​Respect and Disrespect (8:48–59)

Respect and Disrespect (8:48–59)
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The leaders couldn't prove our Lord wrong, so they went after Him. Some students believe that the leaders' statement in John 8:41—"We are not born of fornication"—was an insult to our Lord's birth and character. After all, Mary was pregnant before she and Joseph got married. But the personal attacks in John 8:48 are obvious. It was very rude to call a Jew a Samaritan, and then to call them a demon-possessed person was even worse. It's important to note that Jesus didn't even bother to answer the racist comment. There was probably also the idea that Jesus was a heretic, just like the Samaritans.

They were disrespecting Him, but He was respecting the Father. He stressed that you can't honor the Father without honoring the Son (John 5:23). They were looking for their glory (see John 5:41–44), but He was looking for the glory that only God can provide Without Christ, religion based on tradition is often a "mutual admiration society" for people who want to be praised by others.

Jesus had told them that they would die in their sins because they didn't believe in Him. Now He was asking them to believe His Word and "never see death" (John 8:51). He had already said this in His sermon at the synagogue (John 6:39–40, 44, 54). The leaders didn't have the spiritual insight to understand what He was saying again. Abraham was dead, but he was a righteous man, and so were the prophets who were faithful. This type of speech merely reinforced their conviction that He was possessed by a demon (John 7:20).

He said He was the Lord of death, which meant He was God (John 5:21–29). The Father gave this honor to Him. Abraham, whom they said was their father, saw His day and rejoiced! They weren't pleased; they were rebelling and trying to kill Him.

How did Abraham "see" our Lord's day, which means His life and work on earth? He saw the future city in the same way: by faith (Heb. 11:10, 13–16). God did not show Abraham a special vision of our Lord's life and ministry, but He did provide him the spiritual ability to "see" what would happen in the future. Abraham must have seen the Messiah's birth in the miraculous birth of his son Isaac. He definitely saw Calvary when he gave Isaac to God (Gen. 22). Abraham could see the Lord's heavenly priesthood through Melchizedek's priestly ministry (Gen. 14:17–24). In Isaac's marriage, Abraham could see a picture of the Lamb's marriage (Gen. 24).

His declaration in John 8:58, “Before Abraham was [existed], I Am," was yet another proof of His divine sonship, and the Jewish leaders took it that way. He had once again made Himself equal to God (John 5:18), which was a sin of blasphemy that deserved death (Lev. 24:16). Jesus was protected by God and just walked away. It wasn't His time yet. We can't help but admire His bravery as He told the truth and asked blind religious men to trust Him and be free.

People who do not realize they need help are the hardest to bring to the Savior. They are condemned by God, but they believe that their religion will save them. They are not following the light of life; instead, they are walking in the dark. They are in a "living death" because they are stuck in sin, and even though they do good acts for their religion, they are dishonoring the Father and the Son. Jesus called these people the "children of the devil" because they killed Him.

Who is your Father? If you have accepted Jesus Christ into your life, does that mean God is your Father (John 1:12–13)? Or is Satan your father because you are relying on a fake righteousness, a "works righteousness," instead of the righteousness that comes from faith in Jesus Christ?

Heaven is your home if God is your Father. If He isn't your Father, then hell is where you'll end up.

It really is a matter of life and death!