Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
The question was asked in the court of the temple specially connected with the services of the Feast of Tabernacles. There two lofty standards supported great lamp-stands. These were kindled after the evening sacrifice to shed light over Jerusalem. This lighting commemorated the pillar of light that guided Israel in the desert and expressed hope of the Messiah's coming to shed His light upon Israel.
In the morning when the sun had just risen above the Mount of Olives, its light was shining on the marble palaces and on the gold of the temple walls. Jesus then pointed to the sun and declared Himself the light of the world. When He said they could not come where He was going, the Jews took His words in an earthly, literal way. They supposed He meant He would kill Himself, showing their failure to grasp His spiritual meaning.
His saying belongs to His warning that those who persist in sin will die in their sins and cannot go where He goes. Persisting against light and knowledge leaves a person exposed to Satan's control. It places the person in danger of eternal ruin. Obstinacy must therefore be given up and the life fully surrendered to God.
The question was asked in the court of the temple specially connected with the services of the Feast of Tabernacles. There two lofty standards supported great lamp-stands. These were kindled after the evening sacrifice to shed light over Jerusalem. This lighting commemorated the pillar of light that guided Israel in the desert and expressed hope of the Messiah's coming to shed His light upon Israel.
In the morning when the sun had just risen above the Mount of Olives, its light was shining on the marble palaces and on the gold of the temple walls. Jesus then pointed to the sun and declared Himself the light of the world. When He said they could not come where He was going, the Jews took His words in an earthly, literal way. They supposed He meant He would kill Himself, showing their failure to grasp His spiritual meaning.
His saying belongs to His warning that those who persist in sin will die in their sins and cannot go where He goes. Persisting against light and knowledge leaves a person exposed to Satan's control. It places the person in danger of eternal ruin. Obstinacy must therefore be given up and the life fully surrendered to God.