Who is He, Indeed?
“Who are you?” they asked. “Just as I have been saying right along,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgement of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be, and that I can do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” John 8:25-29
“Who are you?” is strong and challenging in the original. It could rightly be translated “Who do you think you are?” Jesus’ opponents knew the people were saying He was the prophet to come or the Messiah (7:31,40,41) but they were scornful of the thought (7:47,48).
‘“Just as I have been saying right along,” Jesus replied.’ He had publicly declared that He was the Son of Man (5:27), the One sent by God (5:23-30,36-38; 7:16,28,29,33) and the Son of God (5:25,26). Again, His opponents had rejected each of these.
Jesus continued, “I have much to say in judgement of you.” This is in response to the unbelief of those questioning Him. He still had much to say in judgement of His opponents but it would be the Father’s words in accord with the Father’s will. “But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.’ Jesus was sent into the world to declare what He had heard from the Father – to offer salvation and eternal life but not without exposing sin. The Father who sent Him was perfectly reliable and it was His message Jesus proclaimed.
Clearly the questioners didn’t know Jesus spoke of His Father ‘So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be, and that I can do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.”’ Each time Jesus speaks about being ‘lifted up’ in John’s gospel, the reference is to His death on the cross (here and 3:14; 12:32). In each of the other references, those who would do the lifting up are not identified. Here Jesus tells His questioners openly that they will be the ones. They would be responsible for His crucifixion.
When they lifted Him up, Jesus said, “then you will know that I am the one I claim to be” John actually wrote “then you will know that I am.” The NIV has added “the one I claim to be” out of uncertainty if this is another use by Jesus of God’s eternal name (Exodus 3:14; John 8:24). If this is intentionally another “I am” statement, Jesus would be saying to the Jews that when they crucified Him they would realise that He was the Messiah, the One sent from God speaking God’s words, as He claimed.
The verbal exchange finishes with “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Jesus did everything the Father asked of Him and the Father remained with His Son. Jesus’ motivation was to please His Father. The more we love someone, the more we want to please them and Jesus loved His Father whole-heartedly.
As the Father remained with His Son, so Jesus now remains with us (Matthew 28:20). No one can ‘snatch’ us out of Jesus’ hand (John 10:28) or the Father’s hand (10:29). Let this promise put steel in your soul.
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