NLT Study Bible - Gospel of John - Flipbook - Page 27
John 8:29
1788
They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate chil
own but say only what the Father taught me.
the one who sent me is with me—he dren! God himself is our true Father.”
42Jesus told them, “If God were your Fa
has not deserted me. For I always do what
pleases him.” 30Then many who heard him ther, you would love me, because I have
come to you from God. I am not here on
say these things fbelieved in him.
my own, but he sent me. 43Why can’t you
Jesus and Abraham: True Freedom
understand what I am saying? It’s because
31Jesus said to the people who believed in
you can’t even hear me! 44For you are the
him, “You are truly my disciples if you re children of your father the gdevil, and you
main faithful to my teachings. 32And you love to do the evil things he does. He was a
will know the truth, and the truth will set murderer from the beginning. He has always
you free.”
hated the truth, because there is no truth in
33“But we are descendants of Abraham,”
him. When he lies, it is consistent with his
they said. “We have never been slaves to character; for he is a liar and the father of
anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set lies. 45So when I tell the truth, you just natufree’?”
rally don’t believe me! 46Which of you can
34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, every
truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am
one who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave is not telling you the truth, why don’t you believe
a permanent member of the family, but a me? 47Anyone who belongs to God listens
son is part of the family forever. 36So if the gladly to the words of God. But you don’t lis
Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37Yes, ten because you don’t belong to God.”
48The people retorted, “You Samaritan
I realize that you are descendants of Abra
ham. And yet some of you are trying to kill devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were
me because there’s no room in your hearts possessed by a demon?”
49“No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me.
for my message. 38I am telling you what I
saw when I was with my Father. But you are For I honor my Father—and you dishonor
following the adv ice of your father.”
me. 50And though I have no wish to glorify
39“Our father is Abraham!” they declared.
myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the
“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really true judge. 51I tell you the truth, anyone who
the children of Abraham, you would follow obeys my teaching will never die!”
52The people said, “Now we know you are
his example. 40Instead, you are trying to
kill me because I told you the truth, which possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and
I heard from God. Abraham never did such the prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who
a thing. 41No, you are imitating your real obeys my teaching will never die!’ 53Are you
greater than our father Abraham? He died,
father.”
29And
on 1:51. The synoptic Gospels describe
Jesus as predicting his death three times
(e.g., Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34). John
parallels this (3:14; 8:28; 12:33-34), showing that the Father governs his Son’s fate.
8:30 Once again, the festival audience was divided. Earlier, the debate
concluded with plans to arrest Jesus
(8:20). Now many . . . believed in him,
convinced that he was telling the truth.
However, once Jesus’ full identity was
disclosed their faith was sorely challenged (8:31-59).
8:31-32 Discipleship is more than
knowing who Jesus is. It is also about
obeying his teachings (3:36; 14:15, 21,
23; 15:10). Because Jesus is the truth
(14:6), knowing him brings discernment
of what is true and what is false. set
you free: The truth brings freedom from
darkness, falsehood, and sin.
8:33 Jesus challenged a widely held assumption about Israel’s status as God’s
chosen people. Their heritage as descendants of Abraham had inspired feelings
of privilege and immunity rather than
obligation and responsibility (cp. Amos
3:1-15). The people misunderstood
what it meant to be set free. Jesus was
not referring to freedom from human
slavery; he meant spiritual bondage
to sin (8:34). Truth, not their religious
heritage, would free them (8:32; Rom
6:17; 8:2; 1 Jn 3:4, 8, 9).
8:35 Jesus unfolded the logic of his
argument: If Israel is a spiritual slave, it
has the same insecurity as any slave in
a household. Members of a family are
secure, slaves are not. Only Jesus can
change the status of slaves and make
them free and secure.
8:37-41 The leaders’ plot to kill Jesus
(5:18) unmasked their true identity.
They belonged to a different household,
and their father was not Jesus’ Father.
They were relying on the fact that their
ancestral father was Abraham, but Jesus
challenged their spiritual pedigree. The
climax of his challenge comes in 8:44.
8:39 if you were really the children
of Abraham, you would follow his
example: Some manuscripts read if
you are really the children of Abraham,
follow his example.
8:29
John 4:34; 6:38; 8:16;
14:10; 16:32
8:30
John 7:31
fpisteuo (4100)
John 12:11
8:31
John 15:7
2 Jn 1:9
8:32
Rom 8:2
2 Cor 3:17
Gal 5:1, 13
8:33
Matt 3:9
Luke 3:8
8:34
Rom 6:16, 20
2 Pet 2:19
8:35
Gen 21:10
Gal 4:30
8:39
Matt 3:9
John 8:33
Gal 3:7, 14, 29
8:41
Deut 32:6
Isa 63:16; 64:8
Mal 1:6
8:42
1 Jn 5:1
8:44
Gen 3:4; 4:9
1 Jn 3:8
gdiabolos (1228)
Eph 4:27
8:45
John 18:37
8:47
1 Jn 4:6
8:50
John 5:41
8:51
John 5:24; 11:25-26
8:53
John 4:12
8:41 your real father: Jesus knew who
controlled them. We aren’t illegitimate children! This was both a defense
and an attack. In Greek, the pronoun
we is emphatic: “We [in contrast to you]
are not illegitimate,” implying that
Jesus was illegitimate (see Matt 1:18-25).
8:44 Since the unbelieving people did
not love Jesus (8:42; 1 Jn 5:1), they were
not children of the Father in heaven
who sent his beloved Son (8:47). Their
true spiritual ancestry was revealed in
their desire to kill God’s Son. This was
the work of the devil, who brought
death to the world (see Gen 3:1-20;
Rom 5:12-14).
8:48-49 By calling Jesus a Samaritan
devil, his opponents turned his charges
back on him with a racial slur (see
note on 4:4-6). Their statement that
Jesus was demon possessed (also 7:20;
8:52; 10:20) countered his claim that
they were linked to Satan (8:44). Jesus
rightly replied that these words were
a profound dishonor. In fact, it was a
serious and unforgivable offense (Mark
3:22-29).
