John 8:41

Ye do the deeds of your father Better, Ye are doing the works of your father. The word here rendered -deeds" is the same as that rendered -works" in John 8:39. -Ye" is emphatic, in contrast to Abraham. This shews them plainly that spiritual parentage is what He means. In John 8:39 they still cling to Abraham, although He has evidently assigned them some other father. Here they drop literal parentage and adopt His figurative language. -You are speaking of spiritual parentage. Well, our spiritual Father is God."

We be not born of fornication The meaning of this is very much disputed. The following are the chief explanations: (1) Thou hast denied that we are the children of Abraham, then we must be the children of some one sinning with Sarah: which is false." But this would be adultery, not fornication. (2) -We are the children of Sarah, not of Hagar." But this was lawful concubinage, not fornication. (3) -We are not a mongrel race, like the Samaritans; we are pure Jews." This is far-fetched, and does not suit the context. (4) -We were not born of fornication, as Thou art." But His miraculous birth was not yet commonly known, and this foul Jewish lie, perpetuated from the second century onwards (Origen, c. Celsumi. xxxii.), was not yet in existence. (5) -We were not born of spiritual fornication; our sonship has not been polluted with idolatry. If thou art speaking of spiritual parentage, -we have one Father, even God." This last seems the best. Idolatry is so constantly spoken of as whoredom and fornication throughout the whole of the O.T., that in a discussion about spiritual fatherhood this image would be perfectly natural in the mouth of a Jew. Exodus 34:15-16; Leviticus 17:7; Judges 2:17; 2 Kings 9:22; Psalms 73:27; Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 3:1; Jeremiah 3:9; Ezekiel 16:15; &c. &c. See esp. Hosea 2:4. There is a proud emphasis on -we;" - weare not idolaters, like Thy friends the Gentiles" (comp. John 7:35).

we have one Father Or, one Father we have, with emphasis on the -one," in contrast to the many gods of the heathen.