NLT Study Bible - Gospel of John - Flipbook - Page 25
John 8:12
Jesus, the Light of the World
spoke to the people once more and
said, “I am the light of the world. If you fol
low me, you won’t have to walk in darkness,
because you will have the light that leads to
life.”
13The Pharisees replied, “You are making
those claims about yourself! Such testimony
is not valid.”
14Jesus 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. 15You judge me by human standards,
but I do not judge anyone. 16And if I did, my
judgment would be correct in every respect
because I am not alone. The Father who
sent me is with me. 17Your own law says
that if two people agree about something,
their witness is accepted as fact. 18I 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.” 20Jesus made these statements
while he was teaching in the section of the
12Jesus
1786
Temple known as the Treasury. But he was
not arrested, because his time had not yet
come.
The Unbelieving People Warned
21Later Jesus 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 go
ing.”
22The people asked, “Is he planning to
commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You
cannot come where I am going’?”
23Jesus cont inued, “You are from below; I
am from above. You belong to this world; I
do not. 24That is why I said that you will die
in your sins; for unless you believe that I A M
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. 26I 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.”
27But they still didn’t understand that he
was talking about his Father.
28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up
the Son of Man on the cross, then you will
understand that I A M he. I do nothing on my
8:12-59 The debate about whether
8:16 The Father: Some manuscripts
read The One.
or not Jesus is the Messiah continues
from 7:52. Jesus was still at the Festival
8:17 if two people agree about someof Shelters in Jerusalem. During the
thing, their witness is accepted as fact:
festival, the conflicts Jesus had endured See Deut 19:15.
in ch 7 continued and intensified.
8:19 Throughout the festival, Jesus’
8:12 During the Festival of Shelters,
audience proved they were in the darksixteen gold bowls in the inner courts
ness as they misunderstood him (see
of the Temple were filled with oil and
“Misunderstanding” at 7:32-36, p. 1785).
lighted. Jesus stood beneath these lights They wanted to meet Jesus’ father, who
in the Temple (8:20) and said that he
is God. Since they did not truly know
was now the source of the light. Jesus’
God, they were unable to understand
light brings salvation not only to Israel
Jesus.
but to the world, regardless of race or
8:20 The Treasury was located in the
locale.
section of the Temple called the Court
8:13 The Pharisees charged that Jesus’
of the Women. Jesus often taught there
claims were not valid because Jewish
so that both men and women could
law (Deut 19:15) requires more than
hear him (Mark 12:41). his time:
one witness (cp. 5:31-32; see 8:17).
Literally his hour. See notes on 2:4;
12:23.
8:14-15 Jesus answered the Pharisees’
charges, saying that he could make
8:21 In the earlier debate at the festival,
such claims about himself because he
Jesus’ origins were at issue (7:27). Here,
knew both his origin (heaven) and his
Jesus mentioned going away to the
destination (heaven). He then pointed
place he came from, meaning heaven.
to the most vital witness for his case,
However, once again, his words were
misunderstood.
his Father who sent him (8:16).
8:12
Isa 9:1-2
John 1:4-5, 9; 3:19;
9:5; 12:35-36, 46
2 Cor 4:6
8:14
John 7:28; 9:29
8:16
John 5:30
8:17-18
Deut 17:6; 19:15
John 5:37
1 Jn 5:7-9
8:19
John 14:7, 9
8:20
Mark 12:41
John 7:30
8:21
John 7:34, 36; 13:33
8:22
John 7:35
8:23
John 3:31; 17:14
8:24
Exod 3:14-15
John 4:26; 8:28, 58;
13:19
8:26
John 3:32-34; 12:49
8:28
John 3:14; 5:19; 8:24;
12:32
8:22 people: Literally Jewish people;
also in 8:31, 48, 52, 57.
8:23 Jesus’ listeners were from below;
they could not comprehend Jesus’
meaning because he was from above
(3:31; see note on 3:3).
8:24 unless you believe that I AM who I
claim to be: Literally unless you believe
that I am. Jesus used God’s divine name
(see 4:26; Exod 3:14), but the listeners
missed the nuance (8:25). die in your
sins: Jesus’ presence in the world, as the
light penetrating the darkness, is the
world’s only chance for salvation.
8:25 Who are you? Later they understood and tried to stone Jesus for
blasphemy (8:59). The one I have
always claimed to be: Or Why do I speak
to you at all? The Greek text can be
interpreted either way.
8:28 When you have lifted up the Son
of Man on the cross, then you will
understand that I AM he: Literally 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. See note
Herod’s Temple (John 8:20). Herod the Great, king of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth (37–4 BC), rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem. The new structure replaced and expanded on the Second Temple that had been built during the time of Haggai, after the
Jews returned from exile in Babylon (see Ezra 1–6). Herod’s massive project began in 20 BC, and the core of the new structure
was finished in a decade, but the work was not fully completed until AD 64. This Temple was destroyed in AD 70, just six years
after its completion. Many events of Jesus’ life and ministry took place within the Temple compound (see also 1:19; 2:14-15,
19-21; 5:14; 7:14, 28-32; 8:2, 59; 10:23; 11:56; Matt 4:5; 21:12-15, 23; 24:1-2; 27:5-6, 51; Mark 11:11, 15-17, 27; 12:35, 41;
13:1-2; 15:38; Luke 1:8, 23; 2:27, 36-37, 46; 4:9; 10:32; 19:45-47; 20:1; 21:1, 5, 37-38; 23:45; 24:53; Acts 2:46; 3:1-8; 4:1; 5:12,
20-26, 42; 21:23-30).
