Bible Studies

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We continue this verse-by-verse study of John chapters 5-8 here in Part 9, starting with John 8:37.

(37) I know that you are Abraham's descendants [See John 8:33. The unbelieving Jewish opponents of Jesus (at least those who continued in that state) were descendants of Abraham only in an external, physical sense.]; yet you seek to kill Me [cf. John 5:18; 7:1, 19, 25; and 8:40, 44, 59], because My word has no place in you. [They rejected Him and His word in their hearts (cf., e.g., John 8:13, 19, 21).] (38) I speak the things which I have seen with My Father [["Or, in the presence of" (margin of NASB); "in the Father's presence" NIV; "with My Father" KJV; NKJV; the Greek preposition "para" with the dative case can be translated "with," or "in the presence of." Compare, for example, John 5:28; 12:49; and 14:10.]]; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.' [Jesus goes on to tell His opponents that their father is the devil (verses 40-44). They were children of the devil doing the works of the devil (cf. 1 John 3:8, 10, 12; we'll discuss these verses later).] (39) They answered and said to Him, 'Abraham is our father.' [[See John 8:33, 37. As I mentioned, Jesus' opponents were children of Abraham in an external, physical sense only. They were not believers like Abraham. They (at least most of them) were not part the elect of God, who will submit to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith (cf. John 6:35-51). They thought they were prime examples of the people of God's Israel, but Jesus, who knows what He is talking about, said they weren't.]] Jesus said to them, 'If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds [or "works"] of Abraham. [[" 'If you were Abraham's children,' said Jesus, 'then you would do the things Abraham did' " NIV. Abraham was a man of faith (he had faith in God and His word), and his works (attitudes, priorities, life, actions) manifested his faith (cf., e.g., James 2:14-26). Abraham, unlike Jesus' Jewish opponents, who were seeking to kill Him (verse 40), rejoiced in the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 56) - he certainly didn't want to kill Him.]] (40) But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me [cf. John 5:18; 7:1, 19, 25; and 8:37, 44, 59], a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God [See John 8:26, 28, 38.]; this Abraham did not do. (41) You are doing the deeds [works] of your father.' [[For one thing, as Jesus goes on to say in verse 44, their father, the devil, "was a murderer from the beginning." They were the devil's children in a spiritual (actually unspiritual), moral (actually immoral), family sense; they had the same desires he had (verse 44), and they acted like him. It can also be said that he was the spirit working in them (see Eph. 2:2) and through them (they were doing his works). This means a lot more than that the devil's children imitate him. They were not, however, created by, or born of, the devil. (For more on this important topic, see under verse 44.)]] They said to Him, 'We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God [cf. Ex. 4:22; Deut. 32:6; and Jer. 31:9].' [Their claim was that they were legitimate children of God - He was their Father; they were His people (and they were legitimate children of Abraham; He was their father). The truth was that they were not of God (cf. John 8:42, 44, 47); they did not really know Him or love Him (cf., e.g., John 8:19, 55; 5:38, 42; and 7:28) - they proved this, for one thing, by rejecting (and wanting to kill) His unique Son and salvation from sin through Him.]] (42) Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me [As it was, they hated Him like their father (the devil) hated Him.], for I proceeded forth and have come from God [cf., e.g., John 8:16, 18, 23, 26-29; 13:3; 15:23; and 16:28, 30], for I have not even come on My own initiative [see under John 7:28], but He sent Me [see under John 8:16]. [[It isn't possible to love God the Father and reject (not love) His unique Son, who is like Him in every way: He was sent by Him; He is deity with Him; His coming was prophesied in some detail in the Old Testament; He speaks the words of the Father and does the works of the Father that He was sent to do. Rejecting Him and His salvation showed all too clearly where the hearts of His opponents were. For one thing, those who love God and truly want to do His will will know that Jesus and His teaching came from the Father (John 7:17; cf. John 3:19-21).]] (43) Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. [[His opponents did not know God or love God and they were not open to His word (His word of truth) - they were living in a different dimension (the kingdom of darkness and lies); they were of a different family; their father, as the next verse shows, was the devil. This doesn't mean that they were all demon possessed, but their hearts were in tune with the devil and his thoughts - they were greatly influenced by him (cf., e.g., Eph. 2:1-3), and they (at least most of them) were not open to change (to repent).]] (44) You are of your father the devil [They were part of his family; they had his nature; they had his evil desires; they did his evil works.], and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer [["Man-slayer/killer

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