Swindoll Study Bible - Book of John - Flipbook - Page 32
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Jesus, the Light of the World
12 Jesus
spoke to the people once more and said, “I
am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t
have to walk in darkness, because you will have the
light that leads to life.”
13 The Pharisees replied, “You are making those
claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.”
14 Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even
though I make them about myself. For I know where
I came from and where I am going, but you don’t
know this about me. 15 You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. 16 And if I did, my
judgment would be correct in every respect because
I am not alone. The Father* who sent me is with me.
17 Your own law says that if two people agree about
something, their witness is accepted as fact.* 18 I am
one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”
19 “Where is your father?” they asked.
Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am,
you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me,
you would also know my Father.” 20 Jesus made these
statements while he was teaching in the section of
the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time* had not yet come.
The Unbelieving People Warned
21 Later Jesus
Jesus and Abraham
31 Jesus
said to the people who believed in him, “You
are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my
teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free.”
33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said.
“We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you
mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who
sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent
member of the family, but a son is part of the fam
ily forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly
free. 37 Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abra
ham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message.
38 I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”
39 “Our father is Abraham!” they declared.
“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.*
40 Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told
you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham
never did such a thing. 41 No, you are imitating your
real father.”
They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God
himself is our true Father.”
42 Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you
would love me, because I have come to you from God.
I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why can’t
you understand what I am saying? It’s because you
can’t even hear me! 44 For you are the children of your
father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he
does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has
always hated the truth, because there is no truth in
him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when
I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!
46 Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And
since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe
me? 47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to
the words of God. But you don’t listen because you
don’t belong to God.”
48 The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil!
Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a
demon?”
49 “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For
I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. 50 And
though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going
8:16 Some manuscripts read The One. 8:17 See Deut 19:15. 8:20 Greek his hour.
8:22 Greek Jewish people; also in 8:31, 48, 52, 57. 8:24 Greek unless you believe
that I am. See Exod 3:14. 8:25 Or Why do I speak to you at all? 8:28 Greek When
you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am. “Son of Man” is a title
Jesus used for himself. 8:39 Some manuscripts read if you are really the children of
Abraham, follow his example.
WHAT PLEASES HIM John 8:28-29 “I always do
what pleases him.” Only the impeccable, perfect Son
of God could make such a statement. There are some
who can say, “I always want to do what pleases Him,
but I don’t always carry that out.” But Christ could
actually say, “I always do what pleases him.”
There was never a stronger man than the Son of
God. He was God in the flesh. For His thirty-three-plus
years on earth He always used His strength to do the
things that pleased the Father. Never was there a day
when He put His head down to sleep at night knowing
that He had disappointed the Father. That’s our Savior.
LIVING INSIGHTS
said to them again, “I am going away.
You will search for me but will die in your sin. You
cannot come where I am going.”
22 The people* asked, “Is he planning to commit
suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come
where I am going’?”
23 Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from
above. You belong to this world; I do not. 24 That is
why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless
you believe that I Am who I claim to be,* you will die
in your sins.”
25 “Who are you?” they demanded.
Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to
be.* 26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard
from the one who sent me, and he is completely
truthful.” 27 But they still didn’t understand that he
was talking about his Father.
28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son
of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I
Am he.* I do nothing on my own but say only what the
Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with
me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what
pleases him.” 30 Then many who heard him say these
things believed in him.
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