John 8:28
Then said Jesus unto them, 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 my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. Then said Jesus unto them, 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 my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
When He is lifted up His hearers will know that He is the Christ, the Son of God, who acts in unity with the Father and under the Father's authority. He does nothing of Himself and on no authority of His own, but speaks and works only as the Father taught, instructed and told Him, so that His words and works are in complete harmony with the Father. The One who sent Him is with Him and has not left Him alone, because He always does what pleases the Father, with the Father dwelling in Him and doing the work. His complete dependence, seeking no independent action and no glory for Himself, reveals the law of life for the universe to receive from God in order to give, making known the Father's loving and unselfish character as the great Giver, and calls His followers to learn from Him in His school and His workers to labor in that same dependence.
Setting and Warning
Jesus spoke these words in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles, when the lamps commemorating the pillar of light that guided Israel in the wilderness formed part of the setting. In that setting He presented Himself as the source of spiritual light for the world, illuminating all, while the temple lamps pointed toward the coming Messiah yet imperfectly represented His mission.
The occasion was the demand of the Pharisees and rulers, “Who art Thou,” bent on forcing Him to declare Himself the Christ so they could reject Him as an impostor because His appearance and work were at variance with their expectations. He made no attempt to prove His Messianic claim but showed His unity with God, declaring that what He had spoken from the beginning was revealed also in His character, for He embodied the truths He taught. He acts on no authority of His own but speaks only as the Father taught Him, and the One who sent Him is with Him and has not left Him alone because He always does what pleases the Father. Minds open to God’s love receive Him on that evidence.
Standing among the Jews, He spoke as a warning from God to the Jewish nation. God had made the Jews the depositaries of sacred truth and stewards of His grace, favored with every temporal and spiritual blessing, but like the rich man they used the Lord’s goods for selfish gratification and refused to cooperate with God. They exalted themselves and gloried that they were children of Abraham, and when God sent His Son to warn them they would not receive Him.
To them He declared that when they had lifted up the Son of man they would know that He is He, and that He does nothing of Himself but speaks as His Father taught Him. That lifting up is the moment when hearers recognize who He is, that He is the Christ and the Son of God, acting in unity with the Father and under the Father’s teaching and authority. His words explain His relation to God and point to His being lifted up as the time His identity would be known, revealing a loving and unselfish character in countering false claims about God.
Unity with the Father
Jesus does nothing of Himself and acts on no authority of His own, but speaks and works only as His Father taught Him, instructed Him, and told Him to do, so that His words and actions are in complete harmony with the Father. When the Son of man is lifted up, hearers will know that He is the Christ and that He acts under that teaching and in that harmony. Though He is the greatest Teacher the world ever knew and the Son of the infinite God, He spoke only as the Father taught Him and did not seek to act independently. He did not act independently of the Father, for the Father taught Him what to say and He spoke accordingly.
The One who sent Him is with Him and has not left Him alone, because He always does those things that please the Father. The Father dwells in Him doing the work, and that abiding presence brings comfort and shows that God's presence can sustain all who trust in Him. His life and ministry in this dependence demonstrate that God's character is loving and unselfish, countering Satan's false claims about God. His complete dependence, without seeking to act independently or for His own glory, reveals the law of life in the universe. That law is that He receives from God in order to give, thereby making known the Father's character as the great Giver.
He spoke only the words He heard and was taught by His Father, and did only the things He saw the Father do. His work was all open, with nothing done in secret.
Belief and Following
These words were spoken with thrilling power that for the time closed the lips of the Pharisees and silenced them. Many who listened with attentive minds united with Jesus and believed Him to be the Son of God. To those believing Jews He promises that continuing in His word makes true disciples, and that knowing the truth makes free. The Father who sent Him is with Him and has not left Him alone because He always does what pleases the Father, and that abiding presence brings comfort and can likewise sustain all who trust Him.
As Christ learned from His Father and was in the school of His Father, doing nothing of Himself but doing what His Father told Him to do and speaking what His Father taught Him, His followers must place themselves in the school of Christ to learn from Him. With God's help they are to put away the unchristlike traits of character they naturally possess and do what He tells them to do, as He did what His Father told Him. In this way they are planted in Christ.
His dependence is the pattern for true workers doing service for God, though He was the greatest Teacher the world ever knew and the Son of the infinite God, with the Father dwelling in Him doing the work. They are called to possess simplicity and eloquence for personal labor and not merely preaching, to search out and help the most hopeless and needy cases, including those who have abused health and lost moral power to control appetite and passion. His work was all open with nothing done in secret, doing only what He saw the Father do and speaking only the words He heard and was taught, and that openness is the pattern for all who advance God's work. They must put away secretiveness and concealment among brethren and instead show confidence and unselfishness toward one another and lay open the best light they have.
He ever followed the clear light He had from His Father, speaking only as His Father taught Him. From childhood and youth, even while under the supervision of men professing to be God's chosen messengers, He steadfastly followed the Lord's instruction and not the counsel of priests and rulers. He refused to be guided by men who sought to make themselves His advisers and to influence Him to follow their plans and suggestions.