John 8:48-59 Sunday School
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48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Recap...
Recap...
Chapter 8 so far...
What have we learned about the Jews?
What has our study taught us about Christ?
“I know you are, but what am I?”
“I know you are, but what am I?”
“You are a Samaritan”
You’re a heretic AND we aren’t sure where you come from.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary History
The relationship between Jews and Samaritans, which was rocky during the Persian period, grew more hostile during the Hellenistic era. Sirach (late third century) records the earliest evidence for Jewish hostility toward the Samaritans, stating that “the foolish people who live in Shechem are “not even a people” (Sirach 50:25–26).
The Lexham Bible Dictionary History
Both Samaritans and Jews were affected by the persecutions of Antiochus IV; however, 2 Maccabees and Josephus provide different interpretations of the Samaritans’ reaction. According to 2 Macc 6:2, Antiochus IV forced the Samaritans to dedicate their sanctuary to Zeus Xenios; in contrast, Josephus claims that the Samaritans did this willingly.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Religion
The Samaritans’ religious practices were similar to the Jews with a few major exceptions—mainly, the Samaritans thought of Mount Gerizim, not Jerusalem, as the proper place of worship. The Samaritans, like the Sadducees, were more “conservative” than other Jews in that they the rejected the authority of the prophets and writings, and relied exclusively on their edition of the Pentateuch (Samaritan Pentateuch). The Samaritans also did not celebrate Purim or Hanukkah.
A primary difference between Samaritans and Jews is that they believed that Yahweh should be worshiped in Shechem rather than Jerusalem. Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman in the Gospel of John highlights this difference (John 4:20–21).
Look back to verse 39:
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
“AND you have a demon”
They are kind of saying, “you’re crazy!”
What else do you see here?
The Truth Comes Out
The Truth Comes Out
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
“I have no demon”
Notice that He doesn’t even answer the first insult.
Have you ever been in a verbal confrontation with someone else and afterward said to yourself, “oh, I should have said this or that!”
Notice how Jesus didn’t even acknowledge the first insult.
Wouldn’t we do well to leave the ridiculous alone and respond to that which matters?
What does Jesus do right here by answering the “you have a demon” accusation?
In what ways was Jesus honored during His time on earth?
41 “I do not receive honor from men.
18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Listen to how Jesus lovingly, after they’ve insulted Him, shares how He is the Good News and that salvation comes alone through Him:
24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
Turn to and read this silently.
26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Friends, do you believe this?
If no, I want to encourage you today to repent of your sins and turn to Christ and live.
If you say yes, ask yourself these two questions:
When others look at our lives would they agree with what they know about us?
In the quietness of our homes and through interacting with those most dear to us, would this still remain true?
“I know you are but what am I infinity!!”
“I know you are but what am I infinity!!”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
All of the prominent prophets are dead!!
Look at verse 53 and see that they simply don’t get it.
53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
Not only do they not get it, but they are implying He is guilty of blasphemy.
Remember
18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
Later on they are very specific about the blasphemy charge.
33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”
The Bomb is Dropped
The Bomb is Dropped
Jn 8:
54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
A. T. Robertson says of verse 54, “Actually, my Father is the one...”
Verse 55, He is telling them that they have not “experienced” the Father. They truly do not know Him.
It is Jesus who in fact truly knows the Father.
Jn
29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
Jn 8:
A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John Exegetical and Critical
it means: you have not even indirectly made His acquaintance, but I have made His acquaintance directly; I. have looked at Him and know Him by intention.
Notice the word, “rejoiced” in verse 56:
Abraham’s belief in the coming promise was the cause of His joy.
4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)
