Jesus Predicts His Death, Burial and Resurrection - John 8:12-29

Intro: The Bronze Snake Lifted Up in the Wilderness

Numbers 21:4–9 CSB

4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea to bypass the land of Edom, but the people became impatient because of the journey. 5 The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you led us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!” 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died. 7 The people then came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede with the Lord so that he will take the snakes away from us.” And Moses interceded for the people. 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake image and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered.

TS: NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SON OF MAN WHO WILL BE LIFTED UP!

John 8:12 CSB

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

Point #1: Jesus Identifies Himself as Messiah Through Symbolic Language!

The Light of the world (Agapegreek.com)

Bread of life

Bridegroom

Bright Morning Star

Chief Shepherd

Fountain (Zech 13:1)

Good Shepherd

Lamb of God

Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4)

Righteous branch (Jeremiah 23:5

The Rock (Deuteronomy 32:15)

The Stone (Mark 12:10)

The Root of Jesse

Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon 2:1)

True Vine (John 15:1)

LIGHT OF THE WORLD:

The Bible Knowledge Commentary d. The Light of the World Discourse (8:12–59)

A major feature of the Feast of Tabernacles was the lighting of giant lamps in the women’s court in the temple (see the diagram). The wicks were made from the priests’ worn-out garments. The light illuminated the temple area and the people gathered to sing praises and dance. The light reminded the Jewish people of how God was with them in their wanderings in the wilderness in a pillar of cloud which turned to fire at night (Num. 9:15–23).

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 8:12

How fitting that during the Feast of Tabernacles, when the large lamps were burning, Jesus … said, I am the Light of the world (cf. 1:4, 9; 12:35, 46). The world is in darkness, a symbol of evil, sin, and ignorance (Isa. 9:2; Matt. 4:16; 27:45; John 3:19). “Light” in the Bible is a symbol of God and His holiness (Acts 9:3; 1 John 1:5). Jesus is “the Light,” not merely a light or another light among many lights. He is the only Light, “the true Light” (John 1:9), for the whole world. When Jesus said, Whoever follows Me, He meant whoever believes and obeys Him (cf. 10:4–5, 27; 12:26; 21:19–20, 22). Jesus was speaking of salvation.

Coming to Christ for salvation results in a different kind of life. A believer will never walk in darkness, that is, he will not live in it (cf. 12:46; 1 John 1:6–7). He does not remain in the realm of evil and ignorance (John 12:46) for he has Christ as his Light and salvation (cf. Ps. 36:9).

John 8:13–20 CSB

13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” 14 “Even if I testify about myself,” Jesus replied, “My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge by human standards. I judge no one. 16 And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am the one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.” 19 Then they asked him, “Where is your Father?” “You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20 He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Point #2: The Pharisees Challenge Jesus’ Testimony About Himself!

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 8:14

Sometimes, however, self-authentication is the only way to truth. Sometimes an individual is the only one who knows the facts about himself. And only God can give testimony to Himself. Jesus was competent to give a true witness of Himself because as God He has a comprehensive knowledge of His origin and destiny (7:29). In spite of what the Pharisees thought they knew about Jesus, they were ignorant of His heavenly origin and destiny (cf. 7:33–34), and thus were invalid judges of Him.

John 8:21–26 CSB

21 Then he said to them again, “I’m going away; you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’?” 23 “You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.” 25 “Who are you?” they questioned. “Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. 26 “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”

Point #3: Jesus Tells Them God’s Plan for Him… “Where I’m Going, You Cannot Come!”

REMEMBER: JOHN IS FILLING IN THE BLANKS OF THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS!

HE WANTS TO GIVE US SOME SPOILERS SO ON THE JOURNEY TO THE CROSS

John 8:27–30 CSB

27 They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Point #4: The Debate Was About Whether Jesus Was the Messiah: Jesus Told Them, “When You Lift Up the Son of Man, Then You Will Know That I Am He!”

The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew Mark and Luke) each shows that there were 3 different times that Jesus predicted his death on the cross…the Gospel of John gives us even more predictions and this was His purpose and this was God’s plan for the salvation of mankind!

Jesus told them, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will KNOW I AM HE!