st, and reminds them
that they had sent a delegation to him, and that John had answered them
by bearing testimony of the Messiah; and John had been a burning and a
shining light, in whose illuminating ministry many had temporarily
rejoiced. The hostile Jews were left to see that the witness of John was
valid under their strictest construction of the rules of evidence;
"But," He continued, "I receive not testimony from man ... 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. And the Father himself, which hath sent me,
hath borne witness of me."

Then in terms of unqualified condemnation, He told them they were devoid
of the Father's word, for they refused to accept Himself whom the Father
had sent. With humiliating directness He admonished these learned men of
the law, these interpreters of the prophets, these professional
expounders of sacred writ, to betake themselves to reading and study.
"Search the scriptures," said He, "for in them ye think ye have eternal
life: and they are they which testify of me." Convictingly He
continued--that they who admitted and taught that in the scriptures lay
the way to eternal life, refused to come to Him, of whom those same
scriptures testified, though by coming they might obtain eternal life.
"I receive not honour from men," He added, "But I know you, that ye have
not the love of God in you." They knew that they sought for honor among
men, received honors from one another, were made rabbis and doctors,
scribes and teachers, by the bestowal of titles and degrees--all of men;
but they rejected Him who came in the name of One infinitely greater
than all their schools or societies--He had come in the supreme name of
the Father. The cause of their spiritual ignorance was pointed out--they
relied upon the honors of men, and sought not the honor of real service
in the cause of God.

He had spoken of the authority of judgment that had been committed to
Himself; now He explained that they should not think He would accuse
them before the Father; a lesser one than He would accuse, even Moses,
another of His witnesses in whom they professed such trust--Moses whom
they all were said to believe--and, driving home the full effect of His
powerful arraignment, the Lord continued: "For had ye believed Moses, ye
would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe n