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John 8:52-59

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

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. 53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 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. 56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad. 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. 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.

John 8:52-59 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on John 8:52

Theological / Devotional

Now we know. They felt that now they had convincing evidence that Jesus was under the control of a demon. See on Matt. 12:24.

Abraham is dead. Literally, “Abraham died.” Later Jewish tradition named nine who entered Paradise without seeing death, but Abraham was not on the list. However, the Jews misunderstood Jesus’ statement. They thought that Jesus spoke of physical death when He said, “he shall never see death” (v. 51). Certainly Abraham should then have been spared the ravages of death, for Jesus Himself had witnessed to his righteousness (vs. 39, 40).

Taste of death. A common figure of speech (Matt. 16:28; Heb. 2:9). Its essential meaning is not different from the phrase “see death” (John 8:5 1), another figure employed by Jesus. Hence the Jews were not actually misquoting Jesus, as might appear.

By SdaBc