John Chapter 8
The section that began (in 7:53), with “And every man went unto his own house”, until (8:11), dealing with the adulteress most likely was not a part of the original contents of John. It has been incorporated into various manuscripts at different places in the gospel (e.g. after verses 36, 44, 52 or 21:25), while one manuscript places it after (Luke 21:38). External manuscript evidence representing a great variety of textual traditions is decidedly against its inclusion, for the earliest and best manuscripts exclude it.
Many manuscripts mark the passage to indicate doubt as to its inclusion. Significant early versions exclude it. No Greek church father comments on the passage until the twelfth century. The vocabulary and style of the section also are different from the rest of the gospel, and the section interrupts the sequence of (verse 52 with 8:12).
Many however, do think that it has all the earmarks of historical veracity, perhaps being a piece of oral tradition that circulated in parts of the western church, so that a few comments are in order. In spite of all these considerations of the likely unreliability of this section, it is possible to be wrong on the issue, and thus it is good to consider the meaning of this passage and leave it in the text, just as with (Mark 16:9-20).
John 8:1 “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.”
This was Jesus’ favorite place to go when He withdrew from the crowds in Jerusalem. This mount is just outside the city walls and across the Kidron valley.
The garden of Gethsemane is on the Mount of Olives. This also would be on the way to Bethany where some of Jesus’ friends lived. Jesus probably went to the mount to rest and to pray.
John 8:2 “And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.”
The indication here, is that Jesus sat down; and they gathered around Him sitting (like in a circle), and He taught them. Perhaps He sat, because His teaching was for long periods of time.
It seems that possibly about day break Jesus went to the temple. When it speaks of the people, it does not mean the scribes and Pharisees or the priests, but the common people.
John 8:3-4 “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,” “They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.”
Women caught in adultery were not normally brought to Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees were seeking to trick Him to see whether He would uphold the law, or defend the sinner.
These scribes and Pharisees are doing everything in their power to catch Jesus doing anything that could be thought of as against their law, so they could accuse Him. This whole set-up is to try to trap Jesus.
Why did they bother to bring her to Jesus? They were so good at accusing, why didn’t they just take her to the priest? They had not admitted that Jesus had the right to judge anyone. This calling Him Master here is in a mocking way. They had not recognized Jesus as their Lord or Master.
Another thing, where is the man she was caught with? The law said they were both to be stoned to death. If they want justice, why didn’t they bring him, too? This whole thing, as I said, is a frame-up to trap Jesus.
John 8:5 “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”
The law covering this is in (Deuteronomy 22:23-24). You will notice, they are both to be stoned to death. Their leaders were not even carrying this punishment out, except in extreme cases.
This was in the law, because God wanted us to realize the seriousness of sins of the body. Christians’ bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You can see the serious nature of this sin, especially for a Christian. They have not heard of Jesus carrying out any punishment, and they feel that they will easily trap Him here.
John 8:6 “This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.”
If Jesus rejected the law of Moses (Lev. 20:10; or Deut. 22:22), His credibility would be gone. If He held to Mosaic Law, His reputation for compassion and forgiveness would have been questioned.
John 8:7-8 “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” “And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.”
“He who is without sin” directly refers to (Deut. 13:9 and 17:7), where the witnesses of a crime are to start the execution. Only those who were not guilty of the same sin could participate.
Jesus’ statement takes the focus off the woman’s sin and on their own sin. This seems to have been a delaying tactic giving them time to think.
Jesus knew they were all guilty of sin. Without answering their question, Jesus has trapped them again.
John 8:9 “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
The eldest left first, readily admitting they were sinners. They knew they were guilty. They could not face their own sins being brought to light. They go out one by one, from the oldest to the least. They left without stoning her, and without trapping Jesus.
John 8:10 “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?”
This is not a license to commit adultery. These men had no right to judge her, because they were just as guilty as she was. This woman is standing before the Judge of all the world. This is a woman who is not a believer.
She is in the same state of being a sinner as we are before we come to Jesus.
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Christians, after Jesus forgave her and set her free, in the next verse notice that He says “… go, and sin no more.”
John 8:11 “She said, No man, Lord, And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
We see several things in this. She was a sinner when she came to Jesus. She made Him her Lord. He forgave her (saved her), then said “… go, and sin no more.” Actually meaning: leave your life of sin.
Jesus was the only one who could have condemned her, but He did not, partly because such cases demanded two or more witnesses. Also, He knew she was repentant, which explains why she did not flee when her accusers left. Jesus did not take her sin lightly; rather He commanded her to “Sin no more”. The prerogative to forgive sins is a divine one, so in this instance Jesus demonstrates His deity (Luke 5:23-24).
Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to save it. He condemns her sin, but not her.
Excluding the story of the adulterous woman (in 7:53-8:11), this verse attaches itself well to (7:52). The word “again” indicates that Jesus spoke once more to the people at this same Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles, (see 7:2 and 10). While Jesus first used the water drawing rite as a metaphor to portray the ultimate spiritual truth of Himself as Messiah who fulfills all that the feast anticipated, He then turned to another rite that traditionally occurred at the feast: the lighting ceremony.
During Tabernacles, four large lamps in the temple’s court of women were lit and an exuberant nightly celebration took place under their light with people dancing through the night and holding burning torches in their hands while singing songs and praises. The Levitical orchestras also played. Jesus took the opportunity of the lighting celebration to portray another spiritual analogy for the people. “I am the Light of the world.”
The Pharisees disputed His authority because He witnessed to Himself.
John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
This is the second “I am” statement. (John 6:35). John has already used the “light” metaphor for Jesus (1:4). Jesus’ metaphor here is steeped in Old Testament allusions. The phrase highlights Jesus’ role as Messiah and Son of God. The Old Testament indicates that the coming age of Messiah would be a time when the Lord would be a light for His people as well as for the whole earth (Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6).
(Zechariah 14:5b-8), has an emphasis on God as the light of the world who gives living waters to His people. This latter passage probably formed the liturgical readings for the Feast of Tabernacles.
“He that followeth me”, conveys the idea of someone who gives himself completely to the person followed. No halfhearted followers exist in Jesus’ mind. A veiled reference exists here to the Jews, following the pillar of cloud and fire that led them during the Exodus (Exodus 13:21).
Notice Jesus is not a light; He is the LIGHT. Jesus is the source of all light. This LIGHT gives life. Jesus said He was the Light, and the Life. In Him we have our being.
We discovered in this that the sun and moon are containers that we see light in, but are not the source of Light. Jesus is the source. When His Light sets off inside of you, it does away with darkness. Christians walk in His Light; because when we receive Jesus, we receive His Light.
John 8:13 “The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.”
These Pharisees have no idea who they are speaking to. The Bible says by two witnesses, a thing shall be established.
From (verses 8:14 to 8:18), we see three reasons why Jesus’ witness was true:
(1) Jesus knew His origin and destiny while the Jews were ignorant even of basic spiritual truths, making their judgment limited and superficial (verses 14-15),
(2) The intimate union of the Son with the Father guaranteed the truth of the Son’s witness (verse 16),
(3) The Father and son witnessed harmoniously together regarding the identity of the Son (verses 17-18).
John 8:14 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself yet my record is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.”
“My record is true”: Contrast this with (5:31), where Jesus did not claim Himself as a witness. Jesus said His own witness agreed with the witness of the Father, satisfying the law’s requirement of two witnesses.
You see, the miracles that Jesus did were witness enough. No man who ever lived had done miracles like Jesus. Even Moses’ miracles paled in comparison. There was really no question of who He was.
The Jews mockingly brought up Jesus’ own words from (5:31). However, Jesus’ words there and here are reconciled by the fact that Old Testament Law required not one but multiple witnesses to establish the truth of a matter. (Deut. 17:6).
Jesus was not alone in His witness that pointed to Him as Messiah, for many had already testified concerning this truth.
John 8:15 “Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.”
The truth is that when Jesus came to the earth this time, He came to save, not condemn or judge. He will judge at the end of the age when we all stand before Him on judgment day.
They didn’t believe Jesus because of the flesh. Many choose the whole idea of who Jesus really was, and is, because they look only with their physical eyes. Only the Spirit can make us aware of who Jesus really is (Immanuel – God with us).
John 8:16 “And yet if I judge, my judgement is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.”
Jesus is saying in this that Father God and Jesus are in total agreement. When Jesus speaks, He is also speaking for the Father.
John 8:17 “It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.”
Had there been no witness except the fulfillment of the Scripture, that would have been enough. When a message is for all of humanity, it needs to be established by two.
John 8:18 “I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.”
Jesus was certainly speaking truth here, because on two separate occasions (at Jesus’ baptism and at the transfiguration), a voice came from heaven and said “This is my beloved Son”. The dove that lit on Jesus at His baptism symbolized God the Holy Spirit. You see, this leaves no doubt.
John 8:19 “Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.”
In the previous lesson, the Pharisees had accused Jesus of witnessing of Himself. They said His record was not true, completely overlooking the fact that He had performed miracles that none of the holy men of the temple could do. Jesus reminded them, that in their law a thing shall be established by two witnesses.
The Jews, as was their habit, once again thought merely on human terms in asking about Jesus’ paternity.
Jesus had been witnessed of by the Father when He was baptized by John the Baptist, and the voice came from heaven for all to hear. Of course, John the Baptist witnessed of Jesus also. The miracles were a strong witness too.
Now to the verse above, they believed Joseph to be Jesus’ father when, in fact, God was His Father. Jesus tells them, if they had known God or His Word, they would not be disbelieving Him now. The word is Jesus.
John 8:20 “These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.”
This treasury, probably was the place of public assembly. We see from this and several other places in John’s gospel, that Jesus went often to the temple.
The Pharisees, scribes, and high priests did not approve of Jesus, but they could not do anything about it until Jesus decided the time was right. They would have captured Him here and punished Him if they could have; but Jesus was in control, not them.
He would walk past them, and they could not see Him; because He had blinded their view of Him.
In (verses 21-30), Jesus revealed the consequence of the rejection of him as Messiah and Son of God, i.e., spiritual death. These verses reveal four ways that ensure people will die in their sins and as a result, experience spiritual death:
1. Being self righteous (verses 8:20-22),
2. Being earthbound (verses 23-24),
3. Being unbelieving (verse 24),
4. Being willfully ignorant (verses 25-29).
The Jews who rejected Jesus displayed all four of these characteristics.
John 8:21 “Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins; whither I go, ye cannot come.”
Jesus repeated his message of (7:33-34), but with more ominous overtones regarding the consequences of rejecting Him.
“I am going away” by means of His impending death, resurrection and ascension to the Father.
These people have rejected the Savior of the world. They would still be searching for their Messiah long after He had come and gone. They would die in their sin, because they rejected Him. There would be no eternal life in heaven with Him, because they rejected Him.
Read (Romans chapter 10 verses 9-10). It explains what you must do to inherit eternal life with Jesus. These Pharisees fell way short of those requirements.
John 8:22 “Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.”
They assumed, because Jesus told them of having a short time to live, that He would kill Himself. They cannot comprehend someone who knows when He will die. They assumed Jesus was going to hell. Little did they know that would be their place, not Jesus’.
The Jews spoke either in confusion or perhaps more likely, in mockery of Christ. Jewish tradition condemned suicide as a particularly heinous sin that resulted in permanent banishment to the worst part of Hades (Josephus, Jewish Wars iii.viii.5 [iii.375]). God did deliver Him to be killed (Acts 2:23), thus, as God, he gave up his own life (John 10:18).
John 8:23 “And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.”
The contrast here is between the realm of God and that of the fallen, sinful world, (i.e. from below). The world in this context is the invisible spiritual system of evil dominated by Satan and all that it offers in opposition to God, His word, and His people.
Jesus declared that his opponents’ true kinship was with Satan and his realm. By this domination, they were spiritually blinded.
Jesus in this, is telling them they better enjoy what they can here on earth, because they are not preparing at all for eternity. They can only see the flesh and are looking through physical eyes that can only comprehend things of this world. Jesus is from heaven. God is a Spirit.
John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
Jesus is Spirit also. He cannot be understood by a carnal, worldly mind. Our Spirit must worship Him. Worldly and Spiritual things do not mix.
John 8:24 “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”
John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
You see, to be saved we must believe that He is, and believe that He is a rewarder of those who believe. Salvation is very simple; BELIEVE. You see, these Pharisees did not believe, so they cannot inherit eternal life.
“I am He”: the word “he” is not part of the original statement. Jesus’ words were not constructed normally but were influenced by Old Testament Hebrew usage. It is an absolute usage meaning “I AM” and Has immense theological significance.
The reference may be to both (Exodus 3:14), where the Lord declared His name as “I AM” and to (Isaiah 40-55), where the phrase “I AM” occurs repeatedly. In this, Jesus referred to Himself as the God (Yahweh, the Lord), of the Old Testament, and directly claimed full deity for Himself, prompting the Jews’ question of (John 8:25).
There is only one way, and His name is Jesus Christ our Lord. If they do not believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, then He didn’t die for their sins, and they are still living in sin.
John 8:25 “Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.”
When they asked, He could have said, Jesus Christ the Son of the living God, or He could have said their Messiah. They would not have believed any more by Him specifically saying one or the other of these names.
The Jews were willfully ignorant because (chapters 1-8), demonstrate that multiple witnesses testified to Jesus’ identity, and Jesus himself in words and actions persistently proved throughout His ministry on earth that He was the Son of God and Messiah.
“From the beginning” meant from the start of Jesus’ ministry among the Jews.
He just said “The same as I have already told you.” It was not His time now and there was no need to make them angrier than they were now.
John 8:26 “I 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.”
Whether you and I care to admit it or not, God is absolute truth. This is what Jesus is telling these Pharisees, but it also applies to our day. We can say what we believe, and it may or may not be true; but when God speaks, it is truth.
Jesus is saying here; you are not right in the sight of God. He also says that He is pointing out their sins so that they can do something about them now, before they stand in front of Him to be judged of Him.
He says, if you believe in the Father, then listen to what I (Jesus), am saying to you, because the Father is the one who sent me.
John 8:27 “They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.”
These people were so caught up in the formality of church that they could not understand anything spiritual. They simply did not know He spoke to them of Father God.
John 8:28 “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”
Jesus is speaking prophetically of being lifted up on the cross. Those who were present at the crucifixion, when the noonday turned black as night and when the earthquake came, said surely this was the Son of God.
They did not understand that Jesus (the Son of God), took on the form (flesh), of a man and dwelt among them. They could not understand that this flesh, standing before them, could be the Son of God. These Pharisees thought Him to be the Son of Joseph.
Having refused to accept Him by faith and having nailed Him to the cross, they would one day awaken to the terrifying realization that this One whom they despised was the One whom they should have worshiped.
Many Jews believed on Christ after his death and ascension, realizing that the One whom they rejected was truly the Messiah. (Acts 2:36; 37, 41).
Jesus’ will and the will of the Father is the same.
John 8:29 “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”
This was evident even to the on-lookers. Jesus did no evil, only good. On many occasions when Jesus did the miracles, the on-lookers realized that these things could only be done of God.
John 3:2 “The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”
You see, it was evident from the beginning that mortal man could not do the kinds of miracles that Jesus did.
In John 14:11, we read in Jesus’ own words “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very work’s sake.”
John 8:30 “As he spake these words, many believed on him.”
It was evident who Jesus was and is. It is the same now, as it was then. Some believe, and some don’t. What are we talking about when we say believe? Believe that Jesus was, in fact, God the Word who took on flesh and became the Savior of the world. Romans (chapter 10:9-10), tells all.
These verses are a pivotal passage in understanding genuine salvation and true discipleship. John emphasized these realities by stressing truth and freedom. The focus in the passage is upon those who were exercising the beginnings of faith in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. Jesus desired them to move on in their faith. Saving faith is not fickle but firm and settled.
Such maturity expresses itself in full commitment to the truth in Jesus Christ resulting in genuine freedom. The passage has three features:
(1) The progress of freedom (verses 31-32);
(2) The pretense of freedom (verses 33-34); and
(3) The promise of freedom (verses 35-36).
John 8:31 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;”
The first step in the progress toward true discipleship is belief in Jesus Christ as Messiah and Son of God.
“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed”: This reveals the second step in the progress toward true discipleship. Perseverance in obedience to Scripture is the fruit or evidence of genuine faith. (Eph. 2:10), The word “abide” means to habitually abide in Jesus’ words. A genuine believer holds fast, obeys and practices Jesus’ teaching. The one who continues in his teaching has both the Father and the Son. (2 John 9, Heb. 3:14, Rev. 2:26). Real disciples are both learners (the basic meaning of the word), and faithful followers.
Jesus says to them (Jews), if you believe, discipline yourself and walk in my ways, you will truly be my followers. The only way any of us then, or now, can walk in God’s ways is to know what His will is for our life. The way to find out what that will is, is to read His Word (Bible).
The secret of life everlasting is in His Word. To be His disciple, we must make Him our Lord, as well as our Savior.
John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
“Truth” here has reference not only to the facts surrounding Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God but also to the teaching that he brought. A genuinely saved and obedient follower of the Lord Jesus will know divine truth and both freedom from sin (verse 34), and the search for reality. This divine truth comes not merely by intellectual assent (1. Cor. 2:14), but saving commitment to Christ (Titus 1:1-2).
One of the names Jesus is called by is the Truth. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 4:16). Jesus is also the Word. If you study His Word (the Bible), then you will know the Truth. That Truth does set you free from the bondage of sin. Jesus also, is the Light. If the Light shines in your heart, it does away with darkness (sin).
We are told that in the end times, there will be false Christs who are deceivers (Matthew 24).
Matthew 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
There is only one way not to be deceived, and that is by being full of the Word of God; so that if they change even one word, you will be aware of it.
John 8:33 “They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?”
You see, these people are caught up in the flesh, and cannot see the things of the Spirit. They are Abraham’s descendants in the flesh, but are not Abraham’s descendants in the Spirit.
Galatians 3:28-29 we read “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
You see, not those who have Abraham’s flesh are his heirs, but those who believe.
Because the Jews had often been in political subjection to many nations (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Syria and Rome), they must have been referring to their inward sense of freedom.
John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
The kind of slavery that Jesus had in mind was not physical slavery but slavery to sin. The idea of “committeth sin” means to practice sin habitually. The ultimate bondage is not political or economic enslavement but spiritual bondage to sin and rebellion against God. Thus, this also explains why Jesus would not let himself be reduced to merely a political Messiah (John 6:14-15).
You cannot be the servant of sin and the servant of God all at the same time.
In Luke 16:13 we read “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
The notion of slavery (in verse 34), now moves to the status of slaves. While the Jews thought of themselves only as free sons of Abraham, in reality they were slaves of sin. The genuine son in the context is Christ himself, who sets the slaves free from sin. Those who Jesus Christ liberates from the tyranny of sin and the bondage of legalism are really free.
John 8:35 “And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.”
We cannot take on sonship as long as we are a servant to sin. We either belong to God as His son (or daughter), or else we serve sin. This is like oil and water. Sin and God cannot, and will not mix. We belong to God or Satan: there is no in between.
If we belong to God, we are His sons and heirs of Abraham’s promises.
John 8:36 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Gal. 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
John 8:37 “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.”
Jesus shows that discipleship depends on having the right Father. They had the wrong father. He refers to your father (in verses 38, 41, and 44). They claimed to be sons of Abraham (verse 39), but Jesus shows this to be false (in verses 39-40).
These are physical descendants of Abraham, but he is not their spiritual father. They are still thinking of flesh, and not Spirit. The Word of God is Life. You cannot have Life without the Word, because they are the same.”
John 8:38 “I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.”
Jesus says here, that His Father is not the same as their father. Since Jesus is teaching the opposite of them, then it is obvious that they do not have the same father.
John 8:39 “They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.”
The construction of this phrase indicates that Jesus was denying that mere physical lineage was sufficient for salvation. The sense would be “if you were Abraham’s children, but you are not, then you would act like Abraham did.”
Just as children inherit genetic characteristics from their parents, so also those who are truly Abraham’s offspring will act like Abraham. I.e., imitate Abraham’s faith and obedience.
“Works of Abraham”: Abraham’s faith was demonstrated through his obedience to God. Jesus’ point was that the conduct of the unbelieving Jews was diametrically opposed by the conduct of Abraham, who lived a life of obedience to all that God had commanded. Their conduct toward Jesus demonstrated that their real father was Satan (John 8:41, 44).
The works spoken of here is Abraham’s belief. Abraham believed, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Genesis 15:6 “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”
You see, Abraham believed in the Lord. These people (Jews), pretending to be Abraham’s descendants, did not believe in the Lord.
John 8:40 “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.”
God does not teach to kill, and they want to kill Jesus. Abraham did God’s will. When God said move, he did. He lived in tents after leaving Ur of the Chaldeans, because he moved when God directed him.
John 8:41 “Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.”
Killing is of Satan, not God. You tell the father by the children he bears, whether their deeds be good or bad. Perhaps, their mother was married and they were not bastard children, but the fornication here is spiritual, not physical.
They believed their Father is God, but God is Spirit, not physical.
The Jews may well have been referring to the controversy surrounding Jesus’ birth. The Jews knew the story about Mary’s betrothal and that Joseph was not Jesus’ real father. Thus they implied that Jesus’ birth was illegitimate (see Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38).
John 8:42 “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.”
If God were your Father, you would not want to kill me, you would love me. The construction here as (in verse 39), denies that God is truly their Father.
Although the Old Testament called Israel his “firstborn son” and affirms that God is Israel’s Father by creation and separation. The unbelief of the Jews toward Jesus demonstrated that God was not their Father spiritually.
Jesus stressed that the explicit criterion verifying the claim to be a child of God is love for his Son, Jesus. Since God is love, those who love his Son also demonstrate his nature (1 John 4:7-11; 5:1).
The Father is the source of Jesus’ power and wisdom. Jesus was with the Father in heaven. Jesus was the Word of God in the beginning. Jesus’ home is in heaven. Jesus was just on a mission when He came to earth. His mission was to save the lost, even at the cost of His flesh.
John 8:43 “Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.”
This is an affront on these Jews for not knowing the Word of God. They really do not understand the Word of God, which they professed to know. The Word is Spirit and Life, and they have neither. They do not understand His Word.
John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Sonship is predicated on conduct. A son will manifest his father’s characteristics. Since the Jews exhibited the patterns of Satan in their hostility toward Jesus and their failure to believe in him as Messiah, their paternity was the exact opposite of their claims, i.e., they belonged to Satan.
“He was a murderer from the beginning”: Jesus’ words refer to the fall when Satan tempted Adam and Eve and successfully killed their spiritual life. Some think that the reference may also refer to Cain’s murder of Abel.
This is a statement here that their conduct is not in keeping with God the Father. Their words and deeds actually rebel against the Truth. They are enemies of all that is good, which is not compatible with love of the Father. Just as Lucifer rebelled against the Father, so they have rebelled against the Son.
Jesus accuses them of being spiritual sons of Satan, because they do evil instead of good. They lie and lust for power as Lucifer did, and want to kill. These are not fruits of God, but of Satan.
John 8:45 “And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.”
In the last lesson, Jesus had told them that they were of their father, the devil. Jesus is speaking to the religious people of that day. They were very like our day; because they had a form of godliness, claiming to be following Jesus, but in fact, following the lust of the flesh.
These Hebrews were proud of the fact that they were descendants of Abraham. They were not spiritual descendants of Abraham, because Abraham is the father of those who believe.
Galatians 3:29 “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Jesus is the Truth. To have the truth, we must believe in Him.
John 8:46 “Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?”
Who in all of your scholars, has accused me of sin and can prove that I have done anything contrary to God’s teaching, is the question Jesus asked them. They cannot accuse Him of evil, because He does only good. Again, Jesus says, you know I am telling the truth, why do ye not believe me? I believe the reason they didn’t believe Him is because He was housed in flesh.
Although the Jews argued that Jesus was guilty of sin, the sense here is that the perfect holiness of Christ was demonstrated, not by the Jews silence at Jesus’ question, but by the assurance of His direct consciousness of the purity of His whole life.
Only a perfectly holy One who has the closest and most intimate communion with the Father could speak such words. The Jews could martial no convincing evidence that could convict Him of sin in the heavenly court.
They were just like so many people today, who cannot look beyond the flesh and see the Spirit. This sinless, perfect one they could not comprehend. You see, if Jesus was just flesh, they would have been right; because all flesh has come short of the glory of God. Jesus was and is, God the Son.
God the Son was housed in flesh when He was on the earth, so He could be tempted in the flesh, as we are. His flesh will feel pain on the cross. His Spirit is in total control at all times. The Spirit of God came and dwelled in the flesh of man and overcame the flesh and death.
John 8:47 “He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God.
There is only one explanation for this; they really do not know the Father God.
John 8:48 “Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?”
Since the Jews could not attack Jesus’ personal life and conduct (verse 46), they tried an ad hominem attack of personal abuse toward Him. The reference to Jesus as a “Samaritan”, probably centers in the fact that the Samaritans, like Jesus, questioned the Jews’ exclusive right to be called Abraham’s children.
These Hebrew’s strong enemy was the Samaritan. This was one of the worst things they could call Jesus in their sight, a Samaritan. Just as an after-thought, they added that He had a devil.
As we said before, anything they did not understand they called a devil. What they forgot is the devil does evil, and Jesus was doing only good.
John 8:49 “Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me.”
Jesus has offered them life, and yet they rejected Him. This flat statement that He has not a devil is emphatic. It leaves no room for question. This is the reply a true Christian should give as well. A person who is totally sold out to Jesus is full of His Light, and that Light does away with all darkness. You cannot be filled with Light and darkness at the same time.
A demon can attack a Christian from without but cannot enter into a Christian full of Light. Jesus says one more time that He is of the Father. He is God’s representative to man. If we reject Him, we reject God.
John 8:50 “And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.”
Truly Jesus did not come to glorify Himself. He suffered the shame of the cross at Calvary to spare us. Jesus was here to suffer for our sins.
At the end of the age, He will be the Judge of all the earth.
John 8:51 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
Verily, verily means that there is no room for doubt. When we partake of Jesus who is Life, we have life, not death. Whether we go the way of the grave, those who are in Christ will have their physical body go into the ground, but their spirit will immediately go to be in Heaven with Christ. “I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
Heeding Jesus’ teaching and following Him results in eternal life. Physical death cannot extinguish such life.
John 8:52 “Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.”
Jesus’ assertion that anyone who keeps His word will never die prompted the Jews to offer a retort that once again revealed their thinking on strictly a literal and earthly level.
Every person is a spirit who lives in a body. Our body will go back to dust. Our spirit inside a celestial body will go on to be judged of Jesus. Those who follow Jesus will go on to eternal life with Him. These Christians truly shall never taste of death.
John 8:53 “Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?”
This is a sarcastic remark spoken to Jesus. Abraham was created by Jesus. In fact, He was Abraham’s God. They are saying to Jesus, who are you trying to tell us that you are, God? Again, I say they did not recognize Him as God the Son.
The question is, who is Jesus?
John 8:54-55 “Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honoreth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:” “Yet ye 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.”
They really have no excuse, because He told them this saying.” The Jews were a very proud people. Their pride stemmed from God giving them His law.
You can know the law, however, and not love or know the Law giver. To know the letter of the law, does not give life. The Lawgiver brings Life.
John 8:56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”
I will not get into this in depth here. Abraham is the father of the believers. He believed in the Savior. Our spiritual father must believe the same way we do. Take another look at Melchizedec whom Abraham paid tithes to and who served communion to Abraham.
Melchizedec, King of peace, had no earthly parents, had no beginning of days or end of life. The only person He appeared to was the father of believers, Abraham. He appeared to Abraham approximately 2,000 years after Adam’s birth. Jesus appeared 2,000 years after that as a baby. And our King of kings and Lord of lords will appear in the eastern sky approximately 2,000 years after that. Think on this.
(Hebrews 11:13), indicates that Abraham saw Christ’s day (“having seen them afar off”). Abraham particularly saw in the continuing seed of Isaac the beginning of God’s fulfilling the covenant that would culminate in Christ.
John 8:57 “Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?”
Their view of Jesus was strictly physical. They had not understood what He had been telling them at all; that He was eternal God the Son.
John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
Jesus is speaking here of His eternity. He is the First and Last, the Alpha and Omega. Read again (John chapter 1), if you have any doubt.
Here Jesus declared Himself to be Yahweh, i.e., the Lord of the Old Testament. Basic to the expression are such passages as (Exodus 3:14; Deut. 32:39: Isaiah 41:4 and 43:10), where God declared Himself to be the eternally pre-existent God who revealed Himself in the Old Testament to the Jews.
This clear statement of deity caused the Jews to try to stone Him. Abraham had a beginning, Jesus is eternal.
John 8:59 “Then 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.”
The Jews understood Jesus’ claim and followed, which indicates that any man who falsely claims to be God should be stoned.
You see, they could not see Jesus if He did not want them to, even if He were standing in front of them. He walked right in front of them, hidden to their view. If nothing else had convinced them, this should have; because He hid Himself to them while they were beholding Him.
Jesus repeatedly escaped arrest and death because His hour had not yet come. The verse most likely indicates escape by miraculous means.