Refuse to See the Light
By Stefan Johnsson
John 8:12-20 (NIV)
Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”
14 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.
15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.
16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.
17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.
18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”
“You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
We previously went through John 5. In there, Jesus uses John as example of human testimony about himself, in verses 33 and 34.
33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.
34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.
Jesus did not require human testimony, as his works and miracles proved who He was. Though, God provided John the Baptist for human testimony and the people refused to accept it. Everybody knew that John the Baptist was a prophet because of the miracle of child birth by his mother and his dad’s mute voice for nine months after not trusting the angel’s message regarding John’s birth (Luke chapter 1). Thus, not even the Pharisees would say anything against John the Baptist being a prophet. He prophesied Jesus as the Messiah and this should have been good enough for all the people. As one prophet confirms the other(See Luke 20:1-8). Yet, they refused to believe, not even in a human testimony. How much less in God’s own testimony through His son?
Jesus knew that the Pharisees were walking in darkness. They refused to see the light or recognize it. They were stuck judging Jesus by human standards. All throughout John, all they could do was try and hold Jesus to the standards of their own rules and laws, not by what was given down by God through Moses. Jesus was the fulfillment of all the prophesies, to keep a covenant given to Abraham. That the world would be saved through Abraham’s offspring.
Jesus came with a purpose and a mission and the people were blinded by this. They could not see the light and thus, they could not walk in the light.
We have to see the world through the eyes of Jesus. It is only because of Him that we can walk in the light. We have the light of life to guide us. Everybody else in this world walk without a real purpose or meaning. They judge each other and us by their human standards. We have the testimony of Jesus and of the Father within us, thanks to the Holy Spirit. Our testimony is true. Our testimony is valid. We are able to know the Father because of Jesus. Let us find joy in this and let us be that light for the world around us. They desperately need to see the light and walk the path that brings eternal life through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the grave.