A Study of John 8:21-30

 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “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, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 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.” They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “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. 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.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

John 8:21–30 ESV

Observation/Summary (short explanation of what the passage says in your own words):

Speaking to a crowd in the Jerusalem temple that included the Pharisees, Jesus told them He was going away, and that they would seek Him and die in their sin because they could not go where He was going. In hearing this, the Jews wondered if Jesus meant that He would kill Himself. Jesus responded by telling them they were from below, but He was from above, and that they were of this world but He was not. Then Jesus told them again that they would die in their sin unless they believed He was “He.” After this the people asked Jesus who He was and He responded by saying, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.”

Jesus then went on to tell them He had much to judge and much to say about them, that the one who sent Him is true, and that He declared to the world what He heard from Him. At this point, John the gospel writer adds the helpful note, “They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.” So, next Jesus told them that once they had lifted up the Son of Man, they would know who He was and that He did nothing in His own authority, but that He spoke as the Father taught Him, because the Father did not leave Him alone and Jesus always did the things that are pleasing to the Father. As Jesus said these things, many believed in Him.

Textual Analysis and Implication (what is being said and what does this mean?):

As Jesus continued His discourse in the Jerusalem temple, He spoke to the Pharisees and others who refused to believe in Him and said, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” With this statement Jesus spoke of His imminent return to Heaven. Jesus knew where He came from and also that He would return there. However, His accusers who hated Him could not follow Jesus there. Those who follow Jesus on Earth, will also follow Him to and in Heaven, but those who reject Jesus on Earth will get exactly what they want; a Christless eternity.

As John often portrays in his gospel account, Jesus is once again misunderstood. In verse 22, the Jews responded by asking if Jesus meant that He would kill Himself when He said they could not go where He was going. Here, the term “Jews” refers broadly to the skeptical or bewildered crowds. Some among the crowd did and will believe in Him, but even then, it is only with a shallow faith. Here though, the crowds wondered if Jesus meant that He would kill Himself. Those in the crowd who thought this were wrong in thinking Jesus meant He would go away by killing Himself, but they were right in thinking Jesus would die, although He would die in obedient submission to the will of the Father, not by suicide.

Next, Jesus elaborated on His origin compared to theirs by telling them He is from above but they are from below. They are of this world, but Jesus is not. They are from entirely different places. Jesus came from Heaven, but they are from Earth; the fallen, mortal realm. Importantly, the distinction Jesus draws is not between the spiritual realm and the material realm, but rather, the realm that is in willful rebellion against God and the realm of God where He dwells. The reason Jesus’ opponents could not understand Him is because they are from the fallen mortal realm and they are still in willful rebellion against God. Only a supernatural act of God can remove such blindness.

Our situation is the same as the religious leaders Jesus spoke to. Because our fallen, mortal realm is in willful rebellion against God, we are all responsible for our sin. Therefore, Jesus tells the people arguing with Him that they will die in their sin unless they believe in Him. The fact is, we are all born sinners, and will face just punishment for our sin unless we trust in Jesus. God is perfectly just, so He cannot ignore sin, but He is also merciful and loving, so He faced the punishment we deserve. Now, as we live on this earth we exist in a brief period of grace where we have the opportunity to confess our sin and trust in Jesus to be forgiven and receive eternal life. Everyone who refuses to trust in Jesus as their Lord God and Savior will die in their sins and go to a dark and terrible eternity. Jesus does not want this for anybody. That is why He came to Earth to save us, but He will not force anyone to accept His free gift of forgiveness and life. We are all given the dignity of choice.

After hearing this, the religious leaders asked Jesus who He was, to which Jesus replied, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” This question was not asked with sincerity. This question was asked with contempt in response to Jesus’ teaching. Jesus did not sink down to their level though but rather, He told them that nothing has changed. He is who He has been saying He is from the beginning of His ministry; the Messianic Son of Man, God incarnate.

In verse 26 Jesus continued by telling them He had much to say. Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father to tell the world about Himself, and part of what He had to say was that the world was evil and under condemnation (John 7:7). He also came to speak of the path to salvation by faith in Him, but the religious leaders were unwilling to listen to the news of their condemnation so they were unable to receive the news of the salvation available to them. If we are unwilling to hear an honest explanation of the problem, then we will never be willing to hear of a solution.

Next, in verse 27 John tells us that the Jews did not understand Jesus was talking about God the Father in the previous verse. Even though Jesus explicitly said His words and actions were perfectly aligned with the will of God the Father before, He was still misunderstood here. It is likely John included this detail to show the lack of spiritual discernment among the Jews who disputed with Jesus.

Given their lack of understanding, Jesus continued and said, “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.” By using the phrase “lifted up,” Jesus was referring to His upcoming crucifixion when He would be lifted up above the ground on a cross. While the opponents of Jesus would think of His crucifixion as the moment of their triumph over Him, it would actually be the time when Jesus was vindicated and shown to be the Son of God who perfectly obeyed the will of the Father, even to the point of death on a cross. The cross was not merely a stepping stone to the glorification of Jesus. The cross is the climatic glorification of Jesus and the revelation of His Divine identity as He triumphed over sin and death itself.

Following on from that, Jesus also said, “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.” To close this part of the discourse, Jesus told His opponents that everything He does is pleasing to God the Father. His enemies could look for reasons to bring a charge against Him, but they would not  be able to find any legitimate reasons to do so.

Finally for this passage, as Jesus said these things, many believed in Him. Many people heard what Jesus and the opposing religious leaders said, but they were convinced by the words and actions of Jesus. These people heard Jesus speak of His unity with the Father, saw how He lived and spoke, and they believed in Him.

Response (How does this change how I think, act and pray?):

This passage should cause us to consider the heavenly origin of Jesus and why He came to us. Because of His selfless love for us, Jesus came to save us from the condemnation we are under for sin by facing the death we deserve in our place. In doing so, Jesus acted perfectly according to the will of God the Father. Everyone who believes in Jesus will be saved, but everyone who rejects Him will face just punishment for their sin. The crucifixion of Jesus is the reason why He came to us and in His selfless death and resurrection we see His glory on display.

Self Reflection:

1. Once I put my faith in Jesus I was born again as a child of God and a citizen of Heaven. How can I live like a citizen of Heaven in a fallen world?

2. How does the fact that all who reject Jesus will face a Christless eternity motivate me to make the gospel known?

3. In what areas of my life am I not doing the things that are pleasing to God the Father?

Definitions of the original language in the context of this passage (Source: Logos Exegetical Guide and Blue Letter Bible Interlinear):

-Sin: “ἁμαρτίᾳ”, “hamartia”; noun, dative, singular, feminine | prepositional object – the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many.

-Below: “κάτω”, “katō”; adverb, place | adverb of location – below, beneath, i.e. the earth (as opposed to heaven).

-Above: “ἄνω”, “anō”; adverb, place | adverb of location – above, in a higher place, i.e. heaven.

-World: “κόσμου”, “kosmou”; noun, genitive, singular, masculine | prepositional object – the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ.

-Jesus: “Ἰησοῦς”, “Iēsous”; noun, nominative, singular, masculine | proper name – Jesus = “Jehovah is salvation”; the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, God incarnate.

-Father: “πατήρ”, “patēr”; noun, nominative, singular, masculine | subject of the dependent clause – God is called the Father; the Father of Jesus Christ, as one whom God has united to himself in the closest bond of love and intimacy, made acquainted with his purposes, appointed to explain and carry out among men the plan of salvation, and made to share also in his own divine nature.

-You Have Lifted Up: “ὑψώσητε”, “hypsōsēte”; verb, aorist, active, subjunctive, second person, plural | finite verb – to lift up on high, to exalt.
-Believed: “ἐπίστευσαν”, “episteusan”; verb, aorist, active, indicative, third person, plural | finite verb – to have a faith directed unto, believing or in faith to give oneself up to.