Anchor My Faith

Jesus, Who Are You?

Scripture: John 8:25-29

We ended the previous lesson with Jesus telling the Jews that “unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” This will spark a response from them.

^{Jn 8:25} “So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.”’

These Jews see Jesus as mere pretender from Galilee, who was poor and without many close friends, and that he was persecuted by those in authority. In great contempt they ask Jesus who he was. What they were thinking as they asked him was, “Who are you that dare threaten us in this manner!” As Jesus listens to them with patience, he then answers with coolness.

Jesus has been clearly telling them who he was and from that they might easily conclude that he was the Messiah, but their minds were made up and they sought for evidence they could use against him. They could find nothing as Jesus was consistent in his presentation, adding a little more about himself and the gospel as he taught day after day.

Jesus continues to speak, saying, ^{Jn 8:26} “I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.”

There were many more things Jesus could say to expose their sin. He knew their character; their pride and their hypocrisy. Jesus withheld any further judgment of their lives and told them that what he was saying was worthy to be believed because he was sent by the Father and he is true. Jesus is not going to condemn them further, or speak of himself, but will continue to speak only those things which his Father has given him to speak. He is worthy to be heard and feared, so listen and believe.

^{Jn 8:27} “[The Jews] did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.”

They were not willing to receive him as a messenger from the Father. They may have been willing to accept that he was speaking of God, but they were not willing to accept that he was from God. In their minds he was born like anyone else and so no different than they. If the virgin birth is rejected, then it follows that Jesus could not be from the Father and could not be the Messiah.

Jesus then brings this segment of discussion to an end by saying, ^{Jn 8:28} “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. ²⁹ And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

“Lifting up the Son of Man” refers to both the death of Jesus and to his resurrection and exaltation to glory in heaven. After these things have occurred, then you will know who I am and that I did nothing on my own authority but spoke as taught by the Father.

The Father did not send Jesus into the world and then left him alone but has been with him. As a result, Jesus always does those things that please his Father thus living without sin. We find expressions of this pleasure in the following verses: “For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (2 Peter 1:17 ESV); “and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22 ESV); “He was still speaking when, behold, 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 ESV).

Conclusion

Jesus was from above, from the Father, and he came at his request and pleased him in what he did. Do you believe this, and do you find pleasure in God in the person of Jesus and thus allow God to be glorified in you?