Wednesday in the Word...John 8:12-20..."he said, she said"

Our Wednesday in the Word is John chapter 8 and verses 12 through 20, which read,

v.12 - Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

Jesus has come off of the Festival of Booths and crying out that He was the source of living water.  Back in chapter 6 and verses 35, 48, and 51, Jesus responded that He was the bread of life.  Jesus will end up giving 7 "I AM" statements in the book of John.  The definite article is used for emphasis that Jesus is not just "a" light in this world but that He is "the" Light of the world.  Jesus is not "a" light of life but "the" Light of life.  

We speak of the "thousand points of light" but Jesus is calling for those to follow the only Light of the world that is the Light of life.  To follow means to give oneself completely to the person followed.  Those who follow completely will not only completely give themselves to Jesus but realize that Jesus gave Himself completely for them.

v.13, 14 - So the Pharisees said to Him, "You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true."  Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify 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."  

Jesus basically tells the Pharisees that they are wrong.  The Pharisees tell Jesus that His testimony is not true and Jesus responds that it is.  He will explain this further in the following verses but this is the common stalemate, "he said, she said."  Does it matter in our world where everyone has a say, when God says something?  Does what He say trump what we say?  Does His words, thoughts, plans, and etc. go beyond our comprehension of what is fair or what is right or what is love?  

Jesus knows something the Pharisees do not know.  He knows where He has come from and where He is going.  God always has more information than we have and it is supremely good that He holds that position and information.  Will we listen to the One who knows it all?

v.15-18 - "You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.  But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.  Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true.  I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me."

This Jesus who knows more than us sees something that we don't see and that is the heart and soul of another.  We judge what we see on the outside but He sees what is on the inside.  He doesn't judge by our outward appearance like the Pharisees did (thank God) but even if He did, His judgment would still be right.  This judgment comes with the backing of another, the Father who sent Jesus.

Jesus appeals to the law that gave the importance of two witnesses.  This would come into play when He is before the Sanhedrin at His trial and they were having a hard time finding two witnesses that would agree to convict Him.  Jesus again stresses that what He does and says is also a testimony of the Father, a second witness who happens to be in the Trinity.  When Jesus is doing and speaking something, God is also doing and speaking something and therefore all the more reason to weigh what He says more than what we say, think, or hypothesize.

v.19, 20 - So they were saying to Him, "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; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

Jesus is speaking of His Heavenly Father.  The Pharisees are putting in a jab that Jesus' earthly father was not really known.  Joseph the carpenter raised Him but Mary became pregnant by another and before their marriage night.  Joseph didn't divorce her but took her in and raised this son named Jesus as his own even though everyone knew He wasn't his own.  

This doesn't throw Jesus off.  Jesus goes back to the start of the conversation and keeps His focus on God.  Jesus throws it back into their face that they don't know who their heavenly Father is.  If they did, they would recognize Him as the Son of God.  They seem to be at a standstill on their conversation and it ends but not forever.  Jesus will speak again.  He will continue to speak and call out to those who will see Him as God.  Later in verse 30 it says, 

As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.

We are given where Jesus is in the temple area, the treasury.  We are given what Jesus is doing, He is teaching.  We are given His freedom, that no one seized Him because His hour had not yet come, Jesus was in charge.  Is He is charge in your life?  Does what He say trump what you say?  Do you respond in accordance to Him?  Let us pray.

"Heavenly Father, thank You for the Light of the World.  Thank You for opening our eyes to see where Jesus came from, where He was going, and that He is coming again.  When we are tempted to throw in our thoughts on the matter, may we always defer to what You say as the final decision.  Amen."

Pastor Adam