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12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” 19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come. ~ John 8:12-20
During the feast of Tabernacles, two Menorahs were lit in the temple courts. The Menorah was the many-branched candlestick introduced to Israel in Exodus 25. It was one of the pieces which aided Israel's worship of God. It is in reference to the Menorah that the Lord Jesus says in v.12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Mankind was flung into darkness when Adam and Eve ignored God's definition of life. Our text begins with, "When Jesus spoke again to the people." The Lord Jesus continues to give light to these people. In fact, He gives light to anyone who looks to Him for definition. He is the One who knows all about life, who understands it, who explains it and navigates it. He enables us to distinguish between the truth and the false, death and life. He gives us light so that we do not walk with the wrong definitions, enabling us to think and choose wisely.
Darkness keeps us from coming to the light. In v.14-19, the Lord Jesus highlights two things that keep us from opening our hearts to the light: ignorance and pride.
In v.14, the Lord Jesus said to these men, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. That is ignorance. Then in v.19, “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” That is ignorance.
Many in our world have never heard of the Lord Jesus, and many of those who have heard of Him have heard a distorted, twisted, unreal picture of Him that makes Him appear to be what he is not in the Scripture. It is very important that we see the true Jesus. This is our task, to tell this story in such a way that people will actually see who Jesus is. Then, He will draw them to Himself. I find it unbelievable that these Jews listening to Him were ignorant of the Lord Jesus, even as He stood before them.
The Lord Jesus knew who He was and thus displayed confidence, He was able to stand up against the assaults and accusations of others. Those who do not know who they are, who are not sure exactly where they came from and where they are going are uncertain and undependable.
The Pharisees rejected the Lord Jesus on the basis of their lack of evidence about Him. They weren't willing to look at all of the evidence about Him. As a result, their minds were made up, no matter what He did before them. This was pride.
In v.15-18, the Lord Jesus said, "You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” Like many people today these religious leaders never bothered to look at the evidence that was there. This is, yet again, pride.
There were three ways the Father gave witness to the Lord Jesus' authenticity: First, the signs that He did. Second, there was the inner conviction of the heart. When people listened to Jesus they said, "He knows what he is talking about. This One knows life. He speaks as no other man ever spoke." (John 7:46). Third, the fulfillment of the Scriptures in and through His life.
Finally, although these men claimed to know God, they really did not know Him. Their willful ignorance and pride blinded their minds and their hearts. They did not know the Lord Jesus, thus they did not know God. We know God by knowing the Lord Jesus. May it be said of us that we gave our ignorance and pride to Him, and He dealt with both on His cross.
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