When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know

John 8:25–29 (NKJV)

²⁵ Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”

And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. ²⁶ I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”

²⁷ They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

²⁸ Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. ²⁹ And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

Message

I. Who Jesus is (25)

See v25.

²⁵ Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”

And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.

Jesus said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24^b). Then, they asked Jesus, “Who are you?” (25^a).

We learned who Jesus was in John 1 ~ 7. If we start from the recent conversations, He is the light of the world (John 8:12). He is the Son of God as He called God His Father (John 8:16, 18, 19). He was sent by the Father (John 8:16, 18). The Father is with Him (John 8:16). He is the exact representation of the Father (John 8:19, 20), the heavenly man (John 8:23) and the only way to the Father (John 8:21-24).

II. Jesus says the truth (26)

See v26.

²⁶ I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” (NKJV)

²⁶ I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” (NLT)

We can learn that whatever Jesus says is the truth that He has heard from the one (the Father) who sent Him (26^b). God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). All heard from God is the truth. Jesus simply declared the truth that is from God. What Jesus says (the truth) is distinguished from human philosophy or anything like that. Is the Holy Bible the revelation of God or human philosophy? The revelation of God! (2 Timothy 3:16) This book is distinguished from other books in this way.

III. You will know when you lift up the Son of Man (27-29)

See v27-29.

²⁷ They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

²⁸ Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. ²⁹ And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

‘When you lift up the Son of Man’ indicates His crucifixion. Jesus says only then they will know that

①       Jesus is He.

②

1. He does nothing of Himself,
2. but as His Father taught Him, He speaks these things.

③

1. He who sent Him is with Him.
2. The Father has not left Him alone.
3. for He always does those things that please Him.

Let’s find out what happened when they crucified Him.

• Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” when they crucified Him (Luke 23:33, 34). This shows Jesus forgave them according to the will of the Father even when they crucified Him. This supports ② and ③-3.
• When Jesus yielded up His spirit
  • The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
  • The earth quaked, and the rocks were split.
  • The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
  • When the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
  • (Matthew 27:50-54) This supports ① and ③.
• Jesus was risen from the dead (Matthew 28:1-10). This was as Jesus foretold (Matthew 16:21). This supports ①, ② and ③.
• His crucifixion and resurrection are the fulfilment of Isaiah 53. This supports ① and ③.