=36. But I have greater witness than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to finish.= From the testimony of John the Baptist, Jesus passes to the second authentication of his mission, the works which he is doing. These _works_ are not merely nor primarily his miracles. Against this narrow and unspiritual interpretation the church should have been saved by even a careful study of the words. For (_a_) the word here rendered _works_ (ἔργον) is never used by John as equivalent to a miracle, but always, when in connection with Christ, as significant of his whole course of beneficent and redeeming activity; (_b_) in this very discourse Christ uses it in connection with and in reference to his work of spiritual life-giving to the dead in trespasses and sins (vers. 20, 21); (_c_) the phrase “hath given me to finish” points forward to the time when he should be able to say in prayer to his Father, “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (ch. 17:5; comp. 4:34), and in his last triumphant cry upon the cross, “It is finished” (ch. 19:30). The matter is important because the church needs to recognize that the evidences of Christianity on which Christ relied are not the miracles, which are purely historical acts, the historic veracity of which must be proved like that of any other past events, but the whole work of redeeming love, the visible and indubitable fruits of which are to be unceasingly seen in the victories of Christianity over the individual and over communities.--=The same works that I am doing.= Not _have done_, which might have been said of miracles already wrought, but _am now engaged in doing_, which alone could be said of the unceasing work of him who ever went about doing good. Observe that the works which he is doing are those which the Father _hath given him to do_ (vers. 19, 20, notes), and that whatever the Father hath given him, that he does (ch. 18:11).--=Bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.= Because they are manifestations of the Father’s love. The message which the Son has come to bring is the message of the Father’s grace (ch. 1:14). 37 And the Father[194] himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye[195] have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. [194] Matt. 3:17; 17:5. [195] Deut. 4:12; 1 Tim. 6:16. 38 And ye have not his word[196] abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. [196] 1 John 2:14.