John 8:12-30
The Validity of Jesus' Testimony
12When 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."
13The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."
14Jesus 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. 15You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
19Then 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." 20He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.
21Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."
22This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"
23But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."
25"Who are you?" they asked.
"Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. 26"I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."
27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." 30Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
Jesus is the Light of our world...Those who follow Him will never walk in darkness...Believers will have light...
It takes two witnesses in the Bible to prove something...The Pharisee wanted these two witnesses to prove He is who He says He is...He is giving witness to God...He tells them that His other witness is the Father who sent Him...The Pharisees will not believe either witness...The central part of Jesus' life is God, His Father...His teachings and it seems His entire thought process and thoughts are on God...He is focused on God...He tells the Pharisees that His mission is from God, and He will do what is necessary to share and teach what He knows to sinners about the Father...He tells the Pharisees that He came for sinners and not for the righteous (Mark 2:17)...
If we do not know Jesus, we will not know the Father...No one gets to the Father except through Him (John 14:6)...When we believe in Jesus, then we believe in the Father...The better we know the Son, the better we know the Father...
God gives us complete, unfettered free will...If we do not believe in Him, then we will die in our sins; if we do not believe who He claims to be, we indeed will die in our sins...He makes this very clear to the Pharisees, that we will die in our own sins, if we do not believe in Him...We are given free choice for faith or not to have faith...We can believe in Him or not believe in Him...Here, in this statement, Jesus very clearly puts the responsibility of believing in Him is completely on us...
We can blame enemies or friends for some of our actions, but to believe in Him is our decision...When the those crucifying (Him) lifted up the Son of Man, we would know that He is God's Son...The Pharisees would be give a second chance to believe...Jesus overcomes death, and is resurrected...He lives...It is completely our choice to believe that He lives or that He doesn't...