How would you have responded to Jesus' claims?

October 14, 2002

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Oct. 27

How would you have responded to Jesus' claims?
___ John 8
___By Robert Creech
___University Baptist Church-Clearlake, Houston
___In John 8, Jesus' claims shake his opponents to the core. Their paradigm of messiah cannot contain the new wine of Jesus' reality. He simply does not fit their mold.
___This chapter continues many themes first introduced in John 7. The setting remains Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. In this sixth discourse, Jesus engages pharisaical challenges and defines himself. The reader must evaluate the evidence and arguments, preparing to render a verdict on Jesus and his claims.
___Jesus opens with an astounding assertion: "I am the light of the world" (8:12). He promises to do for his disciples what God did for Israel in the wilderness--provide personal guidance and direction for life's journey.
___The Pharisees raise the issue of Jesus' being his own witness. They are not obligated to accept his claims as valid since he is the only witness to them (8:13). Jesus responds, as in 5:31-47, by citing supporting testimony. The Father who sent him be

ars witness of him as well (8:16-18).
___The mention of Jesus' Father raises another set of issues: Jesus' origin and destiny. The confused crowd wrestled with these questions in chapter seven (7:27, 33-36). Jesus himself says the Pharisees have no idea where he has come from or where he is going (8:14). These two issues become points of misunderstanding and attack for the Jewish leaders.
___Their initial retort to Jesus' claim is a sarcastic, "Where is your father?" (8:19). Later they will take the implication of that question even further: "We are not illegitimate children ..." (8:41). The Pharisees do not recognize Jesus as the Son of God in any sense, and so cannot understand his origin.
___Jesus is explicit in his claims, however. He has come from the Father (8:8, 16, 18, 23, 26, 29, 38, 42). He is equally explicit in pointing out these religious leaders do not know his Father (8:19, 55). They neither know nor belong to God. They are, in fact, children of the devil, as evidenced by their deceitful, murderous spirit (8:41-44). They are still of this world (8:23), in bondage to sin (8:24, 34-36) and walking in darkness (8:12).
___The destiny of Jesus also remains a mystery to his opponents. Just as Jesus has come from the Father, so he is returning to the Father when his mission is complete. In 8:21, Jesus again announces the time will come when he will depart. In 7:35, that announcement had raised questions about whether Jesus would leave Palestine for a ministry among the Jews scattered throughout the nations. This time, Jewish leaders speculate he might be threatening to take his own life (8:22). They simply cannot understand him (8:43).
___Jesus contends their attempts to kill him and their refusal of the truth he offers only bear witness to their true paternity--the devil is their father, a murderer and liar from the beginning (8:44-44). Just as his opponents had done in 7:20, the Jewish leaders assert the evil one is influencing Jesus, not them. They suggest he is demon-possessed (8:48, 52).
___Another theme surfaces in chapter 8 that held a prominent place in the discourse in chapter 7--Jesus' approaching "hour." John describes Jesus' life as moving through time toward a key event, a divinely designated moment of significance. He calls this moment Jesus' "time" (kairos) or his "hour" (hora) (2:4; 4:21, 23; 5:25, 28; 7:6, 8; 12:23, 27, 31; 13:1; 17:1). Until that "time" arrives, Jesus' opponents are unable to seize him or to accomplish their evil purposes (8:20, 59).
___This discourse contains more of Jesus' outlandish claims than just about any other portion of the Gospel. Jesus is the Light of the world. Whoever follows Jesus will not walk in darkness (8:12). Jesus' decisions are always right because he stands with the Father who sent him (8:16). God himself testifies to the validity of Jesus' claims (8:18). Jesus is from above; he is the Son of the Father (8:23). Anyone who does not believe this is destined to die in sin (8:24). Jesus only speaks the words God has given him (8:26, 28). He only does what pleases God (8:29). He has the capacity through his teaching to set people free from bondage to sin (8:31-36). No one can prove Jesus guilty of sin (8:46). One who keeps Jesus' word will never experience death (8:51). Jesus existed before Abraham was born (8:58).
___These astounding claims leave the hearer with few choices. One could choose to reject them out of hand, as the Jewish leaders did, attributing to Jesus either demon-possession or megalomania. No normal human being would say such things about himself.
___On the other hand, one could choose to believe him, as did some even in that crowd (8:30). One could take the risk of faith, affirming that Jesus' claims were legitimate and that he is the source of life, forgiveness and freedom from sin. Eventually, each reader will have to render a verdict.
___Questions for discussion
___ How would society likely respond today to someone who appeared with claims such as those of Jesus? How would you respond?
___ What would it mean for you to "hold to" Jesus' teaching (8:31) in such a way that you became increasingly free from sinful thoughts, attitudes and behaviors?

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