We are in chapter 8 of John's synoptic gospel being with the revealed revelation of who Christ is, through the mouth of Jesus Himself. His being the first of millions upon millions who would flow in agreement with Him and become His brothers and sisters of GOD's original intent. This section being where Jesus uses the word "light" to describe Himself, this is but one example of His being for not long ago He said that He was (His flesh was) the bread, and that His blood was true drink, placing the pass over meal into its proper place. The combining of two into one human being, made of flesh as GOD'S true being. Then Jesus as the Spirit (Christ) combined in John's chapter 17, is where He expresses, in Jesus' priestly prayer, that which reveals our true one-ness of spirit. Many say that to have a renewed mind is to have the mind of Christ, today, begins the adventure of just how true this thought is.
John 8:12-20 "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, 'I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.' The Pharisees therefore said unto him, "Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true." Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.' Then said they unto him, "Where is thy Father?" Jesus answered, 'Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.' These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come." (KJV)
John 8:12-20 "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." (ESV)
John 8:12-20 "And Jesus continued to say, 'I am the light of the world - whoever journeys with me shall not walk (again) in darkness but will [1]radiate the light of life!' (The word [1]echo, to hold; resonate; in this case, radiate.) The Pharisees took offence at this and responded with, "You assume things about yourself; how can you expect us to believe your record to be true?" Jesus answered, 'Whatever I declare concerning myself is absolutely true because I know where I am from and where I am going. You have no clue where I come from and therefore cannot discern my destiny. You form your own judgment according to the flesh; I judge no-one. And even if I do make a judgment, it is true since I am not making it up in my imagination or on my own accord, my reference reflects the testimony of the Father who sent me. That should settle it for you since it is written in your Law that the testimony of two, is true! (This combined witness of two is not true just because they agree, unless true in fact separately. But if they disagree, the testimony falls to the ground. Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15 - See also Hebrews 6:13-20 and Revelation 11:3.) I am witness to who I am and my Father himself also bears witness to me.' Then they said to him, "So where is your Father?" And Jesus answered with, 'My Father is just as invisible to you as I am - if you perceived me you would have also seen my Father!' Jesus spoke these words in the temple treasury; yet no-one arrested him since his time was still not due." (The Mirror)
John 8:21-30 "Then said Jesus again unto them, 'I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.' Then said the Jews, "Will he kill himself? because he saith, 'Whither I go, ye cannot come.'" And he said unto them, 'Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.' Then said they unto him, "Who art thou?" And Jesus saith unto them, 'Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.' They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, 'When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.' As he spake these words, many believed on him." (KJV)
John 8:21-30 "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." (ESV)
John 8:21-30 "And again Jesus said to them, 'I will go on my way and [1]disappear from your view and you will still seek me, yet die in your [2]sin; your belief-system keeps you trapped in blindfold-mode to make it impossible for you to reach me where I am - your religion is a cul-de-sac!' (The word [1]upago, to lead under, as in a sinking out of sight, to disappear. The word for sin, [2]hamartia is in the singular, suggesting not sinful acts but rather a condition of a distorted mindset - from ha, negative and meros, portion of form, thus to be without your allotted portion or without form, pointing to a disorientated, distorted identity; the word meros, is the stem of the word morphe, as in 2Corinthians 3:18 where the word metamorphe, with form [transform] is the opposite of hamartia - without form. Sin is to live out of context with the blueprint of one's design; to behave out of tune with God's original harmony.) The Jews reasoned that maybe he would kill himself in order to go to a different world because he said, "You cannot come with me." Jesus said to them, 'You draw your conclusions from the sense ruled world here below - my source points to a different dimension, a realm which is above the horizon of the senses. (Look at Colossians 3:1-4) That is why I said that you will die in your sins because you are not convinced about who I am, you wouldn't know who you are! Your unbelief in my I-am-ness will keep you trapped in this death-ruled dimension, the very dimension that I have come to deliver you from!' They asked him again, "Then who are you really?" He answered, 'I have told you from the beginning who I am! I have many things to say to you and conclude about you in my personal capacity but since you do not believe in me it will mean nothing to you; but he who sent me is true, above your suspicious scrutiny. I speak to the world those things which I have from my close companionship with him.' They just could not make the connection - Jesus' claim about the Father made no sense to their reasoning at all. 'When you have lifted up the Son of man, [on cross of your judgment] then you will know and understand that I am and that my I-am-ness is demonstrated in my doing; nothing that I do [1]distracts from that; my doing mirrors exactly what my Father has taught me even as my speech reflects his word. ([1]apo, away from, and emautou myself. He constantly reminds them of the conclusion of his mission, see 3:14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up.) And he who sent me on my mission also accompanies me; the Father has never [1]abandoned me for a moment! It is my delight to always do that which [2]pleases him. ([1]aphieimi - a word also used for a husband divorcing his wife. The word [2]arestos to please; it suggests to accommodate one's self to the opinions desires and interests of others.) While listening to him, many were persuaded that he was indeed the Christ." (The Mirror)
The LORD willing we will look at next "the Truth that sets us Free," part of which we have already studied. Now, I am not at all defending mans "Christendom," because no defense can be made for man's religions that so loosely claim to be what they are not! Look at Mark 7:7-9 of 6-9 (KJV) "He (Jesus) answered and said unto them, 'Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.' And he said unto them, 'Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.'"
Now for the ESV translation for ease of reading: "And he said to them, 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.'" And he said to them, 'You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!'" Many churches have been founded over the last two millennia claiming to belong to Jesus, that He does not recognize. Looking at Matthew 15:13 of 12-14 where we find this in the ESV: "Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" Jesus answered, 'Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.'" It is Jesus who builds His church not some man with / of good intentions.
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