Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Sunday, February 23, 2014 Read John 8:12-20 We return to the conversation that was left off at the close of chapter 7. We need to recall the overall setting for the conversation was the Feast of Booths. Earlier Jesus had participated in the water ceremony through which pitchers of water were brought to the altar and poured out as a symbol of the water of life flowing forth. Jesus had claimed that he was the Living Water and that whoever drank from him would have eternal life. In John’s gospel Jesus was once again replacing an OT tradition. But the story moves on. Not only was there a water ceremony connected with the Feast of Booths, there was also a light ceremony. Candles were used in the festival. Now Jesus makes the claim that his is the Light of the World. We have met these “I am” statements before. Here the “I am” has a predicate as in Jesus’ statement, “I am the bread of life.” Whenever we hear Jesus saying “I am …” we can know that John is claiming that Jesus is God, the Son. The Divine Name is used. This is a powerful claim by Jesus. And the Pharisees understand. Misunderstanding has often been a part of John’s technique. To be sure there will be misunderstanding in what follows – the Pharisees will not understand that Jesus truly is the light of the world. But the point here is that the do recognize Jesus’ claim – a claim no human could or ought to make. So they accuse Jesus of bearing testimony on his own behalf. In their opinion Jesus is making a claim he has no right to make. Jesus rejects their charges and then moves the encounter onto the stage of the origin of Jesus. This has been at the center of the conversation in chapter 7. Jesus knows where he has come from and where he is going – he has come from above, from God, and he is returning above to God. The Pharisees, on the other hand, do not know where Jesus has come from, though they think they do, and they do not know where Jesus is going. We have met this confusion earlier in chapter 7. The Pharisees cannot envision Jesus returning to God so earlier they speculate that perhaps Jesus is going to those who live in the dispersion among the Gentiles. They can only guess. Jesus knows his origin and his destiny. Jesus recites the OT dictum that two witnesses are always needed. The two witnesses listed here are Jesus, himself, and his Father. Jesus claim is that God testifies on his behalf. The Pharisees ask just who Jesus’ Father is. They think they know, of course. Joseph is Jesus’ father. They know his family of origin – or so they think. They are mistaken. And Jesus points out their ignorance. Because they do not really know God they do not know Jesus, the one whom God sent. If they really knew God they would know that Jesus comes from God, from above. Much of the discussion in this section of John’s gospel has been regarding the origin of Jesus. As readers we know his origin. We know that Jesus is from above. The Word became flesh. Knowing the origin of Jesus is crucial. Once again John tells us that Jesus is not arrested because “his hour had not yet come.” To be sure the “hour” is coming. The destiny of Jesus is not in the hands of people, however. Jesus controls his own destiny. Jesus is fully in charge. Only Jesus will determine “the hour” of his death, resurrection, and ascension.