Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
Ye {G5210} sent {G649} unto {G4314} John {G2491}, and {G2532} he bare witness {G3140} unto the truth {G225}.
you have sent to Yochanan, and he has testified to the truth.
You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.
Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
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John 1:15
¶ John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. -
John 1:27
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. -
John 1:6
There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John. -
John 1:8
He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light. -
John 3:26
And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all [men] come to him. -
John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. -
John 1:29
¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Context of John 5:33
This verse is part of a crucial discourse in the Gospel of John where Jesus is confronting the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Following His healing of a paralytic man on the Sabbath at the Pool of Bethesda (see John 5:1-9), Jesus was accused of breaking the Law and, more significantly, of making Himself equal with God (see John 5:18). In response, Jesus presents various witnesses to His divine authority and identity. John the Baptist is the first witness Jesus cites, reminding His accusers that they themselves had previously acknowledged John's prophetic ministry.
Meaning of John 5:33
In this verse, Jesus directly addresses the Jewish leaders, stating, "Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth." Jesus reminds them that they had dispatched a delegation of priests and Levites to inquire about John the Baptist's identity and authority (as recorded in John 1:19-28). Despite their skepticism, John's response was clear and unwavering: he consistently pointed away from himself and bore witness to Jesus as the promised Messiah. John's testimony was not a personal opinion, but a divinely ordained declaration of "the truth," referring to the objective reality of God's plan of salvation embodied in Jesus Christ.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insight
The Greek word translated "bare witness" is martyreō (μαρτυρέω), which means "to testify," "to give evidence," or "to confirm." This term is significant because it implies a solemn, authoritative declaration of facts, often given in a legal context. John's testimony was not casual but carried the weight of a divine pronouncement. The phrase "unto the truth" (tē alētheia) further emphasizes the objective, divine nature of what John proclaimed, distinguishing it from mere human opinion.
Significance and Application
John 5:33 highlights that God provides ample evidence for His truth and for the identity of His Son. For the Jewish leaders, John's witness was a familiar and respected voice, and Jesus used it to challenge their unbelief. For us today, this verse reminds us that God has always attested to Jesus through various means: through the prophets like John, through Jesus' own miraculous works, through the Father's direct testimony, and through the Holy Scriptures themselves. Our responsibility is to listen to these witnesses and respond in faith. Like John, believers are called to be faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ, pointing others to Him with clarity and conviction, knowing that we bear witness to the ultimate truth.