction, introducing the reason for the preceding statement. It explains why Jesus' witness is greater.
- the works (ta erga): (Greek: ἔργα). Actions, deeds, accomplishments, especially miraculous and powerful ones, but also includes His entire mission. These are not merely human acts but acts imbued with divine power and purpose.
- which the Father (ha ho Patēr): Emphasizes the divine origin. These works are not of Jesus' own devising but given by God.
- has given (dedōken): (Greek: δέδωκεν). Perfect tense of didōmi (to give). Signifies a past action with continuing results and implication of divine commission and authorization.
- Me (moi): Direct object, showing the works are specifically for Jesus.
- to finish (hina teliosō): (Greek: ἵνα τελειώσω). Purpose clause, "in order that I might complete" or "bring to perfection." It implies a set mission to be fully accomplished, not just partially. The Father has a complete plan for the Son's ministry.
- the very works (auta ta erga): Repetition for emphasis, "these very works themselves." Underscores the undeniable identity of the works.
- that I do (ha poio): (Greek: ἃ ποιῶ). Present tense, "which I am continually doing." These are ongoing, active demonstrations of divine power and purpose.
- bear witness (martyrei): (Greek: μαρτυρεῖ). Present tense, "continually bears witness." The works are not static evidence but an active, ongoing testimony.
- of Me (peri Emou): Clearly stating who the works testify about.
- that the Father (hoti ho Patēr): Indicates the content of the testimony. The works prove what about Jesus.
- has sent (apestalken): (Greek: ἀπέσταλκεν). Perfect tense of apostellō (to send). Signifies a divine commissioning that remains in effect. Jesus is God's divinely authorized agent.
- "a greater witness than John": This phrase establishes the hierarchy of evidence. John the Baptist, while a mighty prophet and crucial witness (John 1:19-34), merely pointed to Jesus. Jesus' works, however, are a direct, objective manifestation of divine power through Jesus, providing an inherently superior and self-validating testimony to His divine identity and mission.
- "the works which the Father has given Me to finish": This clarifies the source and purpose of Jesus' works. They are not merely human acts, nor are they self-generated. They originate from the Father's specific plan and are intended to fulfill His redemptive purpose through Jesus. This concept of the Father "giving" a work to the Son is central to John's theology, indicating Jesus' submission and perfect obedience within the Trinity.
- "the very works that I do—bear witness of Me": The active and present participation of Jesus in performing these divinely commissioned works serves as ongoing, dynamic evidence. The emphasis is on the direct, observable acts themselves as proof of His divine origin and authority. These aren't just any works, but the ones demonstrating who Jesus is in relation to God.
- "that the Father has sent Me": This is the ultimate conclusion drawn from the works. The entire purpose of Jesus' miracles and deeds is to confirm His divine commission as the Messiah, the Son of God sent by the Father to accomplish His will for humanity. This refutes the Jewish leaders' claim that Jesus acts presumptuously.
John 5 36 Bonus section
The concept of "works" (erga) in John's Gospel extends beyond mere miracles to encompass the entirety of Jesus' mission, including His teachings, His character, and His ultimately redemptive suffering and resurrection. These works are integral to His self-revelation. Jesus frequently pointed to His works throughout His ministry as proof (e.g., John 10:25, 38). For John, believing in Jesus often involved accepting the testimony of these works, which visibly manifested the Father's presence and power. The perfectionist tense of "has given" (dedōken) and "has sent" (apestalken) indicates not only a completed divine action but also a continuing state or result, emphasizing Jesus' permanent status as the Father's agent. This verse subtly argues that to reject Jesus' works is to reject the Father's own testimony.
John 5 36 Commentary
In John 5:36, Jesus directly counters the skepticism of the Jewish leaders by appealing to the irrefutable evidence of His miraculous deeds and divine acts. He argues that His "works" serve as a more profound and convincing validation of His identity and claims than the highly respected, yet merely human, testimony of John the Baptist. These works are not random displays of power, but specific actions "given" by God the Father and performed by Jesus to "finish" or fulfill the Father's redemptive plan. They are tangible manifestations of the Father working through the Son, continually testifying to Jesus' unique relationship with God and His divine mission. The essence of the argument is that divine activity through Jesus visibly demonstrates that He is truly the Father's sent One, validating His deity and authority. His works are an active, present, and undeniable signature of God on His ministry.