John 8:12 comes on the heels of 7:52. The setting is same as it was for the previous chapter. Therefore, Jesus is still speaking to the Pharisees during the last day of the feast of tabernacles. He is still confronting the same people as He was in the previous chapter.
A lot of the themes that will be seen in this section should feel familiar to us. Back in John 5:18-47 there repetitions of the words judge, judgment, and witness. The Jews were seeking to kill Jesus. The scene played out very much like a court room. The Pharisees and Sadducees were trying to determine if they should have Jesus executed for committing claims of blasphemy. This chapter will play out in much the same way.
Let us not forget either why this gospel was written, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). This discourse is recorded to help reinforce this idea.
12. Jesus’ claim of equivalency to light is a claim to deity. This is another one of the famous “I am” statements in the Gospel of John. The first was seen in John 4:26 (in the Greek) and the second one was seen in John 6:35 (“I am the bread of life”). There multiple times in this sermon and the of the chapter that we will see the “I am” reference again, though, sometimes only in the Greek. This claim of being the light should also be familiar to the reader because it was also mentioned in the prologue (John 1:9). Light is typically used to metaphorically illustrate God’s holiness and righteousness (cf. John 3:19-21).
Jesus could also be using one of the daily ritual practices used during the feast of tabernacles. He did this before in 7:37 when the priest would have been pouring out the water into the basin.
A major feature of the Feast of Tabernacles was the lighting of giant lamps in the women’s court in the temple. The wicks were made from the priests’ worn-out garments. The light illuminated the temple area and the people gather to sing praises and dance. The light reminded the Jewish people of how God was with them in their wanderings in the wilderness in a pillar of cloud which turned to fire at night (Num. 9:15-23). 1Thus when the people were in the one of the most crowded courts of the temple and the lamp stand was there, Jesus used the lamps to illustrate who He is.
Jesus makes the promise that all that follow Him will not walk/live in darkness. They will no longer stumble. They will be able to see the correct place to set their feet. This is a metaphor to explain that those who believe in Jesus will understand the ways of righteousness and will make the effort to avoid sin. No one like to be in the darkness. You can not see where you are going in the dark. You’re afraid that you will stumble, fall into a pit or be attacked by a robber. Jesus equates unbelief to walking in darkness. You will eventually hurt yourself because you cannot see even though you don’t want to get hurt. No one enjoys stubbing their toe. Sin is no different. We may think that we are ok but really we only stubbing our toe or falling into a pit.
13. This is where we start to see a court room scene again. The Pharisees decide to challenge Jesus’ claim that He is the light of the world. Jesus stands alone in His claim, at least that is what the Pharisees think. In a court of law if only one individual claims that something happened but everyone else denies the event and the evidence correlates with the majority, then everyone accuse the lone person’s testimony to be false. This would make the lone witness a liar.
14. Jesus clarifies His claim. Just because He is the only one that is making these claims does not make His testimony false. There is no valid witness that contradicts what Jesus is saying. Not only this, Jesus makes it very clear that His testimony is true – that what He is saying is the truth. There is an emphasis going on in the Greek between that of Jesus’ “myself” and “ye.” Jesus is trying to point out that do not know Him. They can not point out that what Jesus is saying is false because they have no grounds to do so. Just like so many teens say when they are deflecting criticism, “You don’t know me.”
15-16. These two verses seem a little confusing. Jesus was pointing out that these men were only judging Him according to what they see, not according to what Jesus is saying.
The second half of this verse seems to contradict what Jesus said back in John 5:22 and 30. Jesus is talking about the reason as to why He is was on the earth during the first advent. When Jesus does judge, it will be at the last day. Jesus even points out that the judgement will be according to the ways of God, as opposed to the ways of man. God’s judgement is far more superior because of His omniscience and His holiness. This means that all deeds, whether hidden or open, will be brought into judgement. This is something that should scare everyone.
17-18. Jesus points to the law to remind the Pharisees that there needs to be two witnesses before any can come to a verdict to decide a matter (Deut. 17:6; 19:15). One witness could be stating a case that a person is guilty and should receive the death penalty. However, if one witness was good enough to convict, then there would be numerous false witnesses that accuse someone of a false crime in order to be rid of their enemy. Two or three witnesses were necessary in order to find out the truth of a matter.
I feel that it might be possible that Jesus was also pointing out a Rabbinic law. I say this because Jesus says, “your law,” instead of “the law.” 2 Perhaps He was talking about their oral tradition of interpretation concerning the law. This would be interesting if this is the case because Jesus is appealing to Rabbinic tradition rather than the law. Perhaps this could be seen as a parallel to the same kind of appeal that He made concerning circumcision on the sabbath (John 7:22-23).
Jesus points to two witnesses – Himself and His Father. Again, like He has done so many times before, Jesus states that the Father sent Him. We see an “I am,” in the Greek. It is the same construction that we have seen in the previous “I am” statements. The Greek literally reads, “I am the witnesses for/concerning Myself.” 3
19. Because Jesus appealed to His Father, the Pharisees think that they should be able to hear the testimony that His Father would give. The Pharisees were probably thinking that Jesus would start to talk about a normal person. Instead they received a very unexpected statement from Jesus. Jesus tells them that do not know Him or His Father. Which is why these Pharisees were really not able to speak as a judge in the matter. This of course would have upset the Pharisees a lot if they understood Jesus correctly. Jesus points out that they would have known the Father if they had known Him. This is true because of the unity within the Godhead. If they had believed Jesus’ message they would have known the Father that sent Him.
20. The author gives a location as to where this whole discussion was taking place, “in the treasury.”
It is most unlikely that Jesus taught in the actual treasure chamber, so the expression will mean that part of the Temple precincts into which people came to cast their offerings into the chests (cf. Mark 12:41, 43; Luke 21:1). This was part of the of the court of women. There were thirteen trumpets-shaped collection boxes there, each with its inscription showing the use to which its contents would be put (the inscriptions are quoted in the Mishnah, Shek. 6:5). 4This allows us very easily to imagine Jesus standing in the temple court and pointing to the candle lights and saying, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Both the light stands and the treasury boxes would be located in the court of women.
As mentioned before, no one was able to seize Jesus because His time was not yet come (cf. John 7:8, 30, 32, 44). Remember, they were looking to take hold of Jesus because they were looking to kill Him (John 7:1, 25).
21. From this point forward, you will see Jesus try to emphasize the difference between Himself and the Pharisees. He very much trying to point out just how deep the divide is between them. Jesus will talk about the contrasts between Himself and the Pharisees.
This verse is very reminiscent of John 7:33-36. This time, though, He points out that they will die in their sins. They will want a messiah at the worst of times to deliver them from Roman rule but they will instead die in their sins because they missed the Messiah that saved them from their sins.
22. This time, the Pharisees understood that Jesus was talking about death. But they were thinking that He would kill Himself; which is something to be looked down upon with extreme hostility. 5 The assumed answer to the question was “no.”
23. The difference between Jesus and the Pharisees could not have been made any more clear. Their origins are from completely different locations. The pharisees are from the earth and are temporal. Jesus is not from the world but from heaven and is eternal. Jesus could be using the word “world” in two senses. He could mean a physical world or earth, or He could mean from the human race. The point is simple. Jesus is not like the Pharisees.
24. Jesus explains why He said previously, “Ye shall seek me, and die in your sins.” The reason why this would happen is because they do not believe that, “I am.” This is the same construction in the Greek that we saw previously in verses 12 and 18, “ἐγώ εἰμι” (“he” is not there in the Greek). However, this claim is a little different. Hart explains this further.
The phrase ἐγώ εἰμι is probably not a reference to Exodus 3:14 because the LXX translates the phrase “I am has sent me” with the Greek ὁ ὤν rather than using ἐγώ εἰμι. More likely it is taken from the LXX’s consistent usage of ἐγώ εἰμι as the translation of ani hu (“I am He”), a phrase used for God’s self disclosure in Isaiah (cf. Isa. 41:4; 43:10, 13, 25; 46:4; 48:12). For example in Isaiah 43:10, the Lord says, “So that you may known and believe Me, and understand that I am He (ani hu).” Jesus applied the words of the God’s self identification in the Old Testament to Himself. 6Jesus is clearly identifying Himself as God and that failing to believe in Him as such will result in one dying in his sins.
25. Unfortunately, the Pharisees do not understand the claims that Jesus is making concerning His identity. They still only think Him to be a normal person.
The verse is rather difficult to translate. Overall, Jesus is saying that He has been telling them the same message all along. It’s not clear whether He is referring to the beginning of this conversation or from the beginning of His ministry. The latter is more likely considering this was discussed in John 5:24.
26-27. Jesus continues with His message. There could have been a lot more that He could have said and judged about the Pharisees. However, Jesus at this time was more concerned with with the will of the Father. He had a specific message that He needed to give to the world and that message came from the Father.
The ironic thing about this is that the Pharisees think that they are acting as a judge but they do not realize that they are standing before the Ultimate Judge. Jesus will judge these men at the last day.
28-29. Jesus did not come down on His first advent so that He could become popular. Yes, He did accept worship as God from those who believed on Him but overall, Jesus’ goal was to have the Father be glorified. Every action and word of Jesus was to glorify God. All of it was ordained by God. Even the most agonizing hours that Jesus would experience was ordained by God.
“Lifted up,” is a reference to His crucifixion (cf. John 3:14). It will be when He is “lifted up” that He will glorify God the most. This will be something something that will please God the Father, not because He takes joy in seeing His Son suffer, but because it allow to redeem His elect. By the Son’s sacrifice, God will be glorified. It will display His righteousness (Rom. 3:25-26).
30. This is the choice for every person. You must believe so that you will not die.
Endnotes
2. Blum, “John,” 304.
3. ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ μαρτυρῶν περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ; cf. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς (John 6:35).
4. Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1971), 444.
5. Morris, The Gospel According to John, 446n34. “Thus Josephus says, ‘But as for those who have laid mad hands upon themselves, the darker regions of the nether world receive their souls’ (Bell. iii, 375).”
6. John F. Hart, “John,” in The Moody Bible Commentary: A One-Volume Commentary on the Whole Bible by the Faculty of Moody Bible Institute, ed. Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2014), 1632.
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