<\/p>\n
31\u00a0<\/sup>He who comes from above\u00a0is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and\u00a0speaks in an earthly way.\u00a0He who comes from heaven\u00a0is above all.<\/span>\u00a032\u00a0<\/sup>He bears witness to what he has seen and heard,\u00a0yet no one receives his testimony.<\/span>\u00a033\u00a0<\/sup>Whoever receives his testimony\u00a0sets his seal to this,\u00a0that God is true.<\/span>\u00a034\u00a0<\/sup>For he whom\u00a0God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit\u00a0without measure.<\/span>\u00a035\u00a0<\/sup>The Father loves the Son and\u00a0has given all things into his hand.<\/span>\u00a036\u00a0<\/sup>Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life;\u00a0whoever does not obey the Son shall not\u00a0see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Introduction<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are some scholars who think verse 31-36 are a continued quotation from John the Baptist. However, I lean towards agreeing with the way the ESV has the quotation, that the Baptist stops talking at v. 30, and verse 31-36 are the gospel writer\u2019s commentary. Verse 31-36 seems to be a nice summary of at least all of Chapter 3 up to this point. Just from an observational level, the language doesn\u2019t seem to be consistent with the way the Baptist talked, but it does seem to be the way the gospel writer, writes.<\/span><\/p>\n The superiority of Christ over John the Baptist, and all others of course, is clearly a theme of this section, as it flows perfectly from the Baptist\u2019s statement in verse 30 that \u201cHe must increase, but I must decrease.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christ Comes from Above, v. 31<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first thing we see here is that Jesus Christ is from above, from heaven. He is not a mere human so as to be put on the same level as John the Baptist or any other person. He is divine. This is contrasted to he who is from the earth. He who is from the earth, belongs to the earth, and speaks in an earthly way. The intent here is to say that Christ does not speak in a merely human and earthly way, but in a divine and heavenly way. That is not to say that he spoke a different language than John the Baptist, but He spoke with an authority and a knowledge that was something other than earthly, something heavenly. He astoundingly condescended to speak divine things in actual human language, and that should give us great awe at His love and humility. So the point here in verse 31 is that His speech is of divine origin, as verse 32-34 talks about the witness and testimony that Christ gave. It was not just one man\u2019s opinion over another\u2019s. It was the very mouth of God, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christ is Above All, v. 31<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Obviously, it is a natural thing to see that since Christ comes from above, He is above all. He was not simply sent from above, but He is above all. That is His status and position – above all. Because He comes from above and is above all, His testimony is superior, as we will see. Ephesians 1:19-23 tells us, \u201c…and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christ Gives Perfect Testimony, v. 32-33<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As we\u2019ve said, Christ comes from above, is above all, and as such He speaks in a way that is not merely earthly. There is a superior divinity to his speech – to His testimony and witness. He gives perfect testimony. What is it that He bears witness to that He has seen and heard? I like how J. C. Ryle answers, \u201cAs God, He declares with authority truths which He had seen and heard and known from all eternity with the Father.\u201d<\/em> The Word made flesh who was with God in the beginning and who is God from all eternity as the second person of the trinity, speaks and gives perfect testimony of that which He has seen and heard, from above, with authority above all. He came in His incarnation literally walking the earth and preaching the Kingdom of Heaven. Today He is seated at the right of God and He testifies to us even now, through His Word and ordinances. It is a testimony in which heavenly truth is revealed to earthly men and women. Despite this perfect testimony, no one receives it! This of course is not meant without exceptions as the next verse tells us, \u201cWhoever received his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.\u201d<\/em> Furthermore, when verse 32 tells us that no one receives His testimony, I believe the direct context intended is 1st century apostate Israel, as we\u2019ve seen this theme come up several times now, such as John 1:11, \u201cHe came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The testimony and witness of Christ is so perfect and heavenly that whoever does not receive Christ\u2019s testimony calls God a liar, as 1 John 5:10 tells us, \u201cWhoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.\u201d<\/em> It is a grave accusation to make against God to disbelieve Christ. But for the one who does receive His testimony, he sets his seal to this, that God is true. In other words, he testifies that God is true, and is a witness to the truthfulness of God.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christ Utters the Words of God, v. 34<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here we see that it is not even merely a perfect testimony that Christ gives of what He has seen and heard, but the reason that is perfect, is because Christ utters the very words of God…of course, because He is God. This is what God says, \u201cThis is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him. Do what He says.\u201d<\/em> Every word that Christ has spoken is the very word of God.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christ Has the Spirit without Limit, v. 34<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It continues, the reason for all this is because Christ has been given the Spirit without measure. It is Christ here, who is receiving the Spirit without measure.<\/span><\/p>\n The Old Testament prophets were given the Spirit in accordance to the measure of what they were called to do. But the Son has the Spirit without measure. To all other past prophets, God gave His Spirit \u201cin measure.\u201d Christ, being God, has the fullness of the Spirit, \u201cwithout measure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n If you remember in John 1:32-34, John the Baptist saw the Spirit descend on Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n I love what Calvin says here, \u201c…it is proper that the Spirit should dwell without measure in him, that we may all draw out of his fullness\u2026\u201d<\/em> Calvin is onto it here. We do not receive the Spirit separate from Christ. But from the fullness of the triune Godhead does Christ come to us as the only mediator between God and man, imparting His Spirit to us.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christ is Loved by the Father, v. 35<\/b><\/p>\n So often we think about how we are loved by the Father as God\u2019s children, and a wonderful thought it is. But do we ever think or talk about how the Father loves the Son?<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n J. C. Ryle says of verse 35, \u201cThe love of the Father toward the Son here spoken of is a subject far too deep for man to fathom.\u201d<\/em> Indeed, I find myself without words in how to describe the love of the Father toward the Son, except to say that the love of the Father for the Son makes me love our triune God more. It\u2019s hard to fathom that though the Father loves the Son and puts all things into His hand, he still sent Him to the cross. He still gave His only beloved Son to suffer and die in unfathomable agony for wretched sinners like you and me. Though the Father has loved the Son, yet He poured out His wrath upon Him, without reserve, as the Son became sin on the cross. But He didn\u2019t leave Him there, He raised Him up from the dead and is so well pleased with His Son that He has given all things into His hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Think about an implication of this: The Father loved the Son and yet ordained that He would undergo unfathomable suffering. Note this, the presence of pain and suffering is no indicator of the absence of God\u2019s love. In fact, it just may be evidence that you are loved by God. We of course, do not have any penalty or punishment left to pay for our sins as Christ paid it all, yet we undergo trials of various kinds and discipline from the hand of the Lord.\u00a0<\/span>S<\/span>ometimes it\u2019s so painful, and it hurts, and we don\u2019t know how we\u2019ll ever make it, and we may foolishly question God\u2019s wisdom or love in it. But the presence of pain and suffering is no indicator of the absence of God\u2019s love for you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a Father disciplines a son he loves. Proverbs 13:24, \u201cWhoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n So if you find yourself to be in a time of trial, or hardship, or discipline, do not despair. It just may be the overflowing love of God being manifested to you, and you can find reassurance that God is your Father, and you are His beloved son or daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n If the Father loves the Son in this way, how do you think He feels about sinners who either love or hate His Son? To despise and reject the Son is to poke your dirty pinkie into the eye of God. It\u2019s not going to go over well for you. But oh to love that which God loves! To love the Son, and better yet, be loved by the Son, whom the Father loves.<\/span><\/p>\n The Father has loved the Son to such a degree that He has given all things into His hands.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Christ Has Been Given All Things in His Hands, v. 35<\/b><\/p>\n What is in the Son\u2019s Hands?<\/em><\/p>\n All Things<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I love what Matthew Henry says here, \u201cAngels are his servants; devils are his captives. He has power over all flesh, the heathen given him for his inheritance.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Authority, Matthew 28:18<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n 18\u00a0<\/sup>And Jesus came and said to them,\u00a0\u201cAll authority\u00a0in heaven and on earth has been given to me.<\/span><\/p>\n The Nations, Psalm 2:7-8<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n 7\u00a0<\/sup>I will tell of the decree:<\/span> The Heart of Kings, Proverbs 21:1<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the\u00a0Lord<\/span>;<\/span><\/span> His People, John 10:28-29<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 28\u00a0<\/sup>I give them eternal life, and\u00a0they will never perish, and\u00a0no one will snatch them out of my hand.<\/span><\/span>\u00a029\u00a0<\/sup>My Father,\u00a0who has given them to me,[a<\/a>]<\/sup>is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of\u00a0the Father’s hand.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nThe\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0said to me,\u00a0\u201cYou are my Son;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>today I have begotten you.<\/span><\/span>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0the ends of the earth your possession.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>he\u00a0turns it wherever he will.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n