Things continue to heat up as Jesus confronts the religious leaders in the temple area.
click here for an online Bible John 8:48-59
Jesus has been telling everyone that he is the source of life. So, like any good debater, the religious leaders resort to name-calling. They said that he was a demon-possessed Samaritan. I don’t know where they got the Samaritan part. Maybe because he had traveled through Samaria. I think they probably figured that since he was so mixed up theologically, he must be a Samarian, because they were way off-center.
In calling him demon-possessed, they at least recognize that there are spiritual issues involved. Jesus comes back with the bottom line. “If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” He makes sure that we don’t miss that this is the bottom line. He began his remark (verse 51) with, “Amen, amen, I tell you …” English translations use a variety of ways to translate this phrase.
King James verily verily I say unto you
New King James most assuredly I say to you
New American Standard truly truly I say to you
New International Version I tell you the truth
Holman Christian Standard I assure you
New Living Translation I tell you the truth
English Standard Version truly truly I say to you
When Jesus says, “Amen amen, I tell you…” then you had better pay attention. He is saying something important. Anyone who follows Jesus will not die. He literally says, “he will not see death into the age.”
The religious leaders come back with the fact that even their patriarch Abraham died. Certainly Jesus did not consider himself superior to Abraham. Just to make sure they didn’t miss the point, Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born, I am.” The leaders freaked out. They were ready to kill Jesus on the spot.
It wasn’t improper grammar that got them upset. When Jesus said, “I AM,” he was using the name of God, YAHWEH. He began his statement with another “amen amen.” He was essentially saying to the leaders, “Read my lips, I am the God of Abraham.”
We like to make the gospel the story of how we can have eternal life. The gospel is about Jesus. It is his story. We have to come face-to-face with who Jesus is. He is God.
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2 comments:
Pastor Cliff's take on this is exactly right on. Jesus was basically all but shouting (and maybe He was?) at them to listen up, He's the real deal, He's God! They can't seem to grasp to what Jesus is saying. I picture this conversation as Jesus getting frustrated (much like any other human would in this situation) that the religious leaders are not listening to what He is saying. He came right out and told them the truth, He is God, but they chose not to believe. Can you imagine how Jesus felt after this talk? He came to save and do nothing but good for the people, yet some are refusing to accept His Word. Much like today I would say. This brought me back to John 1, when it says there will be some who do not accept the truth and do not recognize Jesus as the Father:
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent,[c] nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
Amen Bobbie! Jesus is the Father.
Jesus constantly challenges us as believers to be believers... not just mere knowers. It is amazing how far God surpasses us in knowledge, size... just everything.
ANYTHING YOU THINK YOU KNOW, CONSIDER IT DUNG TO WHAT GOD IS ABOUT TO REVEAL TO YOU
I really like how He moves the crowd. At the beginning of the chapter He so effortlessly gets the stoners to drop their stones and walk away. By the end of the chapter they are ready to rock and roll all over again.
I have a really hard time with the motives of the religious leaders, not that it really matters, but sometimes it seems like they are provoking Jesus to show all of his Majesty other times they really seem as if they really do not believe Him. Either way they were in the wrong. I was wondering if one could be more forgivable than the other, but then realized that Jesus has already interceded for them. The point of including such detail may be part of their glory or eternal damnation. We have to be careful when judging them, but I do want to seek out what it is I am trying to judge as it may be helpful in finding some of my own pitfalls...
any other (maybe more complete) thoughts?
Love,
ej
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