What then does the Lord say to them again? "If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." If He came in order to take away "the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29), and it is not possible to receive forgiveness of sins other than through baptism, and it is impossible to be baptized without first believing, then the unbeliever will inevitably die in his sin, for not having received baptism, he has not put off the old man. Therefore the Lord also says in another place that "he who does not believe is already condemned" (Jn. 3:18), not only because he did not believe, but also because he dies with his former sins.
Jn. 8:25. Then they said to Him: who then are You? Jesus said to them: from the beginning the One who I also tell you.
After so much time, after so many miracles had been performed, they still ask Him: "Who are You?" So senseless, unjust, and mocking were they.
The Lord says: "I tell you that which I have been telling you from the beginning."
Jn. 8:26. I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you; but He who sent Me is true, and what I heard from Him, these things I speak to the world.
"You," He says, "are unworthy to fully hear My words, nor to know Who I am; for you all speak with the purpose of tempting, and do not wish to heed anything from My teaching. I could also expose you in this, and not only expose you, but also punish you." For this is what He hints at when He says: "I have many things to say about you and to judge." By the word "say" He indicates exposure, and by the word "judge," condemnation and punishment.
"But," He says, "He who sent Me sent Me not to judge and convict. For God did not send His Son to judge the world, but to save the world (John 3:17). And since My Father sent Me to save, and He is true, for this very reason I now judge no one, but only speak what I have heard from My Father, that is, what serves for salvation, and not for condemnation."
He said this so that they would not think that He does not punish them because of His powerlessness. He shows that He is not powerless, but does not wish to punish them, since He came not to punish, but to save.
Some understand these words "He who sent Me is true" in this way: I could judge you even now, but I leave this for the age to come. Yet you do not believe and pay no attention to the time of recompense. But even if you do not believe, My Father is true, who has both appointed a day for your recompense and sent Me to proclaim this and revealed to the world His righteousness and power.
Jn. 8:27. They did not understand that He was speaking to them about the Father.
When He said this, they were so foolish that they did not understand that He was speaking to them about His Father. How often and how much He had already spoken to them about the Father! But truly "their foolish heart was darkened" (Rom. 1:21).
Jn. 8:28. Then Jesus said to them: when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that it is I, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as My Father has taught Me, so I speak.
Jesus performed many miracles, and yet did not attract the Jews to Himself. Now He speaks to them about the Cross. "You," He says, "think that when you crucify Me, you will be free from all concern and will be rid of Me. But I say that you will know that it is I, that is, Christ, the Son of God, who upholds and sustains all things (Heb. 1:3), and that I am not opposed to the Father, nor do I act or speak of Myself, for I do not have a will of My own, distinct from the will of the Father."
How then will they recognize Him on the cross? From the signs of that time, from His resurrection and their captivity. For all of this could reveal His power. So when you crucify Me, you will know both My power and My unity of mind with the Father. For the Father would not have delivered your city to the Romans in vengeance for Me, nor would He have performed signs on the cross, if I were not His Son and of one mind with Him, rather than opposed to God. Then you will know that whatever I teach and whatever I say is from Him, is undoubtedly divine, and is not Mine, but of Him who sent Me.
Jn. 8:29. He who sent Me is with Me; the Father has not left Me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to Him.
Then, lest they think that the sending and the embassy imply subordination, He says that My Father is "with Me." Although He sent Me as a Man, I am inseparable from Him, and He is with Me, as God with God.
After this He again descends to humble speech and says: "He has not left Me alone," because I do what is pleasing to Him. He speaks so humbly for the sake of the Jews. They said that He was not from God because He did not keep the Sabbath. But He says: "I do what is pleasing to Him," so that even if I break the Sabbath, I do what is pleasing to Him. However, by such humble speech He in no way harms His own glory, but brought benefit to the listeners, and through this also strengthened His own glory. For the listeners, hearing that He refers everything to the Father, more readily attached themselves to Him and believed in Him, so that humility exalted Him all the more. Do you see the worth of blessed humility? And that this is so, listen to what follows.
Jn. 8:30. When He spoke these things, many believed in Him.
I said that the listeners were more captivated by humble speech. The evangelist hints at this as well. "As He was saying these things," he notes, "many believed in Him." He was saying "these things," that is, words that were humble and seemingly unworthy of His glory. Therefore, when you hear Him say something small and imperfect about Himself, do not be troubled in any way, for He says this for the sake of His listeners, who cannot comprehend anything loftier and immediately fly into a rage. What would have happened to them, unable to grasp the depths of the theological mystery, when the height of His glory remained incomprehensible even to Christians who had come to know His power and were saved by Him?
When you hear that "many believed," understand it this way: they believed simply and as it happened, not as they should have; they believed because they were pleased by the humility in His words.
Jn. 8:31. Then Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him: if you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples,
And that they were not believers in the precise sense is obvious. For He said to the Jews who had believed: "If you abide in My word." By this He shows that although they believed, it was superficially, and therefore they would not remain in the faith. And by exposing them in this, He shows that He knows their hearts and is God.
Jn. 8:32. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
And since some of His former supposed disciples had departed, He therefore says to those who have now believed: "Although those have departed, yet if you abide in My word and faith, you 'will know the truth,' that is, Me, for 'I am the Truth' (John 14:6). But now you do not know the truth, because the law, whose guardians you consider yourselves, is not the truth, but a figure and a shadow. If you come to know Me, Who am true, then 'the truth will set you free,' that is, I will free you from sins."
For whoever believes in Him who takes away the sin of the world is undoubtedly free from sins. Just as He said to the unbelieving, "you will die in your sins" (John 8:21), so to those who abide in faith He promises freedom from sins. For the sacrifices and sprinklings of the Law, being mere shadows, did not free from sins, but the spiritual and true sacrifice through faith and knowledge frees from sins us who no longer remain slaves but are made sons of God.