In the Passion of John’s Gospel, there is no Jewish trial of Jesus. Here the fourth Gospel seems to differ from the first three. Yet a close reading of the Gospel notes that Jesus is continually being tried by the Jews. In the segment of the trial related in today’s Gospel, the point of issue is whether Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus marshals evidence showing that indeed he is.
Jesus calls as his first witness John the Baptist. John testified at the beginning of the Gospel that he saw the Spirit descending upon Jesus. As a second proof that he is who he says, Jesus points out that he has performed prodigious deeds like curing the paralytic at the Temple pool. Then Jesus provides additional proof by noting how God has prepared for him in the Scriptures. Today’s first reading hints at what he means. As God decides not to punish His people for their idolatry, so Jesus has not come to judge the world but to save it. Finally, Moses is brought forward as a witness. In a famous passage of Deuteronomy Moses speaks of a prophet in Israel in whose mouth God will put His word (Deuteronomy 18:18).
All the evidence that Jesus presents is circumstantial. That is, it only indicates that Jesus is the Son of God. We can deny it as inconclusive. However, such a denial not only defies the process of inductive reasoning. It also rejects the prospect of our eternal life in him.