Search for Scripture
A Sermon on John 5:39
Originally preached May 4, 1958
Scripture
39¶ Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Sermon Description
In his sermon on John 5:39 titled “Search for Scripture,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones unfolds the fourth witness to Jesus: the Scripture. The Jews thoroughly searched the Scripture and claimed to know the Scripture, and the leaders of the Jews thought themselves to be the teachers of the Scripture. In the Scripture, they thought they possessed eternal life. They even believed that just because they possessed the Scriptures, as opposed to the Gentiles, they were set apart to eternal life. The prejudice and misinterpretation of the Scripture by the Jews dripped with hypocrisy. In providing more testimony to validate His claims, Jesus stated that the Scriptures testified about Him. The entire Old Testament pointed to Jesus through either direct prediction or preparation. Scripture validated His person, work, and identity. The Jews possessed a knowledge of Scripture, but one that led ultimately to self-deception. They held the Scripture at arms-length and imported their own ideas into Scripture instead of studying to determine what was really proclaimed, namely Jesus. The listener is encouraged to ask themselves: “Is this you? Have you engaged Scripture and think you know it all, yet you are deceived? Has the Scripture led you to Jesus and His redeeming work on the cross for your sins?” If not, they may well be self-deceived which will lead to eternal destruction.
Sermon Breakdown
- The scriptures can be grievously and terribly misused.
- The Jews thought that the mere fact that they possessed the scriptures at all in and of itself automatically saved them.
- The Jews also thought that their general acquaintance with the scriptures somehow or another saved them.
- The real trouble with these Jews was that instead of listening to the scriptures, they feisted their ideas onto the scriptures.
- These Jews misinterpreted and misunderstood the teaching of the scripture. They concentrated so much upon the letter that they missed the spirit.
- They didn't search the scriptures. You can read them without searching them.
- The scriptures show the need of salvation. They make us wise unto salvation in the first place by showing us our dread and our terrible need of salvation.
- The scriptures reveal God in his majesty, his greatness, his holiness.
- The scriptures show that we're lost. God says, if you don't live this life, you are under condemnation.
- The prophets thundered one after another, don't put your faith in things like that. The Lord takes no delight, they said, in that kind of offering, he wants obedience, he wants holiness, he wants truth.
- The Old Testament scriptures taught that, but thank God, they didn't stop at that. The Old Testament not only shows men that he's a desperate and a vile and a hopeless sinner, they showed him how God himself is going to provide a way to save him and to deliver him.
- Running right through the Old Testament from beginning to end is this amazing promise concerning himself.
- Listen to some of the details. When is this deliverer, this son of God, going to come into this world? Read the 9th chapter of Daniel's prophecy and you'll be able to work it out to the exact time at which he came.
- Where is he going to be born? He's going to be born in Bethlehem, says Micah.
- What kind of life is he going to live when he comes? Is he going to be a great king, a great monarch, a great military leader? No, he's going to be a servant.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Searching the Scriptures: Key Questions and Answers
What did Jesus mean when He said "Search the scriptures" in John 5:39?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Jesus was giving a command (an imperative) to search the Scriptures, not merely acknowledging that the Jews were already doing so. He explains there's "a difference between reading them and searching them." Jesus was instructing the Jews to thoroughly examine the Old Testament writings, which were the only Scriptures available at that time, because they "testify of me." The command challenges us to go beyond casual reading to careful, thoughtful study of God's Word.
How do the Old Testament Scriptures point to Jesus Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the entire Old Testament points to Christ through:
- Direct prophecies (like Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the woman would crush the serpent's head)
- Promises to Abraham, Jacob, and David about their "seed"
- Specific details about His birth in Bethlehem (Micah), His suffering (Isaiah 53)
- Details of His crucifixion found in Psalm 22
- The sacrificial system that foreshadowed His atoning work
- Predictions about His burial in a rich man's tomb and His resurrection
He states, "I could literally keep you here till midnight...showing you that he's everywhere in this Old Testament," highlighting how comprehensively the Old Testament anticipates Christ.
What mistakes did the Jews make when reading Scripture according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
The Jews misused Scripture in several crucial ways: - They thought mere possession of Scripture saved them - They had only a general acquaintance with Scripture without deep understanding - They "feisted their ideas onto the scriptures" rather than letting Scripture speak to them - They concentrated on the letter while missing the spirit of the text - They approached Scripture with self-confidence rather than humility - They allowed traditions to make "the word of God of none effect"
Lloyd-Jones warns that people today make the same mistakes when they approach the Bible with preconceived ideas rather than letting it speak on its own terms.
How can the Scriptures make us "wise unto salvation" as Paul told Timothy?
The Old Testament Scriptures make us wise unto salvation by: 1. Revealing God in His majesty, greatness, and holiness 2. Showing us our sinful condition and need for salvation through the law 3. Demonstrating our inability to save ourselves 4. Providing promises about the Messiah who would save His people 5. Functioning as "our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ" (as Paul says)
Lloyd-Jones explains that the purpose of Scripture is to lead us to see our need for Christ and then to recognize Him as the divinely provided solution.
What is the proper attitude when approaching Scripture according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes we should approach Scripture: - Like the Bereans who "received the word with all readiness of mind" - With an open mind, ready to listen - With humility "as little children" rather than as experts - By searching rather than merely reading - By allowing Scripture to speak rather than imposing our ideas on it - With a willingness to submit to what we find there
He contrasts this with those who approach Scripture with modern prejudices, saying: "Instead of coming on their knees to this book, they looked down upon it and they cut out this and cut out that."
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.