John 5:45

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] that accuseth you, [even] Moses, in whom ye trust.

Do {G1380} not {G3361} think {G1380} that {G3754} I {G1473} will accuse {G2723} you {G5216} to {G4314} the Father {G3962}: there is {G2076} one that accuseth {G2723} you {G5216}, even Moses {G3475}, in {G1519} whom {G3739} ye {G5210} trust {G1679}.

“But don’t think that it is I who will be your accuser before the Father. Do you know who will accuse you? Moshe, the very one you have counted on!

Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope.

Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, on whom ye have set your hope.

Commentary

Context

In John chapter 5, Jesus has just performed a miraculous healing on the Sabbath at the Pool of Bethesda, which sparks controversy with the Jewish religious leaders. When confronted, Jesus declares His unique relationship with the Father, asserting His equality with God and His authority to give life and execute judgment. This claim further enrages His accusers, who seek to kill Him. In this verse, Jesus turns the tables on them, not by threatening His own judgment, but by highlighting their misplaced trust and the very source of their spiritual authority.

Key Themes

  • Misplaced Trust and False Security: The Jewish leaders prided themselves on their adherence to the Law of Moses and believed that their devotion to it ensured their righteousness before God. Jesus reveals the profound irony: the very Moses in whom they placed their trust would become their accuser. This highlights the danger of relying on external observances or human figures rather than a genuine relationship with God through His Son.
  • The Law as a Witness: Far from being an independent path to salvation, the Law of Moses was intended to prepare the way for and bear witness to the Messiah. Jesus had previously stated that the Scriptures (including Moses' writings) testified of Him. Their rejection of Jesus, therefore, was a rejection of what Moses truly represented and foretold.
  • Jesus' True Role: Rather than being an accuser, Jesus came to save and to reveal the Father. The accusation comes not from Jesus' intent, but from the Law itself, which they claimed to uphold, yet failed to understand in its ultimate purpose—to lead them to Christ. Their unbelief and spiritual blindness made the Law a condemning witness against them.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "accuse" is kategoreo (κατηγορέω), which means "to bring a charge against," "to make an accusation," or "to denounce." It's a legal term, fitting the context of a divine court. The word "trust" is elpizo (ἐλπίζω), meaning "to hope," "to expect," or "to have confidence in." This emphasizes the deep reliance and expectation the Jewish leaders placed on Moses and the Law, a reliance that ultimately proved to be misplaced when it led them to reject the One Moses prophesied.

Related Scriptures

This verse is deeply connected to Jesus' broader argument in John 5. Immediately following, Jesus reinforces this idea: "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" (John 5:46-47). The Law itself, particularly passages like Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18, spoke of a coming prophet like Moses whom the people were to obey. Their failure to recognize Jesus was a failure to truly believe Moses.

Practical Application

John 5:45 serves as a powerful reminder for all believers. It challenges us to examine the foundation of our faith and trust. Are we placing our confidence in religious traditions, rituals, or even our own good works, rather than in Christ alone? The Scriptures are given to point us to Jesus, not to become an end in themselves or a source of self-righteousness. True understanding of God's Word always leads to a deeper relationship with the Son. This verse also warns against spiritual pride and the danger of rejecting truth when it doesn't align with our preconceived notions or traditions, even if those traditions are rooted in sacred texts.

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Cross-References

  • Romans 3:19 (5 votes)

    ¶ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

  • Romans 3:20 (5 votes)

    Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.

  • Galatians 3:10 (4 votes)

    For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

  • 2 Corinthians 3:7 (4 votes)

    But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away:

  • 2 Corinthians 3:11 (4 votes)

    For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.

  • Romans 10:5 (3 votes)

    For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

  • Romans 10:10 (3 votes)

    For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.