The Culmination of John 8: John 8:48-59

Review/Context

Context: In the temple during the feast of booths speaking to a hostile Jewish audience.

1. John 8:12-20

John 8:12 “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.””

Against the backdrop of the temple and the bright shining lights, Jesus says he is the light of the world. The world is walking in darkness, but there is a way to come to the light, and Jesus is claiming that he is the way.

The Jews push back that his testimony is invalid, and Jesus brushes through those objections easily

John 8:19 “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.””

The Jews take their first pot shot at Jesus, and Jesus makes his first reference in this dialogue to God being his Father, and the Jews being totally foreign to the Father.

We begin to see the arrogance and self-righteousness of the Jews on display

2. John 8:21-30

John 8:21 “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.””

Jesus outlines the life of man. We will seek, we will die, and we cannot go where Jesus is going. But then Jesus provides the answer:

John 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

If we believe that Jesus is who he says he is then we will not have to die in our sins, but if we do not believe him, then we are destined to die in sin, for we are of this world, and Jesus is from above.

Remember, Jesus is claiming that he is the light of the world, that he knows the Father, and that the Jews do not know the Father. They don’t fully get what he is saying yet, but they will

3. John 8:31-38

John 8:31–32 “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” “

Jesus claims that his word will set them free. Free from what? Free from sin

John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

All people are born slaves to sin,

the Jews didn’t understand that they were to slaves to sin because of their arrogance and self-righteousness. They were trusting in their heritage with Abraham rather than in the Word of God.

The word of God provides freedom for those who abide in it, but those who ignore it will die in their sin.

4. John 8:39-47

The Jews double down on their heritage within Abraham as their source for salvation - further demonstrating the arrogance and self-righteousness that is within them. They are not thankful to God for his choosing them, but act entitled as if God owes them salvation

Jesus makes the point that while the Jews may physically descend from Abraham, they spiritually descend from their father the devil who is the master of lies. They cannot understand the truth because their father is the devil.

We made the point that our native language is lies and deception because it is our father’s native language. It is not until we follow the light of Christ that we are able to understand the truth.

Transition:

And so as we get to today’s passage, we see that Jesus is claiming repeatedly, I am the light, I am sent by the Father, my word is the way to eternal life, and the Jews are repeatedly questioning Jesus, claiming that they are adequately saved by their heritage, and growing more hostile towards Jesus.

Everything culminates here in this passage.

John 8:48-59 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

A. Christ and His Glory

Jesus has just logically laid out that if he is without sin, then he must be speaking truth which would mean that the Jews true Father is not Abraham, but rather the devil as Jesus claims.

John 8:48–51 “The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.””

1. The Insult of the Jews

They respond with accusing Jesus of being a demon-possessed half-breed. If you’re debating someone, and they result to insults, then you know you are winning. Their only resort is to make personal attacks to try and mess with you.

The Jews are attempting to bring both shame and dishonor upon him via this accusation.

Shame by being a half-breed as the Jews thought of the Samaritans

Dishonor by making Jesus out to be serving the devil rather than his Father.

Obeying your father, serving him, submitting to him are all ways to show respect or honor in society. To disobey, rebel, or fight your father is to bring dishonor. By accusing Jesus of being demon-possessed, they were stating that he was fighting against God rather than serving him as Jesus had claimed. They were calling him a liar, and dishonoring Jesus by their words.

Jesus denies the allegations. The Jews can only assume he has a demon. That is more likely to them then the possibility that he is right about them. The arrogance and self-righteousness is off the charts!

2. The response of Jesus

Jesus says that he honors the Father, and that it is the Jews who are dishonoring him.

And yet Jesus does not seek to restore his honor. Why? Because he does not seek his own glory. Jesus has a mission, and it is not to lift up Jesus, but to lift up the Father.

But does that mean that Jesus will never receive any honor or glory?

The Father is concerned with making sure that his son is glorified.

Jesus need not be concerned with his own honor and glory because it is his Father’s concern.

And then Jesus reminds them who his Father is - the judge.

The one who seeks to honor and glorify Jesus is the same one who will judge the world. God has judged his son worthy of honor and glory. If he honors his son, and judges the world, then you would think that the Jews would want to be like Jesus and less like the world so they would not fall under God’s judgement.

Also note that Jesus is offering these people eternal life. They have just called him a crazy, demon-possessed half-breed, and he still extends to them the instructions for eternal life. Jesus shows love to these people while all they show is hate.

And the hate continues…

B. The Jews Double Down

1. The Jews Double Down

John 8:51–53 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?””

Jesus makes a statement that blows the Jews mind.

Those who obey his word will never die.

Truly Truly indicates emphasis and a “you can take this to the bank” type of idea.

“Keeps has the idea of taking and watching or guarding” if you take Jesus’ word and watch it like you might guard something important, then you will not see death (spiritual death)

The Jews take this as literal death

“Now we know you have a demon” The Jews are confident that If Jesus is making such an a statement, then he must be possessed, for no sane person would make such a claim.

Abraham listened to God, and he died. The prophets listened to God, and they died.

If listening to his words grants eternal life, then he must be greater than those people, so who is he?

Remember that the Jews are thinking physical life. Their minds are not on the right track.

2. Jesus Speaks of His Glory

John 8:54–56 “Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.””

Glory is meaningless if it comes from yourself. That is why people seek the praise of others.

Jesus says that the Father (whom the Jews claim is their God) is the one who glorifies him.

The Jews do not know God. They know the devil, but they do not know God. Jesus knows God because he is the Son of God.

If Jesus were to say he did not know the truth, then he would be a liar like the Jews. The Jews claim to know God and the truth, but they do not know him.

Jesus knows him and keeps his word

One of the promises to Abraham was that the world would be blessed through his descendants. Abraham rejoiced that his children would be the ones through whom God would save the world. If God came to you and said “I’m going to save the world through you and your family” would that not be awesome, and would you not rejoice over that?

Abraham rejoiced, and he saw it begin to be fulfilled through his son Isaac.

Abraham rejoiced over that, and he would certainly rejoice over Jesus being present as he is the culmination of the promise made to Abraham.

The Jews are not rejoicing right now, but have hatred in their heart and murder on their mind.

C. The Boiling Point

John 8:57–59 “So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”

1. The Culmination

Jesus speaks as if he knows Abraham. Jesus is not over 2000 years old (except that in a sense he is)

The Jews are flabbergasted and ask how it is possible that Jesus has seen Abraham (an insinuation on their end)

Jesus makes the ultimate claim. He says before Abraham even existed, “I AM”

Jesus had already referenced this name, but now he claims it directly.

This name was sacred to the Jews - for it was considered the personal name of God.

YHWH or Yahweh is the name that Jesus claimed for himself.

That is as brazen and bold of a claim as one can make. There is to be no misunderstanding what he means.

The God that spoke to Moses in the burning bush? The God that led and spoke to David? The God whom Elijah prayed to right before fire came down from heaven? Jesus claims to be him.

The Jews pick up stones to kill Jesus for the sin of blasphemy - evidence that they understood his claim. And so Jesus leaves the temple unharmed.

2. What is your response?

There is a common argument made for the divinity of Jesus

He is either a liar, crazy, or telling the truth.

Those are your three options for what to believe about Jesus, and you need to make a decision.

Will you believe Jesus, and trust that his word is the answer to eternal life?

Or will you behave like the Jews and and think of Jesus as a crazed mad man who is full of lies?

If Jesus is lying, then he is a very insidious man that seeks to lead people astray for some kind of personal gain.

What that gain is I do not know because he does not accept money or power and ends his life being crucified without even resisting his fate.

If Jesus is crazy, then what he says should not make sense, it should not garner a serious long lasting following of 2000 years

Men do not follow a crazy person for 3 years and then die for him. To me this is the least likely option because Jesus behaves very rationally in his actions and words.

The final choice is that he speaks the truth. He performs miracles akin to that of a God. He fulfills prophecy throughout his ministry. He lives a perfect life. He dies for people who hate him. He resurrects from the dead - something that can be debated, but not well.

What are you going to believe about Jesus? Not what do your parents believe, not what do your friends believe, not what do people on the internet believe? What will you believe?

Is Jesus the light in this dark world? Or is he another person responsible for making it darker? Is his word of any value? Or is it the musings of an insane man who needs to be put in an asylum?