John 8:48-59

CHRIST DEFAMED

Text 8:48-59

48

The Jews answered and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?

49

Jesus answered, I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me.

50

But I seek not mine only glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

51

Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never see death.

52

The Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death.

53

Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died: who makest thou thyself?

54

Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God;

55

and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word.

56

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.

57

The Jews therefore said 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 born, I am.

59

They took up stones therefore to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

Queries

a.

Why accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan?

b.

How will belief in Jesus keep men from seeing death?

c.

How could Abraham see Jesus-' day?

Paraphrase

The Jews answered and said to him, Are we not right when we are saying that you are a Samaritan heretic and that you are possessed of a demon? Jesus answered, I am not demon-possessed but quite to the contrary I honor my Father while you dishonor Him by dishonoring Me. However, to seek self-glorification is not My purpose. Even though men may dishonor Me there is One, even God, who is seeking after and taking care of glorifying Me and He is judging those who dishonor Me. I tell you most solemnly if any man keeps My word he will never experience death unto all eternity. The Jews said to Him, Now we know for sure that you are possessed of a demon. Abraham died and the prophets also died; yet you say, If a man keeps My word he will never taste death unto all eternity. Are you actually claiming that you are greater than our father Abraham? Both he and all the prophets experienced death; just who do you make yourself out to be? Jesus answered, If I glorify Myself, My glory would be vain. It is My Father, whom you call, Our God, that continues to glorify Me; and you have not come to know Himbut I know Him. If I should deny that I know Him as His only unique Son then I would be a liar like you who say you know Him and do not! But I know Him perfectly and keep His word. Your forefather Abraham was extremely happy that he was to see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced. The Jews therefore said to Him, You have not even lived fifty years and have you seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, I do solemnly assure you that before Abraham was born I am living as I have been and shall be for all eternity. So they picked up stones in order to hurl them at Him. But Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.

Summary

Jesus is attacked for His tremendous claims of having power to overcome death and of pre-existence. The Jews rightly recognized that Jesus was claiming supernatural powers, but they, in their carnality, accused Him of heresy and demon possession.

Comment

Some men will always react as these Jews did when their sins and their real nature is revealed; they will slander, back-bite and call names. The Jews could not defend themselves against the overwhelming logic of Christ's words (John 8:41-47), so they made derogatory remarks about Him personally.

Jesus had exposed their hypocrisy and evil intentions and had related them to the devilthey were the devil's children. The Jews counter-charged, You-'re another! The participle legomen (saying) in John 8:48 is in the present tense (continuing action). It may mean that the Jews were continually muttering, Samaritan, heretic, demon, all the time Jesus was addressing them (cf. our paraphrase of this verse). To call Jesus a Samaritan was to call Him a heretic and schismatic because the Samaritans were thus regarded by the Jews (cf. our comments, Vol. I, pages 141-142).

Some commentators argue that since Jesus did not answer the charge of being a Samaritan, it is doubtful that the Jews really called Him a Samaritan. These commentators claim that what we have in the English word samaritan may be a translation of the Aramaic Shomeroni, (meaning Samaritan), which, in-turn, may be a corruption of the Aramaic word Shomeron (which means, prince of the devils). Thus John actually meant to record the Jews as saying, Say we not well that thou art the prince of demons, and hast a demon? But where did these commentators get the idea that John wrote his gospel in Aramaic? The weight of evidence presented by early Greek manuscripts (and now the Bodmer II) is overwhelmingly in favor of John's gospel being written originally in the Greek language. We dismiss this argument as unproven and irrelevant.

We like Lenski's comment as to why Jesus did not answer their charge of being a Samaritan. Lenski says, ... Jesus touches only the second epithet hurled at him. because that is enough for the contrast he is bringing out between what he is doing and what they are doing. Moreover, while these Jews utterly despise the Samaritan, Jesus does not. (Interpretation of St. John's Gospel, by R. C. H. Lenski, page 658).

He did answer, however, their charge of demon-possession. And He answered it in much the same way He had answered the Pharisees in Galilee (cf. Matthew 12:22-30), ... and if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? Jesus-' answer was simply, How can I honor the Heavenly Father and be demon-possessed? If He was a servant of Satan He would be honoring Satan and dishonoring Godbut the exact opposite is true. He honored the Father in everything He said or did, while they dishonored the Father by reviling God's Son (cf. John 5:23).

Jesus continues, It matters little that you dishonor Me, as far as My own self-pride is concerned, for I do not seek to glorify Myself simply for the glory involved. Jesus never sought the honor of men as an end to be desired. He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. he humbled himself, becoming obedient. to the death of the cross, (cf. Philippians 2:6-8). He, though He was the Son, lowered Himself, left Heaven and took upon Himself mortal flesh and experienced subjection and obedience by the things which He suffered (cf. Hebrews 5:8). When even His own disciples were contending about places of honor He girded Himself with a towel and took a basin of water and performed the lowliest of services in washing their feet (cf. John 13:1-17). The Lord Jesus Christ did not concern Himself with seeking praise and honor of men. The matter of maintaining and vindicating His honor is in other, proper handsthe Father's hands.

The Father honored Jesus through His self-assumed humility (cf. Philippians 2:9-11). Although men were reviling and about to kill the Son, the Father was glorifying the Son through the dishonor of men (cf. John 12:27-33). The honor of God comes through humility. The truly great man is the servant of all (cf. Matthew 20:26-28). One day the Judge who judges righteously will assess things at their true value and will assign to men their true honor. On that day the one who has been the servant of all will be honored as the greatest of all.

In John 8:51, Jesus makes one of His bold claims. If any man, not Jew only but any man, will keep His word, that man will not see death. The word keep in this verse comes from the Greek word tereo which means to obey. It is the same word that is translated observe in Matthew 28:20. Jesus means that those who keep His word shall never experience the second death which is eternal separation from God. Jesus means that for those who believe and obey Him, physical death is but the opening of the door to the life that is Life indeed. For the Christian, to be absent from the body means to be at home with the Lord (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-23). But the Jews, either purposely or ignorantly, take Him literallyas meaning physical death.

To those listening to Jesus, His claim is the height of absurdity. The greatest Jew of them all, father Abraham, had died. Furthermore, the illustrious prophets had died (they seem to have forgotten Elijah's translation in the fiery chariot). All these great men were men of God and yet they had died. In their estimation He was indeed trying to glorify Himself and make Himself greater than Abraham or any of the prophets. Contemptuously they ask, Whom makest thou thyself?

When Jesus made His supernatural claims He was not bragging or seeking false glory; He was stating what was true! He knew the Father intimately and proved it by keeping the Father's word, doing the Father's works and manifesting the Father's nature to men. If, then, He should keep silent about His intimate relationship to Jehovah He would be a liar by His silent denial, just as these Jews were liars by their loud claims to know God while denying it by their lives. It is true of the silent Christian today, alsohe lives a lie! Those who believe and profess to follow Christ must confess that profession by word of mouth and by good deeds (cf. Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 10:32-33; Matthew 12:30; Matthew 7:21-23; Mark 8:38).

Now another astounding claim is made, this time on behalf of Abraham. Abraham rejoiced when he saw the day of Jesus. Of course, Jesus is contrasting the faith of Abraham with the lack of faith of these Jews who claim Abraham as their spiritual father. Here the Messiah stood before them and had done many mighty works in their very presence and they could not accept Him, yet their father Abraham had, by faith, seen the day of the Messiah. There were others, both before and after Abraham, who through eyes of faith beheld the day of Christ. Moses, it is written, accounted the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible (cf. Hebrews 11:26-27). The prophets also saw His day (cf. 1 Peter 1:10-12).

Many of these Old Testament saints who saw the day of Christ through faith are named in Hebrews, the eleventh chapter. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Hebrews 11:13). The key phrase is ... having greeted them from afar. Abraham rejoiced when Isaac was born for he knew that through Isaac (whose name means laughter) would come the Messiah in whom God would bless all the nations (cf. Galatians 3:16). These Jews were not glad. Jesus was not the Messiah they wanted. They could not rejoice in a meek, gentle and spiritually-minded King. And so their boast to be the spiritual children of Abraham was hypocrisy.

These Jews have eyes but they see not, and ears but they hear not. They continue to interpret the Lord's words in a literal, physical sense. How could this Jesus of Nazareth, who is not fifty years of age, have seen Abraham who died over 2000 years before? Impossible!

In John 8:58 Jesus states very plainly that although Abraham was born in point of time, He enjoyed timeless existence. Here is one of the many instances in the New Testament where the Greek language best expresses what Jesus intended to say. When Jesus says I am, He means that He not only existed from all eternity before Abraham became a being in point of time, but Jesus transcends all time and will continue to exist eternally.

And when Jesus ascribed to Himself the words I am, the scholars of the Law standing about would remember Exodus 3:14 wherein God calls Himself I AM THAT I AM. Of course, the Jews would look upon such a statement as blasphemy. According to their Law, blasphemy was punishable by being stoned to death (Leviticus 24:16). But the Law also provided for the accused to have a trial with witnesses present to establish the charges. They knew that when challenged before they could not convict Him of sin, nor could they lawfully convict Him now, so they took up stones and fully intended to criminally assault Him as a mob. The temple even then was still under construction in some parts and there were stones lying around within easy reach (cf. our comments on John 2:20, Vol. I, page 84), and these Jews, enraged and maliciously seeking some excuse to murder Jesus, picked up stones to cast upon Him. Jesus, knowing that His time had not yet come for the supreme sacrifice, hid Himself amidst the crowd and went out of the temple.

Thus Jesus has met His enemies face to face in their own stronghold in Judea in the temple. He has made bold, supernatural claims for Himself and backed them up with His challenge that His enemies bring forth proof, if they can, of any sin or falsehood on His part. Not one shred of evidence or testimony is forthcomingonly slanderous insinuations. But the great controversies at the Feast of Tabernacles are not yet over. Jesus probably spends a few more days in the temple healing and teaching (cf. John 9:1, John 10:12) before He retires to Bethany and the home of Mary and Martha (cf. Luke 10:38 and Map #5, John 7:1-53 chapter comments).

Quiz

1.

What are the connotations of Jesus being called a Samaritan?

2.

How did Jesus answer their charge that He was demon-possessed?

3.

Although Jesus never sought the glory of men, wherein did He obtain honor and glory?

4.

Why was Jesus not boasting when He made His supernatural claims?

5.

Who, besides Abraham, saw the day of Christ? Give Scripture references.

6.

What two things did Jesus claim when He said before Abraham was, I am?

7.

When does this particular period of teaching in the temple end?

Essay Questions

1.

Describe the Feast of Tabernacles. What was approximate time of feast? How was it observed? Who attended? Where observed?

2.

Discuss the textual evidence for the omission of John 7:53, John 8:11.

3.

Discuss the significance of John 7:38-39.

4.

Discuss the true spiritual children of Abraham. Who are the true spiritual children of Abraham? What other New Testament Scriptures speak of Children of Abraham (spiritually)?