John 8:13-18 Law School 101

The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”

John 8:13-18 NIV

Jesus had just made a claim about his identity — “I am the light of the world, follow me.” It sounded audacious, and it really would be if it weren’t true. But the Pharisees who heard him were processing his identity differently. They were relying upon mental powers and outward appearances, judging who Jesus is and what he said based on external, circumstantial information.

Like today’s telepathic sportscasters covering Super Bowl football stars, let me give you a glimpse into what I could imagine is a pharisee’s internal dialogue:

“Who was this guy? Based on what we know he came from Nazareth, that nothing-town. He has no formal education—our rabbinical leaders have never heard of him. He’s not from an influential family. He appears to be cut from the same cloth as the everyday rabble we lead. Who of influence does he know? His followers are the working class, even worse, those who have sold themselves out to Rome — he does not have the influence or the esteem of the influential. Based on all that we see, the things he says are outlandish.”

Continuing their inward dialogue, “If there is even a remote chance that what he said is true, then our law says that a thing must be established by two or three witnesses. There are none besides himself. What he is claiming is preposterous, originating in his overactive imagination — or worse, in a rebellious spirit which could lead our people down a deceptive and dangerous road to conflict with Rome. There may be a time for us to rise up against our oppressors — when Messiah comes — but now is not the time. Besides, this man is a peace-loving side-show who is nothing and nobody from nowhere. He is no David, no Samson, no Joshua…”

Their way of thinking is no different than ours today. It seems reasonable. Many “believers” today still miss the Christ.

Does their requirement for multiple witnesses valid?

First, the law of the testimony was based on the fact that fallen men having mixed motives putting us in often compromising and less than truthful situations. The law was established to protect us from our fellow fallen man.

Second, what man could possibly bear witness to what Christ was saying? Who knew him, his origin and lineage? Who knew his destiny? Not even his mother! They were demanding something no one was qualified to affirm. But does this automatically make what Jesus said false? In my personal experience, I have seen things that others did not — and just because I was the only witness did not make what I saw false. It simply cannot be established — based on man’s rules — in a court of law. But what if I told you something that was true? You could believe me based on other tangibles: my character, reputation, motive, and my values. There is something today’s believers may depend upon that is even better than another human testimony: God’s indwelling Spirit.

In his reply, Jesus is shifting the context of his claim completely sideways. Out of the box. Could you imagine him saying, “Oh, guess you are right. I guess I’ll be heading back home to Nazareth now…” On the contrary, what he was saying is true, and his defense just didn’t fit into their grid. Or mine.

Jesus contradicted them with “my claim is valid.” It is true based it on several things. And despite his initial reasons — which are more compelling than the witnesses they were asking for — he even affirms that he meets Moses’ qualification too. Looking at Jesus’ response more closely:

I know my origin (where I come from)

Jesus was born of a virgin, by the seed of the Holy Spirit. He didn’t have the same DNA as his fallen ancestor Adam. God started fresh, again planting a spirit and DNA unaffected by sin as he did originally with Adam.  And from very early on the boy Jesus learned about his identity without the glasses of ruined, fallen man coloring what he saw. Like the first Adam he understood who he is, where his place is, and the authority given to man since the beginning. He understood the free, unobstructed access he had to the courts of heaven — the place God sits. He sees the very glory of God and the glory God intended for man — who was made in His image. He sees the places man was intended to walk in heaven, while still in a body on earth. In addition, he sees the epic struggle also going on in the spiritual realm. The forces of good and evil fighting — even God’s permission and allowance that the conflict work itself to conclusion. These are things the first Adam should have experienced and demanded prematurely (demanding to know good and evil before he had the capacity). Now, the second Adam and his redeemed followers may experience these things.  Learning about my origin is mind-blowing and alters the context from which I may speak. There is no need for deceit or lies in this place. I don’t need to claw my way to the top to prove my worth. God breathes worth into my spirit. Falseness is impossible in this place of intense light, where dark lies cannot hide. “If you knew where I come from you would understand the impossibility of lying or giving false testimony.”

I know my destiny (where I am going.)

How does knowing where he is going affirm the truth of what he said? With this statement, Jesus is speaking about motive. Backtrack a little — the Father had already asked him to be a sacrifice for sin — to bear the weight of the cross, suffer a brutal death, and carry the penalty for humanity’s sin in his body. He knew his days were numbered and the brutal events which lay ahead. Even more, he knew once he was raised from the dead, he would not stay on the earth, but rather ascend to heaven where his simple presence there would act as a visible intercession for me and reminder to both God and my adversary that my former destiny has been invalidated.

God said to Jesus, “You are a priest forever. ” Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Hebrews 7:21-28 NIV

Although it’s an odd conversation, accepting death brings freedom. In a similar but more macabre example, Psychologists affirm that when someone who is suicidal finally accepts their death, they are overcome with a calm peace. The baptism that follows believers’ conversion represents our physical death on earth — the counting of our lower and flawed desires and ambitions as dead. Soldiers in the foxhole suffering withering enemy fire are able to cope fearlessly when they stop fixating on remaining alive. And Jesus has accepted his future as well. He is about to die, and he accepts it. The Father has asked him to do this. Continuing with Jesus’ defense —what motive then could he possibly have to lie to the Pharisees? What human, earthly advantage would he be seeking in order to deceive? None. Zero. Zip. He knows his future. He IS the light of the world. Get over it and follow him.

I do not pass judgement on anyone

This is an interesting defense. It’s a follow-up comment on his identity and how the Pharisees arrived at their conclusion that he is lying. They did not base their conclusion on the premise of having two or three witnesses as they claim, but on outward appearances. What they see. Not what they have investigated or proven. Not what they know. But on what they see! He’s not currently on trial and is not obligated to prove anything to anyone. Yet it is in man’s nature that every day, all of us, are making judgements about others relentlessly. We see and make conclusions. Yet there is something about the way I am wired that creates intrinsic biases — judgements I cannot escape unless I am aware that — my opinions are colored and not objective. It’s not good or bad. It just is. The similarity of another, the alignment of their philosophy or thinking, the convenience or expedience for me to act on a choice — these are all things that work against the kingdom. Jesus’ claim was not true or false because it was convenient, in reality, it was very inconvenient to believe it. It is true or false based on other evidence, not the appearances they were observing. The biggest contributing factor to understand his claim wasn’t even the deep research you could have done, but rather, your personal willingness to believe it. Loving God is not always convenient. Coming to the light will cost me dearly. Keeping an open and willing heart to confront my own biases in order to let my spirit speak to me will bring me closer to the kingdom. Closer than rash, quick, judgements that come without thinking. In these Pharisees’ minds, the expectation of what the coming Messiah would look like was well fleshed out in their minds already. Comparing this internal construct, their bias, to what they saw in Jesus, already tilted the Pharisee Judgment Factory against him.

But how does not judging anyone support Christ’s claim? The answer is that knowing someone, truly knowing him, is the key to understanding identity. The disciples were close and observed everything he did, yet even they still needed to be convinced he was who he claimed to be because of their lesser, but still present biases. Suspending judgment and listening to other evidence is the first step to knowing him. Jesus was addressing the way they arrived at their conclusion. The Pharisees couldn’t possibly know him because of their approach.

Jesus then follows up and says, “I pass judgement on no one.” Why would Jesus spend any time talking to them like this if he wasn’t open to the possibility that they could connect, know each other, and understand the truth of the kingdom? Looking back, if I were in his sandals, I’d have made the same judgment of them that they made of me: by all outward appearances they are unwilling and unworthy of the kingdom and will die in unbelief. Then I’d move on and shake off the dust. But Jesus didn’t judge nor count them out. What a contrast! It wasn’t about him puffing himself up, but rather, he opened himself up to the possibilities. Who knows which of the Pharisees confronting him has a heart plowed and open, waiting for the seed of faith to be deposited by Jesus’ words? Just like his appearance he may not have looked “messianic,” they by their appearance did not appear to be “humble, ready students of the kingdom.”

My Father bears witness of me.

 So that makes two. And if so, he passes Moses’ requirement from the law. But the Pharisees had no capacity to validate this, at least in their present state. But if they would look at the evidence and allow it to speak, they would see that it is truly the Father who is bearing witness, affirming, confirming. He is putting his seal on Christ. Based on all that Jesus is doing, and the words he is speaking. You’ve never seen or heard words quite like this before. You see healing, multiplication, death and resurrection. You see the multitudes following, hanging on his words as though they are bread feeding hungry souls. Jesus is saying, “He gives his words to me and I speak them. If you were with me when I was baptized by John, you would have heard what he spoke from heaven, “This is my beloved son.” The wind blows and you don’t know where it comes from or where it goes, the same is true of the sons of God. And me.”

Even me as a son of His kingdom, I wonder how he can use God as a witness, knowing that others can’t hear him or see him.  The affirmation of God seems like such an intangible thing. Yet, what a high bar he sets. If he may be absolutely confident of the Father’s advocacy and witness, I may too. He’s not as hidden as I think he is. He wants to be just as apparent to me, and those who know me, every day too. I know I am filled with His Spirit, but I don’t understand how deaf I really am still. I must allow Him to open my ears to hear, and my eyes to see. When I do, the confirmation the Father gives me will extend well beyond the most important question of the day. Like all good friends or loving parents, He will share much, much more.

There are some pretty deep lessons from these verses. The chief, being the knowledge of where I came from and where I am going. Letting that eclipse the natural way of man, is a differentiator.