John 5:36

36 But the witness which I have is greater than that of John: the work which the Father has given me to do, the very work which I am now doing, is a witness that the Father has sent me.

John 5:36 Meaning and Commentary

John 5:36

But I have greater witness than that of John
The Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions read, "greater than John", but wrongly; for the testimonies of Christ's works, and of his Father, are not compared with John himself, but with his testimony; and the sense is, that Christ had a greater witness than the witness of John; and so it is expressed in the Persic version: and his meaning is, that he had no need to insist upon John's testimony; he had other, and greater witnesses to produce:

for the works which the Father hath given me to finish;
such as the preaching of the Gospel, the fulfilling of the law, and the redemption of his people; all which were appointed by his Father, and given him to do, and which he completely finished. The whole Gospel came, and was published by Jesus Christ, and the law was entirely fulfilled by him; and the work of man's salvation was finished by him, and these bear witness to the truth of his deity, and divine sonship; for none but the Son of God could have done these things. The Ethiopic version reads in the singular number, "this work which my Father hath given me" and if it was a single work that is referred to, the work of redemption bids fair to be it. But, these works include not only what Christ did on earth, in his state of humiliation, but what he has done since, and will do; which his Father has given him to finish, and he has finished, or will finish them; such as the resurrection of himself from the dead, the effusion of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, the spreading and succeeding his Gospel in the world, the conversion of his redeemed ones, the gathering in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, the destruction of antichrist, the resurrection of all the dead, and the judgment of the whole world. Though more especially his miracles are here intended, and which, and not his mediatorial works, were demonstrations and proofs to men of his divine sonship; see ( Matthew 14:33 ) ( 27:54 ) ;

the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath
sent me;
and that he was in the Father, and the Father in him; or that they were one in nature, and equal in power and glory, ( John 10:30-37 ) ( 14:11 ) .

John 5:36 In-Context

34 But I have no need of a man's witness: I only say these things so that you may have salvation.
35 He was a burning and shining light, and for a time you were ready to be happy in his light.
36 But the witness which I have is greater than that of John: the work which the Father has given me to do, the very work which I am now doing, is a witness that the Father has sent me.
37 And the Father himself who sent me has given witness about me. Not one of you has ever given ear to his voice; his form you have not seen.
38 And you have not kept his word in your hearts, because you have not faith in him whom he has sent.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.