What is the meaning of John 5:39? You pore over the Scriptures • Jesus is addressing religious leaders who devoted countless hours to studying the Law and the Prophets (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Ezra 7:10). • Their diligence was real; they copied scrolls by hand, debated fine points of interpretation, and memorized large portions (Matthew 23:23). • Careful study is commendable. Scripture is God-breathed and worthy of deep attention (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The problem is not the study itself, but what is missing from it. • Even today, it is possible to attend every Bible study, fill notebooks with insights, and still miss the heart of what God is saying. The warning remains timely (James 1:22-25). because you presume that by them you possess eternal life • The leaders assumed that mastery of biblical information and rigorous rule-keeping guaranteed life with God (Romans 2:17-20). • Eternal life, however, is not earned through knowledge or performance; it is received by faith (Galatians 2:16; Titus 3:5). • Jesus later defines eternal life as a relationship: “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). • Like the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14, they trusted in their religious résumé. Jesus exposes the emptiness of that confidence and redirects it toward Himself. These are the very words that testify about Me • From Genesis to Malachi, Scripture points forward to Christ: – The promised offspring who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). – The Passover Lamb whose blood brings deliverance (Exodus 12; 1 Corinthians 5:7). – The suffering Servant who bears our sins (Isaiah 53; Acts 8:32-35). – The righteous King of Psalm 2 and Psalm 110 (Hebrews 1:5-13). • Jesus makes the same claim after the resurrection: “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself” (Luke 24:27). • The point is clear: Scripture is a living witness that calls us to a living Savior (Acts 10:43; John 20:31). • Studying the Bible without coming to Christ is like reading a menu but never tasting the meal. summary John 5:39 is both an affirmation of Scripture’s value and a caution against missing its central figure. Diligent study is good, but eternal life is found only by embracing the One to whom every page points—Jesus Christ. |
    |