In John 8:12-59, a discussion ensues over who the Father of Jesus/Yeshua is. I believe there are a total of four “fathers” being referenced in this passage:
1. The Father, which art in heaven, who the Jews claimed to be their God
2. Jesus’ earthly, biological father
3. The Jews’ earthly, biological father: Abraham
4. The father of lies, the devil
Let’s look at the passage and break down each of these fathers as they are mentioned.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”
Yeshua made a claim here and the Pharisees claimed that he was bearing witness about himself and they considered his testimony not true.
Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father (1) who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father (1) who sent me bears witness about me.”
Yeshua claims what he says is true because he knows where he came from and where he’s going. I believe he understood his purpose. But then, addressing the law, he indicates that he has a second witness concerning himself. This second witness is the Heavenly Father (1).
They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father (2)?”
When the Pharisees posed this question, I believe they thought Yeshua was speaking of his earthly father (2), so they asked where this earthly father was, this second witness required by law.
Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father (1). If you knew me, you would know my Father (1) also.” These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Yeshua was referring to the Heavenly Father with his initial statement, but their question demonstrated that they did not recognize he was speaking of God. So he tells them they not only don’t know him, but they also don’t know the Heavenly Father yet I don’t think they understood he was speaking of the Heavenly Father. I think they still thought he was talking about his earthly father.
So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am [he] you will die in your sins.”
Yeshua identifies two places: below, which is this world and above, which is not this world. He explains that they are from below, after indicating that they don’t know the Heavenly Father. He reiterated that they would die in their sins unless they believed that he was.
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.”
In answer to their question he said he was just what he had been telling them from the beginning. And in the beginning of this particular passage he said he was “the light of the world”.
They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father (1) taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
As he was saying these things, many believed in him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham (3) and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham (3); yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father(1), and you do what you have heard from your father(4).”
The author of John plainly states that the Jews did not understand that Yeshua was speaking to them about the Heavenly Father. The Jews then introduce Abraham (3) into the conversation reckoning themselves to be his children. But then Yeshua says that he speaks of what he has seen with his Heavenly Father whereas he said they acted on what they heard of another father (4), which we discover later to be the Father of Lies, the Serpent of old, the Devil.
They answered him, “Abraham is our father (3).”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s (3) children, you would be doing the works Abraham (3) did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God (1). This is not what Abraham (3) did. You are doing the works your father (4) did.”
Yeshua knew Abraham taught the will of the Heavenly Father, and these Jews sought to go against the words of Abraham, their earthly father. Given that, they were demonstrating that they were offspring of this other father.
They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father (1)–even God.”
I believe the Jews’ reference to not being “born of sexual immorality” is because Yeshua just indicated that they were sons of another father, never specifically identifying who this other father was. They likely thought he was referring to another earthly father besides Abraham.
I don’t believe this is a derogatory remark to Yeshua for being supposedly born of a virgin as some have suggested to me in the past. Notice, the Jews then immediately identify themselves as being the sons of the same Heavenly Father, God.
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father (1), you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil (4), and your will is to do your father’s (4) desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies (4). But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.“
Yeshua tells them that if they were really of God, and He was their Father, then they would love him (Yeshua), but they couldn’t bear to hear his (Yeshua’s) words, which were truth. Therefore he indicated they were the offspring of the devil (4).
The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father (1), and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham (3) died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham (3), who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father (1) who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham (3) rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”
Yeshua finally identifies that this Father he has been speaking of this whole time is the one whom the Jews claim to be their God, yet he tells them they do not know Him.
I do not believe that Yeshua ever denies having an earthly biological father, and I believe everyone he comes into contact with recognizes that he had an earthly biological father. However, Yeshua made it a point to always speak of his Heavenly Father, knowing his purpose for being born on this earth, yet so many misunderstood him and his purpose…and to this day they are still sorely misunderstood.
