John 8:33-59 Bible Study
Notes
Transcript
The Enemies of Christ made some claims about themselves to defend themselves against what Christ said about them. But Christ negated all their claims. There are four claims that are made here.
1. The Seed Claim
1. The Seed Claim
John 8:33–38 “They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.”
This was their clam to being Jews.
The Nature of The Claim
The Nature of The Claim
The Pride of the Claim
They felt like That they were kin to Abraham that it gave them favor with God
The Phoniness of the Claim
John 8:33 “They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?”
This claim was made in complete ignorance and pride
They had been in bondage to Egypt, Assyrians, Babylonians, and now the heavy bondage by the Romans.
The Perplexity from the Claim
“… how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?”
Like a lot of instances when talking to Christ the people don’t understand that Jesus is talking about spiritual liberty and not physical liberty
They were in bondage to sin and to Rome but blind to both
Sin blinds our minds and messes up our reasoning
The Negating of the Claim
The Negating of the Claim
Christ negated this claim of His critics in at least six ways.
Their Servitude John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
They were sinners and because of that they were in great bondage
Their Staying John 8:35 “And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.”
Sin made them a servant and not a son
That caused them to have far less spiritual privileges than they thought
Their Savior John 8:36 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
The way out of Bondage was and is only through Jesus Christ!
Clearing they didn’t understand that. Hence the Cross
Their Sin John 8:37 “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.”
They were only physically the seed of Abraham, not spiritually for they wanted to kill Christ.
Their Scripture
“… but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.”
These Jews thought they knew the scriptures, but the fact that they rejected Christ shows that they didn’t. They actually rejected the Word! (Isaiah 53)
Their Seeing John 8:38 “I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.”
The contrast wasn’t meant to point to their earthly father but their father the Devil. (will be made clearer in vs. 44)
2. The Son Claim
2. The Son Claim
John 8:39–40 “They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.”
The second claim also spoke of their relationship to Abraham, a very revered person to the Jews
The Nature of the Claim
The Pride in the Claim
They looked down upon people who could not make this claim
The Profit in the Claim
They thought that with Abraham as their father, they would inherit eternal life- they thought it was their ticket to heaven
The Negating of the Claim
Their Conduct John 8:39 “They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.”
Likewise if we claim to be a Christian we better act like it!!!
Their Cruelty John 8:40 “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.”
As they claim to be righteous they didn’t act like it!!
They claimed to be righteous thought Abraham
Their Contrast John 8:40 “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.”
Their cruel intent to Christ negated their claim of being children of Abraham. Abraham was not opposed to Christ!
Do you act opposed to Christ??
