"When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me." This is very similar to 3:14-15 when Jesus is talking to Nicodemus. I am not sure if "lifted up" here means when Jesus is lifted up on the cross or if it means a personal response to the claims of Jesus - that is, if we believe that he is more than a "Son of Man", that he is God the Son as he claims to be, then our belief has "lifted Jesus up" and we know the truth.
Verse 8:24 is compelling: "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." Again going back to Jesus' discussion with Nicodemus, this statement is the converse of John 3:16. Whoever believes shall not perish but have eternal life. The opposite outcome is here: If you do not believe, you will die in your sins.
Jesus' statements about validity of his testimony and judgment are confusing to me. Reading commentary helped (http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/John/Jesus-Reveals-Himself-Light).
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