Witnesses for the Defense

In this forensic message based on John 5:31–47, Chuck Swindoll places the listener in a courtroom jury box to examine the credentials of Jesus Christ. Following an indictment by religious leaders for Sabbath-breaking and blasphemy, Jesus acts as His own defense attorney. Swindoll explains that Jesus acknowledges His own testimony would be legally “inadmissible” under Jewish law if He stood alone. Therefore, He calls five irrefutable witnesses to the stand to validate His identity as the Son of God [14–17].

Swindoll walks through the testimony of each witness: God the Father, who continually testifies of the Son; John the Baptist, the “lamp” who pointed to the Light; the miraculous works Jesus performed, which defy natural law; the Scriptures, which bleed with the message of the Messiah from Genesis to Malachi; and finally, Moses, the very figure the Pharisees hoped in, who actually wrote of Christ.

The sermon concludes by addressing why, despite such overwhelming evidence, the religious leaders still refused to believe. Swindoll identifies the root cause not as a lack of proof, but a lack of will—they were unwilling to come, and they sought the glory of men rather than God. He illustrates the tragedy of willful rejection with a story of a driver speeding down an unfinished freeway past warning signs, urging listeners not to ignore the evidence and rush to a judgment that leads to spiritual death [56–61].

Message Key Facts:

• The Legal Necessity of Witnesses: Swindoll references Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15 to explain why Jesus said, “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not valid.” Jewish law required the evidence of two or three witnesses for a matter to be confirmed. Jesus was adhering to their legal standards to prove His case [18–20].
• The Mark Lane Illustration: Swindoll opens with the story of attorney Mark Lane, who shifted public opinion regarding the JFK assassination by presenting ignored witnesses. This parallels how Jesus presents witnesses the Pharisees had ignored or silenced to prove His identity [8–13].
• The “Other” Witness: When Jesus refers to “another” witness (God the Father) in verse 32, Swindoll notes the Greek word used is allos (another of the same kind), not heteros (another of a different kind). This implies the witness is equal in quality and essence to Jesus—divine [21–22].
• Biblatry vs. Belief: Swindoll warns of the danger of trafficking in “unlived truth.” The scribes copied the Scriptures by hand, and the Pharisees prayed daily, yet Jesus told them they had “never heard His voice.” It is possible to worship the print on the page (biblatry) without knowing the God of the Bible [25–28].
• Defining a Miracle: Swindoll corrects the modern misuse of the word “miracle” (often applied to technology). He defines a true biblical miracle as an act that “cuts cross grain with law,” doing the impossible against the laws of physics or nature, such as calming a storm instantly [40–41].
• The Five Witnesses:
  1. The Father: Who testified at Jesus’ baptism and through prophecy [23–24].
  2. John the Baptist: Described as a “lamp” (temporary light) pointing to the eternal Light [33–35].
  3. The Works: The miracles (water to wine, healing the paralytic) that prove the Father sent Him.
  4. The Scriptures: Swindoll notes that if you “cut the Scriptures anywhere, they bleed with the Lamb of God,” citing how Jesus is found in every book from Genesis to Malachi [45–47].
  5. Moses: The ultimate irony is that Moses, the Pharisees’ hero, is their accuser because he wrote of the coming Prophet [48–51].
• The “Unfinished Freeway” Analogy: Swindoll closes with a harrowing story of a friend who drove past barricades on an unfinished highway to show off, ignoring signs of danger. This illustrates the mindset of those who see the evidence of Christ but willfully drive toward destruction [58–61].

Message References:

• John 5:31–47: The primary text detailing Jesus’ defense and the five witnesses.
• Deuteronomy 17:6 & 19:15: The Mosaic law stating that a single witness is insufficient and that two or three are required.
• John 5:39–40: “You search the scriptures… yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.”
• Luke 24:27 & 44: Jesus explaining to the disciples that the Law, Prophets, and Psalms all wrote about Him.
• Deuteronomy 18:15 & 18: Moses’ prophecy: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you.”
• Acts 3:18–23: Peter confirming that Jesus is the Prophet Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy.

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll