The One Who Bears True Witness

Reference

John 8:12-30

MESSAGE NOTES
So That You May Believe and Have Life – The Gospel of John
Part 24 – “The One Who Bears True Witness”
John 8:13–30

As we continue our study in the Gospel of John, Jesus engages in a tense exchange with the Pharisees about His identity, His authority, and the truth. In this passage, we see Jesus reveal more clearly who He is—and what it means to truly believe in Him.

PLACE FOR NOTES:

John 8:13–18 – The Pharisees challenge Jesus’ testimony, claiming that because He testifies about Himself, it cannot be valid.

In response, Jesus explains that His testimony is valid because:

He knows where He came from and where He is going,
He is not alone—the Father who sent Him also testifies on His behalf.

According to Jewish law, two witnesses were required for a testimony to be accepted. Jesus claims both He and the Father testify to the truth of who He is.

PLACE FOR NOTES:

John 8:19–20 – The Pharisees ask, “Where is your Father?”

Jesus responds that they do not know Him or His Father—if they truly knew God, they would recognize who Jesus is.

These words were spoken near the temple treasury, a public place, yet no one arrested Him—because His hour had not yet come.

PLACE FOR NOTES:

John 8:21–24 – Jesus warns that they will seek Him but die in their sin if they do not believe.

He tells them that He is going where they cannot come, referring to His return to the Father after His death and resurrection. The crowd misunderstands again, questioning whether He plans to kill Himself.

Jesus distinguishes between their earthly origin and His heavenly one:

“You are from below; I am from above.”
“If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

This is a strong statement—Jesus makes clear that belief in Him is the only way to life.

PLACE FOR NOTES:

John 8:25–30 – The people ask, “Who are you?”

Jesus responds by pointing back to what He has already been saying all along: He speaks only what the Father tells Him.

He says:

“When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He…”

This is a reference to His crucifixion—and the moment when His identity and mission will be most clearly revealed.

Many who heard Him speak these words believed in Him.

PLACE FOR NOTES:

Summary
This passage challenges us to consider:

Do we truly know Jesus, or are we misunderstanding Him like the Pharisees did?
Are we trusting in His testimony and the witness of the Father, or are we relying on our own judgments?

Jesus bears true witness to the Father—and He invites us to believe in Him and be saved from sin and death.

Taking It Home
We encourage you to take a few minutes today and throughout the week to reflect on this message. These questions are designed for personal reflection or discussion with family, a friend, mentor, spouse, or small group.