0800610 Jesus is the Light of the World and temple debate about Father Abraham – John 8:12-59, October A.D. 28 Jerusalem
Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. And he who follows me will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” And the Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you do not know where I came from, or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh. I judge no man. Yes, and even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. Yes, and it is also written in your law that the testimony of two people is true. I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
And they said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?” And Jesus answered, “You know neither me, nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” And he spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no man arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. And he said therefore again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you cannot come.” And the Jews therefore said, “Will he kill himself, that he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come?’” And he said to them, “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.” And they said therefore to him, “Who are you?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you. However, he who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these I say to the world.” And they did not understand that he spoke to them about the Father. And Jesus therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but just as my Father taught me, I say these things. And he who sent me is with me; and he has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
And as he spoke these things, many believed in him. And Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. And you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” And they answered him, “We are Abraham’s seed, and have never been in bondage to any man. How do you say, ‘You will be made free?’” And Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. A bondservant does not live in the house forever. A son remains forever. If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s seed, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have heard from your father.” And they answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
And Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the works of your father.” And they said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I have not come of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? Because you cannot hear my word. You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. And when he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. But because I say the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? And he who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Then the Jews answered and said to him, “Do we not well say that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?” And Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. But I do not seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges. Most certainly, I say to you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.” Then the Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets died; and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.’ Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? And the prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?” And Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. And you have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I do not know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it and was glad.” And the Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?” And Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.” Therefore, they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.
