Tag: The Jews

Obedience to Him

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John 8:48-55 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and has a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and you do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seek and judge. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou say, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom make thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honour me; of whom you say, that he is your God: Yet you have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 

The Jews accused Jesus of being a Samaritan, meaning that He was a heretic, a schismatic, an idolater, a man self-excommunicated with whom no man should fellowship.

Jesus answered them and said that He had no devil; but that He honoured His Father, and they dishonoured Him; that He didn’t seek His own glory, but that of His Father.

The Jews, however, was convinced by this answer that Jesus did have a devil, for all people have died and Jesus said that those who believed in Him will never ‘taste death.’ This is a perversion of Christ’s words. Christ meant the second or eternal death and they took Him to mean physical death which all men must meet who live before the rapture (Heb. 9:27; 1Cor. 15:51-58).

‘If I honour myself, my honour is nothing’ this is not the answer of an insane man or a self-seeker who would always be boastful of himself and his own abilities and wonderful self (2Ch. 25:19; Psa. 49:6; 94:4; 97:7; Rom. 1:30). ‘It is my Father that honours me’ God honoured Jesus by working miracles through Him and by supporting His every claim. He asked the Jews that if the Father were their God, why they didn’t support Him also. He accused them of lying when they said that they know the Father and that He would lie if He said that He did not know Him. Jesus proved that He knew the Father by His obedience to Him. The Jews proved that they didn’t know Him by rejecting Jesus whom the Father has sent.

Lifted Up

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John 8:26-30 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spoke to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spoke these words, many believed on him. 

While continuing the discourse with the Jews, Jesus said that He had many things to say and to judge them of: but that the Father that sent Him is true; and He spoke to them those things which He has heard of the Father. (John 8:14, 16, 18, 26). The Jews didn’t understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

Jesus explained to them that when they have lifted up (crucified, John 3:14; 12:34) the Son of Man, then by His resurrection and ascension shall they know that He is the light of the world, the Son of God.

He did nothing of Himself; but as His Father taught Him; we learn from Christ’s Union with the Father the following: The Son can do nothing of Himself (John 5:17, 19, 30; 8:18, 28); Christ did not seek His own will, but the will of the Father (John 5:30; 6:38); He didn’t seek His own glory (John 8:50, 54); His doctrine was not His, but the Father that sent Him (John 7:16; 8:26, 38); Christ always did those things that please the Father (John 8:29); He came from God, not of Himself (John 8:42; 16:28); He did not speak of Himself, but the Father commanded Him what to speak (John 10:25, 37-38; 14:10-11).

Where I Am

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John 7:32-36 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come. Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that he said, You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come? 

The Pharisees heard that the people murmured about Jesus being the Christ and they and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Him. Jesus responded by giving the nineteenth New Testament prophecy which was fulfilled: that He will be with them only a little longer – He was crucified 7 months later at the next Passover when He becomes the Passover lamb for all men – and then He went back to the Father at the ascension. They shall seek Him, and not find Him was a prophetic reference to the nation seeking a deliverer in vain when the Romans would come and destroy their city in 70 AD.

And where He will be (in Heaven), they cannot come. One must meet certain conditions to go up to where He now is. If one is cut off in his sins he will never be able to go there, but if one is saved from them he will go there at death or after the rapture (2Cor. 5:8; Php. 1:21-24; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 6:9-11).

The Jews thought that Jesus would go someplace else on earth and teach other nations (Gentiles simply means non-Israelites nations).  They did not comprehend that He would die for them and return to Heaven.