John 8:12-59
Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony
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.
Dispute Over Who Jesus Is
21 Once 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.”
22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”
23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”
25 “Who are you?” they asked.
“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”
27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”
39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”
“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
Jesus’ Claims About Himself
48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
Jesus remains a controversial figure both in His time and today despite being The Central Figure of Christianity....Jesus' claims suggesting He has a unique relationship with God, which hints at His Divinity, which some reject and just do not believe is very controversial...When He adds statements like: "I AM the Way, and the Truth, and the Life...No one comes to the Father except through Me."...And when He said: "I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I AM He you will die in your sins."...These statements are statements of Divinity, Exclusiveness, and Controversy...
Many Jews of His time had been awaiting a Divine Messiah, but their expectations may not have aligned with Jesus' teachings, methods, message or demeanor...
Jesus claims to be Divine...Jesus' claims about His Own Divinity, being the Son of God and One with the Father, have been seen as arrogant and offensive by some, particularly those who don't subscribe to Christian beliefs...
Jesus has an Exclusiveness on Salvation...He is are Only Savior...By no other name is Salvation found...The Christian belief that Jesus is the Only Way to God can be perceived as intolerant by those of other faiths or non-believers...
Jesus created controversy on His ethical Teachings...Some of Jesus' teachings, like turning the other cheek or loving and forgiving one's enemies, can be seen as impractical or unrealistic in the face of conflict...And definitely very difficult to put into practice in real life...
Jesus challenged the authorities of His time...Jesus' critiques of religious institutions and social norms of His time were challenging and disruptive, making Him unpopular with some, if not many, authority figures...So He knew He was a Controversial Figure...Jesus claims to be from "above" and is going somewhere His opponents cannot go (John 12:21-22) was frustrating for the Pharisees...This cryptic language further puzzles and frustrates them...Jesus use of the metaphor on slavery to sin to challenge their understanding of freedom based on their lineage upsets them (John 12:33-34)...These statements imply a deeper spiritual bondage that can only be broken by following Him...So the Pharisees, who are unable to grasp Jesus' teachings or accept His claims, resort to accusing Him of being influenced by a demon (John 12:48)...
Misunderstandings or misinterpretations of Jesus' teachings have also contributed to some of His controversy...These include concepts like eternal damnation or fire and brimstone...
Yet through all these things, Jesus' message of love, forgiveness, and hope continues to resonate with very many people around the world...
In seeing Jesus as a Historical Figure and trying to read today's cultures and ways into His time and His Teachings is very difficult to do...Understanding the historical context of Jesus' life and teachings can help us appreciate the challenges He faced in His Ministry...The core message of Jesus' teachings remains relevant today in addressing issues of social justice, love, forgiveness, and compassion...
If there can be a better interfaith dialogue around Jesus it would help better understand Him and His Teachings and His Ministry...Continued dialogue and understanding between Christianity and other faiths can help bridge divides and help with the unity of the world and maybe help us better understand Jesus, even more than we do...