©Kris Gerbrandt
Chapter 8:12-30 (ESV) - Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Question to consider: Why would Jesus engage in a discussion with the Pharisees if their hearts were hardened against Him?
The “them” to which Jesus was speaking in today’s passage was the crowd of people who gathered in the temple courts to hear Jesus teach. John wrote that Jesus spoke in the treasury which was located in the court of the women. This was a rather large area that was beyond the gate called Beautiful (also called the East gate). This also would have been the place where Jesus was first presented by Joseph and Mary and where they encountered Simeon and Anna.
When you think about the fact that the Pharisees were now asking Jesus for two witnesses about who He was and from where He came, it is interesting to think about the fact that this was the very place where Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, presented Him and where two prophetic witnesses, Simeon and Anna, professed Jesus to be the light of the world. Although under the Law, a woman was not allowed to be a witness, I think it is only fitting that a witness to the new covenant king would be a woman.
Even though Jesus may have been bearing witness about Himself, He was just restating what had already been declared by Simeon about Him, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32) We can substitute “all peoples” with “the world”.
When the Pharisees asked, “Where is your father?” They were speaking of Joseph who was now dead and not able to be there as a witness, but Jesus was speaking of His father in heaven who gave witness about Jesus throughout the Law and Prophets. If the Pharisees really knew God, they would have recognized Jesus just as Simeon and Anna did.
Instead, Jesus pronounced judgment on them, proclaiming that they were from the world and would die in their sins if they did not believe in Him for life. Their response was to mock Him asking, “Who are you?” and suggesting that they couldn’t follow Him, for He was about to commit suicide. Jesus was going to die, but it would be them who lifted Him up on the cross. At that point, they would know who He was because Pilate would have it posted on a placard above His head.
John noted that many believed in Him. As difficult as it is to engage with those who are openly hostile to Christ, we do it for those who are listening.
Dear heavenly Father, please open our eyes to receive the light that You have sent into the world. Help us to see Christ in the scriptures and breathe new life into us as we face the hostilities of a world given over to sin and death. Amen.