IV. Period of Conflict. V. 7:1-12:50

       1. Conflict over Moses. V. 7:1-8:11

               1) Before the feast–we see doubt. V. 1-9

               2) In the midst of the feast–we see debate. V. 10-36

               3) The last day of the feast–we see division. V. 37-53

 

CHAPTER 8:

 

               4) The next day after the feast‑‑we see deception. V. 1‑11

V. 1

1. "But" = not in the English but in the Greek; shows the contrast between what the Jews did in John 7:53 and what Jesus did; these first 11 verses still deal with the conflict over Moses; remember there were no chapter and verse divisions in the original.

2. Some so‑called scholars want to say that verse 53 of John 7 and the first 11 verses of John 8 are not in the best of manuscripts.  But I believe they are in the original and the Lord has preserved His Word for us today. (Rev. 22:19)

3. "Jesus" = the virgin born Son of God.

4. "Went" = to pursue the journey on which one has entered.

5. "Unto the mount of Olives" = a mountain located east of Jerusalem; place where Jesus often went just to pray or to spend the night in Bethany at the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha (Mat. 21:17; Mark 11:11; John 11:1); Bethany was on the east side of the mountain while the garden of Gethsemane was on the west side.

6. Jesus spent many nights at this home in Bethany because He had no place of His own to pillow His head. (Mat. 8:20)

 

V. 2

1. "Early in the morning" = one word in the Greek; daybreak; dawn; the time the people began coming to the temple; the people of the East are accustomed to rising early and especially at the time of the annual feast, since may they had traveled a great distance in order to be there and they needed to take advantage of every part of the temple worship; this day was the day after the feast of the tabernacles‑‑Oct. 23‑‑six months before Jesus was to die on the cross.

2. "He" = "him" = Jesus the Son of God.

3. "Came" = to make a public appearance.

4. "Again" = repetition of the action; He had been there the day before.

5. "Into" = to come to a point, place, and time with a purpose; Jesus always moved with purpose‑‑the will of the Father.

6. "The temple" = a sacred place; consisted of the whole sacred enclosure‑‑the entire aggregate of the buildings, balconies, and courts (that of the men of Israel, of the women, of the priests, and of the Gentiles); Jesus went into the treasury (verse 20) located next to the court of the women.

7. "All the people" = those present in the temple area that morning.

8. "Came unto him"  = they gathered around Jesus; the Greek construction pictures the enthusiasm of the whole crowd now as opposed to the division in John 7:40‑43.

9. "Sat down" = took a seat as was customary for Jesus and began to teach. (Luke 5:3)

10. "Taught" = to hold a discourse with others in order to instruct them; to impart instruction; to explain or expound a subject.

 

V. 3

1. "Scribes" = a copier of the law and other parts of the Scriptures. (Jer. 8:8); they were men learned in the Mosaic law and the sacred writings and also interpreters and teachers.

2. "Pharisees" = a Jewish religious sect which was organized during the period between Malachi and Matthew when there was no recorded revelation from God; they placed oral tradition equal to or above the Word of God, but here they, combined with the scribes, are dealing with what Moses wrote in the law.

3. "Brought" = to lead by laying hold of and bring to the point of destination; the Greek construction presents a vivid dramatic picture; this action within itself was an unlawful thing to do since they had a court for the trial of such a case; also the law stipulated that both the man and the woman were to be tried and killed. (Deut. 22:22‑24)

4. "Him" = Jesus, the Son of God.

5. "A woman" = a woman of any age; context seems to indicate the woman was married because these men accused her of committing adultery.

6. "Taken" = to lay hold of so that she was not able to get away from them; to overcome; the tense is perfect which means she was seized at some point in past time and remain captive by these men as they brought her to Jesus.

7. "Adultery" = to have unlawful sex relations with another's wife or husband.

8. "They" = the scribes and Pharisees.

9. "Had set" = placed.

10. "Her" = the woman.

11. "In the midst" = amongst; this woman was placed so all could see her and also see what Jesus would do with such a case; they were not concerned about justice, they just wanted to entrap Jesus.

 

V. 4

1. "They" = the scribes and Pharisees.

2. "Say" = to point out with words.

3. "Him" = Jesus, the Son of God.

4. "Master" = teacher; on who is fitted to teach; a title of respect; a certain amount of hypocrisy is involved here, for they did not honestly attribute that high of respect to Jesus; instead of using this title as a title of respect they may have used it as a title for ridicule.

5. "This woman" = the woman they brought to Jesus.

6. "Was taken in adultery" = she was seized and overcome while she was having unlawful sex relations with someone else's spouse.

7. "In the very act" = caught in the act of unlawful sex relations; this is added to show that there was no doubt concerning her guilt.

 

V. 5

1. "Now" = moreover; she is guilty and this is what the law says.

2. "Moses in the law” = refers to Moses as the human instrumentality God used to write the first five books of the Bible called by the Jews "the law."

3."Commanded" = to order something to be done; the Lord did the commanding and Moses was faithful to pass on to the people what the Lord commanded.

4. “That” = introduces what was commanded.

4. "Us" = the Hebrews; the Jews of which the scribes and Pharisees were included.

5. "Such" = of this kind or sort; refers to this woman who had broken the law.

6. "Should be stoned" = "to be stoned" = to be killed by stoning as the law stated in Deut. 22:24‑‑this is dealing with a betrothed virgin in context; therefore, the woman in question may have been betrothed but that was so binding she is referred to as being married to an husband; thus, her act was considered adultery with punishment by law‑‑being stoned to death.

7. "What sayest thou?" = "what do you have to say concerning this matter? speak up:" they were trying to trap Jesus.

8. "Thou" = Jesus the Son of God; the emphasis is on this word; thus, the whole point was to catch Jesus, not to punish the woman for they did not bring the man who was also present when they seized the woman; if they were interested in justice they would have seized the man as well.

9. Either way Jesus answered, they would have reason to accuse Him.  If He said, "Stone her," they would accuse Him before the Romans, because they alone had authority at this time to executed anyone in Palestine. If Jesus said, "Let her go free," He would be teaching against the law of Moses.

 

V. 6

1. "This they said" = refers to verses 4‑5.

2. "They" = the scribes and Pharisees.

3. "Tempting" = to put to the test to see what Jesus would do; they wanted to trap Him.

4. "Him" = "his" = Jesus, the Son of God.

5. "That" = gives the reason for what has just been stated.

6. "Might have to accuse him" = they wanted something with which to make an accusation against Jesus.

7. "But" = shows contrast; they wanted to trap Jesus but Jesus was too smart for them.

8. "Stooped down" = to bow the head and bend forward to be able to reach the ground.

9. "With his finger" = using His finger as an instrument for making marks on the ground.

10. "Wrote” = made markings that made letters which formed words of the scribes and Pharisees' language.

11. "Ground" = the dirt, dust, or sand.

12. "As though he heard them not" = in italics, thus not in the original but supplied by the translators; there is no Greek words that justify this insertion; it seems the translators assumed that Jesus ignored them because there is nothing stated as to how He reacted except He wrote in the dust or sand and continued to do so even while they continued to ask Jesus the same question again and again. (verse 7)

13. Tradition says that Jesus wrote down the names and sins of these accusers.  But I doubt He did that.  What He wrote is not stated for a purpose.  What we need to do is to concentrate on what the Word of God says instead of spending our time guessing and speculating about areas that the Lord has not made plain.  What ever He wrote (at least the second time in verse 8) it brought conviction. (verse 9)

 

V. 7

1. "So when" = but as.

2. "They" = "them" = "you" = the scribes and Pharisees.

3. "Continued asking" = continued to question Jesus.

4. First "him" = first "he" = "himself" = Jesus the Son of God.

5. "Lifted up himself" = one word in the Greek; means to raise one’s self up.

6. "Said" = to speak.

7. Second "he" = second "him" = refers to any one of the men who brought this woman to Jesus.

8. "Without sin" = the Greek construction means he who has not been guilty of this very sin they were accusing this woman of‑‑adultery; they may not have committed the act but were guilty of looking in lust. (Mat. 5:27‑28)

9. "Let him first cast" = be first to cast‑‑means before others; to fling or throw a "stone" = refers to rocks used to put the guilty to death; the responsibility of one of the witnesses was to throw the first stone (Deut. 17:6‑7); Jesus put them to the test.

10. "Her" = the woman taken in the act of adultery and brought to Jesus.

 

V. 8

1. "And again" = repetition of His previous action (verse 6); the reason He did this the second time was to give the scribes and Pharisees time to search their own hearts‑‑which He already knew.

2. Jesus made no decision but asked them to judge themselves.  He had not denied the law of Moses or acquitted the woman.

 

V. 9

1. "They" = "their" = the scribes and Pharisees.

2. "Which" = who; the scribes and Pharisees are men and not things‑‑masculine not neuter gender.

3. "Heard" = to consider and understand what had been said.

4. "Being convicted" = proved guilty.

5. "By" = shows the origin of conviction.

6. "Conscience" = an internal faculty which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them; the conscience will not convict one unless there is a  standard to measure by; these scribes and Pharisees had the OT which was the standard that brought conviction; this is the only time this English word (convicted) is used in the Bible while the Greek word translated "convicted" is use several times translated as reprove, rebuke, tell a fault, and convince.

7. "Went out" = left the temple area where Jesus was teaching; they were summoned to judge themselves rather than the woman.

8. "One by one" = one at a time.

9. "Beginning at the eldest, even unto the last" = the eldest here may refer, not to age, but to honor‑‑from those who were in highest reputation to the lowest in rank.

10. "Jesus" = the virgin born Son of God.

11. "Was left alone" = to leave behind; no doubt the common people were still gathered around Jesus and the woman but the scribes and Pharisees left the temple area.

12. "Woman" = the woman seized in the act of adultery and brought to Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees to entrap Him.

13. "Standing in the midst" = left as she had been placed by her accusers in the midst of the people listening to Jesus teach; verse 12 gives evidence that the common people did not leave.

 

V. 10

1. "When" = indicates Jesus gave all the accusers times to make their move before He ceased to write on the ground and look back toward them or at least where they were.

2. "Jesus" = "he" = the virgin born Son of God.

3. "Lifted up himself" = to raise himself up from His stooped position He had taken in verse 8.

4. "Saw" = to view with the eyes; Jesus knew what the accusers were doing even though His eyes were not focused on them.

5. "None" = nobody; refers to the accusers.

6. "Woman" = "her" = one accused of adultery.

7. Second "Woman" = how Jesus addressed this accused one.

8. "Those" = they.

9. "Thine" = your.

10. "Accusers" = those who made an accusation against this woman.

11. "Hath no man condemned thee?" = they had accused her but they did not proceed to act expressive of judicial condemnation‑‑to cast the first stone as the law commanded; no one dared to cast a stone at the woman on Jesus' terms.

 

V. 11

1. "She" = "her" = "thee" = the accused woman.

2. "Said" = speaks for the first time.

3. "No man" = no one; she makes no excuse for her sin.

4. "Lord" = a title of honor expressive of respect and reverence; means sir, master, or owner; this woman may have recognized Jesus as to who He really was‑‑Lord and Master.

5. "Jesus" = "I" = the virgin born Son of God.

6. "Neither do I condemn thee" = meaning Jesus did not condemn (judge) her just as her accusers did not condemn her; Jesus came to fulfill the law (Mat. 5:17) and to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), not to condemn (John 3:17‑18; 12:47‑48); Jesus did not excuse, condone, nor take lightly her sin thus He said, "go and sin not more."

7. "Go and sin no more" = means not to continue living a lifestyle of sin‑‑a habitual continuous lifestyle‑‑for if one does they are not saved (I John 3:9)

8. You may say. "But we do sin after we are saved." That's true. We are not perfect but the Lord wants us to reach forth toward perfection and not have an habitual continuous lifestyle of sin.  The Word tells us the basic same thing in I John 2:1 as Jesus told this woman.

9. The trap these scribes and Pharisees set for Jesus failed but it resulted in this woman finding help from the Lord.

 

       2. Conflict over Abraham. V. 12-59

V. 12

1. "Then" = consequently; with the issue of the woman accused of adultery settled Jesus takes the opportunity to teach those gathered around Him.

2. "Spake" = to use words in order to declare one’s mind and disclose one’s thoughts.

3. "Jesus" = "I" = "me" = the virgin born Son of God.

4. "Again" = further.

5. "Them" = the people that came unto Him in verse 2.

6. "Saying" = to point out with words.

7. "I am" = the self existent one; these words (one word in the Greek) alone were enough to startle a Jew for they knew the Scripture and knew that Jesus was saying He was the One who met Moses at the burning bush and told him to tell the Israelites that "I AM" hath sent him to deliver them (Exo. 3:13‑14)

8. "Light" = symbol for truth and the revelation of God; John stated in I John 1:5, "God is light;" John the Baptist bore witness to that light he called the true light (John 1:6‑9); Jesus had already stated that light is come into the world in John 3:19; now He claims the distinction of being that light; this is preceded by the definite article in the Greek, thus "the light" not just "a light."

9. "Of the world" = refers to all the inhabitants of the earth, not just Israel; Isaiah had already prophesied that the Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles, not just Israel. (Isa. 42:6; 49:6)

10. "He" = whosoever.

11. "Followeth" = to side with his party; be an imitator of the one he follows; the tense is continuous which means to continue in His Word as verse 31‑32 brings out; this means step (obey) in what light you have and the Lord will give you more light which He gives in His person, sayings (Word), and ministry.

12. "Shall walk" = to regulate one’s conduct; negated by "not."

13. "Darkness" = a result of lack of light; associated with wickedness.

14. "But" = show contrast‑‑not regulate one’s life in wickedness (darkness) but in light (truth).

15. "Shall have the light of life" = means to have the Lord Jesus who is the light of life (John 1:4; I John 5:12); to believe on Him as the revelation of God is to have eternal life.

 

V. 13

1. "Pharisees" = a Jewish religious sect which was organized during the period between Malachi and Matthew when there was no recorded revelation from God; they placed oral tradition equal to or above the Word of God; there were more Pharisees present in the temple listening to Jesus teach than just those who brought the woman and accused her.

2. "Therefore" = in view of the facts; the Pharisees challenged His statement,"I am the light of the world."

3. "Him" = "thou" = "thyself" = "thy" = all refer to Jesus, the virgin born Son of God.

4. "Bearest record" = to give testimony; to be a witness.

5. Second "record" = testimony.

6. "Is not true" = is not worthy of belief, or is not substantiated by sufficient evidence or witnesses as required by law. (Deut. 19:15)

7. Jesus had already given the Jews five witnesses in John 5:31‑40 one and a half years earlier and they did not believe Him.  And their challenge to His testimony did not stop Him for He testified again and in the next four verses He reveals His testimony is credible.

 

V. 14

1. "Jesus" = "I" = "my" = the virgin born Son of God.

2. "Answered" = to begin to speak when something has been said to which the remarks refer.

3. "Them" = "ye" = the Pharisees.

4. "Though" = even if.

5. "Bear record" = to give testimony; to be a witness.

6. "Of" = concerning.

7. Second "record" = testimony.

8. "Is true" = genuine; worthy to be believed.

9. "For" = because; gives the reason His testimony is true.

10. "Know" = to have an absolute positive knowledge of the facts.

11. "Whence" = from where; refers to origin or source.

12. "Came" = "come" = to come from one place to another; Jesus came from heaven to earth.

13. Jesus knew His origin, by what authority He acted, and what commands were given Him.

14. "Whither" = where.

15. "Go" =  to go away; refers to Jesus going back to heaven which He had already stated in John 7:33.

16. "But" = shows contrast between Jesus and these Pharisees.

17. "Cannot tell" = do not know; the Pharisees were blinded and did not have a clue what Jesus was talking about.

 

V. 15

1. "Ye" = the Pharisees.

2. "Judge" =  to pronounce an opinion concerning right or wrong.

3. "After the flesh" = according to appearance, not according to the spiritual nature of doctrines; based on externals only‑‑what they could see and conclude in their minds; refers to judgment based on preconceived opinions, ideas, and prejudices.

4. "No man" = no one; Jesus had just proved what He is saying because He told the woman in verse 11 "neither do I condemn (judge) thee."

5. Jesus came to fulfill the law (Mat. 5:17) and to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), not to judge. (John 3:17‑18; 12:47‑48)

 

V. 16

1. "If" = in case.

2. "I" = "me" = Jesus.

3. "Judge" = to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong.

4. "My" = refers to Jesus; is emphatic, stressing that the judgment He renders is in accord with the facts and proceeds from wisdom not tainted by selfish motives like the Pharisees He was talking to.

5. "Judgment" = opinion; decision.

6. "True" = genuine; soundly based.

7. "For" = gives the reason His judgment would be true.

8. "I am" = the self existent one; by Jesus using this Greek word it was enough to startle these Pharisees for they knew the Scripture and knew that Jesus was saying He was the one who met Moses at the burning bush and told him to tell the Israelites that "I AM" hath sent him to deliver them. (Exo. 3:13‑14)

9. "Not alone" = not by myself in any judgment He might make.

10. "But" = shows contrast; Jesus is not by Himself but has the Father, who sent Him, with Him.

11. "The Father" = God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

12. "That" = who, the Father is a person not a thing; masculine not neuter.

13. "Sent" = dispatched; to appoint to go to a place on a specific errand or official business with a purpose; Jesus never doubted that the Father sent Him.

 

V. 17

1. "Also" = indeed.

2. "It is written" = the tense is perfect, meaning that the Scriptures were penned down at some point in time past and it stands on record today.

3. "Law" = refers to the law given through Moses the human instrumentality‑‑the first five books of the OT.

4. "Your" = shows possession; the law was committed (intrusted) to the Jews. (Rom. 3:1‑2)

5. "That" = shows what was written. (Deut. 17:6)

6. "Testimony" = what one testifies that he was a witness to (a first hand detailed account); this does not include second hand information.

7. "Two men" = if two men could confirm a case, the evidence of Jesus and the Father ought not to be deemed insufficient.

8. "True" = is confirmed; is worthy of belief; same as "established" in Deut. 19:15.

9. The law in Deut. 19:15 did not mean that just because two men agreed in their testimony or witness that it was true.  The information had to also be true in content.

 

V. 18

1. "I am" = the self existent One; Jesus the Son of God.

2. "Bear witness" = to be a witness; to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something or that he knows it because he was taught by divine revelation or inspiration.

3. "Of" = concerning.

4. "Of myself" = in human courts a man is not allowed to bear witness of himself because he has a personal interest in the case; but Jesus had no party ends to serve; He was willing to deny Himself; He made great sacrifice and by His life He gave evidence of sincerity; therefore, His own testimony may be admitted in evidence of His motives and designs.

5. "Father" = God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. "That" = who; the Father is a person not a thing; masculine not neuter gender.

7. "Sent" = dispatched; to appoint to go to a place on a specific errand or official business with a purpose; Jesus never doubted that the Father sent Him.

8. Jesus met the requirement of the law by having two witnesses that were true‑‑worthy to be believed.  One was Himself and the second was the Father that sent Him.

9. The Father bore witness publicly of Jesus at His baptism in Mat. 3:17 and Mat. 17:5.

 

V. 19

1. "Then" = therefore; in view of the statement Jesus just made.

2. "Said" = to point out with words.

3. "They" = "ye" = the Pharisees to whom Jesus had address the last comments He made. (verse 13‑14)

4. "Him" = "thy" = "me" = "my" = "Jesus" = the virgin born Son of God.

5. "Where is thy Father?" = this question was probably asked to indicate a slur on Jesus' origin; they may have meant Joseph who apparently was dead, or they may have meant God who Jesus had often told them was His Father; they may have even looked round about in contempt for His Father so that they could bring Him forward as a witness in this case; whatever their implication, they would not be satisfied with an unseen and unheard witness; they asked "where" not "who."

6. "Answered" = to give an answer to a question proposed.

7. "Know" = "known" = to have absolute positive knowledge of the facts concerning the Father and the Son.

8. "Father" = God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

9. "Also" = indeed.

10. The Pharisees are silenced for the moment.

 

V. 20

1. "These words spake" = to use words in order to declare one’s mind and disclose one’s thoughts.

2. "Jesus" = "he" = "him" = "his" = the virgin born Son of God.

3. "In the treasury" = part of the temple located next to the court of the women; a place where receptacles (large chests) were put into which the offerings of the people were cast, for the care of the temple and for the benefit of the priests and of the poor. (Mark 12:41‑44)

4. "Taught" = to hold a discourse with others in order to instruct them; to impart instruction; to explain or expound a subject.

5. "No man" = no one; even the Pharisees who had plotted to kill Him since the miracle performed in John 5 a year and a half earlier.

6. "Laid hands" = capture; to apprehend in order to imprison.

7. "For" = because; gives the reason they could not apprehend Him.

8. "His hour was not yet come" = John is writing this about 60 years later; therefore, he tells why they were not able to apprehend Jesus‑‑it was not time; refers to God the Father's predetermined time for Jesus to die on the cross; nothing could happen to Him until it was time‑‑God's time; John 13:1 states His time had come‑‑but now it was six months before.

 

V. 21

1. "Then" = these things being so; Jesus may have continued to teach the crowd of Jews gathered around Him in the treasury after the Pharisees were silenced or this could have been another gathering the next day; I'm inclined to believe it was the same day as verses 1‑20.

2. "Jesus" = "I" = "my" = "me" = the virgin born Son of God.

3. "Again" = repetition of an action; Jesus had stated basically the same thing a few days before in John 7:33‑34.

4. "Them" = "ye" = "your" = the Jewish crowd gathered around Jesus as He taught.

5. "Go my way" = to go away; to withdraw personally the way predetermined He would go‑‑back to the Father who sent Him; way marked out in the eternal purpose of God.

6. "Shall seek" = desire; search for; crave; the tense is future; this has been called the search of despair‑‑seeking for the Messiah when it is too late‑‑the tragedy of Judaism today. (John 1:11)

7. "Shall die" = refers to natural death occurring before they were saved thus facing spiritual death‑‑separation from God.

8. "Sins" = the Greek construction stresses the sin of unbelief from which the total accumulation of sins springs; the Jews persisted in their unbelief and rejection of Him; thus, they "shall die" in their sin.

9. "Whither" = where; indicates the Father's house‑‑heaven.

10. "Cannot come" = will not be able or capable of being in heaven; cannot be saved; this did not refer to their individual salvation (even though the majority of the Jews rejected Jesus and could not be saved; John 1:11) but to the deliverance of the nation as a whole; as individuals they cannot because they would not.

 

V. 22

1. "Then" = therefore; in view of the facts.

2. "The Jews" = "ye" = belonging to the Jewish nation; refers to the group of people gathered around Jesus as He taught.

3. "He" = "Himself" = "I" = Jesus, the virgin born Son of God.

4. "Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come" = a negative answer was expected but there is an evident sneer in this question; the Jews considered suicide as one of the greatest crimes and one who committed such was sent to the darkest place of Gehenna and of course, the Jews could not join Jesus there; if they asked this question with mingled hatred and contempt as it seems, then we see the wonderful patience of Jesus in enduring the contradiction (opposition; rebellion; Heb. 12:3) of sinners. (Rom. 2:4)

 

V. 23

1. "He" = "I" = Jesus, the virgin born Son of God.

2. "Them" = "ye" = the Jews gathered around Jesus as He was teaching.

3. "From" = "of" = out of; the Greek construction indicates origin.

4. "Beneath" = refers to the earth; means they are influenced by earthly, sensual, and corrupt passions and they are governed by the lowest and vilest views and feelings, such as are opposed to heaven, and such as have their origin in earth or in hell; this not only applies to the Jews to whom the Lord was speaking but it applies to all mankind.

5. "I am" = the self existent one; the use of this Greek word would startle the Jews because they knew He was saying He was the one who met Moses at the burning bush and told him to tell the Israelites that "I AM" hath sent him to deliver them. (Exo. 3:13‑14)

6. "Above" = refers to heaven as being Jesus' origin, thus the negative statement, "I am not of this world (beneath)."

7. "World" = earth.

8. Jesus contrasted their origin and His and then proceeded to warn them of their horrible state of sin.

 

V. 24

1. "I" = Jesus, the virgin born Son of God.

2. "Therefore" = in view of the facts He had stated in verse 21.

3. "You" = “ye" = the crowd of Jews to whom Jesus was speaking.

4. "Shall die in your sins" = refers to physical death without being saved thus experiencing spiritual death‑‑separation from God in hell forever.

5. "For" = gives the reason why they would die in their sins (stated twice in this verse)‑‑because they did not believe that Jesus was the I AM‑‑the Messiah.

6. "If ye believe not" = unless you come to believe; this is a third class conditional sentence in the Greek which means the condition is undetermined but has the prospect of determination; these Jews were not saved but it was possible that they could be saved if they would believe that Jesus was the I AM‑‑the Messiah. (II Peter 3:9)

 

V. 25

1. "Then" = therefore; in view of the facts Jesus had just stated.

2. "They" = "them" = the Jews gathered around Him as He taught.

3. "Him" = "thou" = "I" = "Jesus" = the virgin born Son of God.

4. "Who art thou?" = Jesus had virtually claimed to be the Messiah and equal with God; therefore, these Jews wanted a definite answer so they (some of them) would be able to accuse Him of blasphemy; this question reveals that they did not believe Jesus' testimony as being the I AM.

5. "Even the same I said unto you from the beginning" = by this statement Jesus is telling these Jews that He has not changed His claims from the first time He spoke to them until the present time; He avoids using the term Messiah with its political connotations, but He stands by the claims already made.

 

V. 26

1. "I" = "me" = Jesus, the Messiah‑‑the I AM.

2. "Judge" = to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong; to condemn.

3. "You" = the Jews He was speaking to.

4. "I have many things to say and to judge of you" = instead of further talking about His own claims, Jesus turns to speak and to pronounce His opinion concerning them and their attitude toward Him; by this statement He implied that He well understood their character and that He was able to expose it.

5. "He" = "him" = the Father.

6. "Sent" = dispatched; to appoint to go to a place on a specific errand or official business with a purpose; Jesus never doubted that the Father sent Him.

7. "True" = worthy to be believed.

8. "I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him" = Jesus says that what He is saying is what He learned (heard) from the Father, and it does not matter what they think of Him, but He states plainly that all the Father says is worthy to be believed (true).

9. "World" = mankind; refers to the people.

 

V. 27

1. "They" = "them" = the Jews, Jesus was speaking to.

2. "Understood" = to know; perceive; have knowledge of; negated by "not;" really they (majority) were unwilling to receive Him as a messenger from God.

3. "He" = Jesus.

4. "Father" = God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

V. 28

1. First "then" = at that time; at that point in the conversation.

2. "Jesus" = "I" = "my" = the Messiah; the Son of God.

3. "Them" = "ye" = the Jews, Jesus was speaking to.

4. "When" = at a point in future time.

5. "Have lifted up" = to lift up on high; refers to Jesus being placed on the cross where He died (John 12:32‑33); equivalent to "set forth" in Rom. 3:25; meant His crucifixion.

6. The use of "ye" have lifted up reveals that the Jews were the human instruments used to crucify Jesus even though they did not drive the nails (the Romans did; Acts 2:22‑23); we are guilty as well.

7. "Son of man" = a term by which Jesus often describes Himself; it shows His humility, His love for man, and His willingness to be esteemed as a man. (Phil. 2:6‑7)

8. Second "then" = consequently.

9. "Shall know" = understand; to know by experience; have knowledge of.

10. "I am" = the self existent one; the Jews knew Jesus was saying He was the one who met Moses at the burning bush and told him to tell the Israelites that "I AM" hath sent him to them. (Exo. 3:13‑14)

11. "He" = is in italics, thus not in the original; therefore, Jesus is declaring in the Greek that He is the I AM.

12. "Do nothing of myself" = does not speak or act alone, but speaks and acts at the command of the Father; Jesus is saying that there will be proof furnished at the crucifixion that the Father sent Him; this proof was furnished by the miracles (the earthquake and darkness) that attended the death of Jesus. (Mat. 27:54)

13. "But" = shows contrast between Jesus, who does not act alone, and the Father.

14. "Father" = God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

15. "Taught" = to impart instruction; this is equivalent to what Jesus "saw" and "heard" of the Father. (John 8:38; 15:15)

16. "Speak these things" = refers to Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah even though He did not directly use that word.

 

V. 29

1. "He" = "the Father" = "him" = God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. "Sent" = dispatched; to appoint to a place on a specific errand or official business with a purpose.

3. "Me" = "I" = Jesus, the Messiah.

4. The positive "with me" = is followed by the negative "not left me alone" to stress the presence of the Father accompanying the Son.  Even though the majority of men misunderstood Jesus or left Him, the Father always comforted and understood Him.

5. "For" = because; gives the reason the Father never left the Lord Jesus.

6. "Do" = to perform; produce; to carry out; to execute; refers to everything Jesus said or did.

7. "Always" = at all times.

8. "Those things" = refers to everything Jesus said or did.

9. "Please him" = agreeable to the Father.

10. What a testimony.  Only Jesus can say that.  The Father testified to this truth in Mat. 3:17 and in Mat. 17:5.

 

V. 30

1. "He" = "him" = Jesus, the One who always pleases the Father.

2. "These words" = refers to what Jesus taught the Jews that day in the temple, especially the last part. (verse 28‑29)

3. "Many" = several; probably the minority of the crowd.

4. "Believed on him" = to think to be true; to be persuaded mentally of; these believed like those in John 2:23, they believed with the head and not the heart; they believed facts about Jesus with their intellect but did not believe unto salvation as John 2:24 brings out; they believed like Nicodemus in John 3:3; the same is true in this case as the next 14 verses bring out.

 

V. 31

1. "Then" = therefore; in view of the fact that these Jews indicated they believed, Jesus put demands upon them.

2. "Jesus" = "him" = the Son of man as well as the Son of God.

3. "Those Jews which believed on him" = this tells us specifically who Jesus is talking to in the next few verses‑‑to the Jews who gave an intellectual accent (believed) to facts concerning Jesus; He is not speaking to the Pharisees because they were not included in this group He is speaking to now.

4. "Which" = who; these Jews are people not things; masculine not neuter.

5. "If ‑ then" = Jesus gives a conditional promise; if you will meet the condition, the promise will be a reality.

6. "Ye" = the Jews that believed on Jesus.

7. "Continue" = the condition; means to abide; remain; do not depart; this means to "do what you know to do at the time" = and "step in what light you have;" implies obedience.

8. "My word" = the truths of God's Word; "my" is emphasized to stress the message of Jesus' word as opposed to any other; a preacher may preach truth but the Holy Ghost must quicken (make it real) it to you and when He does then that is the word you need to continue in.

9. "Then are ye my disciples indeed" = the promise which also continues in verse 32.

10. "Then" = not in the original but supplied by the translators because it is implied; one can only be a true disciple of the Lord's when he meets the condition‑‑continue.

11. "Disciples" = a learner; pupil; denotes one who follows one's teaching to the extent they are said to be imitators of their teacher; the word in itself does not include the idea of salvation in it; therefore, it can mean a lost or saved follower (one who trails along); but here in context Jesus is referring to saved followers, because He added the word "indeed" = truly; most certainly.

12. Jesus said, “If you continue in my word it will give evidence that you are truly saved.  Your future loyalty to my teaching will prove the reality of your present profession.”  Continuance in the word proves the sincerity or insincerity of one’s profession.

 

V. 32

1. The promise continues.

2. "Ye" = "you" = refers in context to the Jews who believed on Jesus; the ones Jesus was talking to; applies to whosoever‑‑us.

3. "Shall know" = to know by experience; denotes a knowledge that is learned by experience; the tense is future which means this shall come to pass if you continue.

4. "The truth" = there is a definite article in both the English and the Greek; therefore, this is referring to more than Scripture–the written Word; it refers to the Living Word‑‑Jesus. (John 14:6)

5. "Shall make free" = set at liberty from the dominion of sin; means to be released from the bondage to sin, thus being saved.

6. All need to continue, whether saved or lost, and the promise to be free will be a reality:

A. To the lost‑‑free from the penalty of sin (Rom. 6:23; 8:1); also free from wrath. (I Thess. 1:9‑10; 5:9); and also free from the guilt of sin. (Heb. 10:17)

B. To the saved = free from the power of sin‑‑called sanctification (Rom. 6:14); and one day free from the presence of sin‑‑call glorification.  (I Thess. 5:23)

7. Even though there is a promise given in these two verses there is still a caution‑‑"if." (verse 31)

8. Therefore all need to continue because:

A. It is necessary. (Heb. 3:6,14)

B. If you don't, the latter end will be worse than the first‑‑not talking about hell but now in this life. (II Peter 2:20‑22; Mat. 12:43‑45)

C. If you don't, you will find no place of repentance. (Heb. 6:4-6)

D. If you don't, you may have a Kadesh‑Barnea in your life‑‑they got what they wanted but lost what they could have had. (Num. 14:2; Psa. 106:15)

 

V. 33

1. "They" = "we" = "ye" = the Jews who believed on Jesus; the ones He was directly speaking to.

2. "Answered" = to begin to speak but always where something has preceded to which the remarks refer.

3. "Him" = "thou" = Jesus, the virgin born Son of God.

4. "Abraham’s seed" = means they were the physical descendants of Abraham, not through Ishmael but through the acknowledged heir of Abraham--Isaac.

5. "Never" = at any time.

6. "Bondage" = slaves.

7. "Any man" = no one.

8. "How" = in what way.

9. "Be made" = to become.

10. "Free" = freeborn; one who is not a slave.

11. These Jews did not understand what Jesus had just said, because they became very upset that He would make such a statement.  In fact they even used a different word for "free" than Jesus used.  Jesus was saying "if you continue you shall be set free from sins” while they stated they had never been a slave to anyone.  They were deceived (Jer. 17:9) and blinded (II Cor. 4:3‑4) for in fact the nation of Israel had been in bondage in Egypt, to the Philistines, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and even at that time they were under Roman power.  They could have been thinking in terms of spiritual bondage but again they were blinded and deceived because Eph. 2:2 states plainly that every man before he is saved is in bondage (walks according to) to the Devil--prince.

12. The Jews were depending on their being a descendant of Abraham to allow them into heaven one day.  They needed to be born again like Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3 because their first birth was not good enough for them to gain entrance into heaven even though the Bible says they believed. 

 

V. 34

1. "Jesus" = "I" = the virgin born Son of God.

2. "Answered" = to begin to speak but always where something had preceded to which the remarks refer.

3. "Them" = "you" = the Jews whom the Bible said believed.

4. "Verily" = surely; truly; of a truth; spoken twice to show emphasis‑‑Jesus is about to say something that is really, really important.

5. "Say" = to point out with words.

6. "Whosoever" = individually; each and every person; includes these Jews to whom Jesus was directly speaking, and also includes the old and young, Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, male and female.

7. "Committeth" = to do; to execute; the Greek construction refers to a continuous habitual lifestyle.

8. "Sin" = to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honor.

9. "Servant" = bondslave; the most despicable term used by the Greeks to denote slaves.

 

V. 35

1. "Abideth" = to remain; to continue to be present; the tense indicates continuous habitual action; negated by "not."

2. "House" = dwelling.

3. "Forever" = to the end of the age.

4. "But" = in italics, thus supplied by the translators because it is implied in the Greek; shows the contrast between the servant and the Son.

5. "The Son" = Jesus, the Lord.

6. "Abideth ever" = means Jesus will remain for ever.

7. "Ever" = for all eternity.

 

V. 36

1. "If" = this is a third class conditional sentence which means that the condition is undetermined, but has the prospect of determination; these to whom Jesus was speaking could have been saved (set free) if they would have continued.

2. "Son" = Jesus, the virgin born Son of God.

3. "Therefore" = in view of the facts; a servant is not at home in his master's house but if the slave (servant) is set free by the heir of the household then the slave is free.

4. "Shall make free" = one word in the Greek; means to set at liberty, from the dominion of sin.

5. "You" = "ye" = the Jews to whom Jesus was speaking; applies to whosoever‑‑us.

6. Second "free" = unrestrained; not bound by an obligation.

7. "Indeed" = truly; of a certainty.

8. The wording indicates Jesus is saying they are not free for they would not continue, therefore they would not be set free.

 

V. 37

1. "I" = "ye" = "my" = Jesus.

2. "Know" = to have knowledge of; our Lord is omniscient‑‑has all knowledge.

3. "Ye" = "you" = the Jews to whom Jesus was speaking.

4. "Abraham's seed" = physical descendants of Abraham even of the promised one--Isaac.

5. "But" = shows contrast between how Abraham's descendants should act and how they were acting; they should have followed Abraham’s example, but they did not.

6. "Seek" = desire; aim at; to crave.

7. "Kill" = to inflict mortal death.

8. "Because" = gives the reason they wanted to kill Jesus.

9. "My word" = the truth spoken by the Lord Jesus; His doctrine; refers to the substance of what He said not just the manner of His speaking.

10. "Hath no place" = does not have free course; does not find lodging; the reason‑‑they were so preoccupied with selfish desires and preconceived ideas concerning the Messiah that they were not interested in what the Word (Jesus) had to say to them.

 

V. 38

1. "I" = "my" = Jesus, the virgin born Son of God.

2. "Speak" = to use words in order to declare one’s mind and disclose one’s thoughts.

3. "Have seen" = to become acquainted with by experience; the tense is perfect which means at past completed action with existing results.

4. "With" = by the side of; pictures intimate fellowship‑‑face to face with God.

5. "My Father" = God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. "Do" = produce; perform; the tense is continuous action; refers to their actions.

7. "Your father" = the Greek construction brings out clearly that Christ's Father is not their father; also Jesus is not referring to Abraham but to the devil as their father as He brings out in verse 44.

 

V. 39

1. "They" = "our" = "them" = "ye" = the Jews who believed on Jesus (verse 31) who were the ones Jesus was directly speaking to.

2. "Answered" = to begin to speak but always where something has preceded to which the remarks refer.

3. "Said" = to speak.

4. "Him" = "Jesus" = the virgin born Son of God.

5. "Abraham" = the son of Terah and the founder of the Jewish nation; the forefather of these Jews who were speaking to Jesus.

6. "Our father" = they were referring to the fact that they were descendants of Abraham and proud of it.

7. "Saith" = to point out with words.

8. "If ye were Abraham's children" = these Jews were physical descendants of Abraham but spiritually they did not walk the same walk as Abraham.

9. "Children" = offspring; denotes those who imitate another and have his spirit; thus, this phrase means "if you were worthy to be called the children of Abraham or if you had his spirit."

10. "Would do" = perform; produce.

11. "Works" = deeds; acts.

12. Their conduct should indicate their spiritual genealogy, therefore, they should act like Abraham‑‑believe the Word of God and act on that faith.  But instead they desired to kill Jesus as the next verse brings out.

 

V. 40

1. "But" = shows contrast between what they should do and what they were actually desiring to do; this is a clear statement that they were not doing the works of Abraham.

2. "Ye" = "you" = the Jews who had believed on Jesus.

3. "Now" = at this time; the present.

4. "Seek" = desire; aim at; to crave; the tense is continuous action.

5. "Kill" = to inflict mortal death.

6. "Me" = "I" = Jesus the Son of God.

7. "Man" = a human being; Jesus was God and also human because He (God) was robed in flesh through a virgin's womb (that is the Incarnation).

8. "That" = who; Jesus is a person not a thing; masculine not neuter gender.

9. "Hath told" = has spoken.

10. "The truth" = uprightness; fidelity; reality; free from falsehood; all Jesus spoke was the truth for He, Himself was "the Truth." (John 14:6)

11. "Have heard" = to perceive by the ear what is announced in one's presence.

12. "Of God" = from God; the preposition means by the side of.

12. "This" = this action.

13. "Did" = produce; perform; negated by "not."

14. "Abraham" = the head of the Jewish race of people.

 

V. 41

1. "Ye" = "you" = "they" = "we" = the Jews to whom Jesus was speaking‑‑those who believed (verse 31)

2. "Do" = perform; produce; the tense means to practice habitually.

3. "Deeds" = acts; works.

4. "Your father" = Jesus had spoken of their father in verse 38 and again in this verse; yet He had not identified their father even though He had stated plainly that Abraham was not their father.

5. "Then" = these things being said.

6. "Said they" = they spoke.

7. "Him" = Jesus, the virgin born Son of God.

8. "Be born" = to be begotten; refers to their conception; negated by "not."

9. "Fornication" = illicit sex acts in general; the various types of heterosexual and homosexual immoralities habitually practiced by so many Gentile heathen; the context reveals whether it is before marriage or after marriage as we know marriage today.

10. "We be not born of fornication" = this phrase may be taken to mean one of two things:

A. "We are not illegitimate children who do not know who our father is."  Jesus had stated that Abraham was not their father; thus, they may have thought Jesus was saying they were of a mixed race, not in the lineage of Jacob, thus not having right to the covenant privileges of the Jews. "We have one Father, even God" = this is a direct reply to the implication of Jesus (verse 38) that God was not their spiritual Father.

B. This may have been an indirect implication that Jesus was the illegitimate son of Mary.  No doubt much gossip centered around Mary being with child before being lawfully married to Joseph and the gossip had not died out.

 

V. 42

1. "Jesus" = "I" = "myself" = "me" = the virgin born Son of God.

2. "Said" = to speak.

3. "Them" = "your" = "ye" = the Jews to whom Jesus was speaking. (verse 31)

4. "If God were your Father" = this begins a second class conditional sentence in the Greek; this means the condition is determined as unfulfilled; the condition is assumed to be contrary to fact‑‑God was not their Father.

5. "God" = refers to God the Father.

6. "Ye would love me" = the conclusion of the second‑class conditional sentence with distinct implication that their failure to love Jesus is proof that God is not their Father. (Heb. 1:1-3; I John 3:14; 4:20‑5:1)

7. "Love" = agape; God kind of love‑‑the kind that only God can produce.

8. "Proceeded forth" = refers to the point from which one departs; refers to a definite historical event‑‑the Incarnation (God robed in flesh).

9. First "came" = means to have arrived; the Greek reveals a state of completion; Jesus means "I am here."

10. "From God" = this is emphatic; this was Jesus' constant presentation and the reason they should accept Him; reveals Jesus definite consciousness of pre‑existence with God as in John 17:5 when Jesus was praying to the Father.

11. "Neither" = added to emphasize the point just made.

12. Second "came" = to come from one place to another; this word included both His departure ("proceeded forth") and His arrival (first "came").

13. "Of myself" = His coming was not self‑initiated nor independent of the Father.

14. "But" = shows contrast.

15. "He" = God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

16. "Sent" = dispatched; to appoint to go to a place on a specific errand or official business with a purpose; denotes being sent with a commission and the authority of God His Father.

 

V. 43

1. "Why" = Jesus asks a pointed question and then answers His own question for them.

2. "Ye" = the Jews Jesus was speaking to; those who believed on Jesus. (verse 31)

3. "Do understand" = to know by experience; to put the pieces together as a puzzle; negated by "not."

4. "My" = Jesus.

5. "Speech" = more than just a story; refers to manner of speech‑‑the pronunciation and way one talks.

6. "Because" = gives the reason they did not understand.

7. "Cannot" = are not able.

8. "Hear" = used in the sense to bear or tolerate.

9. "My word" = refers to subject matter; doctrine.

10. The Lord's doctrine was offensive to them.  They hated it, therefore, they perverted His meaning and were determined not to understand Him.  Their pride, vanity, stubbornness, and wickedness opposed it.  They would not listen to the substance of His teaching which resulted in them being impatient with the way He talked.  What He said was like a foreign language to them, because they did not desire to know the truth.  They were not like Nicodemus in John 3.  It was difficult for Nicodemus to understand, but at least he desired to know the truth‑‑he continued (verse 31‑32) and was later saved.

11. The reason sinners do not understand is because they cannot bear nor tolerate the true doctrines of the Bible.  They hate them and their hatred causes them to pervert the truth which causes them to embrace every form of false doctrine, and choose error rather than truth, and darkness rather than light.  A disposition to believe God is one of the best helps for understanding the Bible.  Most have the problem of not being willing to do what Peter said in Acts 2:40 which means to preserve one's self from the influence, opinions, and fate of this crooked, perverse, wicked, warped, and rebellious generation‑‑age.

 

V. 44

1. "Ye" = "your" = the Jews to whom Jesus was speaking to, identified in verse 31 as those that believed (with the head and not the heart for they were not saved); not the Pharisees, even though they may have been present and heard what was said but they would never have admitted to believing on Jesus.

2. "Ye are of your father the devil" = means you have the temper, disposition, and spirit of the devil; you are influenced by him, imitate him, and therefore ought to be called his children.

3. "Of" = out of as a source.

4. "Devil" = slanderer; false accuser; as personal a being as Abraham or God; Satan; the fallen archangel Lucifer. (Isa. 14:12‑15)

5. "Lusts" = eager desire or appetite for what is forbidden; a passionate craving in an evil, unbridled desire; this is in the plural; refers to desires and wishes of the devil which one practices naturally before being saved because he is controlled by his father the devil (prince). (Eph. 2:2)

6. "Will" = desire; implies chose; the tense reveals continuous action or habitual lifestyle‑‑due to being controlled by the devil.

7. "Do" = practice; perform; produce; the tense is continuous action or habitual lifestyle‑‑due to being controlled by the devil.

8. Jesus proceeds to state how they showed that they were the children of the devil.  He does this in 3 ways:

A. In their murderous disposition.

1) "He" = "him" = "his" = the devil.

2) "Murderer" = to kill; manslayer; refers to taking one's physical life.

3) "From the beginning" = from the beginning of the world; by introducing death in the garden of Eden, the devil murdered Adam and Eve, and thus the whole human race; by satanic motivation Cain killed Abel and thus brought about physical murder and on and on the murder continues.

4) The devil is the originator of murder in Gen. 3 and now these Jews who refuse to continue (verse 31‑32) desired to kill Jesus, thus following their father, the devil.

B. In rejecting the truth.

1) "Abode" = stood; negated by "not;" refers to the devil rejecting and departing from the truth; remember he was once in heaven as an anointed cherub. (Ezk. 28:13-14)

2) "The truth" = free from falsehood; uprightness; fidelity; reality.

3) "Because" = give the reason the devil stood not in truth‑‑"because there is no truth in him" = it is his nature and work to deceive. (II Cor. 11:14)

4) These Jews rejected the truth, thus following their father, the devil.

C. In being favorable to falsehood and error.

1) "Speaketh" = refers to manner of speech; the tense is continuous action‑‑habitual lifestyle.

2) "Lie" = conscious and intentional falsehood.

3) "Of" = out of.

4) "His own" = belonging to one's own; seems to refer to the fact that out of the devil's nature comes intentional falsehoods; means the things that are appropriate to him or belong to his nature.

5) "For" = gives the reason for his falsehood.

6) "Liar" = one who tells lies or falsehoods.

7) "Father of it" = the originator of falsehood‑‑lies.

8) When these Jews denied they sought to murder Jesus, they lied, and were just following their father the devil.

 

V. 45

1. "Because" = since.

2. "I" = "me" = Jesus the Son of God.

3. "Tell" = speak; to point out with words.

4. "You" = "ye" = the Jews who believed on Jesus (verse 31); the ones Jesus was directly speaking to.

5. "Truth" = uprightness; reality; free from falsehood; all Jesus spoke was the truth for He was the truth. (John 14:6)

6. "Believe" = to think to be true; to be persuaded of; to place confidence in; negated by "not."

7. Because they were of the devil, the liar (verse 44), they would not accept the truth from Christ.

 

V. 46

1. "Which" = which one.

2. "You" = "ye" = the Jews Jesus was speaking to.

3. "Convinceth" = to convict; to prove guilty of sin.

4. "Me" = "I" = Jesus the Son of God.

5. "Sin" = error; falsehood; stands opposed to truth.

6. Jesus probably paused after He asked this first question to give the Jews time to think.  No one stepped forward with an accusation.  Their mouths were shut.  Then Jesus ask them this second question which drives home the irrationality of their hostility (based on prejudice) toward Jesus.

7. "If" = since; Jesus always speaks (says) the "truth" = uprightness; reality; free from falsehood.

8. "Why do ye not believe me?" = a doctrine might be rejected if it could be proved that the one delivering it was an imposter, but the fact that these Jews were unable to point to any sin in Jesus should have proved to them His true identity and they should have believed Him.

 

V. 47

1. "He" = whosoever.

2. "That" = who; people are being referred to, not things; this is masculine gender not neuter.

3. "Of God" = refers to being saved.

4. "Heareth" = understand; consider what is or has been said; the tense reveals continuous action.

5. "God's words" = utterance of God; refers to the words Jesus spoke as being God's words and they were because He is God.

6. "Ye" = the Jews that believed on Jesus (verse 31) to whom Jesus was speaking.

7. "Therefore" = because of this‑‑ye are not of God‑‑not saved.

8. "Hear" = understand; consider what had been said; negated by "not."

9. "Them" = in italics, thus not in the original but placed by the translators because God's words are implied.

10. Their not understanding what Jesus said proved they were not "of God" = not saved.  They were of the earth (world; verse 23) and of the devil (verse 44), not of God.

 

V. 48

1. "Then" = these things being stated.

2. "Answered" = to begin to speak, but always where something has been said to which the remarks refer.

3. "The Jews" = "we" = the Jews to whom Jesus had directed the conversation to; the ones the Scripture said believed on Jesus. (verse 31)

4. "Said" = to speak.

5. "Him" = "thou" = Jesus the virgin born Son of God.

6. "Say" = to point out with words; the tense is continuous which means some of this group had made this same statement before‑‑maybe several times.

7. "Say we not well" = say we not truly.

8. "Art" = are.

9. "Samaritan" = a member of a mixed race; descendants of the imported Gentile Assyrians and the poor Jews left in Palestine from the Assyrian captivity; they were hated by the Jews and despised by the Gentiles; this is the worse name a Jew could think of; they were considered illegitimate thus not considered by the Jews to be included in the promise given to Abraham.

10. "Hast" = to have; means to possess.

11. "Devil" = a demon; evil and wicked spirit; messengers and ministers of the devil.

 

V. 49

1. "Jesus" = "I" = "me" = the virgin born Son of God; God incarnate (robed in flesh).

2. "Answered" = to give an answer to a question (verse 48) proposed.

3. "Have not a devil" = do not possess an evil and wicked spirit‑‑demon; note: Jesus did not reply to their attack of calling Him a Samaritan, probably because it was not even worthy of comment.

4. "But" = shows contrast.

5. "I honour my Father" = Jesus taught the doctrines that exalted God‑‑Jesus' Father; He taught that God was holy and true and that men should love Him and obey Him; an evil spirit would not do this; therefore, this was sufficient proof that He was not influenced by a wicked spirit‑‑demon.

6. "Ye" = the Jews who are said to have believed on Jesus (verse 31) but they believed only with their head and not their hearts which resulted in their dishonoring Jesus.

7. "Dishonour" = insult; treat with contempt; they were actually insulting the Father by insulting Jesus.

 

V. 50

1. "And" = conjunction; Jesus not only honored His Father (verse 49) but He also did not seek His own glory.

2. "I" = "mine own" = Jesus.

3. "Seek" = aim at; to crave; negated by "not;" the tense is continuous which means Jesus never had nor ever will seek His own glory.

4. "Glory" = refers to praise and honor; Jesus came to glorify the Father, not Himself.

5. "There is one" = refers to the Father‑‑He seeketh and judgeth.

6. "Seeketh" = to seek in order to find; desires to find; the tense is continuous action.

7. "Judgeth" = to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong; the tense is continuous action.

8. In John 4:23 Jesus stated that the Father seeks true worshipers and He will also judge false worshipers.  This applied to the Jews to whom Jesus was speaking.

 

V. 51

1. "Verily" = surely; truly; of a truth; spoken twice to show emphasis‑‑Jesus is about to say something that is really, really important.

2. "I" = "my" = Jesus the Son of God.

3. "Say" = to point out with words.

4. "If" = this is a third class conditional sentence in the Greek which means the condition is undetermined but has the prospect of determination.

5. "A man" = "he" = whosoever; applies to anyone who will meet the condition.

6. "Keep" = to observe; to attend to carefully; to obey with diligence; equivalent to continue in verses 31‑32.

7. "My saying" = my word; the truths of God's Word; "my" is emphasized to stress the message of Jesus' word as opposed to any other; a preacher may preach truth but the Holy Ghost must quicken (make it real) it to you and when He does then that is the word you need to keep‑‑continue in.

8. Just as there was a promise in verse 31‑32 if one continues, there is a promise given to those who keep the Lord's word‑‑"shall never see death" = this is not talking about physical death but spiritual death.

9. "Never" = in the Greek this is a strong double negative which could be translated for emphasis "never, no never" or "not, not;" either way this means when one continues in the Lord's word he will come to a point where he repents and believes the gospel, thus being saved‑‑know the truth; at the point of salvation he is guaranteed that he is eternally secure‑‑he will never, at any time have to experience the second death (spiritual death) which is eternal separation from God in hell and finally one day in the lake of fire.

10. All who have reached the knowledge of accountability live in a state of death until they believe the gospel and receive eternal life or when they come to the realization of eternal death at the Great White Throne Judgment. (Rev. 20:11‑15)

 

V. 52

1. "Then" = therefore; these things being so, referring to what Jesus had just stated.

2. "The Jews" = the ones Jesus had been speaking to; those who the Scripture said believed on Jesus. (verse 31)

3. "Him" = "thou" = "my" = Jesus the Son of God.

4. "Now" = at this present time; this statement is made as a result of what Jesus had just stated in verse 51.

5. "We" = the Jews conversing with Jesus.

6. "Know" = to have absolute positive knowledge of the facts; they thought they did know because Jesus had made a statement which they thought was contrary to all experience, and to be impossible.

7. "Hast" = to have; means to possess.

8. "Devil" = a demon; an evil and wicked spirit; messenger and minister of the devil.

9. "Abraham" = the founder of the Hebrew nation; the forefather of these Jews who were speaking to Jesus.

10. "Is dead" = died; refers to physical death; this also applies to the prophets.

11. "The prophets" = foreteller; one moved by the Spirit of God to declare to men what he has received by inspiration concerning future events; refers to the OT prophets who were dead physically.

12. These Jews made the same basic statement that Jesus had made in verse 51.  The only difference is that they substituted the word "taste" for His word "see."  The two words are essentially the same and mean to experience.  These Jews were thinking in the physical realm while Jesus was referring to the spiritual realm.

 

V. 53

1. "Art" = are.

2. "Thou" = "thyself" = Jesus, the Son of God.

3. "Greater" = to be greater than Abraham, the founder of their race, was unthinkable.

4. "Our" = the Jews conversing with Jesus.

5. "Which" = who; Abraham is a person not a thing; masculine gender not neuter.

6. "Dead" = refers to physical death.

7. This question was designed to put Jesus in a difficult position, for Abraham and all the prophets were dead.  It implies contempt and scorn in making such a statement.

8. "Whom" = refers to Jesus.

9. "Makest" = pretend.

10. The last question simply asks, "Who do you think you are?" or "Who are you pretending to be?"

 

V. 54

1. "Jesus" = "I" = "my" = "me" = the virgin born Son of God.

2. "Answered" = to begin to speak, but always where something has preceded to which the remarks refer.

3. "Honour" = "honoureth" = commend; praise.

4. "Nothing" = of no value.

5. "Father" = God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. "Whom" = "he" = refers to the Father‑‑God.

7. "Ye" = "you" = the Jews to whom Jesus was speaking.

8. "Say" = the Jews had claimed God as their God (verse 41); but Jesus turns this confession and claim against them as the next verse brings out.

 

V. 55

1. "Yet" = but; shows contrast between what they say and what is real.

2. "Ye" = "you" = the Jews Jesus was conversing with; those the Scriptures say believed on Jesus. (verse 31)

3. "Have known" = know by experience; refers to experiential knowledge;  negated by "not."

4. "Him" = "his" = God the Father.

5. "But" = shows contrast between the Jews and Jesus.

6. "I" = Jesus the Son of God.

7. "Know" = to have absolute positive knowledge of the facts; testifies to a personal, intimate knowledge; Jesus had already claimed this intimate knowledge in John 7:29.

8. "If I should say" = suppose I say; this is hypothetical; this will never happen.

9. "Liar like unto you" = a false and faithless man resembling these Jews to whom Jesus was speaking.

10. "Keep" = to observe; to attend to carefully; to obey with diligence.

11. "His" = God the Father.

12. "Saying" = word; the truth of God's Word.

 

V. 56

1. "Your" = the Jews with whom Jesus was conversing.

2. "Father Abraham" = the forefather of these Jews; the founder of the Hebrew nation.

3. "Rejoiced" = to be exceeding glad; the word includes the notion of desire as well as rejoicing; it denotes that act when, impelled with strong desire for an object, one leaps forward toward its attainment with joy.

4. "To see" = to have a view; also means to have absolute, positive knowledge of the facts.

5. "My" = Jesus, the Son of God.

6. "Day" = the day of the Messiah; used to denote the time, the appearance, the advent, and the manner of life of the Messiah.

7. "He" = Abraham.

8. "Saw it" = refers to the atoning work Jesus was to accomplish at Calvary.

9. "Was glad" = to rejoice.

10. Abraham saw the glorious day of the Messiah by faith in word, and in shadows and types.  The Jews saw Him in the flesh.  They saw it and were angry, but Abraham rejoiced.

 

V. 57

1. "Then" = therefore; in view of what Jesus had just stated.

2. "The Jews" = the one with whom Jesus was conversing; those who the Scripture says believed on Jesus. (verse 31)

3. "Him" = "thou" = Jesus, the Son of God.

4. "Art" = are.

5. "Fifty years old" = the age that the ministers in the tabernacle ceased to minister (Num. 4:3); we do not know why these used this age unless this statement was an implication that Jesus was not old enough to counsel them.

6. "Hast" = have.

7. "Hast thou seen Abraham?" = they perverted His words; Jesus did not say He had seen Abraham, but that Abraham had seen His day.

8. Jesus was showing that He was greater than Abraham. (verse 53) He does this by saying that Abraham, as great as he was, earnestly desired to see His time, thus acknowledging his inferiority to the Messiah.

 

V. 58

1. "Jesus" = "I" = the virgin born Son of God.

2. "Them" = "you" = the Jews to whom Jesus was conversing.

3. "Verily" = surely; truly; of truth; spoken twice to show emphasis‑‑Jesus is about to say something that is really, really important.

4. "Before Abraham was" = before Abraham came into existence or was born.

5. "I am" = the self‑existent one; the One who met Moses at the burning bush and told him to tell the Israelites that "I AM" hath sent him to deliver them. (Exo. 3:13‑14)

6. Jesus’ statement in this verse give us the contrast between the entrance into existence of Abraham and the timeless being of our Lord.

 

V. 59

1. "Then" = therefore; in view of the facts just stated; Jesus' claim to be the "I AM" of Moses day angered them to the point they would have killed Him but His time had not yet come.

2. "Took up" = to raise up; refers to the Jews picking up stones from the ground.

3. "They" = "them" = the Jews who had been conversing with Jesus; the ones whom the Scriptures say they believed (verse 31); this is not directly referring to the Pharisees even though there were some in the crowd and no doubt they influenced this group of Jews.

4. "Stones" = small stones used for throwing at a person to kill them.

5. "Cast" = to throw with force; this is a vivid picture of a mob ready to kill Jesus already taking action by picking up the stones; these Jews considered what Jesus had said in verse 58 to be blasphemy, thus without a trial they proceed to administer punishment prescribed in the law for blasphemy. (Lev. 24:16)

6. "At" = to come to a point, place, and time with a purpose‑‑to kill the Lord Jesus.

7. "Him" = "Jesus" = "himself" = the Son of God.

8. "But" = shows the contrast between what they wanted to do and what actually happened.

9. "Hid" = concealed; to escape notice; indicates He was hidden from their view which meant He moved among the crowd and they could not see Him;  He was capable of keeping others from seeing Him (Luke 24:16); in salvation one’s eyes must be open by the Holy Spirit for one to see the Lord Jesus.