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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 8:51-59

In these verses we have, I. The doctrine of the immortality of believers laid down, John 8:51. It is ushered in with the usual solemn preface, Verily, verily, I say unto you, which commands both attention and assent, and this is what he says, If a man keep my sayings, he shall never see death. Here we have, 1. The character of a believer: he is one that keeps the sayings of the Lord Jesus, ton logon ton emon?my word; that word of mine which I have delivered to you; this we must not only... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 8:51-55

8:51-55 "This is the truth I tell you--if anyone keeps my word, he will not see death for ever." The Jews said to him: "Now we are certain that you are mad. Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you are saying: 'If anyone keeps my word, he will not taste of death for ever.' Surely you are not greater than our father Abraham who did die? And the prophets died too. Who are you making yourself out to be?" Jesus answered: "It is my Father who glorifies me, that Father, who, you claim, is your... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 8:53

8:1-11 And each of them went to his own house; but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he was again in the Temple precincts, and all the people came to him. He sat down and went on teaching them. The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman arrested for adultery. They set her in the midst and said to him: "Teacher, this woman was arrested as she was committing adultery--in the very act. In the law Moses enjoined us to stone women like this. What do you say about her?" They... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 8:53

This passage shows us two things about the attitude of the scribes and the Pharisees. (i) It shows us their conception of authority. The scribes and the Pharisees were the legal experts of the day; to them problems were taken for decision. It is clear that to them authority was characteristically critical, censorious and condemnatory. That authority should be based on sympathy, that its aim should be to reclaim the criminal and the sinner, never entered their heads. They conceived of their... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 8:53

Further, this incident tells us a great deal about Jesus and his attitude to the sinner. (i) It was a first principle of Jesus that only the man who himself is without fault has the right to express judgment on the fault of others. "Judge not," said Jesus, "that you be not judged" ( Matthew 7:1 ). He said that the man who attempted to judge his brother was like a man with a plank in his own eye trying to take a speck of dust out of someone else's eye ( Matthew 7:3-5 ). One of the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 8:56-59

8:56-59 "Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it and was glad." The Jews said to him: "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them: "This is the truth I tell you--before Abraham was I am." So they lifted stones to throw them at him, but Jesus slipped out of their sight, and went out of the Temple precincts. All the previous lightning flashes pale into significance before the blaze of this passage. When Jesus said to the Jews that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:51

Verily, verily, I say unto you ,.... This is truth, and may be depended upon, as coming from the "Amen", and faithful witness: if a man keep my saying ; or doctrine, receives the Gospel in the love of it, obeys it from his heart, and cordially embraces and firmly believes it; and retains and holds it fast, having a spiritual and comfortable experience of the doctrines of Christ, and yielding a cheerful and ready obedience to his commands and ordinances, in faith and love: he shall... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:52

Then said the Jews unto him ,.... Upon these last words that he spake, giving assurance, that whoever kept his saying, should not die: now we know that thou hast a devil ; they thought and said so before, but now they were assured, that he must be under diabolical influence, must be possessed with the devil, and mad, and out of his senses; for they thought no man in his senses would ever talk at this rate: Abraham is dead, and the prophets ; that is, they are dead also, as the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:53

Art thou greater than our father Abraham ?.... So the woman of Samaria said, concerning Jacob, John 4:12 . The Jews had a mighty opinion of their ancestors, especially of Abraham; and yet they allow the Messiah to be greater than he, as Jesus truly was: so one of their ancient commentators F23 Tachuma apud Huls. p. 321. on those words of Isaiah 52:13 thus paraphrases them, ""Behold my servant shall deal prudently", this is the King Messiah; "he shall be exalted" above Abraham, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:54

Jesus answered, if I honour myself, my honour is nothing ,.... It is empty and vain, and will not continue; see 2 Corinthians 10:18 ; it is my Father that honoureth me : by a voice from heaven, both at his baptism, and transfiguration, declaring him to be his beloved Son, and by the works and miracles he did by him; as he afterwards also honoured him by raising him from the dead, and setting him at his own right hand, by pouring forth his Spirit on his disciples, and succeeding his... read more

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