We pick up on this beautiful day with Christ still speaking to these Jews, whom He said are not the seed of Abraham, but are of their father the devil and just as darkness doesn’t understand light, the children of Satan do not understand the Son of man.
John 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. (46) Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Convince Him of sin? There are two types of people that try and convince you of sin. The first ones are the ones that are honestly thinking that they are doing what is right, and the other are those that purposely try to lead someone astray. We recently did an article on the former that you may want to check out. I believe most people fall into this category because most people do not understand God’s law. They have grown up and understand the ways of the world, but not the ways of our Father. The other category is Satan and his children. They know what is right, but love sin. Satan knows who God is yet still tried to tempt Christ in the wilderness.
John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Some will make the case that the Israelites just can’t understand because God divorced them (Jeremiah 3:8). And they will go on to use Paul to back up their claim that Israel has a spirit of slumber (Romans 11:8) because he was persecuting Christians until he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). The problem with that thought process is that it misses the point of Jesus ministry, and that, unlike Paul, most of these Pharisees weren’t actually Israelites.
Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As the above verse says, Jesus was here specifically for Israel, before salvation was opened to the gentiles. Those who believe that God will not allow these Pharisees to understand Jesus, though they want to, miss the fact that when Israel heard the truth they came out in droves to the Jordan to be baptized. The fact is that if you love God and seek after Him and put aside your pride or prejudice you can hear His word no matter if you were born Israelite or Gentile. Doesn’t matter–we are all God’s children and there is but one vine to which you can be attached and receive everlasting life, and that is Christ.
John 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
What the Pharisees said here is so dumb it makes me laugh! It’s like they realized they are caught and are now just going to start tossing whatever they can to make them look better. Do you remember in school when someone makes the bully look dumb and he starts coming at that person with everything he can to try and make it stick?
John 8:49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
Bullies don’t like it when someone stands up to them. Most people in this day and age couldn’t read, thus they relied on the priests to tell them the laws and commandments of God. So these holy rollers were not used to someone who could stand toe to toe with them and question their authority. Truth be told, most people today cannot stand toe to toe with Satan’s own which is sad. That’s how Satan operates folks. He uses scripture and he will twist it into a thousand directions if you let him. That is why you need to know what God’s plan is and how our Father operates.
Think on this: if someone came to you and said your mother baked you these chocolate chip cookies, I bet you could look at them and know if she did or not, and if not by sight you would know the moment you tasted them. Now I know that some of you out there don’t have moms that bake chocolate chip cookies, but I’m sure you understand the principal. Whether it was good or bad, you know your mom’s cooking and I doubt anyone could copy it. How many wives out there wish they could? How many wives have had better cooking than their mother-in-laws and have to suffer because their husbands know and love the cooking of their parents? Our Father’s Word isn’t any different. If you delve into it and get familiar with Him and His Word, and understand how He works, then even when you are dealing with a bad translation, you know something isn’t right. If you can’t, I don’t say this to shame you. I say it to encourage you to get into your Father’s Word and start to talk with Him. He created us for His pleasure.
John 8:50-51 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. (51) Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
That begs the question: whose glory are you after? Whose glory do you seek? If Jesus the Christ did not come to seek His own glory, who should you be glorifying? I hope you know the answer to that. I hope that you check yourself frequently because we all have pride and we all struggle with ego to one degree or another.
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.
Clearly these turkeys don’t know their Father’s word. “Oh but they didn’t have the New Testament and they didn’t know about life after death.” Oh really? David knew it. In second Samuel what did he say right after his first child with Bathsheba died?
2 Samuel 12:23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
You see David knew where he was going and what about this:
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
We came from God and we return to God. End of story. Jesus came from God too, just as Abraham did before he came to earth.
Naturally, we could talk about the Angel of the Lord that came to visit Abraham not to mention Melchizedek, but I wont at this time.
John 8:53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
Maybe they would have more respect for Abraham and Moses if they realized that they were with the Father.
John 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: (55) 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.
These guys are running around wanting to kill anyone who doesn’t do and say exactly what they want, and Christ is running around healing the sick and proclaiming the year of the Lord. You know it’s so easy to get caught up in chasing around false teachers and wanting to tear down their false houses, and I know that looking at them can make you sick, but that isn’t what Jesus did. Jesus went out and taught. He let those jokers come to Him and we need to follow that example. Get in God’s ark, keep the bow pointed toward the fixed point in the heavens, God, and put the throttle down. Don’t worry about the wake that the others are making; run over it. Let them worry about our wake.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Of course he saw it. Christ came to him and promised him a son. He received a son (Isaac), and through him we got The Son. And he did see it because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? (58) Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Again He uses the sacred name because He was there. In the beginning was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, (John 1:1).
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.
They started the chapter wanting to stone a woman, with no regard for the law, as that would require the man to be there as well. Now they want to stone Him, and to do it in the temple of all places. I told you in the beginning that this chapter is giving us a glimpse of the Millennium. Take what you will from that, for when Christ returns, every knee will bow and He will be in the temple, and by the end of the Millennium, many will fall away. I pray that wont be you. Stay in His Word and follow Him. Create your own wake and SHOW the world that you honor God. Words mean little next to deeds. Until next time, may God keep you and Bless you. Amen
