Jesus argued that His claim to God as His Father was valid because knowing Jesus is knowing the Father. Jesus had just said, “I am the Light of the World.” The Pharisees heard this statement as a claim of Jesus’ divinity. According to Jewish law, it took two witnesses to prove a statement was true.
The Pharisees demanded to know where Jesus’ Father was because they wanted to question Him for themselves. They were using human standards to judge who Jesus is. They failed to understand that Jesus was speaking of the God whom they claimed to follow. They didn’t recognize who Jesus is because they didn’t know God. All they had was religion.
Jesus Explained His Relationship With the Father
John 8: 14 Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. 15 You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. 16 And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. 17 Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. 18 I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”
19 “Where is your father?” they asked.
Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”[1]
When Jesus spoke, He was speaking the very Words of God. In a sense, Jesus’ very presence forced a judgment. People had to decide for themselves whether to follow Him. Unfortunately, many rejected Jesus because they were blind to the Father.
Knowing God Through Jesus
Some would say that Jesus never answered the Pharisees’ question about where His Father was. I think Jesus didn’t want to waste His breath defending Himself, because He knew they wouldn’t listen. The Light of the World was standing in front of these Jewish leaders, and they couldn’t see it. The only people who can’t see light are blind people.
These leaders were unwilling to look beyond their traditions to acknowledge Jesus because their traditions kept them from seeking the Father. Scripture does not record that they ever sought God’s discernment about who Jesus is.
We need to learn a lesson from this. Many people have found that as they study the Words of Jesus, they realize who the Father is. When you read about Jesus, meditate on what the text shows about the character of Jesus. As you see what Jesus did as He walked the earth, we begin to understand the Father’s character and desire for each of us. Truly, knowing Jesus is knowing the Father. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/jesus-said-i-am-the-light-of-the-world
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jn 8:14–19). Tyndale House Publishers.