Today we find the Jewish leadership snapping back at Jesus with their only legitimate claim to fame that being their heirship to Abraham. But even than they have run their only claim into the ground by their lack of faith in GOD. Jesus being who He is stands His ground and tells them just who and what they are, and then blows them away by saying that before Abraham was I am. Beginning at verse 48 through the end of chapter 8, here goes.
John 8:48-59 "Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, "Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?" Jesus answered, 'I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.' 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.'" Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?" 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: 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. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.' Then said the Jews unto him, "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?" Jesus said unto them, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.' 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." (KJV)
John 8:48-59 "The Jews answered Jesus with, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, "'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.'" Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?" Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God. But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he saw my day. He saw it and was glad.' So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am!' So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple." (ESV)
John 8:48-59 "The Jews snapped back at Jesus, "We were right all along! You are a Samaritan dog and demon possessed!" Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon and I honor my Father while you insult me! I am not here to defend my own opinion; GOD is the judge of my glory. Truly truly do I say to you, that anyone who treasures my word will not consider death to be of any relevance beyond this age!' The Jews replied, "Now we are more convinced than ever, that you do have a demon! Abraham and the Prophets died and you say that if someone treasures your word death will be of no relevance to them unto the (this) age! Are you greater than our father Abraham who is dead and the Prophets who are also dead? Who do you think you are?" Jesus said, 'If I honor myself, my honor means nothing; actually it is my Father who honors me, the one you claim to be your God! You have never really known him; I know him personally and would lie if I'd say that I haven't seen him! I am not lying like you; I have seen him and treasure his logos! (Deception is born in the "I-am-not" idea.) Your father Abraham was leaping with joy to see my day! What he was made him exceedingly glad!' Then the Jews said, "Ha! You're not even fifty years old and you claim to have seen Abraham!" 'Most certainly do I say to you that before Abraham was born, I am!'(John 1:1 Three times in this sentence John uses the imperfect of eimi, namely ane, to be, which conveys no idea of origin for GOD or for the Logos, but simply continuous existence, "I AM." Quite a different verb egeneto, "became," appears in John 1:14 for the beginning of the Incarnation of the Logos. The Incarnation is not the origin of Jesus, neither of us! Look at the distinction sharply drawn in John 8:58, "before Abraham was [born, genesthao from ginomai] I am." The word eimi, I am; the essence of being, suggesting timelessness in existence. Look at 1Peter 1:16.) By now they were ready to stone him, but Jesus slipped out of their sight and left the temple area." (The Mirror)
In our next chapter there are some interesting things reported, which we shall look into, the LORD willing, next time. Or at least we will begin to. By now we should all be or have grown in the true and accurate knowledge of the LORD and I am thinking based on that that maybe I should look at doing something else with this blog. How many can express the wonders of GOD and the LORD of Lord?
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