19 "They said therefore unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me, nor my Father; if ye knew me, ye would know my Father also. These words spake he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; and no man took him; because his hour was not yet come.
21 "He said therefore again unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin; whither I go, ye can not come. The Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself, that he saith, Whither I go, ye can not come? And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above; ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? Jesus said unto them, Even that which I have also spoken unto you from the beginning. I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you; howbeit he that sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these speak I unto the world. They perceived not that he spake to them of the Father. Jesus therefore said, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me; he hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that are pleasing to him. As he spake these things, many believed on him."
QUESTIONS.
What query did Jesus' last statement raise in the minds of the Pharisees?
How did Jesus expose their ignorance of God's character?
Where was Jesus speaking? Why was he not arrested?
What further instruction did he then give them?
How did they interpret his teaching?
What contrast did Jesus then draw between the character of the Pharisees and his own character?
Of what statement did he declare this to be the reason?
How did he further explain the reason for that same statement?
What inquiry did this lead the Pharisees to make?
Where did he tell them to look for an answer?
What did he say of his future work among them?
To whom did he refer as the source of all his instruction?
Did the Pharisees perceive the meaning of this statement?
What event did Jesus declare would make it clear to them? In what more specific way did he refer to the source of his teaching?
Whose presence did he say that he had?
What made this experience possible to him?
What result followed from his teaching at this time?
NOTES.
1. THE fact that the Jews did not recognize the character of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:19) showed that they did not know God. Christ was the "outshining" of God's glory (Heb. 1:3), the arm reaching down from heaven (Isa. 53:1), the means devised in infinite wisdom and condescension to reveal God to men (Matt. 12:27), and yet the very people to whom had been intrusted the oracles of God (Rom. 3:2), foretelling all these things, rejected him (John 1:11).
2. THE rejection of Christ by us here involves his rejection of us in the heavenly courts (Luke 9:26), whither he went. Refusing to follow him here (Matt. 16:24), we can not follow him there (Rev. 14:4). It is important to notice that Christ says "can not" rather than "will not." So he said to Nicodemus "can not see" and "can not enter." There is only one way (John 14:6; Heb. 10:19, 20), and one name (Acts 4:12); and when these are refused,13God "can not," in harmony with his divine plan, and in view of man's freedom of choice, bring man into his presence. "The goodness of God leadeth to repentance." But it is equally true that by the mystery that attaches to our creation, man has it in his power to frustrate this intention of God. The Holy Spirit pleads with him, but he resists. He can resist. Were it not so, he would be a mere machine. "Hearts can not be compelled; they can only be drawn. Christ knocks at the door; but we can, if we choose, keep it bolted on the inside, and Christ will not break the door down and force the way in." The choice which we are making daily is fixing our choice for eternity. What choice are we making? The personality of Christ is inseparable from his teaching. He was what he taught. He not only spoke the truth, but he was the truth; he not only revealed the way, but was himself the way. He not only instructed them about eternal life, but he was "that eternal life." The Word was made flesh.
3. HOW CONSTANTLY Christ presents the Father to the people, and himself as merely the mouthpiece and representative of the Father. "The only witness he cared for was that which the Father bore to him. Chapters 5:32; 8:18. The name in which he came was the Father's. Chapter 5:43. He professed that all the attraction wrought by him upon men was due to his Father's agency. Chapter 6:44. He was sent by the Father; he lived by the Father; he could do nothing of himself; the life he had was given, so also was the authority with which he executed judgment. Chapters 5:26, 27; 6:57. He spoke only as the Father taught him. Chapter 8:28. He could dispense with all human help, because the Father never left him alone. Chapter 8:16, 29. To honor him, to please him, to work his works, to live in his love, to perform his commandments, to show good works from him, to glorify his name, to divert the attention of men to him—such was the passion of his life." We are to follow his example (Matt. 16:24; 1 Peter 2:21), but "service like this is a fruit which can only be plucked from trees which have been planted and are tended by the Spirit of God."
4. THREE times in this Gospel Christ speaks of himself as one to "be lifted up." The first was in his private talk with Nicodemus. This is the second time he has spoken of it, but the first public mention.
Suggestions for Further Study.
With "his hour" of verse 20 compare "your hour" of Luke 22:53.
The people who thought that possibly he might kill himself, probably little thought that they would kill him. Acts 3:15. What wrought this change in their attitude toward him?
What is the difference between being "in the world" and being "of the world"? Note carefully Christ's statements, I am "from above," I am "not of this world."
Christ says, "I judge no man" (verse 15), and, "I have many things to . . . judge concerning you" (verse 26, R. V.). Make the difference between these statements clear.
The word rendered "lifted up," in chapters 3:14; 8:28, and 12:32, is rendered "exalted" in every other place in the New Testament, with one exception only. What part did the crucifixion have in the exaltation of Christ? Compare Phil. 2:8, 9; James 4:10, etc. The cross was the ladder to the throne.
In what way is life only in Christ taught in this lesson?
Christ was what he taught, and this gave power to his teaching. What a lesson for all who would be teachers of the word!
