31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free?’ 34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35“The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38“I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
39They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40“But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41“You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45“But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46“Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
48The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50“But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” 52The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ 53“Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
Interesting Words
continue
(μένω Greek) – menó – remain, abide, stay, wait, wait for, sojourn, tarry – John 14:16, 15:4-5; 1Peter 1:23;
truly
(ἀληθῶς Greek) – aléthós – truly (adverb); in accord with fact, i.e. demonstrably valid and therefore genuine (reflecting true reality), certainly, surely – Matt 14:33; Luke 9:27; 1Thes 2:13;
free
(ἐλευθερόω Greek) – eleutheroó – make free, to exempt (from liability), set free, liberate, release from bondage; (figuratively) to remove the restrictions of sin (darkness) because delivered by God into true spiritual liberty – Rom 6:18, 22; 8:2; Gal 5:1; Col 3:11
slaves
(δοῦλος Greek) – doulos – someone who belongs to another; a bond-slave, without any ownership rights of their own, serve as a slave, having all personal ownership-rights assigned to the owner; (figuratively) to willingly give over the prerogative to be self-governing – Gal 4:8, 5:13; Phil 2:22; 1Tim 6:1, 2; James 1:1;
father
(πατήρ Greek) – patér – father; one who imparts life and is committed to it; a progenitor, bringing into being to pass on the potential for likeness, ancestor, elder, senior –
Cross References
▪︎ John 1:11-12, 13 – right to become sons of God
▪︎ John 14:17 – God’s pledge to be abode in His children forever.
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Discussion Questions
1. What are the conditions for true freedom according to John 8:31-32?
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2. Where did the Pharisees go wrong in their logic?
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3. What are the benefits to walking according to Jesus’s guidelines?
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4. According to Jesus in John 8:37-45, what was the core problem for the Pharisees?
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5. What role does perception play in the process of accessing truth and freedom?
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6. What role does obedience play in the process of accessing truth and freedom?
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7. How would you describe the effect their progenitor (father) has on actions of the Pharisees??
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8. What is the key indicator of spiritual state of the Jews talking to Jesus from John 8:39-47?
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9. Describe the bottom-line situation for those in this discussion with Jesus?
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