Anchor My Faith

They Did Not Know Jesus or the Father

Scripture: John 8:16-20

We ended the previous lesson in the middle of a discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees over the truth of his witness. The Pharisees reject his claim to be the light of the world because he is a single witness and at least two are required to establish something to be true.

We pick up the discussion with Jesus saying: ^{Jn 8:16} “Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.”

Later, we will hear Jesus say: “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (John 12:47 ESV). Even if Jesus were to judge, he would not judge by outward appearance but by what was in the heart and thus his judgment would be true.

If Jesus were to judge, he would not be alone because he and his Father are one and they agree. The Pharisees would agree that the Father judges and that his judgments are true. The Father commissioned Jesus to go to the world as his ambassador, to do as instructed. His teaching and the signs he performed are according to plans made before his departure. So, in this sense both he and his Father are a witness and their witness is the same.

Jesus continues his argument by saying: ^{Jn 8:17} “In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. ¹⁸ I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”

Jesus points out that the Law requires the testimony of two people to establish truth. Jesus bears witness about himself and he knows it is true and his Father, who sent him, bears witness about him and it agrees with his and is true. At the baptism of Jesus, the Father spoke from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). On the mount of transfiguration while Jesus was speaking to three of his disciples, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). This is part of that testimony from the Father.

The Pharisees respond and said to him, ^{Jn 8:19} “Where is your Father?”

^{Jn 8:19} “Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” ²⁰ These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.”

Jesus ends the conversation with the accusation that they knew neither he or the Father. If they had listened to his teaching and received him as the Messiah, they would at the same time been acquainted with God. Jesus came to fulfill the Scriptures, taught with authority and demonstrated his power with mighty signs, but because of unbelief and hardness of heart, they chose to not believe him but to reject him.

Conclusion

As the discussion comes to an end, opposition continues to grow, but the Holy Spirit continues to restrain them from arresting him, because his work was not finished and his time on the cross was not yet.