Reading of God’s Holy Word

“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.’ They answered him, ‘We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.’ They answered him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.’ They said to him, ‘We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.’” (John 8:31–47, ESV)

Introduction

So the pattern continues in John’s Gospel: Jesus makes some extraordinary claims concerning himself, or utters some provocative thing, which then gives way to a debate between he and the Jews. First it was his claim to be the source of living waters (7:38); next it was his claim to be the light of the world (8:12); and now it is this claim: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31–32, ESV)

It can be difficult for us to understand why these words of Jesus would lead to such an fiery exchange. The conflict is difficult to understand for two reasons:

One, we are told that Jesus uttered these words to those who had expressed belief in him – they said they believe that he was the Messiah, the Son of Man, as he had been claiming. Look at 8:30: “As he was saying these things, many believed in him.” And in 8:31 we read, “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.’” (John 8:31–32, ESV) The reader is lead to believe that Jesus is among friends now, and that the potential for hostility has passed. How could it be that the most intense conflict of all is just around the corner if Jesus is indeed speaking to those who have believed in him?

Two, the fiery exchange is difficult for us to understand because the words of Jesus seem to us to be rather uncontroversial: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31–32, ESV) These words sound sweet to our ears. We cherish these words. It is difficult for us to comprehend how these words of Jesus could possibly be offensive, leading to such hostility. Read the rest of Sermon: John 8:31-47: True Disciples Abide »

Reading of God’s Holy Word

“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.”

Introduction

It has been said of John’s Gospel that it is at once like “a pool in which a child may wade and an elephant can swim. It is both simple and profound. It is for the veriest beginner in the faith and for the mature Christian. Its appeal is immediate and never failing.” (Morris, 3)

One of the reasons the Gospel of John is at once deep and profound, and yet attainable is because of the way that John writes.

He uses symbolism and metaphor masterfully. He sometimes, in one or two words, manages to draw our attention to massive themes found within the Old Testament scriptures. Sometimes John is very specific and precise in what he says; at other times he is deliberately vague so that a particular word or sentence intentionally has multiple meanings.

The end result is that a brand new Christian can read John’s Gospel and come away happy and satisfied, having understood the message clearly.  At the same time the most learned theologian can study the Gospel in a most careful way and never fully exhaust all that is contained within it.

This is true of John’s Gospel in general, but I feel that it is particularly true of the passage that we are considering this morning. In a way, the meaning of this passage is utterly simple. Jesus is still revealing the truth concerning who he is. He is the Christ, the eternal Son of God, the Savior. Men and women will perish in their sins if they do not believe, or trust, in him. This is true because they are of this world. He is not of this world. It seems to me that the message is most clear, and accessible to anyone willing to listen. But we can wade out into deeper waters together.

This passage has something in common with what has come before. Jesus is still about the business of revealing his true identity. Notice the question at the heart of this text. In verse 25 the Jews again ask Jesus, “Who are you?” It seems that either the Jews were unable to understand his teaching up to this point, or they were unwilling to accept what he had clearly said. It is probably a combination of these things. Sometimes people simply cannot understand – more often than not they do not understand because they are unwilling. That would seem to be the case with the Jews of John’s Gospel. Jesus had been clear, but they had not truly listened to him. So Jesus is still about the business of revealing his true identity in the text before us.

But this passage differs from what has come before in that Jesus begins to reveal the truth concerning who we are in a more pronounced way. Notice Jesus’ words in verse 26: “I have much to say about you and much to judge…” (John 8:26, ESV) That is, in fact, what Jesus begins to do. He begins to reveal the truth concerning man. He has strong words to say concerning the condition of man. That is true of verses 21-30, and will continue even more strongly on into verses 31-47, which we will consider next week, Lord willing.

And so two things are revealed: One, the truth about Christ, and two, the truth about man.

I hope you recognize this: it is impossible to come to a saving knowledge of Christ without first of all understanding the truth of who he is, and secondly, the truth of who we are. If we fail to understand who Christ is then we will not see him as precious. If we fail to recognize who we are, we will not understand the greatness of our need. But when the two truths are grasped simultaneously we see the glory of God in Christ Jesus, and we run to him recognizing that he is the only answer to our great need.

This passage reveals these two things: the indescribable and unsurpassed glory of God in Christ Jesus, and the greatness of man’s need for him.

Let us first gaze upon the glory of God in Christ Jesus

Notice, first of all, that Jesus was from above. In verse 23 Jesus says,  “I am from above”. He goes on to say, “I am not of this world”. This is not a new concept in John’s Gospel. It has come up time and time again. Jesus Christ differs from us in that he has different origins. You and I are born into this world in the way that men and women are naturally born. We are the product of our earthly parents. We have a human nature, and that is all that can be said of us. But Christ is from above. His origins are heavenly. He came from the Father. He came down to us from above. It is true that Jesus was truly and full man – he had a human nature in the truest sense – but more can be said of him. He also had a divine nature. I do not have the time to explain all of  that now. It has been explained before and it will be explained again, I’m sure. For now simply gaze upon the glory of God in Christ Jesus knowing that he is “from above”, he is “not of this world”. When we think of the man Jesus Christ, and when we speak of him, we cannot simply say that he was born some 2,000 years ago. That he was born is true, but there is more to the man. He was born of a virgin, as you know. He is not only the Son of Man, he is also the Son of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1,14, ESV)

Consider, secondly, that Jesus was the “Son of Man”. Jesus reveals his identity in some interesting ways in this passage, which we will discuss in just a moment. But he is most clear when he says, “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.’” (John 8:28, ESV)

The significance of the title, “Son of Man”, may slip by us unnoticed. Some might think that it is simply a humble way for Jesus to refer to himself, which it certainly was. Jesus rarely, if ever refers to himself as the Son of God. Others are right to call him by this name. But he preferred to call himself the Son of Man. It is indeed a humble title. It certainly emphasizes his humanity. But there is more to it than that. The title, Son of Man, is a Messianic title. It was used to describe the glory of the Messiah in the book of Daniel chapter 7, which was written over 500 years before Jesus was born. Daniel 7:13 says,

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13–14, ESV)

When Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man, it is with this passage and this person in view. He is claiming to be the Messiah. He is claiming to be the Christ. He is claiming to be the one who will come “with the clouds of heaven”, be presented before the “Ancient of Days”, being given a “kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.”

Jesus said to the Jews “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he…” (John 8:28, ESV) It can be hard to know what Jesus means by these words. Clearly the cross is in view. The Jews will indeed lift Jesus up on the cross when they crucify him. The cross, as horrible as was, is often times associated with the glorification of Christ. These things might seem contradictory at first, but the truth is that Christ was glorified through the suffering of the cross. As Christ was lifted up on the cross he was also lifted up to glory. And it was through the suffering of the cross that he would stand before the Father and be given all that Daniel 7 said that he would be given – “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.”

When we think and speak of Jesus Christ we cannot think of a mere man – he was and is so much more. He was from above. He is the Son of Man – the Messiah, the Savior of God’s people.

Understand, thirdly, that Jesus was in fact the Son of God, the Savior. This is something that the Gospel of John makes incredibly clear. I’m not sure how a person can manage to deny that the scriptures teach that Jesus Christ was God come in the flesh after reading the Gospel of John. The Gospel was written, in part, to convince us of this very thing!

The deity of Christ is clearly taught in John’s Gospel as a whole, and it is taught here in a most profound way, though we might miss it if we are not careful. I think this is one of those places where the Gospel of John is more like a pool in which an elephant can swim than a pool in which a child can wade.

Listen carefully to Jesus’ words.

Verse 24: “For unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

Again, listen to verse 28: “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he…”

I hope that you are able to see that this is a strange way to speak. It is a strange way to speak in English, and perhaps even more so in Greek. Literally it is this, “For unless you believe that I am you will die in your sins.” And again, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am…” The Greek words are two in number – “ἐγώ εἰμι” – I am.

Typically when a person claims to be something we are also told what it is the he or she claims to be. In other places Jesus says things like “I am… the bread of life” – “Ἐγώ εἰμι… ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς”. Or, “I am… the good shepherd” – “Ἐγώ εἰμι… ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός”. But here it is simply “I am”, or “Ἐγώ εἰμι”.

I think you can understand why the Jews asked the question in verse 25, “Who are you?”

The Jews were without excuse for two reasons:

One, this is not the only thing that Jesus has said about himself. This is not the only time that he has spoken concerning his identity. And this is why Jesus responded to their question, “who are you” with these words: it is “just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” (John 8:25, ESV) In others words, I’ve been speaking of these things for a long time now. I’ve been about the business of revealing my true identity from the beginning – that is, from the beginning of my ministry. I think these words also have a unique impact on the reader of the Gospel. If you are puzzled by Jesus words – “For unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins” – then you ought to go back to the beginning – that is, to the beginning of the Gospel – to be reminded of all that Jesus has claimed concerning himself.

The Jews were also without excuse for failing to understand Jesus’ words (as are we) because they are a clear and unmistakable allusion to very important passage of scripture in the Old Testament.

The most well known of these passages is Exodus 3:14 where, when Moses is speaking to God in the burning bush, and asks the name of God, so that he can tell the people of Israel who it is that sent him, God gives him this answer – “‘I am who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’’” (Exodus 3:14, ESV) It is impossible to compare the wording of the Greek New Testament with the Hebrew Old Testament, but we may compare the Greek New Testament with the Septuagint, which was the official Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, and the Bible of the early Church. Here is God’s answer to Moses in the Greek: “Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν”, which means I am… the one who is, or, I am… the existent one.

I think we are right to see that the Divine name given to Moses is behind Jesus’ answer here. We are to believe that he is – that he is the Ἐγώ εἰμι.

And this is without a doubt where John chapter 8 will go with things. As things progress in terms of Jesus revealing his true identity we will eventually hear Jesus utter the words, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am [Ἐγώ εἰμι].” So they picked up stones to throw at him…” (John 8:58–59, ESV)

But may I suggest to you, that though Exodus 3:14 is clearly behind the “I am” statements of Jesus here in the passage we are studying this morning, there is more to the story?

My belief is that Exodus 3:14 is indeed in the background, but that it is in the distant background. I think there is another text – or, more precisely, a collection of texts – that fit the context and wording of John 8:24 and 28 more closely.

Notice this: the passage before us is more concerned with proving that Jesus is the Son of Man – that is, the Christ, or Messiah – than proving that Jesus is God come in the flesh. Both things are true, but this passage is centered upon the idea of Messiahship. Furthermore, consider that are other passages in the Old Testament which use the words Ἐγώ εἰμι in a way closer to the way that John uses them here in John 8. In Exodus 3:14 the words Ἐγώ εἰμι do not stand alone – the Divine name is “I am…who I am.” But in other important Old Testament passages, the words Ἐγώ εἰμι do stand alone.

Do you remember me making the point some time ago that John seemed to be particularly fond of the Prophet Isaiah? I mentioned this especially in connection to the way that John talked about John the Baptist and the Baptists ministry using texts from Isaiah. You may not remember it, but I did say it! John frequently quotes from and makes allusions to key texts from the book of Isaiah.

Please turn with me to Isaiah 40 so that I can show you something. You’ll have to explore what I am about to show you more on your own; I’ll only have time to briefly expose you to something amazing in the text. Notice that Isaiah 40 begins a section where the people of God are being comforted by the Prophet. They would be judged, but the good news was that God would save. Isaiah 40:1 says,

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:1–5, ESV)

This sound familiar, doesn’t it? It should remind you of the way that the Baptist described his ministry at the forerunner to the Messiah.

Look at Isaiah 41:4: “Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he [Ἐγώ εἰμι].” (Isaiah 41:4, ESV)

Look at 43:10-12:

“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he [Ἐγώ εἰμι]. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, ‘and I am God.’” (Isaiah 43:10–12, ESV)

Look at 43:13: “Also henceforth I am he [Ἐγώ εἰμι]; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 43:13, ESV)

43:25: “I, I am he [Ἐγώ εἰμι] who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25, ESV)

The point is this: It is true, the Divine name of  Exodus 3:14 is indeed behind the “I am” statement of Jesus here. But there is more to it than that. Jesus, in using this language in this context, is claiming to be the one that Isaiah spoke of. He is God, it is true. But more to the point, he is the Savior. He is the Messiah.

When Jesus says in John 8:24, “For unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins”, he is insisting that we understand him to be the Savior promised from long ago. And we know from the Old Testament that this Savior will at once be God himself, and yet a man. He will be the Son of God, and yet the Son of Man. He will be One with God the Father, and yet somehow distinct. This is Christ Jesus our Lord – God incarnate – God come in the flesh. He is the Messiah – the Christ – the Anointed one of God.

Truly we must confess that Christ is glorious indeed!

Let us now consider the greatness of our need 

Notice, first of all, that we are described by Christ as being from below and of this world. Verse 23: “He said to them, ‘You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”

This is true of natural man – this is true of all who are not in Christ, who have not been born from above. We are from below, and of this world. This does not mean that we are from hell, or something like that. It means that we are of this earth – this fallen earth, characterized by sin and darkness and rebellion against God. I’ve said it time and time again that this is the significance of the word world in John. It describes the fallenness of this place in which we live. We are from below and of this world. This means that we are sinful and rebellious. It means that we are limited due to our creatureliness and sin – we cannot know God truly, in and of ourselves. We walk in darkness and are in need of light. Our need is truly great.

Consider, secondly, that we, if we do not have Christ, will die in our sin. 

This is repeated three times in this short passage. John 8:21: “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 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.” (John 8:24, ESV)

It should be clear that the thing that Christ came to save us from is our sins. Perhaps it would be more precise to say that Christ came to save us from the wrath of God that will poured out upon us because of our sins.  To sin is to miss the mark, or to fall short of God’s standard of righteousness. We sin when we break God’s law. The scriptures are clear that everyone has sinned. Romans 3:23 simply says: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” The penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23) – eternal death –  eternal separation from God. To die in your sins is to die with your sins un-atoned. Tot die in your sins is to die standing in the guilt of your sins. To die in your sins is to die in the filth of your sins to stand before God in that state.

It has been said that it would be better to die a thousand deaths in a ditch than to die in your sins. And yet this is the very thing that happens anytime someone passes from this world apart from Christ. It is not as if the scripture are unclear. Unless we believe that that Christ is he (all that he claims to be) we will die in our sins.

Understand, thirdly, that apart from faith in Christ, we cannot go where Christ has gone. Verse 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.” Much has been said about the fact that Christ came from the Father. It is to the Father that Christ would return. The message is clear, unless we believe in Christ, we cannot see the Father. In John 14:6 Jesus puts it this way: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

To believe in Jesus is believe that he is who he claimed to be.

To believe in Jesus is to trust in him alone for the forgiveness of sins.

To believe in Jesus is to follow him as Lord.

To reject Christ means that we die in our sins. To reject Christ means that we will not be with him where he is now. To reject Christ means that will stand before God guilty of our sins, and will experience his judgment.

If hell and eternal judgment were not real it would a most unloving thing to tell people that they are real. But if they are real – if hell exists and the wrath of God does indeed threaten us – the it would most unloving to remain silent.

The scriptures teach that hell is real and that judgment is real. If we believe the scriptures to be true how could we not speak of these things? How could we not warn of the wrath to come and urge people to repent and believe in Christ? There is nothing worse than for a person to die in their sins.

Conclusion

After gazing upon the glory of God in Christ Jesus, and after briefly considering the greatness of our need, I must finally urge you seek Christ while he may be found.

Look again at verse 21. Jesus says,  “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

What does Jesus mean when he says, “you will seek me and not find me”? I think the meaning is this – if the Jews to whom Jesus was speaking decided to finally reject him as the Christ or Messiah, they would go on searching for the Messiah, but none would be found. Jesus is the only Savior there is! For the just Jews to pass on him would mean that had passed on their only hope for salvation. They would not have another opportunity – they would never come across another, for Jesus is the only one.

It is sobering thought, isn’t it? Those who are presented with Christ actually find themselves at a crossroads. If they are deliberate and decided in their rejection of Jesus they may never have another chance. They my go on seeking him – that is, seeking another savior – but none will be found, for Jesus is the only one.

Reading of God’s Holy Word

“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.” (John 8:12–20, ESV)

Introduction

It is my opinion that the events described in this passage are a continuation of the events described in John chapter 7. Jesus, it seems, is still speaking in the temple on the last day – the great day – of the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). The text does not indicate a change in location or movement from one day to the next. We simply read in verse 12, “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying…” So this story seems to picks up where chapter 7 left off.

Notice that, in both chapters 7 and 8, Jesus is about the business of revealing his true identity to the people who were gathered around him in the temple.

Notice how the two passages mirror one another:

• In 7:37 Jesus cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” He claims to be the source of life giving, eternally satisfying, water.  In 8:12 he makes a different claim. He says, “I am the light of the world.” He revealed himself as living water, and now as the light of life.

• In 7:38 Jesus urged people to believe in him, saying ,“Whoever believes in me…” Likewise in 8:12 he urges people to follow him, saying,  “Whoever follows me…” In both instances he is pressing upon his hears to receive his testimony concerning himself and to believe in him.

• In 7:38 Jesus offered people living water, saying, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” In 8:12 Jesus offers light, saying, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

So 7:37-52 and 8:12-20 have these three things in common: One, they both make assertions concerning Jesus’ true identity. Two, they both urge people to respond by believing in Jesus. And three, they both highlight what Christ is able and willing to give to the one who believes – namely, living water and the light of life.

But notice how in both passages the claims of Jesus spark controversy. In chapter 7 the claims of Jesus give way to the people arguing amongst themselves. 7:40:

“When they heard these words, some of the people said, ‘This really is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?’ So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.” (John 7:40–44, ESV)

The same is true of chapter 8. The claims of Jesus give way to conflict. This time it is not the people divided amongst themselves, but the Pharisees, at odds with Jesus. Jesus’ declarations concerning himself are the spark which lead to the fire of conflict and division.

This morning I would like to first examine the fire of chapter 8 – the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees – before returning to a consideration of the claim of Jesus that sparked it all.

The Debate Between Jesus and the Pharisees

So what did the fiery debate between Jesus and the Pharisees center upon? The Pharisees essentially brushed to the side Jesus’ claims concerning himself and insisted that anything that Jesus said concerning himself was invalid because he testified concerning himself.

Look at verse 13: “So the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.’” (John 8:13, ESV)

In other words, we do not believe your claims – we do not accept your words, because you are bearing witness about yourself. Your testimony is not true; it is invalid.

Clearly, Jesus is on trial. Though he is standing in the midst of the temple and not in a courtroom, he is certainly on trial.

And isn’t it true that Jesus is on trial whenever the gospel is preached, even to this very day? People stand in judgment of him. They must decide if they are going to receive or reject his testimony concerning himself.

The Pharisees decided that his testimony was invalid because he was alone in his witness concerning himself. They insisted that someone else be brought to testify concerning the validity of his claims.

Listen to Jesus’ response. Verse 14: “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.’” (John 8:14, ESV)

His point is a good one. It is wrong to assume that a witness is saying something untrue  simply because he stands alone. It may be that a witness is very good, faithful and true even though he is the only one able to testify concerning something. In some cases, only one witness exists!

This is Jesus’ point, I think. Even though he stood alone in his testimony concerning himself, what he said was true. In fact, in Jesus’ case, no other human could adequately testify concerning him due to the fact that he came from above – from the Father. Who else could possibly give testimony concerning these things? Jesus himself knew where he came from and where he was going. This was something that man couldn’t know, in and of himself. The fact that Jesus came from above – from the Father – and that fact that he would return to the Father, sitting down at the right hand of God until his enemies are made his footstool, is not within the reach of man’s capacity to understand. Man, in and of himself, cannot know these things – he is unable to lay ahold of these truths on his own.  These truths, like many other truths, must be reveled to man from above, if they are to be known.

Have you ever thought about this? Have you ever taken the time to consider how limited we are in our capacity to understand truth, especially truth as it pertains to God? Man, if left to himself, and if only given access to the material stuff of this universe, can only reach so high in his quest for truth. His fleshly understanding can only take him so far.

It is true that Jesus stood alone in his witness concerning himself – concerning his true identity, origin, and mission. But it must be asked: who else could possibly stand with him? Who else would be able to say, yes, I saw him in the begging with God. Or, yes, I was there when the Father sent the Son, and the Son agreed to go and accomplish the work of redemption. Who on earth could possibly stand as a witness to these things? Jesus came from above to reveal the Father to us, and to the Father he would return. He alone was able to testify to these things.

The question facing the Pharisees is the question facing all who consider Jesus today: will we receive the testimony of Jesus concerning himself? Will we receive him as God’s revelation of himself to us.This is at the heart of John’s gospel, isn’t it? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1, ESV) Much can be said about that opening verse. At the heart of it is this principle: Jesus is God’s Word to us. He reveals the Father to us. His testimony is to be received as true.

 

Jesus builds upon this in verses 15-16 saying, “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.” (John 8:15–16, ESV)

When Jesus says, “you judge according to the flesh”, he means this: when you judge, you judge with a limited, flawed and incomplete understanding of things. Your judgements are flawed at best! This was particularly true of the Pharisees to who Jesus was speaking, but it true of all of us to one degree or another.

You’ve experienced this, haven’t you? You know what it is like to have to make a decision about something though your understanding of things is limited and flawed and incomplete. It can be frustrating. Sometimes I wish I were omniscient! Actually, I am glad that I’m not. I doubt I could stand it. But you have experienced the frustration of having to make judgments concerning something while lacking the ability to see all of the facts with clarity. We, because we are not all knowing, are alway dependent upon witnesses – upon the testimony of others.

An image comes to mind of me standing in the hallway with our four children gathered around (I really do have wonderful children, and I’m very, very, proud of them. But they are flawed like the rest of us). I can remember them having a conflict with one another – it was one of those days – and I can remember wanting so badly to get to the bottom of it. They all had a different perspective, though. And I can remember in that moment being profoundly aware of my limitations in regard to making a sound judgments. I was limited due to my lack of understanding. I was hindered because of my creatureliness.

That is Jesus’ point, I think. We are human (of the flesh), and we are limited in our ability to judge rightly. When we judge, we judge according to the flesh.

By the way, I think that is why the story of the woman caught in adultery was placed where it is. I will not rehash all that was said last week concerning that passage, but I will reiterate that the story of the woman caught in adultery illustrates profoundly the inability of the Pharisees to judge with right judgement. In contrast we see that Jesus’ was pure and perfect in his judgment. The Pharisees judged according to appearances – what they could see with their eyes (7:24). Jesus judged with right judgement.

We, as humans, are limited in our ability to judge truly and purely. That is not to say that we are never to judge. For example, judges and juries must judge in the court of law for society to function! It is only to say that judgement is difficult for us given our creaturely limitations. How much more difficult it is when we consider our fallen condition.

You know, we live in a age dominated by the philosophy of relativism, as you know. The popular thing is to say that we humans cannot possibly know what is true. It is viewed as arrogant to claim that you know the truth. The thought occurred to me that relativism makes a lot of sense once you reject the idea that God has revealed himself in human history. Relativism – that is the belief that humans cannot know for certain what the truth is, and are arrogant to claim to know the truth – does indeed harmonize with Jesus’ statement, “you judge according to the flesh.” Relativism is right to notice that human beings, if left to themselves, and if judging according to flesh, are severely limited in their ability to see truth with clarity and with certainly.

But we believe that there is more to the story, don’t we? One of the core tenants of the Cristian faith is that we believe God has revealed himself to us. We believe in a speaking God – in a God who has determined to make himself known to his people. We believe that God has revealed himself. He has revealed himself to all, in a limited way, through the creation (Romans 1). More to the point, we believe that God has revealed himself clearly and particularly in human history, speaking at various times and in various ways. And we believe that God has revealed himself most supremely through the sending of his Son, the eternal Word of God. This is how the author of Hebrews began his sermon, saying, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV)

The significant thing is this – God has spoken! Our ability to judges is limited, it’s true. And I agree that it would be impossible for us to come to any firm convictions concerning truth if left to ourselves, for we are limited by our creatureliness, and we are further limited by our fallenness. But we cannot ignore this fact: God has revealed himself to us. God has spoken to us. He has not left us to stumble around in the darkness.

This is, in fact, where Jesus’ argument goes. After saying in verse 15, “you judge according to the flesh”, he says, “I judge no one.” I will not linger long here. This statement is consistent with what is said elsewhere, that Jesus did not come the first time for the purpose of judging the world, but to save (John 3:16-18). He will indeed judge, but that activity will primarily be reserved for his second coming, though it has in some was begun even now.

He then says, “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.” Here is why Jesus’ judgment is true – here is why Jesus’ testimony concerning himself is to true: he and the Father are perfectly united in their judgement.

It was long believed to be true among the Jews that God was the Judge of all the earth, and that his judgements were most holy and pure. I think of the way that Abraham pleaded with God for Sodom and Gomorra. He said,  “Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25, ESV) He pleaded in this way knowing that God, the Judge of the earth, was perfect in judgments. Here Jesus maintained that his judgments are true because he is perfectly united with God the Father in his judgements.

And why are God’s judgments always true and pure and exact? Two things come to mind:

One, he is omniscient. He know all things. He knows himself completely. And he knows everything that exists outside of himself. He sees all things. Nothing is hidden from his sight. You are I are severely limited in this regard. We can only see what is right before us. We even struggle to know ourselves! God sees all and knows all.

Two, God is perfect in his judgements because he is holy. He knows all and sees all and therefore has all that he needs to make right judgements! But more than that, he is holy and just. He does what is right concerning what he sees and knows – he speaks what is true. You and I are also severely limited in this regard. Even if we knew all things we would not judge rightly given the corruption of our hearts.

Jesus insists that his judgements are true because they are not his judgements alone, but the judgments of the Father who sent him.

Let’s consider verses 17-18 as the argument advances. Jesus says, “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.” (John 8:17–18, ESV)

At first Jesus made the point that his testimony was true even though he stood alone. No other human could possibly testify concerning his true origin, identity, and mission. But here he reveals that there are in fact two witnesses concerning him. This makes his testimony valid in accord with the law of Moses. He himself was one witness, and the Father who sent him was the other.

You may be thinking to yourself the same thing that the Pharisees were thinking. Verse: 19: “They said to him therefore, ‘Where is your Father?’” In other words, that doesn’t count, Jesus.You can’t just say that the Father testifies concerning you. Anyone can claim that! Where is your Father? If he testifies concerning you, then have him come forward as a witness. It’s not that the Pharisees didn’t understand what Jesus was claiming – they knew he was speaking of the heavenly Father. They simply weren’t willing to receive his claim.

“Where is your Father?”, they say.  This language sounds familiar, doesn’t it. Philip, one of Jesus’ own disciples would eventually say to Jesus,

“‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.” (John 14:8–11, ESV)

So, according to John’s Gospel, in what way does the Father testify on behalf of the Son, that he is indeed the eternal Son of God, and that life is found in his name? Through the works of Christ! Though the Pharisees, and Philip for that matter, could not see the Father, or hear his voice, they could listen to Jesus’ words, and they could examine his works and see that, in fact, the Father was testifying concerning Jesus through them. Think of the miracles of Jesus. He turned water to wine; he multiplied bread and fish; he raised up and invalid; he would raise a man who was dead and buried three days in the grave; and he himself would rise from the grave. What were these things for except to serve as signs? These signs were, among other things, the testimony of the Father that this Jesus was indeed something other than a mere man. He was the eternal Son of God – the eternal Word of God – come in the flesh, life being found in his name.

Jesus answered them in verse 19, saying, ‘You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’” (John 8:19, ESV)

This is an incredibly important statement. You cannot know the Father except through knowing the Son. If we are to have a right relationship with God we must go through Jesus Christ. He is the only mediator between God and man. John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6, ESV)

We are told in verse 20: “These words he spoke in the treasury (probably in the court of the women), as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.” (John 8:20, ESV)

This was quite an exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees. The words might seem insignificant at first, but they get to the heart of the difference between true and false religion. True religion builds upon the foundation of God’s revelation to us. False religion builds upon the foundation of man’s opinion, or judgment, of things.

I’d like to look for a moment at the claim of Jesus which sparked all of this as a way of bringing things full circle.

Jesus’ Claim Concerning Himself – I Am the Light of the World

What lead to this fiery debate? Jesus made this simple claim: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, ESV)

This is a simple claim, but it is profound.

This is one of the great “I am” sayings of Jesus found in John’s gospel – “I am the light of the world”, Jesus said.

Notice that he does not simply claim to have some light within himself – he claims to be the light. Furthermore, he does not simply claim to be the light of a particular people – he claims to be the light of the whole world. This is a simple claim, but it is a very big one indeed. It’s no wonder that the Jews were stirred up as they were.

We would do well to remember that Jesus spoke these words in the temple on the last day – the great day – of the Feast of Booths. We should pay attention to the was the historical setting. I made much of the historical setting when teaching through chapter 7 on Jesus’ offer of living water. He uttered those words with the great water pouring ceremony of the Feast of Booths fresh on the peoples minds. His words were linked with the festivities of the day. Jesus was claiming to be the fulfillment of those ceremonies. The same is true of Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world. Every night during the Feast of Booths the Jews would light four huge lamps in court of the women in the temple, the very place where Jesus likely uttered these words. According to D.A. Carson, “‘Men of piety and good works’ danced through the night, holding burning torches in their hands and singing songs and praises. The Levitical orchestras cut loose, and some sources attest that this went on every night of the Feast of Tabernacles, with the light from the temple area shedding its glow all over Jerusalem.” It was with this fresh on the peoples minds that Jesus uttered the words, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The lighting of the lamps in the temple was filled with symbolism.

It reminded the people of the pillar of fire which lead Israel through wilderness placeless under Moses. I hope you are learning to read the New Testament against the backdrop of the Old. Jesus had recently fed 5,000 in the wilderness – this should remind us of the mana from heaven given to the people of Israel. Jesus claimed to be the source of living waters – this should remind us of how God provided the people of Israel with water from the rock in the dessert place. And here Jesus claims to be the light of the world – should we not also remember the way that God led the people of Israel in the wilderness and protected them by a pillar of fire. Christ is the fulfillment of these things.

The lamps in the temple also reminded the people that God is their light.

Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 119:105:  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

The lamps also looked forward to the time when God would drive away all darkness and establish everlasting light.

Isaiah 60:19: “The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.”

Revelation 21:22-23: “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.”

Jesus is claiming to be that light! It was the eternal Word of God who lead Israel in the wilderness. It was the eternal Word of God who has given light to the people of God in every age. And it will be the eternal Word of God who fills the new heavens and earth with light in the consummate state. Jesus is claiming to be that light. It is not that he was ushering in that consummate state in its fullness at his first coming – he will usher it in fully at his second coming – but nevertheless, he claimed to be that light. He is the light of the world.

But what does it mean to say that Jesus is the light of the world. We are obviously using metaphorical language here. Jesus is not really composed of physical light. Light was created. Light is a part of this physical universe. But light symbolizes something.

First of all, light gives life. Plants do not grow apart from light. The light that Jesus gives produces spiritual life. He is the light of life.

Light reveals truth. Some of us were looking at a building last week. The electricity was off and the windows were covered. We walked into the room and could not se it for what it was. The darkness consumed the room. The darkness hit the truth of the room from our eyes. We brought flashlights and lanterns, though. And when turned those on we were able to see how things really were n that place. It is this way for humans living in this world. It is true, the world is filled with physical light. And it is true that we can see things in the daytime. We can observe the natural world. But apart from Christ we cannot see things as they really are. We walk in darkness as it pertains to our spiritual condition. We walk in darkness as it pertains to the heavenly realm. We walk in darkness as it pertains to our relation to God. Christ is the light of the world. He is the one who alumnus these things that we might see them for what they are.

It is interesting, I think, how light has the power to drive out darkness and reveal the truth of things, but nothing except light can reveal light itself? Light bears witness concerning itself. And so it is with Christ. He is the light of the world. No one, apart from God himself, can testify to Christ. He bears witness concerning himself. He is self attesting.

Lastly, light enables us to walk as we ought to walk. Imagine what it would be like to trapped in place of utter darkness and to be have to walk in that place perpetually. That would be a most tortoise thing. And yet that is our spiritual condition apart form Christ. We, in our natural state, walk in darkness. More than that, we are also filled with darkness. When Christ comes to us, we begin to see as we ought to see. We see ourselves for who we are, we see the world for what it is, and we see God as he is. The way of life becomes clear to us when Christ shines upon us. The light of Christ enables us to walk as we ought to walk.

These are truths symbolized by light concerning Christ as the light of the world.

Application and Conclusion 

Let’s apply these truths briefly before we conclude.

One, receive the light of God’s revelation of himself to us in Christ Jesus.

Two, bask in the light of God’s revelation of himself to us in Christ Jesus.

Three, walk in the light of God’s revelation of himself to us in Christ Jesus.

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5–7, ESV)

Reading of Text

[The Earliest Manuscripts Do Not Include 7:53-8:11]

[[“They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’ This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’”]] (John 7:53–8:11, ESV)

Introduction

This passage presents some interesting challenges for a preacher. The story itself raises some interesting questions. Where is the man with whom the woman was involved? How could it be that the woman was caught in the very act of adultery? What were the motives of the scribes and Pharisees in accusing the woman? What exactly did Jesus write in the ground? And how are we to understand Jesus handling of the entire situation? Did he disregard the law of Moses by pardoning a guilty woman? Or was the woman in fact innocent? We will deal with these questions in due time.

The more pressing question is this: is the story original to John’s Gospel?   Read the rest of Sermon: John 7:53-8:11: Judge with Right Judgment »

Reading of God’s Holy Word

“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. When they heard these words, some of the people said, ‘This really is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?’ So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’ The officers answered, ‘No one ever spoke like this man!’ The Pharisees answered them, ‘Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.’ Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, ‘Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?’ They replied, ‘Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.’” (John 7:37–52, ESV)

Introduction

As you can see verses 37 through 52 contain two rather distinct episodes. Verses 37 through 39 tell us of Jesus standing in the temple and proclaiming, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink”, whereas verses 40 through 52 tell us of the division that existed among the people concerning their opinion of Jesus. Some were willing to confess that Jesus was the Prophet, or Christ. Others were on the fence and were willing to give Jesus a hearing. And others were decidedly hostile. They were ready to arrest Jesus in that moment.

I’d like to give the bulk of our attention to the first section – verses 37 through 39. I have two reasons: One, verses 37 through 39 are incredibly rich and deserve our attention. And two, I managed to dip into verses 40 through 52 in last weeks sermon and have already covered what is at the heart of that text.

An Overview of  Verses 40 Through 52 

Let me make a few observations concerning verses 40 through 52 before we set our attention on 37 through 39.

One, notice that at the heart of this passage is the thing we discussed last week – namely, Jesus’ origin. The people are divided concerning their opinion of Jesus. Some say he is good; others bad. Some are ready to confess that he is the Prophet, or the Christ; others want to arrest him. And much of the discussion comes to center upon the question, does Jesus come from the right place in order to qualify as the Messiah? Verse 40: “When they heard these words, some of the people said, ‘This really is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?’” (John 7:40–42, ESV) This we discussed in detail last week. The conclusion was this: Jesus did indeed have the correct earthly origins. More than that – and this is John’s emphasis – he had heavenly origins as well, having come from above, that is, from the Father.

Two, notice in verses 40 through 52 that the division that existed between the people was such that even the officers were unwilling to the lay their hands upon Jesus, though they had been given an official task of arresting him. The officers were temple police. They were drawn from the Levites and were given the task of maintaining order within the temple precincts. Remember that all of this took place during the Feast of Booths, and so their job was a most important one given that great crowds were gathered in this place. But as they approached Jesus to arrest him they could not follow through with it. And what was their reason? The officers said, “No one ever spoke like this man!” (John 7:46, ESV) It wasn’t that Jesus was particularly dynamic. It wasn’t that he was an unusually skilled communicator (though I’m sure he was very skilled). No, it was the way in which he spoke. He spoke as one who had authority. He did not merely teach about the law, or the significance of the Feast of Booths. No, he claimed to be the fulfillment of the law – the fulfillment of the Feast. Great teachers have come and gone, but no one has made the claims that Jesus made. “No one ever spoke like this man!” (John 7:46, ESV)

Three, notice that while most of the Pharisees, and others who possessed religious authority, rejected Jesus’ claims, some were beginning to express sympathies towards him. Nicodemus (who was himself a Pharisee), appears again in the narrative. He is the one who came to Jesus at night with questions. Not a word has been said about him since chapter 3, but here he is again. This time he is standing up for Jesus. It’s not as if he fully identified himself as a follower of Christ. He certainly did not give a full-blown confession of faith at this time. But he did stand up. In verse 51he said to his fellow Pharisees, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” (John 7:51, ESV) And notice the pushback he received! The only thing he did was suggest that they give Jesus a hearing before judging him! And what do they say? “They replied, ‘Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.’” (John 7:52, ESV) It was an insult for them to say, “are you from Galilee to?” It meant, are you one of these poor and ignorant Galileans willing to believe this nonsense?

This interaction between Nicodemus and his fellow Pharisees is important for a few reasons: One, we learn more about Nicodemus. It appears that the Spirit was indeed working upon his heart. He will eventually identify with Jesus publicly as he will take part in providing a proper burial for him. Here we see that the Spirit is at work drawing him to Christ and to the Father. Two, we gain insight into how difficult it would have been for a member of the religious elite to follow Jesus. To identify with Jesus would mean enduring scorn. To follow Jesus would involve suffering great loss. Three, this interaction between Nicodemus and his fellow Pharisees reminds us that while many of Jews rejected Jesus, some believed. Though John uses the term “Jews” to refer primarily to the religious elite who were opposed to Jesus, he inserts little nuggets like this to remind us that not all rejected Jesus. Some believed. Most of the early Christians were Jews. Most came from among the common people – the Galileans, for example – but some who held high positions were also willing to identify with Christ in his humility and suffer, by the grace of God.

An Exposition of Verses 37 Through 39

Let’s turn our attention now to the saying of Jesus which stirred up the great division described in verses 40-52.

Take your eyes back up to verse 37 where we read, “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.’” (John 7:37, ESV)

Remember that Jerusalem is at this time packed with people celebrating the Feast of Booths. This holiday, as I’ve said in previous sermons, was the camping holiday of the Jews. People would flock to Jerusalem, would construct shelters out of branches, and would camp out for seven days. It was a time of great celebration as the people rejoiced concerning the harvest. They would feast and worship, offering up great sacrifices to the Lord. Many expected Jesus to be there. They were eagerly awaiting his arrival. At first he roamed in Jerusalem secretly, but when the time was right he suddenly “went up into the temple and began teaching.” (John 7:14, ESV) We don’t know exactly when he began to teach, and we don’t know much about what he taught, but John is specific here. He tells us that “on the last day of the feast, the great day”, Jesus uttered these words: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37–38, ESV)

This particular saying of Jesus is clearly marked off as being significant. For one, he uttered it on the last day, the great day of the feast. This is probably the seventh day of the feast. It is the day in which everything came to a climax. Jesus waited for this moment to say what he had to say. Two, notice that he stood up. Teachers would typically sit, while students would stand (sounds like a good idea to me). And so by standing Jesus drew attention to the significance of what he was about to say. He usually sat, but to say this, he stood. And three, notice the text also emphasizes that he cried out. He shouted this saying. He had probably been teaching in a natural voice for some time, but here he shouts. And what was Jesus so concerned to emphasize? He shouted ,“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37–38, ESV)

Even if we knew nothing concerning the context in which this saying of Jesus was uttered – even if we knew nothing of the historical setting, nothing of the biblical context – this saying of Jesus could still be appreciated for its great beauty, and for the magnificent offer contained within.  Are you thirsty? Come to me and drink, Jesus says. And not only will you be satisfied by the living water that is found in him, but you yourself will overflow with this living water and will serve as a conduit of blessing to others as well.

I hope it is clear It is clear that Jesus is not offering to quench physical thirst here. He is not offering physical water to be received by the physical mouth. No, Jesus is calling out to those who are spiritually thirsty. He is calling to those who are parched of soul. He is urging them to drink with the mouth of faith. He offers spiritual water – water that flows from him and satisfies eternally. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37–38, ESV)

Even if we knew nothing of the context in which this saying of Jesus was uttered, it could still be appreciated as a most beautiful saying – a most appealing offer. But how much more appealing it is when we begin to consider the historical and biblical context in which these words were uttered.

First, let’s consider the historical setting.

Remember that Jesus uttered these words on the last day – the great day – of the Feast of Booths. Remember that one of the public rituals preformed at the Feast of Booths was the daily pouring of water from the pool of Siloam. D.A. Carson summarizes this ritual nicely, saying:

“On the seven days of the Feast, a golden [pitcher] was filled with water from the pool of Siloam and was carried in a procession led by the High Priest back to the temple. As the procession approached the watergate on the south side of the inner court three blasts from the šôp̄ār—a trumpet connected with joyful occasions—were sounded. While the pilgrims watched, the priests processed around the altar with the [pitcher], the temple choir singing the Hallel (Pss. 113–118; cf. Mishnah Sukkah 4:9). When the choir reached Psalm 118, every male pilgrim shook a lûlāḇ (willow and myrtle twigs tied with palm) in his right hand, while his left raised a piece of citrus fruit (a sign of the ingathered harvest), and all cried ‘Give thanks to the Lord!’ three times. The water was offered to God at the time of the morning sacrifice, along with the daily drink-offering (of wine). The wine and the water were poured into their respective silver bowls, and then poured out before the Lord. Moreover, these ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles were related in Jewish thought both to the Lord’s provision of water in the desert and to the Lord’s pouring out of the Spirit in the last days. Pouring at the Feast of Tabernacles refers symbolically to the messianic age in which a stream from the sacred rock would flow over the whole earth (cf. J. Jeremias, TDNT, 4. 277f.).”

So it was with this ceremony fresh on the people’s mind that Jesus stood and shouted, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink…” (John 7:37, ESV) His message was unmistakably clear. What the pouring of the water during the Feast of Booths symbolized was fulfilled in him. He was the rock who the people of Israel drank from in the wilderness. He was the long awaited Messiah. The last days were coming upon the people as the outpouring of the Spirit was soon to take place. 

This was the historical context surrounding Jesus’ words, and I think it adds to the beauty and significance of them. Now what about the biblical context?

Notice that Jesus states in verse 38 that his offer is in fulfillment to scripture.  Verse 37: “…Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’’” (John 7:37–38, ESV)

The question is, which Old Testament scripture is Jesus referring to when he says, “as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’”? Actually, you could look long and hard in the Old Testament for this phrase, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”, and never find it. The reason is that this is not a direct quotation of any particular Old Testament text, but rather a composite or all encompassing statement which serves to summarize a great theme which runs throughout the Old Testament scriptures, namely, the promise of a coming day when God would pour out waters of blessing and salvation upon his people.

Consider Isaiah 55:1: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isaiah 55:1, ESV)

Listen to Isaiah 58:11: “And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” (Isaiah 58:11, ESV)

Hear also Isaiah 12:1-3: “You will say in that day: ‘I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.’ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12:1–3, ESV)

Listen to the prophet Joel in 3:18: “And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord…” (Joel 3:18, ESV)

And consider Zechariah 13:1: “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” (Zechariah 13:1, ESV)

So you can see that it was common for the prophets of old used the imagery of water to refer to the day when the Christ would appear. He would quench the thirst of his people; he would make his people like a “well watered garden” and “like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail”; he would be a fountain to them, cleansing them from sin and uncleanness. Many more Old Testament scriptures could be sited which contain this theme of waters flowing to the people of God in the last days. If I had the time I would mention more. In particular I wish I had the time to go to the vision of Ezekiel 47:1–12 to demonstrate that Christ is the fulfillment of that prophesy. Also, I would go to Nehemiah 9 to show that, by the time of Nehemiah, the Feast of  Booths (or Tabernacles) had certainly been used to bring to remembrance the Exodus, the Manna that was given from heaven, and the water that, o two occasions, was provided from the rock as the people wandered in the wilderness. But time will not permit. You will have to look at these things yourself.

The point is this: Jesus was referring to these scriptures, and to others like them, with his summery statement, “as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’”.

One question that has puzzled students of the Bible in the past, and continues to be a source of debate today, is this: Out of whom will the rivers of living water flow. Jesus says, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’’” The question is, out of who’s heart will the rivers of living water flow.

Some say that the rivers of living water will flow out of Jesus’ heart (or, more literally, belly). certainly the texts could be read in that way. “His” could be referring to Jesus.

Another opinion is that “his” is referring to the believer. When the believer believes in Christ – drinks of Christ – the believer becomes a fountain of living water – the believer becomes a conduit of blessing to others.

Really, the two views are not all that different. Both see that Jesus is the ultimate source of living water. No one would claim that the believe has the ability to prove living waters to others, in and of himself.

The difference is this: the first view sees the passage as only talking about Christ. Christ invited people to drink of him (to believe) – and it is of Christ that scriptures speak, saying, “out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’’ The second view agrees that we must drink of Christ by faith – he is the source of living water. But it sees the text as saying something more, namely, that the believer, once he or she drinks of Christ, then overflows with this living water, blessing others too.

I’ve come to believe that this second view is the correct one. I will not provide an argument for it here, (again, for the sake of time). If you are interested I would be happy to provide you with commentary excepts from Hermon Ridderbos, Leon Morris, or D.A. Carson, who all prefer this second view.

If this second view is true – that it is the believer out of who’s heart, or belly (what is at the core of man), that living waters flow once we believe in Christ – then this passage is saying something similar to that which Jesus said to the woman at the well in chapter 4: “Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” (John 4:13–14, ESV)

I think this is the meaning: Jesus not only satisfies our spiritual thirst and the longing of our soul as we trust in him, but he works within us in such a way that the living waters are abundant waters – they bubble up and overflow for the benefit of those around us. This is similar to the concept of the believer bearing fruit.

Now the question could be asked, how exactly does Christ quench our spiritual thirst? John clarifies this for us when remarks in verse 39, “Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:39, ESV) The living water that Jesus speaks of here is the Holy Spirit. It is through the sending of the Spirit that Jesus quenches our Spiritual thirst.

This is consistant with the Old Testament witness:

Isaiah 44:3: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” (Isaiah 44:3, ESV)

Ezekiel 39:29: “And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”” (Ezekiel 39:29, ESV)

Joel 2:28: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.” (Joel 2:28–32, ESV)

It is the Holy Spirit who gives life. It is the Holy Spirit who cleanses and renews. It is the Holy Spirit who quenches the human soul with streams of living water.

John remarks, “Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:39, ESV) The Spirit would not be poured out with New Covenant power until after Jesus was glorified. Christ would have to suffer, and die, and on the third day rise. He would have to assessed to the right hand of the Father before the Spirit would come in New Covenant power.

Jesus will emphasize this very thing as his ministry progresses:

John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15–17, ESV)

John 16:7: “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7, ESV)

It would be a mistake to think that the Spirit did not exist prior to Christ sending him. The scriptures are clear that the Spirit has always existed. He is God eternal along with the Father and Son. And it would also be a mistake to assume that the Spirit was not active prior to being sent by the Son. He was clearly active under the Old Covenant. In fact, it can be argued that he functioned under the Old Covenant in much the same way that he functioned in the New. What must be confessed is that it wasn’t until the New Covenant – after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ – that the Spirit was poured out in power. The New Covenant is rightly called the age of the Spirit. The Spirit would be poured out with great power, and upon all of the peoples of the earth at Pentecost.  This is what is meant when John says, “for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

Application

The unbeliever must be urged to drink of Christ initially.

Worldly things will never quench the thirst of the soul.

The Spirit quenches the thirst of the soul.

Washing

Life

Right relationship with God

Union with Christ

The Christian must be urged to drink of Christ continually.

We do not eat only once, nor do we drink only once. These are proper metaphors, in part, because they encourage ongoing, habitual, perpetual activity. We are to believe in Christ, and we are to go on believing. We are to partake of Christ, and we are to go on partaking.

Through prayer

Through the word

Through fellowship with others in the body of Christ

Through the Lord’s Supper

The Christian must be urged to be a conduit of living water to others.

Are you like the Sea of Galilee or the Dead Sea? A pond, or a great river?

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, ESV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23, ESV)