 |  |
further witness outside His own claims (19-30), and proceeded to give it (32-47), as we
have seen in the testimony of John the Baptist, of the Father, of His works, of the
Scriptures and of Moses in particular. He goes on to refer to His words recorded in v.37.
A charge could only be sustained if supported by two or three witnesses (Deut. 17: 6;
19: 15), and these had to be true separately. If they disagree, the testimony collapses.
But the Father had abundantly confirmed the witness of the Son, as Christ had already
shown (5: 37).
"Then they asked Him, `Where is your father?'. `You do not know Me or My Father',
Jesus replied. `If you knew Me, you would know My Father also'. He spoke these words
while teaching in the Temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet
no-one seized Him, because His time had not yet come" (8: 19, 20).
Christ had already told His critics that they had never heard the Father's voice nor
seen His form (5: 37). Similarly He tells them now that they are incapable of knowing
the Father or knowing where He is. They probably knew where Christ came from an
earthly standpoint, but they were blind and utterly ignorant of His eternal origin or His
relationship with the Father.
These words were spoken in the treasure-chambers of the Temple joining the Court of
the women.
"Once more Jesus said to them, `I am going away, and you will look for Me, and you
will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come" (8: 21).
The Lord's words were still beyond the grasp of His hearers. He was going away and
they could not follow Him. While He was with them it was the day of opportunity. If
they believe and accept Him, then they would have the right to become the children of
God with eternal life to follow. If they do not, they would die in their sin, without having
the sin removed. Note sin in the singular (21), but plural in verse 24, (that is sin in its
essence and sin in its acts).
Recently when He spoke like this, they thought He might be planning to go to the
lands of the Dispersion. Now they wonder if He means suicide--`will He kill Himself?'.
He was indeed going to meet a violent death but at their hands, not His own. The Lord
makes a sharp distinction between two realms:
"But He continued, `you are from below; I am from above. You are of this world, I
am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe
that I am (the One I claim to be), you will indeed die in your sins'." (8: 23, 24).
Christ came from the heavenly realm, the heaven above. They were limited to the
earthly realm, with no possibility of reaching that upper realm by their own ideas or
efforts. The Lord Himself was the only Way by which they might ascend there, and this
way they refused to take. They would rather remain in the darkness than come to the One
Who was the Light of the world.