John 8:23-32

The truth shall set us free!!

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

To honor the Father is to honor the Son. To honor the Spirit is to honor  Father and Son. The three are one, the Holy Trinity. The mind, the Body and the Spirit of God are one and the same.

John 8:23–32

23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”

And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”

27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” 30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

These words contrasts the divine realm with the human world. Jesus condemns the people for failing to believe in Himself and thus may be a subtle claim to divinity. Jesus has offered them grace—and indeed has not come to condemn them but save them—but they choose not to believe in the salvation He offers.  Again misunderstanding Jesus’ teaching despite His consistent claims. The act of crucifixion will bring awareness of Jesus’ true identity.

Jesus debates His Jewish audience over the value of their ancestry in bringing them into right standing with God. Initially, the audience is depicted as Jews who had believed Jesus; by the end of the passage, they are prepared to stone Him for blasphemy (which suggests that their faith was superficial). These disciples have agreed in principle with Jesus’ teaching, but their perseverance in following His teaching will reveal whether they are genuine disciples. 

Knowing the truth about Jesus is a sign of spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin. Faithlife Bible.

Jesus was not referring to hell, but to this world. I am was God’s designation of Himself. Jesus was claiming to be God. This assertion was not understood by the religious leaders at this time. Later, Jesus’ claim to be the “I AM” prompted the Jewish leaders to seek His life.

Lift up is a reference to the Crucifixion. The Greek phrase translated believed in occurs almost exclusively in John’s Gospel. The phrase describes faith in Jesus’ message which results in eternal life. Abide means to remain, to continue. A believer who continues to obey the Word is a disciple, a learner.

One who abides in the Word of God knows the truth. The word free refers to freedom from the bondage of sin. Obedience to the Lord means fellowship with Him, protection from sin, and experiencing His love. NKJ Bible.

Those that live in unbelief, are for ever undone, if they die in unbelief. The Jews belonged to this present evil world, but Jesus was of a heavenly and Divine nature, so that his doctrine, kingdom, and blessings, would not suit their taste. But the curse of the law is done away to all that submit to the grace of the gospel. Nothing but the doctrine of Christ’s grace will be an argument powerful enough, and none but the Spirit of Christ’s grace will be an agent powerful enough, to turn us from sin to God; and that Spirit is given, and that doctrine is given, to work upon those only who believe in Christ. Some say, Who is this Jesus? They allow him to have been a Prophet, an excellent Teacher, and even more than a creature; but cannot acknowledge him as over all, God blessed for evermore. Will not this suffice? Jesus here answers the question. Is this to honour him as the Father? Does this admit his being the Light of the world, and the Life of men, one with the Father? All shall know by their conversion, or in their condemnation, that he always spake and did what pleased the Father, even when he claimed the highest honours to himself. Matthew Henry Commentary.

John 3:31  He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

John 5:19  Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

John 5:30  I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

John 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.