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Lesson 36: John 8:13-20

John 8:13-20
The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

Related Scriptures
Deuteronomy 19:15
John 5:24-37 (Verse 31 may be the basis for the Pharisees’ accusation in John 8:13)
John 8:12 (What Jesus said that they said was bearing record of Himself)
Romans 3:3-4
Titus 1:2

Background Information
 The words witness in John 5 and record in John 8 mean exactly the same thing as they translate the same Greek word. (Actually they translate the same two Greek words as each passage uses both the noun and verb forms of these words.)

Questions
  1. Compare John 8:12 with John 5:24-37. a) Does Jesus make statements about Himself in both passages? b) Is he bearing any more record of Himself in John 8 when the Pharisees accuse Him of doing so than in John 5 where He says His words wouldn’t be valid if He bore record of Himself? c) Were the Pharisees’ accusations in John 8 fair or only an effort to discredit Jesus?
  2. a) Who besides Jesus testified to Who He is? b) How does the Father’s word change the idea that Jesus was talking about Himself on His own authority?
  3. Does God ever lie?
  4. Can we believe what God the Father said about Jesus Christ?
  5. John 1 showed us that Jesus is God. In light of Who Jesus is: a) Would He lie? b) Can we trust what He has said? c) How should we respond to what He has said?  

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