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; John 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 was probably playing off of 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.

John chapter 8 includes 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. This chapter 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. Eventually, Jesus' opponents are enraged enough to attempt killing Him right then and there.

Jesus is attending the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem, and has once again come into conflict with the local religious authorities. In the previous chapter, Jesus referred to Himself as a source of living water, playing off of the festivals' ritual pouring of water in the temple. In this chapter, Jesus will use the imagery of lights, also related to festival traditions. This chapter 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 gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 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”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.