If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
Jesus spoke these words to those accusing Him of blasphemy, in a setting of rejection in which people refused His words and works and sought to kill Him. Doing the works of the Father is made the test of the claim to divine authority: if those works are not done, the claimant is not to be believed. The works confirm the claim even when words are refused.
The works in view are works of mercy for the relief of the afflicted, including miracles performed on the Sabbath, together with pure and holy teachings. Those works are the Father's works and give evidence of divine character, mission, and relationship with the Father, confirming that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father even when His words are refused. They fulfilled what had been foretold of the Messiah, are the highest evidence that He came from God and revealed God's character, and in the resurrection miracle show that the Messiah is among them.
The works answer the charges of Sabbath-breaking and blasphemy. Those who witnessed the merciful relief and heard the teaching knew the charges were unsupported. Yet the Jewish leaders treated the works as an offense and tried to use them against Him.
Continued rejection came not from lack of proof but from hatred because He exposes hypocritical pretensions and condemns hollow piety, and from thirst for revenge for His pointed rebukes. This led to several attempts to stone Him from which He quietly withdrew, to condemnation of His Sabbath healings, to plots with the Herodians to destroy Him, and to false charges of setting up a rival kingdom and subverting Roman authority. Neither the multitudes nor even the officers sent to take Him could be turned, and finally came an edict that any who professed faith in Him should be cast out of the synagogue.
The verse lays down the credentials that prove doctrines and authority to be of God: a teacher or church is to be believed only when it does the works of the Father, and when it does not do them it is not to be believed. A church that claims a reformer's name and inheritance while refusing his reforming spirit fails this test and cannot show its doctrines and authority are of God. That failure is seen when it stands still in old forms, refuses to go forward and advance heavenward in truth and righteousness, turns from the light of truth and refuses to walk in increased light shining from God's word, and refuses to keep the holy commandment.
Jesus spoke these words to those accusing Him of blasphemy, in a setting of rejection in which people refused His words and works and sought to kill Him. Doing the works of the Father is made the test of the claim to divine authority: if those works are not done, the claimant is not to be believed. The works confirm the claim even when words are refused.
The works in view are works of mercy for the relief of the afflicted, including miracles performed on the Sabbath, together with pure and holy teachings. Those works are the Father's works and give evidence of divine character, mission, and relationship with the Father, confirming that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father even when His words are refused. They fulfilled what had been foretold of the Messiah, are the highest evidence that He came from God and revealed God's character, and in the resurrection miracle show that the Messiah is among them.
The works answer the charges of Sabbath-breaking and blasphemy. Those who witnessed the merciful relief and heard the teaching knew the charges were unsupported. Yet the Jewish leaders treated the works as an offense and tried to use them against Him.
Continued rejection came not from lack of proof but from hatred because He exposes hypocritical pretensions and condemns hollow piety, and from thirst for revenge for His pointed rebukes. This led to several attempts to stone Him from which He quietly withdrew, to condemnation of His Sabbath healings, to plots with the Herodians to destroy Him, and to false charges of setting up a rival kingdom and subverting Roman authority. Neither the multitudes nor even the officers sent to take Him could be turned, and finally came an edict that any who professed faith in Him should be cast out of the synagogue.
The verse lays down the credentials that prove doctrines and authority to be of God: a teacher or church is to be believed only when it does the works of the Father, and when it does not do them it is not to be believed. A church that claims a reformer's name and inheritance while refusing his reforming spirit fails this test and cannot show its doctrines and authority are of God. That failure is seen when it stands still in old forms, refuses to go forward and advance heavenward in truth and righteousness, turns from the light of truth and refuses to walk in increased light shining from God's word, and refuses to keep the holy commandment.