John 8:13-20 Jesus Defends His Self-Witness
“The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”
Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.”
Well, the Pharisees are at it again. Never mind that Jesus has been teaching wonderful truths, illuminating the Scriptures and enlightening all those who hear him. Never mind that Jesus has taken over John’s ministry, calling people to repentance even as he teaches about the Kingdom of God. Never mind that the common people are flocking to listen to Jesus because they instinctively KNOW that this man has been sent from God. Never mind that Nicodemus, one of the chief teachers, has personally met with Jesus and has become one of his followers. All the Pharisees can do is to resort to legal arguments, and here they are complaining that Jesus should not be able to bear witness of himself as if he were on trial and required two other independent witnesses to verify his teaching.
“Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”
Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
Jesus confounds his accusers by indicating that he does have two witnesses: his testimony and that of his Heavenly Father. Sadly, Jesus’ statement is quite accurate: these sneering experts know nothing of either Jesus or his Father. Schooled in minutiae developed over the centuries, these men are legalists bent on pouncing on anyone committing an infraction of those laws. But tragically, these men have never really had an experience of God and know nothing about His true nature.
Luke 18:9-14 recounts a story Jesus told illustrating the hardness of heart of his accusers. “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Many of the Pharisees despise the common people because they fail to observe all the picky laws that had grown up around the Mosaic Law; yet, these people are hungry for a real experience of God. While religious authorities continue to sneer, Jesus draws prostitutes and tax collectors into the Kingdom of God.
When William Booth began his career as an independent evangelist in some of the worst slums in London, traditional religious authorities deemed him mad. Booth persisted while urchins would throw stones and fireworks at him to try to halt his preaching, and many times he would return home with his head swathed in bloody bandages. Salvation Army workers would go into the lowest parts of the city, risking their lives to bring those living there to Christ. But while socially prominent people sneered, Booth and his workers persisted. Today the Salvation Army is an international ministry renowned for its relief work.
What can we learn from Jesus’ stance with his critics and from Booth’s example? When God calls you to do something, listen to Him and not to the nay-sayers. You may find yourself in a very lonely place where your only consolation comes from God. But never forget your calling! You are not copying your critics, but the Lord who has called you. Follow His example and not someone else’s.
May God help each of us so that we never forget Who has called us and why He has called us! May God help us to always keep our eyes on Him!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to avoid distractions and to look to You for guidance. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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