Truth (Son - Jesus Himself) shall set you free
By
Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts
Ministries: Biblical precepts &Gospel music
Scriptures
reading John 8:1-36
Jesus said to those Jews, who believed Him, “If you abide in My
word, you are truly my disciples and you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall set you free… If therefore, the Son sets you free, you shall be free
indeed.” (John 8:31-32, 36)
In the Gospel of John nine cases have been
selected to prove that the Lord Jesus is the life and the life supply to
people. The first six cases in chapter 3-7, form a group of signs signifying
that, on the positive side, the Lord is the life and the life supply to us for
regenerating , satisfying, healing, enlivening, feeding, and thirst quenching. The last three cases, in chapter
8-11, form a group of signs signifying that, on the negative side, the Lord is
life to us to deliver us from the three main negative things: sin, blindness,
and death.
The
case in chapter 8 reveals all the matters related to the problem of sin.
1) The source of sin- the devil.
2)
The
three main items of sin-adultery, and fornication, murder, and lies (vv.3,41, 44).
3)
The
bondage, or slavery, of sin.
4)
The
issue, or result, of sin – death.
5)
The
One who is without sin- the Lord.
6)
The
One who is qualified to condemn sin –the Lord.
7)
The
One who is qualified to forgive sin –the Lord.
8) The One who is able to set people
free from sin- the Lord.
The Lord is the ever- existing God, the great I AM, who became to the Son of Man and was lifted up on the cross to
bear our sins; therefore, He is qualified to forgive our sins. Furthermore, the Lord, being
the eternal God, can come into us to be life and light to deliver us from the
bondage and darkness of sin.
The case in chapter 8 shows also that the religion (represented by
the temple –vv.2,20 ) of law (vv.5.17) cannot set people free from sin and
death; but the Lord Jesus, the I AM, who became the Son of Man and was lifted
up on the cross for the serpent poisoned people, can do what religion and law
cannot do. John
chapter 8 shows us that Christ, the great I AM, not only is versus sin and
death but also is versus religion and law.
John
8:5 their question here, like those in 4:20-25 and 9:2-3, was a matter of yes
or no, which belongs to the tree of knowledge, the result of which is death
(gen.2:17). But the Lord’s answer in v.7 pointed them to Himself, the One who
is the tree of life which results in life (Gen.2:9).
Verse
6 the Lord Jesus’ stooping down was a sign done to humble and calm the proud
and self-righteous scribes ad Pharisees. It might be that He was writing, “Who
among you is without sin?”
Verse
11 the scribes and Pharisees could not condemn the woman, because they were all
sinful. Only the Lord Jesus was without sin, and only He was qualified to
condemn the woman, but He would not. Verse 12 the Light of life (1:4) shines
within man by the inner sense of life to deliver man from sin.
Verse
16 this proves that when the Son was on the earth, the Father was with Him on
the earth. The Father can never be separated from the Son, and the Son can
never be separated from the Father. When the Son was on the earth, He was still
in heaven with the Father (3:13). This proves that when God became flesh
(1:14), it was the Son with the Father, the Father with the Son, in the Spirit
(that is, the entire God-the Father, the Son, and the Spirit) who became flesh
(1Tim.3:16).
Verse 24 I AM (vv.28, 58) is the meaning of the name Jehovah
(Exo.3:14) or Heb. Yahweh and Jehovah is the name of God (Gen.2:7), the One who
is and who was and who is coming, the self-existing and ever-existing One
(Rev.1:4:Exo.3:14-15).
This name is used in speaking of God in His relationship with man. Therefore,
it indicates that the Lord is the ever-existing God who has a relationship with
man. Any man who does not believe that He is this very God will die in his
sins.
Verse
25 the Lord’s speaking reveals what He is, in particular His eternal divinity,
as the I AM spoken of in the foregoing verse. This is the basic element
revealed in the Lord’s word.
Verse
28 the phrase lifts (or lifted) up is used also in 3:14 and 12:31-34. In 3:14 the Lord as the Son of Man was to be lifted up in the form of
the serpent to bear the judgment of God for the serpent –poisoned people. In
12:31-34 the Lord as the Son of Man was to be lifted up for the casting out of
the old serpent, Satan, the ruler of the world. Hence, in this chapter 8 the Lord, as the Son of Man
lifted up, can deliver the serpent –poisoned people from sin, the serpent’s
poison.
Verse 32 in Greek the same as reality in 1:14, 17. The truth is not the so-called truth of doctrine but the reality of the divine things, which is the Lord Himself (ch.14; 1:14, 17). This verse says that “the Truth shall set you free” whereas v.36 says that “the Son sets you free.” This proves that the Son, the Lord Himself, is the truth. Since the Lord is the embodiment of God (Col.2:9), He is the reality of what God is. Hence, reality is the very divine element of God realized by us. When the Lord as the great I AM comes into us as life, He shines within us as light, bringing the divine element as reality into us. The reality, which is the divine element imparted into us and realized by us, sets us free from the bondage of sin by the divine life as the light of man. When the Lord as the Word of God became flesh (1:14), He brought God to us as this reality, that God might be the grace for our enjoyment (1:17).
Scriptures reading John 8:37-59
“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were
Abraham’s children,” Said Jesus, “Then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are
determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.
Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.”
(vv.39-41) “We are not illegitimate children, they protested. “The only Father
we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he
sent me. Why is my language not
clear to you? Because
you are unable to hear what I say, you belong to your father, the devil, and
you want to carry out your father’s desire. He
was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no
truth in him. When he lies, he
speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet
because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me
guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth,
why don’t you believe me? He who
belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do
not belong to God.” (vv.42-47)
Verse 44 because the devil is the father of sinners, sinners are the
children of the devil (1John3:10). The devil is the old serpent (Rev.12:9;20:2)
and sinners also are serpents, the generation of vipers (Matt.23:33;3:7) Hence, they need the Lord
in the form of the serpent to be lifted up for them on the cross (3:14) to save
them not only from sin but also from the source of sin. The devil (Heb.2:14).
The Lord’s word here revealed that in the devil, the father of lies, there is a particular wicked thing that caused him
to become the source of sin. This thing is something of his own, his
private possession, and it is something that other creatures do not have. Father
of lies. Since the devil is the
father of liars, he is the sources of sin.
The divine element of God,
working as life and light within man, sets man free from the slavery of sin. But
the evil element of the devil, working as sin through death, and darkness
within man, enslaves man to sin. The devil’s nature is a lie and brings in
death and darkness. With darkness is falsehood, the opposite of the truth.
The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that
you are a Samaritan and demon possessed?” (v.48) “I am not possessed by a
demon,” said Jesus, “But I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for
myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the
truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” At
this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham
died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he
will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and
so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (vv.52-53)
Jesus replied, “If I glorify
myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the
one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I
would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father
Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
(vv.54-56) “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews
said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” (v.57) “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “Before Abraham was born, I
am!” (v.58) At
this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away
from the temple grounds. (v.59)
Verse 58 the Lord as the great I AM
is the eternal, ever-existing God. Hence, He was before Abraham and is greater
than Abraham. (v.53) In verse 55 the Lord Jesus told the Pharisees that they had
not known God the Father, even in the outward, objective knowledge, but that He
knew the Father in the inward, subjective consciousness.
Bibliography,
Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.)
Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.Ryrie, Charles C. The
Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.
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