If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. John 5:31–36
When Joseph Smith announced that God had revealed a new message to him and published The Book of Mormon, he knew that people would expect evidence to back up his claims. Smith told people that an angel had revealed golden plates to him that contained writings which he translated by the power of the Holy Spirit. According to Smith, however, the angel demanded that he return the plates without showing them to the outside world. Smith did, however, have three witnesses with which to convince people. This agreed with one of the prophecies of the book he had translated: “The eyes of none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God” (2 Nephi 27:12). Their names and their testimony appear in the opening pages of The Book of Mormon: Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris. Within a few years of the founding of Mormonism, all three of these men parted ways with Smith and were excommunicated from the church they helped to establish. In the years that followed, Martin Harris further disillusioned many Mormons when he admitted that he had not physically seen the plates, but had only imagined them. In spite of this, millions still believe that The Book of Mormon is the word of God.
When Jesus presented evidence to the world of His claims to equality with God, His first witness was John the Baptist (John 5:32–35)––the most credible witness that one could call forth. John was held in high regard among the people as a mighty prophet (Matthew 21:26), and Jesus said that there was none greater ever born of women (Matthew 11:11). As great as his testimony was (John 1:29), however, Jesus said, “Yet I do not receive testimony from man” (John 5:34). In other words, the testimony of a man is not enough to substantiate claims like the one Jesus was making. What do you think Jesus would have to say about Joseph Smith’s witnesses if John’s testimony wasn’t good enough?
Jesus then presented His great works as evidence (John 5:36)––works which had proven to the likes of Nicodemus that He was no ordinary man (John 3:2). Jesus then called the Father Himself as a witness (John 5:37–38), whose voice had been heard at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:17). Next He appeals to the Scriptures which had been so highly regarded by the Jews for centuries, stating that testimony of His deity ran throughout (John 5:39).
This testimony began with the oldest and most venerated of the Scriptures––the writings of Moses (John 5:45–46). Moses had written, “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:18–19). The resemblance between Jesus and Moses is striking indeed, but as Jesus said, “If you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:47).
The evidences of Jesus’ deity are abundant and powerful, but there are many who will not receive them. Later Jesus would send the apostles to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8), and now it falls to us to carry the message of Christ to a lost and dying world.