Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
And in the morning he came to the temple again, and all the people came to Him. He sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery, and, placing her in the middle, they said to Him: “Teacher! This woman was caught in adultery, and Moses commanded us in the law to stone such people. What do you say? They said this, tempting Him, in order to find something to accuse Him of. But Jesus, bending low, wrote with his finger on the ground, not paying attention to them.
When they continued to ask Him, He bowed down and said to them: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”
And again, bending low, he wrote on the ground.
They heard this
and being convicted by their conscience, they began to leave one by one, starting from the oldest to the last; and only Jesus remained and the woman standing in the middle.
Jesus, standing up and not seeing anyone but the woman, said to her: “Woman! Where are your accusers? Has no one judged you? She answered: “No one, Lord.” Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Again Jesus spoke to
the people
and said to them: “
I am the light of the world;
Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Then the Pharisees said to Him: “You testify about Yourself, Your testimony is not true.”
Jesus answered them: “If I testify of Myself, My testimony is true; because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.
You judge according to the flesh; I don't judge anyone.
And if I judge, then My judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent Me.
And it is written in your law that the testimony of two people is true.
I testify of Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies of Me.”
Then they said to Him: “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered: “You know neither Me nor My Father; If you knew Me, you would also know My Father.”
Jesus spoke these words at the treasury when he taught in the temple; and no one took Him, because His hour had not yet come.
Again Jesus said to them: “I am going away, and you will seek Me and die in your sin. Where I'm going, there
you can’t come.”
Then the Jews said: “Will He really kill Himself, because He says: “Where I am going, you cannot come?” He said to them: “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
This is why I told you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that it is I, you will die in your sins.”
Then they said to Him: “Who are You?” Jesus said to them: “He was from the beginning, just as I tell you.
I have much to say and judge about you; but He who sent Me is true, and whatever I have heard from Him, that is what I speak to the world.”
They did not understand what He was telling them about the Father.
So 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 taught Me, so I speak.
He who sent Me is with Me; The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.”
When He said this, many believed in Him.
Then Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
They answered him: “We are Abraham’s seed and have never been slaves to anyone; How then do You say: “You will become free?” Jesus answered them: “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
But the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
So, if the Son sets you free, you will be truly free.
I know that you are Abraham's seed; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word cannot be contained within you.
I speak what I saw with My Father; but you do what you saw your father do.”
They answered Him: “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
And now you are seeking to kill Me, the Man who told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham didn't do this.
You are doing the works of your father.” To this they said to Him: “We were not born of fornication; We have one Father – God.”
Jesus said to them: “If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I proceeded from God and came; for I did not come of Myself, but He sent Me.
Why do you not understand My speech? Because you cannot hear My words.
Your father is the devil, and you want to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks his own way, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
Which of you will convict Me of unrighteousness? If I speak the truth, why don't you believe Me?
He who is from God listens to the words of God. The reason you don’t listen is because you are not from God.”
To this the Jews answered and said to Him: “Are we not telling the truth that You are a Samaritan and that You have a demon?” Jesus answered: “I have no demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
However, I do not seek My glory. There is a Seeker and a Judge.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever keeps My word will never see death.”
The Jews said to Him: “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died and the prophets, and You say: “Whoever keeps My word will never taste death.”
Are You greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died. Who are you making yourself?" Jesus answered: “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. My Father glorifies me, of whom you say that He is your God.
And you did not know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, then I will be a liar like you. But I know Him and keep His word.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day—and he saw it and rejoiced.”
To this the Jews said to Him: “You are not yet fifty years old - and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Then they took stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid himself and left the temple, passing through the midst of them, and went on.
GOSPEL OF JOHN chapter 8
Listen to THE GOSPEL OF JOHN chapter 8 online
1 Jesus went up to the Mount of Olives.
2 And in the morning he came again to the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery, and, placing her in the midst,
4 They said to Him: Teacher! this woman was taken in adultery;
5 But Moses commanded us in the law to stone such people: What do you say?
6 But they said this to tempt Him, that they might find something to accuse Him of. But Jesus, bending low, wrote with his finger on the ground, not paying attention to them.
7 When they continued asking Him, He bowed down and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Which of you is without sin... Artist G. Dore
8 And again, bending low, he wrote on the ground.
9 When they heard this and were convicted by their conscience, they began to go away one by one, beginning from the oldest to the last; and only Jesus remained and the woman standing in the middle.
10 Jesus, standing up and not seeing anyone but the woman, said to her: Woman! where are your accusers? no one judged you?
11 She answered: No one, Lord. Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.
Go and sin no more! Artist Y. Sh von KAROLSFELD
12 Again Jesus spoke to the people and said to them, “I am the light of the world; whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
13 Then the Pharisees said to Him: You testify about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.
14 Jesus answered and said to them, “If I testify of Myself, My testimony is true; because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.
15 You judge according to the flesh; I don't judge anyone.
16 And if I judge, then My judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent Me.
17 And it is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.
18 I testify of Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies of Me.
19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered: You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would also know My Father.
20 These words spake Jesus at the treasury, while he taught in the temple; and no one took Him, because His hour had not yet come.
21 Again Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will seek Me and die in your sin.” Where I go, you cannot come.
22 Then the Jews said: Will He really kill Himself, because He says: “Where I go, you cannot come”?
23 He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
24 Therefore I told you that you would die in your sins; for if you do not believe that it is I, you will die in your sins.
25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “He was from the beginning, just as I tell you.”
26 I have much to say and judge about you; but He who sent Me is true, and whatever I have heard from Him, that is what I speak to the world.
27 They did not understand what He told them about the Father.
28 So 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 taught Me, so I speak.”
29 He who sent Me is with Me; The Father did not leave Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.
30 When He said this, many believed in Him.
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are My disciples indeed,
32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
33 They answered him: We are Abraham's seed and have never been slaves to anyone; How then do You say: You will be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.”
35 But the servant does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
36 Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
37 I know that you are Abraham's seed; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word cannot be contained within you.
38 I speak what I have seen with My Father; but you do what you saw your father do.
39 They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them: If you were children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham.
40 And now you seek to kill Me, the Man who told you the truth, which I heard from God: Abraham did not do this.
41 You do the works of your father. To this they said to Him: We were not born of fornication; We have one Father, God.
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I proceeded and came from God; for I did not come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you cannot hear My words.
44 Your father is the devil; and you want to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks his own way, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
46 Which of you will reprove Me of unrighteousness? If I speak the truth, why don't you believe Me?
47 He who is from God listens to the words of God. The reason you don't listen is because you are not from God.
48 To this the Jews answered and said to Him, “Are we not telling the truth that You are a Samaritan and that You have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I have no demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
50 However, I do not seek My glory: there is a Seeker and a Judge.
51 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever keeps My word will never see death.
52 The Jews said to Him: Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died and the prophets, and You say: whoever keeps My word will never taste death.
53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died: what are you doing?
54 Jesus answered: If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. My Father glorifies me, of whom you say that He is your God.
55 And you did not know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, then I will be a liar like you. But I know Him and keep His word.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and he saw and rejoiced.
57 At this the Jews said to Him: You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
59 Then they took stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid himself and left the temple, passing through the midst of them, and went on.
Interpretation of the Gospel of John chapter 8
Old Testament
New Testament
Gospel of John
Books of the Bible:
- Gospel of Matthew
- Gospel of Mark
- Gospel of Luke
- Gospel of John
- Acts of the Apostles
- Epistle of James
- 1 Peter
- 2 Peter
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Epistle of Jude
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Epistle to the Galatians
- Epistle to the Ephesians
- Epistle to the Philippians
- Epistle to the Colossians
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Timothy
- 2 Timothy
- Epistle to Titus
- Epistle to Philemon
- Hebrews
- Revelation of John
Chapter 8
Introduction
8
John 7:53 - 8:11
. Almost all textual scholars of the Holy Scriptures agree that these verses are not part of the original text of the Gospel of John. And the oldest and most trustworthy manuscripts do not contain them. The literary style and vocabulary of this passage are different from the rest of the text, and it clearly breaks the flow of the narrative (7:52 - 8:12). Most likely this is an oral tradition that was added to the Greek text by one of the Gospel copyists.
John 8:1-2
. Because Jesus continually came to the temple...and taught there, people gathered every day to listen to Him. As the Evangelist Luke writes: “During the day He taught in the temple, and going out at night, He spent the night on the mount called the Mount of Olives. And all the people came to Him in the temple early in the morning to listen to Him” (Luke 21:37-38).
John 8:3-6a
. One day, His conversation with people was suddenly interrupted by certain scribes and Pharisees, that is, people who strictly adhered to the letter of the Mosaic Law in everyday life. The woman they brought with them could have been married, and so, according to them, she was taken in adultery. According to the law, two witnesses were required to confirm any guilt of the person brought to the “trial” (Deut. 19:15). It is unlikely that this woman was actually "accidentally caught" in the act of adultery; most likely, the teachers of the law planned and arranged all this in advance.
They should have brought her accomplice in the crime, but the woman was brought alone; perhaps the man managed to escape. The purpose of all this was to discredit Jesus as a Teacher. If He had judged the woman “according to the law,” He would probably have lost in the eyes of ordinary people. And if he had not condemned it, he would have come into conflict with the law of Moses.
John 8:6b-8
. Many sought to guess what exactly Jesus wrote on earth. However, this hardly matters to us. What matters is His response to the woman’s accusers. In the eyes of Christ, they were not official judges, from whom complete “sinlessness” cannot be demanded, but were among those who condemn their neighbors without thinking about their own sinfulness, which the Lord repeatedly warned against.
According to the law of Moses, a witness to a crime had to be the first to throw a stone (Deut. 17:7), which is what Jesus proposed to do to the hypocritical “judges” of the harlot if they consider themselves sinless. On the other hand, with this answer - which of you is without sin... Jesus, as it were, points to Himself as the only competent Judge (compare with John 8:16).
John 8:9-10
. And as such, He does not leave sin without condemnation (as evidenced by His words in verse 11, “go and sin no more”), but He does not deprive the sinner of hope.
Meanwhile, His authoritative words (compare Matt. 7:28-29) had their effect in the hearts of the “scribes and Pharisees.” Being convicted by their conscience, they began to disperse, and the elders were the first to leave because, apparently, being smarter, they “quickly” realized their own sinfulness.
John 8:11
. Left alone with the woman, Jesus says to her: I do not condemn you. Being God, He had the power to forgive her (compare Mark 2:8-12). He had this power and this right also because he was the Lamb of God, “who took away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But, forgiving sin, He calls the sinner to new life: go and sin no more. The forgiveness He bestows and the words He puts upon it are full of supreme mercy and grace (1:14).
A. About light for the world (8:12-59)
One of the main events of the Feast of Tabernacles was the lighting of huge lamps in the women's courtyard of the temple. The wicks for these lamps were made from worn-out priestly robes. Burning torches brightly illuminated the courtyard, and the people gathered there sang praises to God and danced. The light was a symbolic reminder to the Jewish people of how God Himself accompanied their fathers during their wanderings in the desert, dwelling in a “pillar of cloud” and at night turning into “the likeness of fire” (Num. 9:15-23).
John 8:12
. Jesus speaks here as a continuation of His teaching in the Jerusalem Temple. But what He said in the light of the mentioned lamps - I am the light of the world - sounded with a special meaning (compare 1:4,9; 12:35,46). The darkness that has overtaken the world is a symbol of evil, sin and ignorance (Isa. 9:2; Matt. 4:16; 27:45; John 3:19). “Light” symbolizes God and His holiness in the Bible (Acts 9:3; 1 John 1:5). And so God sent light to the world in the face of Jesus Christ; the only true light (John 1:9).
Who will follow Me, in other words: whoever believes in Me and obeys Me (10:4-5, 27; 12:26; 21:19-20,22). By saying that... will have the light of life, Christ meant: he will receive salvation. Because coming to Christ for salvation means changing the usual way of life, and no longer living in darkness, but in the light (he will not walk in darkness; compare 12:46; 1 John 1:6-7). (compare also Ps. 35:10.)
John 8:13
. The Pharisees challenge Him again - on the grounds that He Himself testifies to Himself; This kind of evidence is indeed not always acceptable. The tradition established by the rabbis rejected them as completely unacceptable.
John 8:14
. Meanwhile, it also happens that testimony about oneself is the only opportunity to defend the truth - in those cases when only the person himself knows the true facts about himself. And, of course, no one can testify (in the sense implied here) about God except Himself. Therefore, the testimony of Jesus was true, because, being God, only He had complete knowledge of Himself and His purposes (7:29).
John 8:15
. The Pharisees, according to Jesus, judged according to the flesh, that is, guided by human ideas, and they are always limited. They perceived only what lay on the surface: in Jesus they saw only a man, without comprehending His Divinity, and therefore their judgments were erroneous (here “judge” and “judgment” are used in different meanings - in the first case as “to form an opinion”, in second - how to “condemn” Ed.). Jesus came to earth not to judge people, but to save them (3:17). But even when He comes again - as a Judge - His goal will be to fulfill not His will, but that of the Heavenly Father, in accordance with truth and law (5:27, 45). I myself do not judge anyone, He declares.
John 8:16
. However, based on his unique unity with the Father, Jesus “makes a reservation”: And even if I judge, then the judgment of the Triune Godhead is true - not like human judgment, which is alien to impartiality and limited by the framework of human imperfection.
John 8:17-18
. And what is written in your law may refer to Deut. 17:6; 19:15 (or to rabbinical laws); Both the Mosaic Law and the laws established by the rabbis required two witnesses in every case. In the case of Jesus, only God could testify to the truth about Him. God the Son and God the Father are the two necessary Witnesses. The Father, who sent the Son, gave Him - as a testimony of Himself - to perform wonders and signs.
John 8:19
. The Jews were greatly puzzled by Jesus' extraordinary teaching about His Father, His claim to such intimacy with God.
Where is Your Father? - asked the Pharisees, wanting to clarify whether He was really talking about God (compare 5:18), or perhaps about his earthly father... In response, Jesus makes it clear to them that He is talking about the Heavenly Father, Who is knowable only in Him, the Son (1:18; 4:7,9; compare Matt. 11:27).
John 8:20
. Jesus spoke these words at the treasury while he taught in the temple. Most likely this took place in the “women’s court” (commentary on Mark 12:41-42). And no one took Him (compare John 7:30,44; 10:39) because (John constantly emphasizes this) Jesus acted according to God’s “schedule” - in fulfillment of His will (2:4; 7:6,30 ; 12:23,27; 13:1; 17:1).
John 8:21
. Since He did not have long to remain on earth, they would soon lose the favorable opportunity to believe in Him. He had to return to the Father, to heaven, where they could not follow Him (7:33-34).
You will die in your sin. Apparently, it is no coincidence that the word “sin” appears here in the singular. including: Jesus most likely meant the sin of their rejection of the One who brought them salvation (16:9). They will “die” because they did not want to leave the sphere of evil and live under its constant influence. Moreover, their physical death will serve only as a prelude to their separation from God forever, which is death in eternity.
John 8:22
. Next question: Will He really kill Himself? - testified to the persistent misunderstanding of those asking and at the same time contained their ironic “guess”: does He really want to become inaccessible to them in this way (by committing the terrible sin of suicide)? (They had previously suggested that He was going to go into the “Greek dispersion” to teach the pagans there - 7:35.) Although Jesus “did not kill Himself,” He did “lay down His life for His sheep” (10:11, 18).
John 8:23
. In response to their distrust and ridicule, Jesus directly speaks about His heavenly origin: I am from on high... I am not from this world, opposing Himself to them: you are from below... you are from this world.
John 8:24
. The second time Christ tells them that they will die in their sins (here, unlike verse 21, the word “sin” is in the plural). Having rejected the One who “takes away the sin of the world” (1:29), they will remain in the sphere of sin in all its forms. Without accepting the revelation of God in the face of Jesus, they will miss their only opportunity to be saved. For it is I who Jesus proclaims the “formula” of the Divine “self-designation” (compare Deut. 32:39; Isa. 43:10-11).
John 8:25
. But this statement led the Jews into even greater confusion. How His words about “their sins” only angered them even more. Yes, who are you? - they exclaim. The last phrase in verse 25 sounds different in different translations. From the beginning He is...” He answers. In the English Bible, this phrase reads like this: “The very same I who told you from the very beginning” (During prayerful spiritual analysis, no deep discrepancy is seen here. - Ed.)
John 8:26-27
. Jesus could have said much more and mercilessly denounced His listeners, but His goal was not to condemn them now, but to convey to them, to the world, what the Heavenly Father, Who Sent Him into the world, entrusted to Him. The Father's message that Jesus came with was true because He who sent Him is true (compare 7:18,28). John adds on his own that this time they did not understand what He was telling them about the Father.
John 8:28
. Jesus remained unrecognized by them. Only His crucifixion (when you lift up the Son of Man, that is, when you “raise” Him on the cross, “exalt” Him through this execution to the Father - compare with 3:14; 12:32) will open people’s eyes to who He is. Jesus is not saying here that thanks to this all people will be saved, but that only through the Cross will humanity know Him, will know that He is the word of God (Logos) addressed to it, and that He did not speak to people... from Himself, but as the Heavenly Father taught Him.
John 8:29
. The unity of Jesus with the Father is determined by their mutual love and unfailing obedience on the part of the Son (compare 4:34,5:30). The Father did not abandon the Son, rejected by people, and even glorified Him in His humiliating execution on the cross (16:32; 17:5).
John 8:30
. So, on the one hand, there is unbelief in Jesus and the rejection of Him by the “rulers,” and on the other, we read, many believed in Him (compare 7:31). However, this faith had not yet been tested and was not firm: a considerable number of “believers” soon moved away from Him.
John 8:31-32
. In verse 31, Jesus addresses precisely these Jews who are unstable in their faith, calling them to establish themselves in His word and become truly His disciples, that is, not only to believe in the justice of Jesus’ preaching about repentance and the coming Kingdom, but also to be born again. Only those who accept His gospel in their hearts will receive the truth of salvation, which will make them free - in the sense of freeing them from slavery to sin.
John 8:33
. The words of Christ offended the Jews. Having been enslaved by Rome, they - proud of their descent from Abraham - considered themselves free (implying, apparently, that they did not submit to the spiritual power of the pagans). They did not understand what Jesus was telling them about freedom from sin.
John 8:34
. Three times in this chapter Jesus declares: Verily, verily, I say unto you (verse
34, 51, 58; interpretation at 1:51). Here He solemnly explains that the very “doing” of sin testifies to the subordination of the one doing it to the power of sin. Sin, as it were, is personified, becoming like a cruel master. The Apostle Paul writes about him in the same spirit (Rom. 6:15-23).
John 8:35
. Like Ishmael, Abraham's son by a slave, who was cast out from Abraham's house (Gen. 21:8-21), the "children" (slaves) of sin are also in danger of being rejected by the Father. In contrast to Ishmael, Isaac was a son, not a slave, and he remained in Abraham's house. This parallel can be used not in the sense of physical, but spiritual genealogy.
John 8:36
. The true Son of God (and the true seed of Abraham; Gal. 3:16) is Jesus. He not only dwells in the house of God, but also rules over it (Heb. 3:6). Only by trusting in Christ, the Son, can people become truly free and become “sons of God” (Gal. 3:26).
John 8:37
. Yes, physically the Jews were descendants of Abraham. Nevertheless, they wanted to kill Jesus, his true Son, thereby testifying that they were not the spiritual descendants of Abraham (therefore the word of God “could not be contained in them”; Rom. 2:28-29; 9:6,8; Gal. 3:29).
John 8:38
. Jesus spoke of what He had seen with His Father (compare verse 28). And therefore His words corresponded to the truth of God. However, they did not always find a response in people, because they tended to imitate their father (Satan - verse 44), to obey him.
John 8:39
. Wanting to reflect the convincing arguments of Christ, the Jews again declared that their father was Abraham, claiming spiritual kinship with him. But Jesus again rejected their claims, saying that if they really were the spiritual descendants of Abraham, then they would do the works of Abraham, that is, they would truly obey God and with faith would accept His Messenger and everything that He says. John the Baptist warned the Jews about the danger of relying solely on their descent from Abraham (Luke 3:8).
John 8:40
. They rejected the heavenly Messenger and tried to kill the One who brought them the truth... from God. But Abraham did not do this: he obeyed God's commands (Gen. 12:1-9; 15:6; 22:1-19).
John 8:41
. Objecting to Jesus’ words about some special father of theirs, the Jews find nothing better than to refer to the legality of their origin (we were not born from fornication; they could at the same time hint at the circumstances of the birth of Jesus Himself); in support of their “rightness” they declare; We have one Father, God.
John 8:42
. However, members of the same (true) family are bound by love. If those who argued with Jesus really had God as their Father, they would also love Christ, Who came from God (1 John 5:1). Time and time again, Jesus clearly states that he is sent by God.
John 8:43
. Jesus, the eternal Logos, speaks to people, but their stubborn opposition to Him prevents them from understanding His speech. You cannot hear My words - this implies their spiritual inability to correctly perceive what He said. The Apostle Paul would later write: “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, because he considers them foolishness” (1 Cor. 2:14).
John 8:44
. And so the father of those who reject Him is directly named by Jesus: this is the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning, that is, from the moment of the creation of man, and did not cease to be so throughout all ages. By sowing lies among people, he brought upon them both spiritual and physical death (Gen. 3:4, 13; 1 John 3:8,10-15).
Even now he distorts the truth; there is no truth in him... for he is a liar and the father of lies), trying in every possible way to lead people away from God, the Source of truth and life (2 Cor. 4:4). Judging by the mood and actions of the Jews, who “sought” to kill Jesus and preferred lies to truth, they were connected by spiritual kinship with Satan. And what did they have in common with Abraham, who gave birth to them only physically!
John 8:45
. Abraham believed the truth of God, but they rejected this truth in the person of Jesus.
John 8:46
. Various accusations were brought against Him (7:12b, 20), but He so strictly fulfilled the will of God (“I always do what pleases Him” - 8:29) that no one could convict Him of sin (unrighteousness) with evidence. And yet, for the most part, they did not believe Him. Why? - Jesus Himself gives the answer to this question in the next verse.
John 8:47
. The reason is not in Him, but in them, and it consists in the fact that they do not belong to God. For those who are from God hear and listen to the words of God and receive them with faith.
John 8:48
. The Samaritans were a people of mixed (semi-Jewish) origin; Orthodox Jews considered them apostates in terms of religious confession (commentary on 4:4). Therefore, angry at such frank denunciations addressed to them, the Jews call Jesus a Samaritan, wanting to say that He is a heretic and His religion is false; besides, He supposedly hates His fellow tribesmen, just as the Samaritans hate them. Again and again they repeat that He is possessed by a demon (compare 7:20; 8:52; 10:20), in other words, mad, evil and unclean
John 8:49-50
. Meanwhile, there was nothing in the behavior and words of Jesus that would speak of His “possession.” He calmly objects that he honors (that is, seeks to glorify) His Father. The opponents of Jesus, who dishonored Him, essentially dishonored the Father. (Compare with the case when the dishonor inflicted by King Hanon on David’s messengers was regarded by him as a dishonor inflicted on him personally; 2 Sam. 10:1-6.)
Under the pressure of false accusations, Jesus did not try to “justify himself”; He repeated again that He does not seek the glory of Himself, but, He declared, there is One who seeks the glory of the Son. The righteous heavenly Judge, He will pronounce a different verdict and justify the Son.
John 8:51
. After the “formula of solemn assurance” (Truly, truly, I say to you), comes the promise of Jesus that the one who keeps His word, that is, responds with his whole being to His gospel, will never see death (in other words, will not be separated from eternity). God; compare 3:16; 5:24).
John 8:52-53
. Jesus' opponents remain in line with a purely earthly understanding of His words. They think He is talking about physical death. Meanwhile, they know well that both Abraham and the prophets died. So how can we understand His words about immortality? Definitely “He has a devil.” Their question is filled with angry irony: Are You greater than our father Abraham, who died? But they have no idea about the truly ironic underlying meaning of it - of course, Jesus is bigger.
John 8:54
. Christ's argument, full of power and truth, remains the same: He is not trying to glorify Himself - such glory would be nothing. Glorifying Him is the work of the Heavenly Father, whom the enemies of Jesus mistakenly take to be their Father.
John 8:55
. And you have not known God (judging by the fact that you stubbornly do not understand His revelations in Me), Jesus says bitterly. He is connected with God by bonds of deepest intimacy.
I know (the Greek word “oida” - “to know innately, at the level of instinct, subconscious”) Him; you have not known (gynosko - “to know through experience, through observation”) Him. I would be lying, as you are lying, if I denied that I know Him, says Jesus. Because I know Him and keep His word.
John 8:56
. The unbelieving Jews were not spiritual heirs of Abraham (verse 39), and Jesus here implies their physical descent from Him.
Abraham... rejoiced to see My day: and he saw and rejoiced; here we are talking about the fact that Abraham rejoiced at the promise that God gave him regarding the salvation of the tribes of men through the Messiah (“All the families of the earth will be blessed in you”: Gen. 12:3). By faith Abraham received a son, Isaac, from whom Christ, the promised Seed, was born many generations later. It is not known how much God revealed to His friend Abraham about the time of the coming of the Messiah. However, there is no doubt that Abraham knew about the coming salvation, and, knowing it, he joyfully expected it.
John 8:57
. Continuing to reason in an earthly way, the Jews are indignant: You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?
John 8:58
. Having prefaced his answer with a solemn assurance—truly, verily, I say unto you, Jesus unequivocally declares his superiority over the prophets and Abraham: before Abraham was born, I already was. I Am (“I Am That I Am”) is the “title” of the Godhead (Ex. 3:14; Isa. 41:4; 43:11-13; John 8:28). It is clear from the reaction of the Jews (verse 59) that this time they understood Jesus correctly. Being equal with God (5:18; 20:28; Phil. 2:6; Col. 2:9) He is Eternal (John 1:1).
John 8:59
. Here the tension reaches its highest point. What Jesus said sounded in the ears of the Jews as blasphemy (the same way His supreme revelation was perceived before; compare 5:18). And this sin was punishable by stoning. The phrase but Jesus hid himself probably indicates a supernatural phenomenon.
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