Then you will know that I am He...

John 8:28 ESV
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 taught me.

Returning now to John 8, and having looked at Jesus being lifted up, let's focus on Jesus statement in the second part of the verse. The events before, during and after the crucifixion did cause many Jews to see that Jesus is the true Messiah. Most of them would not admit that, but in their consciences they knew. Jesus specified two things they would know:

1. He did nothing of himself, which is another way of saying He is not a false prophet (those who prophesy out of their own hearts, as opposed to those who speak forth God's truth).

2. He spoke the things the Father taught Him. Not only was He not acting on His own, but He was committed to the truth received from the Father. The doctrine preached by Jesus was the counterpart (not the replacement for) the counsels of God. Jesus spoke truth from the Father that complemented and completed the truth spoken by the Father prior to coming of the Messiah. Because of this, Jesus taught with divine power and authority.

When Jesus spoke the truths of His Father, He did not need to qualify or justify those words. Neither was the validity of those words dependent upon Him (although they could have been since He is the perfect one). Those words were fully saturated with divine power and authority because they were God's words. Words backed up by the all the attributes of God.

God Bless You,

Dennis