The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 93

In Yerushalayim for Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) ~ Part 7

In our last post, we learned that Yeshua says, “I am the Light of the World.” In this post, we will learn that Yeshua Warns Against Unbelief and more.

As in our last post, Yeshua is still speaking on the last day of Sukkot, Hoshana Rabbah.

Warning Against Unbelief

²¹ Again, He told them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin—where I am going, you cannot come.”

You will die in your sin. This is a new teaching. Until now, Yeshua has not said you must trust in Him unless you are prepared to die in your sin.

²² The Judeans said, “Is He going to commit suicide? Is that what He means when He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” ²³ Yeshua said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ²⁴ This is why I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not trust that I AM [who I say I am], you will die in your sins.”

I am who I say I am, literally, “I am.“ Yeshua is intimating here and in v. 28 (below) that He is to be identified with God.

²⁵ At this, they said to Him, “You? Who are you?” Yeshua answered, “Just what I’ve been telling you from the start. ²⁶ There are many things I could say about you and many judgments I could make. However, the One who sent Me is true; so I say in the world only what I have heard from Him.” ²⁷ They did not understand that He was talking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Yeshua said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM [who I say I am], and that of myself I do nothing, but say only what the Father has taught me.

When you lift up the Son of Man, Yeshua predicts the manner and instrumentality of His death: these Judeans will have Him crucified by the Romans.

²⁹ Also, the One who sent me is still with me; he did not leave me to myself because I always do what pleases him.” ³⁰ Many people who heard him say these things trusted in Him.  ^[1]

On Spiritual Freedom

³¹ So Yeshua said to the Judeans who had trusted Him, “If you obey what I say, then you are really My talmidim, ³² you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

There is a kind of trust which falls short of making one really a talmid of Yeshua. Real talmidim obeys Yeshua, which is more than mentally acknowledging who He is. The famous quotation, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” is conditioned on obeying what Yeshua says.

³³ They answered, “We are the seed of Avraham and have never been slaves to anyone; so what do you mean by saying, ‘You will be set free?” ³⁴ Yeshua answered them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin.

We … have never been slaves. Valid for the speakers but not for the nation, which was redeemed from slavery in Egypt. The “Four Questions” of the Haggadah read on Pesach are answered by a passage that begins, “Avadim hayinu” (“We were slaves”). The speakers are avoiding Yeshua’s challenge by invoking extreme literalism.

³⁵ Now, a slave does not remain with a family forever, but a son does remain with it forever. ³⁶ So if the Son frees you, you will really be free! ³⁷ I know you are the seed of Avraham. Yet you are out to kill me because what I am saying makes no headway in you. ³⁸ I say what my Father has shown me; you do what your Father has told you!”   ^[2]

In our next post, we continue with our new series on Yeshua’s Journey to Yerushalayim for the Feast of Sukkot. In our next post, we learn about who are the True Children of Avraham.

Click here for the PDF version.

^[1] Yochanan 8:21–30.
^[2] Yochanan 8:30–38.