In the temple at Tabernacles Jesus declares himself the light of the world, the truth that makes men free, and the great I AM — “Before Abraham was, I am” — and his hearers, unable to bear it, take up stones.
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The reading is the Covenant Christian Edition — the Joseph Smith Translation reading — carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the CCE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.
12Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
13The Pharisees therefore said unto him, You bear record of yourself, your record is not true. 14Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true, for I know from where I came and to where I go, but you cannot tell from where I come and to where I go. 15You judge after the flesh. I judge no man. 16And yet if I judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
17It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am one that bears witness of myself, and the Father that sent me bears witness of me. 19Then said they unto him, Where is your Father? Jesus answered, You neither know me nor my Father. If you had known me, you should have known my Father also. 20Jesus spoke these words in the treasury as he taught in the temple. And no man laid hands on him, for his hour had not yet come.
21Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and you shall seek me and shall die in your sins. Where I go, you cannot come. 22Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? — because he says, Where I go, you cannot come. 23And he said unto them, You are from beneath, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. 24I said therefore unto you that you shall die in your sins, for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins. 25Then said they unto him, Who are you? And Jesus says unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26I have many things to say and to judge of you, but he that sent me is true, and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. 27They understood not that he spoke to them of the Father. 28Then said Jesus unto them, When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall you know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself. But as my Father has taught me, I speak these things. 29And he that sent me is with me; the Father has not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him.
30As he spoke these words, many believed on him.
31Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. 32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33They answered him, We are Abraham’s seed and were never in bondage to any man. How can you say, You shall be made free? 34Jesus answered them, Truly, truly I say unto you, whoever commits sin is the servant of sin. 35And the servant abides not in the house for ever, but the Son abides ever.
36If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. 37I know that you are Abraham’s seed, but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you. 38I speak that which I have seen with my Father, and you do that which you have seen with your father. 39They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said unto them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40But now you seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God. This did not Abraham. 41You do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We are not born of fornication. We have one Father, even God. 42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded forth and came from God. Neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot bear my word. 44You are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and stood not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not. 46Which of you convicts me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? 47He that is of God receives God’s word. You therefore receive them not because you are not of God.
48Then answered the Jews and said unto him, Do we not say well that you are a Samaritan and have a devil? 49Jesus answered, I have not a devil, but I honor my Father, and you do dishonor me. 50And I seek not my own glory. There is one that seeks and judges. 51Truly, truly I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that you have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets. And you say, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom do you make yourself? 54Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my Father that honors me, of whom you say that he is your God, 55yet you have not known him; but I know him. And if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you. But I know him and keep his saying. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. 57Then said the Jews unto him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? 58Jesus said unto them, Truly, truly I say unto you, before Abraham was, I Am. 59Then took they up stones to cast at him, but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
12Jesus again testified to them, I am the light of the world; he that follows me will not walk in darkness, but shall be guided by the light of life.
13The Pharisees challenged him by interrupting, You testify of yourself. The law requires two witnesses and therefore your testimony cannot be true. 14Jesus replied to them, Even though I testify of myself, my testimony is nevertheless true and binding, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not understand where I came from nor where I am going. 15You debate about geography rather than understanding that I come from God who sent me. For the present I withhold from condemning you leaders. But if I were to condemn you, I would be right to do so.
17As for your claim that I am my only witness, I am not alone, but the Father is also my witness. It is true the law you claim to follow requires two witnesses. 18I am one, and the Father who sent me also testifies as a witness of me. 19They asked him, Where is your Father? Jesus answered, You do not know either me or my Father because if you knew who I am you would understand who the Father is also. 20He declared this while in the temple treasury as he taught in the temple courtyard. The Sanhedrin failed to detain him because the time for his sacrifice had not yet arrived.
21Then Jesus repeated to them, I will continue onward following the path of my Father, and you will not accompany me, but will instead die under the burden of your sins. Therefore you cannot go where I will be. 22Then the Sanhedrin scornfully asked, Does he plan to kill himself? Is that why he said, The path he will take we will not join? 23And Jesus responded to them, You are from a lower estate. I am from the Heavens. You are stuck in this world, and I am not of this world. 24Because of this I said to you that you will die burdened with sins. If you do not believe that I am sent by the Most High God, bringing light and life with me, you will die burdened with sins. 25They said to him, So tell us who you claim to be. And Jesus answered them, I am the same as I told you from the beginning.
26I have many things to teach that will be used to judge you; and the one who sent me is the Source of all truth. I am teaching what he has sent me to teach and he provided my message. 27They did not understand that he was speaking the words of Father Ahman. 28Then Jesus added, When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am Son Ahman, and that I have done nothing on my own; but as my Father has taught me, I repeat his words. 29He sent me and accompanies me here; the Father has never abandoned my side. I always do the things that please him.
30When he spoke these words, many believed on him.
31Then Jesus addressed those Jews who believed on him, Only if you continue to follow my teachings will you be my students indeed, 32because you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. 33The leaders interrupted to claim, We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been slaves to any man. Why do you say we will become free? 34Jesus answered them, In the name of Father Ahman I say unto you, Whoever misses the mark is the slave of errors. 35And such a slave will not be allowed to be within Abraham’s house in the resurrection, but the Son will remain part of God’s Family forever.
36If the Son sets you free from sin, you are free indeed. 37I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you conspire to kill me because my teachings have no place within you. 38I teach you what the Father has shown to me while I was in his presence, and you follow the teaching of your father. 39They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus replied to them, If you were really Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40But instead you plan to kill me. And why do you plan to kill me: I am a man that has only told you the truth that I have heard from the Most High God; Abraham would never do such a thing. You follow the example of your real father. 41Then they said to him, You are the product of extramarital fornication involving an unknown number of men, and we are not. We have one Father, even God. 42Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me, for I am sent by and represent God. I am not speaking my own words or pursuing my own agenda, but the Father’s words and agenda. 44Your father is the accuser, and you share the envy and rebellion of your father. He was a rebellious destroyer from the beginning, and fought against the truth, because he prefers lies. When he spreads a lie, he advances his agenda. He is the source of deceit in this fallen world. And because I am the Source of truth, you are unable to believe me. 47Everyone who follows the Most High God hearkens to God’s words. Because you do not follow the Most High God, you cannot hear him.
48Then the leaders retorted, When we refer to you as a Samaritan possessed by a devil we have accurately described you. 49Jesus answered, I have no devil guiding me; I obey my Father, and you dishonor both him and me. 50I do not pursue acclaim or honor. You are the ones that seek acclaim and wrongly judge me. 51In the name of Father Ahman I say to you, If anyone stands watch awaiting direction from me, he shall not be overtaken even by death, throughout eons. 52Then the leaders of the Jews said to him, Now we know that you are possessed by a devil. Abraham is dead, along with the prophets who were God’s chosen. Yet you claim, If a man awaits direction from you, he shall not be overtaken by death through the eons. 53Do you claim you are greater than our father Abraham who was overtaken by death, greater than the prophets who are dead? Is there no limit to your vainglory? 54Jesus replied, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my Father who honors me, the one who you falsely claim is your God. 55Unlike me, you do not know him. If I were to say, I do not know him, I would be as much of a liar as you are when you falsely claim him as your God. I not only know him, but I watch for his words like a sentinel always awaiting his direction. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. 57Then the leaders of the Jews mocked him saying, You are not yet fifty years old, and yet you claim to have seen Abraham? 58Jesus said unto them, In the name of Father Ahman I say unto you, Before Abraham was, he knew me as I am. 59Then they picked up stones to throw at him because they regarded his statement as blasphemy. But Jesus hid from their view and safely departed from the temple, bypassing the crowd undetected.
Joseph Smith did not preach on this discourse, but he cited its climax once — in his teaching that the ancient ordinance of sacrifice was given to point the mind forward to Christ — as evidence that Abraham had the gospel and looked ahead in faith to the Savior.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 60 (on sacrifice and the gospel preached to the ancients)
But we will recollect that Abraham offered sacrifice, and notwithstanding this, had the Gospel preached to him. That the offering of sacrifice was only to point the mind forward to Christ, we infer from these remarkable words of Jesus to the Jews: “Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56).
So, then, because the ancients offered sacrifice it did not hinder their hearing the Gospel; but served, as we said before, to open their eyes, and enable them to look forward to the time of the coming of the Savior, and rejoice in His redemption.
At the binding of Isaac, the early Christians taught, Abraham beheld the day of the Messiah he longed for — the foreknowledge Jesus claims when he says, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day.”
The early Christian teaching was that, as he was about to sacrifice his son on the mountain, Abraham “saw Christ’s day and yearned for it. There he saw the Redemption of Adam and rejoiced, and it was revealed to him, that the Messiah would suffer in the place of Adam.”
Barker reads the three claims of this discourse through the first temple: the light of the world is the menorah lit at Tabernacles; “Before Abraham was, I am” is Jesus naming himself the LORD; and the LORD who appeared to Abraham had been a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus.
They were the light of the world. Jesus claimed this title for himself (John 8.12), when he was in the temple for the feast of Tabernacles, but he also gave it to all his followers (Matt.5.14). The lights should not to be hidden, he said, but put on the lamp stand, luchnia.
The earliest acclamation of the first Christians was “Jesus is the LORD” — they believed that Jesus was the God of Israel.
Jesus said to the Jews in the temple: “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad” (John 8.56)… The first Christians understood the story in the same way as Jesus did: when the LORD appeared to Abraham at Mamre, this had been a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus.
Ellipses mark omissions within Barker’s own sentences.