And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free

 

 Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin.  Where I go you cannot come."  So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'?"  And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above.  You are of this world; I am not of this world.  Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."  Then they said to Him, "Who are You?"  And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.  I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."  They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.  

Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.  And He who sent Me is with Me.  The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."  As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.  

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 

 

- John 8:21-32 

 

In our current readings, Jesus is at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), an eight-day festival commemorating the time Israel wandered toward the Promised Land, dwelling in tabernacles (or tents).  He has been in dispute with the religious leaders, and in front of the crowds.  Yesterday we read that Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again, saying, "I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true."  Jesus answered and said, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.  You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.  And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.  It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.  I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me."  Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?"  Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father.  If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."  These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

 

  Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin.  Where I go you cannot come."  So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'?"  And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above.  You are of this world; I am not of this world.  Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."  Then they said to Him, "Who are You?"  And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.  I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."  They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.   My study Bible comments here that going away refers to Jesus' death, Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven.  It is now Christ's final year on earth (Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles, is an autumn festival).  The following Passover, in spring, will be the occasion for Holy Week.  Let us note that Christ's efforts here are not simply about "convincing" the religious authorities about Himself, but express His attempts to save them.  

Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.  And He who sent Me is with Me.  The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."  As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.  To lift up, according to my study Bible, has the double meaning of being nailed to the Cross and also of being exalted by His Father upon completion of Christ's work.  Let us note the effect of His words upon those who listen to Him.  

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed."  My study Bible comments here that Jesus expects all who follow Him to be disciples, that is, learners.   It says that to abide in His word is the responsibility of all believers -- and not simply the clergy, or an elite class of zealots.  Let us note here that later on in John's Gospel we will be told that even among the rulers, there were many who believed in Him (John 12:42-43).  

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  My study Bible comments that the truth refers both to the virtue of truth and, more importantly, to Christ Himself (see John 14:6).  To be free, it adds, means freedom from darkness, confusion, lies, and also freedom from the bondage of sin and death.  

What is freedom?  Let us consider what that means to us.  There are many ways in which we hear the word freedom used in a modern world.  So often it has to do with wanting something, or wanting to do something.  This is the freedom to pursue whatever it is that takes our fancy, whatever it is that we think might make us happier, or change our lives in some positive direction, or give us some sort of pleasure or well-being.  In the past, it seems like there has been great struggle for the freedom to pursue one's faith, or to follow one's conscience as one feels one must do.  Of course, those two things are closely linked.  And then there is also something we must consider, especially in a modern age when so many of our resources for communication and modern media dominate and inform us in so many ways, and that is freedom of thought.  What about freedom to debate, or freedom to consider things that are outside of the box or the framework of a modern way of life?  We have guidance for fashion and what we wear, there are fashions in what to think, there are fashions and pressures in what we might say and might not say.  Freedom can be a tricky thing, because what one is not free to say or do today might be turned upon another fashion or prohibition tomorrow.  And this is where truth comes in, because, without truth, how do we know that what we follow is essential to us, or helpful?  There are so many things that demand our attention, even slavish obedience that amounts to a kind of worship.  What we need first in our lives is a sense of truth, a rootedness in what is true, and meaningful, and good.  When Christ offers us truth and freedom, He is teaching us once again about what comes first in our lives, what is central, where to begin.  When we begin with God, and with the discipleship that follows, we rest ourselves in a kind of personal struggle for what is good and true and beautiful, and we rest ourselves in that place where we may grow in love, for this is what we learn from God.  If we begin there, we root ourselves in what frees if only because delusion, darkness, and distractions are thrown into relief against the light we pursue and where that leads us.  Jesus will go to the Cross because He persists in proclaiming the truth of who He is and who God is; but His freedom is full and complete.