John 8:39

Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s

37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but ^ayou seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.

38 ^aI speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have¹ seen with your father.”

39 They answered and said to Him, ^a“Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, ^b“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

40 ^aBut now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth ^bwhich I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.

41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; ^awe have one Father—God.”

42 Jesus said to them, ^a“If God were your Father, you would love Me, for ^bI proceeded forth and came from God; ^cnor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

43 ^aWhy do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.

44 ^aYou are of your father the devil, and the ^bdesires of your father you want to ^cdo. He was a murderer from the beginning, and ^ddoes not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?

47 ^aHe who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Before Abraham Was, I AM

48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and ^ahave a demon?”

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and ^ayou dishonor Me.

50 And ^aI do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.

51 Most assuredly, I say to you, ^aif anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You ^ahave a demon! ^bAbraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’

53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. ^aWho do You make Yourself out to be?”

54 Jesus answered, ^a“If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. ^bIt is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is¹ your God.

55 Yet ^ayou have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and ^bkeep His word.

56 Your father Abraham ^arejoiced to see My day, ^band he saw it and was glad.”

57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, ^abefore Abraham was, ^bI AM.”

59 Then ^athey took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, ^bgoing through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

<< John 8:38

John 8:40 >>

What Does John 8:39 Mean?

Spiritual fatherhood is determined by whose nature and works one displays. A son or daughter can be considered the child of another by showing that person's characteristics, not through physical descent. A son of Belial shows the traits of Belial, meaning confusion, though not physically his child. Likewise, a son of Abraham would behave and live as Abraham did. Abraham had God as his spiritual Father; he did not try to kill the One who became Christ, but was hospitable, honored Him, and submitted to Him. The people of Jesus' time, however, were openly hostile and sought to put Him to death, carrying Satan's mark by the way they reacted to Him and to each other, revealing Satan as their spiritual father.

John 8:39-40

Spiritually, Satan has been our father. We already have had his mark placed on us, and in our lifetime we have shown his characteristics. That is exactly what Jesus is talking about here: He knew that Satan was the spiritual father of these people because they carried his mark in the way they reacted to Him and each other.

Abraham had God as his spiritual Father, and Abraham did not attempt to kill the One who became Christ—in fact, He was hospitable to Him and honored Him. He was not hostile to Him in any way, but instead did everything in his power to submit to Him. But here were the people of Jesus' time trying to put Him to death. They were openly hostile to Him.

Our problem is not worrying about taking on Satan's mark—we already have it. Our concern is to control and overcome it because God is now our Father, and He has already enabled us to resist that mark in our lives. It is our worshipful duty to work with God, to strive to break free of that foul spirit's enslaving hold on us.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Spiritual Mark of the Beast

John 8:39

He uses the words "father" and "children" in a well-accepted, spiritual way—that is, a son or a daughter can be considered the child of another if he or she shows the nature and works of that other person. Thus a "son of Belial" shows the characteristics of Belial, meaning confusion, though he is not physically Belial's child. A "son of Abraham," then, would behave or live as Abraham did.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Three)

Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing John 8:39:

Malachi 3:1
Matthew 12:22-50
Romans 8:14-17
Romans 9:7
Galatians 3:7
Galatians 4:5

<< John 8:38

John 8:40 >>

Join 137,236+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s

Before Abraham Was, I AM

What Does John 8:39 Mean?

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning