John 8:31-42

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:35

And the servant abideth not in the house for ever ,.... The servant of God, and of Christ, does, but not the servant of sin: there may be servants of sin in the house or church of God here below; and such were these Jews Christ is speaking to; but such shall not abide there for ever: some that get into this house are quickly discerned, as Simon Magus was, and are soon removed; and others that may stay longer, are sometimes suffered to fall into some foul sin, or into some gross error and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:36

If the Son therefore shall make you free ,.... Alluding to the custom of adoption by the sons or brethren in the family, which obtained in Greece, called αδελφοθεσια , "the adoption of brethren", as Grotius, and others have observed; or rather to a custom among the Romans, of a son's making free after his Father's death, such as were born slaves in his house. Such a case as this is supposed F8 Theophili Antecensor. Institut. Imperat. Justinian. l. 1. tit. 6. sect. 5. p. 38. ; "a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:37

I know that ye are Abraham's seed ,.... In answer to the other part of the Jews' objection to Christ, and in favour of themselves, Christ owns that they were the natural seed of Abraham; for truth must be allowed to an adversary. But then this hindered not but they might be, as they were, in moral bondage to sin, and a generation of vipers, as those of them who came to John's baptism were; and might not be the sons of God, for not because they were the natural seed of Abraham, were they all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:38

I speak that which I have seen with my Father ,.... This is an aggravation of the sin of the Jews, in seeking to kill Christ, on account of his doctrine, since it was not his own, but his Father's; was not merely human, but divine; was what he the only begotten Son, that lay in the bosom of his Father, had seen in his heart, in his purposes, and decrees, in his council, and covenant, and so was clear, complete, certain, and to be depended on: and ye do that which ye have seen with your... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:39

They answered and said unto him ,.... On account of his making mention of a father, whose works they did, and whom they imitated: Abraham is our father ; meaning their only one, nor had they any other: Jesus saith unto them, if ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham ; for who should children imitate but their parents? Abraham was a merciful, charitable, and hospitable man, as well as a man of strict justice and integrity; he feared God, believed in him, and was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:40

But now ye seek to kill me ,.... A temper and disposition very foreign from that of Abraham's: a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God ; to seek to kill a man is a very great crime, and punishable with death; to kill an innocent one, that had done no sin, who was pure, holy, harmless, and inoffensive to God and man, was an aggravation of the iniquity; and to kill a prophet, and one more than a prophet, who brought a revelation from God himself, and declared the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:41

Ye do the deeds of your father ,.... Not Abraham, but the devil. Then said they unto him, we be not born of fornication : meaning either literally, that they were not a brood of bastards, children of whoredom, illegitimately begotten in unlawful copulation, or wedlock; or figuratively, that they were not the children of idolaters, idolatry being called fornication in Scripture; but that they were the holy seed of Israel, and children of the prophets, who had retained the pure word, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:42

Jesus said unto them, if God were your Father ,.... By adoption; and this was discovered by the grace of regeneration; or in other words, if they had been born of God, ye would love me ; for in regeneration love to Christ is always implanted: it is a fruit of the Spirit, which always comes along with the superabounding grace of God in conversion; whoever are begotten again, according to abundant mercy, love an unseen Jesus; and where there is no love to Christ, there can be no... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:31

If ye continue in my word - Or, in this doctrine of mine. It is not enough to receive God's truth - we must retain and walk in it. And it is only when we receive the truth, love it, keep it, and walk in it, that we are the genuine disciples of Christ. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:32

Ye shall know the truth - Shall have a constant experimental knowledge of its power and efficacy. And the truth shall make you free - It was a maxim of the Jews, "That no man was free, but he who exercised himself in the meditation of the law." No man is truly free, but he in whose heart the power of sin is destroyed, and who has received the Spirit of adoption, through which he cries, Abba! Father! See Romans 8:15 . The bondage of sin is the most grievous bondage; and freedom from its... read more

Group of Brands