John 8:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So the Jews said, "Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?"

NIV: This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?"

NASB: So the Jews were saying, 'Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?'

CSB: So the Jews said again, "He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’ ?"

NLT: The people asked, 'Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?'

KJV: Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

NKJV: So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

The various interactions between Jesus and the Pharisees prove their hypocrisy. On the surface, their intent is to uphold the laws given by God, to protect the truth, and to guide the people of Israel. In reality, though, they are only concerned with their own power and prestige.

Jesus is debating these men during the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem (John 7:37–38; 8:12). Earlier, they had sent guards to arrest Jesus (John 7:32), but those men came back baffled by His profound words (John 7:45–46). One likely reason for this was Jesus' reference to going somewhere that His critics could not follow. At the time, this was taken as a hint that Jesus planned to leave Jerusalem in order to preach to the Jews scattered around the region (John 7:35). That, in the minds of these religious leaders, would have solved their real problem: Jesus would no longer be a threat to their circle of influence.

Here, however, Jesus' critics begin to suspect that Jesus means something more drastic than long-distance travel. Philosophers and spiritualists of that era sometimes committed suicide. If Jesus were to do so, it would—again—solve the only problem these opponents were really interested in.

John 8:12–30 includes the second of Jesus' seven ''I am'' statements, as recorded in the gospel of John. Jesus' reference to light built on a ritual performed during the Feast of Booths, where lamps would be lit using wicks made from the robes of priests. This continues the dialogue of chapter 7, picking up where John 7:52 left off. The exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees will escalate, in part showing that Jesus was not afraid to directly castigate those who misled the people.

This begins with the story of the adulterous woman, a well-known but controversial passage. Most scholars believe this story is authentic, but not originally found in this exact spot in Scripture. The rest of chapter 8 continues Jesus' preaching during the Feast of Booths, where He once again comes into conflict with local religious leaders. Here, Christ will make His second ''I am" statement, using the analogy of light, which is a common theme in Hebrew theology. This conversation will become more and more heated. Jesus' opponents become so enraged that they attempt to kill Him right then and there.

Jesus is attending the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. There He once again conflicts with local religious authorities. Previously, Jesus referred to Himself as a source of living water (John 7:37–38). That built on the festival's ritual pouring of water in the temple. In this chapter, Jesus will do something similar with the imagery of lights also related to festival traditions. This demonstrates Jesus' willingness to be direct, even aggressive, with His critics. The next few chapters will complete Jesus' public ministry, as He prepares for His impending death.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.