The Paradox of Testimony

“…I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.”

— John 5:32—

Testimony is a frustrating thing for both the hearer and the witness. The witness has seen something amazing, usually something indescribable. The witness tries to tell his friend or enemies the event or truth he has been privy to. Words fail, misunderstandings occur, and frustration rises quickly when the witness and the listeners are not in sync. Yet, this is how God has decided that he will spread the Gospel, by testimony.

According to our commentary, Jesus participates in the Jewish principle of not arguing his own case. They write, “For the sake of argument, Jesus grants the Jewish legal principle that forbids self-testimony in a judicial proceeding.” This is why Jesus says, “…my testimony cannot be verified” (Jn. 5:31). So, Jesus deploys the testimony of others to make his case.

The order in which Jesus does this is interesting. He begins with John the Baptist, then miracles that “…the Father gave,” the Father’s direct testimony — “The Father who sent me has testified…”— and finally, the scriptures. This order is not an accident. The Gospel writers use order intentionally. You see this explicitly with the number of times that Peter is listed first when the disciples are listed.

This is not to say that Christ has a low view of these scriptures. After all, in the next section, John 5:41-47, Jesus says that they don’t believe the words of Moses, but if they did, then they would believe him. So what are we to make of this?

Christianity is a cumulative case combining both our experiences with the written word of God, as well as the living Word of God in the Eucharist. This is what has changed my life. This is my testimony.

Christ, the Good Shepherd, desired for my family and me to be in his Church. He gave me wonderful parents to raise me and train me in the scriptures. Then, after a washed-out athletic career and a failed attempt at an academic one, I was stuck by a pool of relativistic protestantism and doctrinal rationalism. The healing I needed came to me the way Christ taught it would: through the actual body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist.

After receiving the Eucharist for the first time and spending time in Adoration. For the first time in my life, I could echo the desire of King David, “I want to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

— DR