Jesus in Context

I Am Going Away: You Will Seek Me

Language and Idiom

Jesus speaks of His coming departure and warns that His opponents will seek Him but cannot follow where He is going, prompting another characteristic misunderstanding.

Scripture: John 8:21-22

From Below and From Above

Language and Idiom

Jesus contrasts His heavenly origin with the earthly orientation of His opponents through the paired expressions “from below” and “from above.”

Scripture: John 8:23

Unless You Believe That I Am

Language and Idiom

Jesus warning in John 8:24 contains the Greek expression ego eimi, “I am,” language that becomes increasingly important as the chapter progresses.

Scripture: John 8:24-25

The One Who Sent Me Is True

Discipleship

Jesus describes His teaching as the faithful communication of what He has heard from the Father who sent Him, while His opponents fail to understand that He is speaking about the Father.

Scripture: John 8:26-27

When You Have Lifted Up the Son of Man

Language and Idiom

Jesus says that the lifting up of the Son of Man will disclose His identity and demonstrate that His actions and teaching are inseparable from the Father.

Scripture: John 8:28

Many Believed in Him

Discipleship

John reports that many believed in Jesus as He spoke, introducing the Gospel's recurring question of what genuine and continuing belief entails.

Scripture: John 8:30

You Cannot Bear Them Now

Discipleship

Jesus tells the disciples that He still has much to teach them, but recognizes that they are not yet able to bear everything He could tell them.

Scripture: John 16:12

The Spirit Will Guide You Into All Truth

Discipleship

Jesus promises that the coming Spirit of Truth will guide the disciples, speak what He hears, and declare what is to come.

Scripture: John 16:13

The Spirit Will Glorify Jesus

Discipleship

Jesus describes the Spirit as glorifying Him by receiving what belongs to Him and declaring it to the disciples.

Scripture: John 16:14-15

A Little While and You Shall See Me Again

Language and Idiom

Jesus tells the disciples that in a little while they will no longer see Him and then, after another little while, they will see Him again.

Scripture: John 16:16-19

Seeing Jesus and Seeing the Father

Discipleship

Jesus answers Philip by explaining that knowing and seeing Him reveals the Father, whose words and works are manifested through the Son.

Scripture: John 14:7-11

Greater Works Because I Go to the Father

Discipleship

Jesus promises that those who believe in Him will continue His works and do greater works because He is going to the Father.

Scripture: John 14:12