# 99 The Necessity of Two Witnesses

Joh 5:31 "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 "There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 "You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 "Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.

 35 "He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.”

Collaboration of witnesses was a vital component of God-given Jewish Law. “by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.” (Deut 19:15)

This concept has carried over to the church even today as it concerns church discipline. Jesus said in Mt 18:16 "by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'

The testimony of multiple witnesses was necessary to establish truth. Jesus admits to the Jews here that if He were to come upon the scene with no witnesses, then His witness would not be true either.

In verse 32 He asserts that God Himself  bears witness to Him! God certifies Jesus as true, and He did it through John the Baptist. John was sent by God to bear witness of Jesus. And Jesus reminds the Jews of this fact just in case they had forgotten that they had sent investigators out to check out John.

This John had started out like a house afire in the eyes of the Jews, He was a rock star! They rejoiced in his message…well, until that repentance thing started to hit home.  Sadly, even today, people don’t want to hear about sin. “prophecy to us smooth things”(Is 30:10)

Let’s revisit this testimony of John as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew beginning at verse seven of chapter three:

 Mt 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 "and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

 11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  12 "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

So much for rejoicing in the light! Now these guys are looking for a rock to crawl under!

Then the kicker! The witness of John AND the witness of the Father!

 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.

 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

There you have it Pharisees! You were there! Your investigative team heard John’s testimony and the very voice of God giving the testimony! You are without excuse!

Jesus emphasized these two witnesses because He wanted the Pharisees to believe the truth that He is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God! He wanted them to be saved! He wants you and I to believe these witnesses for the very same reason! Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and no one comes to the father except through Him!