John 8:33 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 8:31-37

We have in these verses, I. A comfortable doctrine laid down concerning the spiritual liberty of Christ's disciples, intended for the encouragement of those Jews that believed. Christ, knowing that his doctrine began to work upon some of his hearers, and perceiving that virtue had gone out of him, turned his discourse from the proud Pharisees, and addressed himself to those weak believers. When he had denounced wrath against those that were hardened in unbelief, then he spoke comfort to those... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 8:33-36

8:33-36 They answered him: "We are the descendants of Abraham and we have never been slaves to any man. How do you say: 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them: "This is the truth I tell you--everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave is not a permanent resident in the house; the son is a permanent resident. If the son shall make you free you will be really free." Jesus' talk of freedom annoyed the Jews. They claimed that they had never been slaves to any man. Obviously... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:33

They answered him ,.... Not the believing Jews, whom he peculiarly addressed, but the unbelieving Jews, who were present, and heard these things: we be Abraham's seed ; this the Jews always valued themselves upon, and reckoned themselves, on this account, upon a level with the nobles and the princes of the earth. "Says R. Akiba F3 Misn. Bava Kama, c. 8. sect. 6. & T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 86. 1. & 91. 1. , even the poor of Israel are to be considered as if they were בני ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:33

They answered - That is, the other Jews who had not believed - the carping, cavilling Pharisees already mentioned; for the words cannot be spoken of the simple people who had already believed. See John 8:30 . Were never in bondage to any man - This assertion was not only false, but it was ridiculous in the extreme; seeing their whole history, sacred and profane, is full of recitals of their servitude in Egypt, in Chaldea, under the Persians, under the Macedonians, and under the Romans.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:33

Verse 33 33.We are Abraham’s seed. It is uncertain if the Evangelist here introduces the same persons who formerly spoke, (235) or others. My opinion is, that they replied to Christ in a confused manner, as usually happens in a promiscuous crowd; and that this reply was made rather by despisers than by those who believed. It is a mode of expression very customary in Scripture, whenever the body of a people is mentioned, to ascribe generally to all what belongs only to a part. Those who object... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:31-59

describe a further conversation, not with the same audience. The words record a vivid conflict between the Lord and the Jews who believed him, who accepted the Messianic claims, but persisted in interpreting them, not by his word, but by their own ideas of the theocratic kingdom, by their privileges as children of Abraham, by their national animosity to their nearest neighbours the Samaritans, by their inability to press behind the veil of his humanity to his Divine nature. Their faith was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:33

They answered him, We be Abraham's seed —taking the highest position of national grandeur and racial pride. Vast were the pretensions which the Jews often assumed from this lofty ancestry. "They were all children of kings;" "Solomon's feast was not too good for them;" "He was heir of the world;" "They were the inheritors in him of all the nations." They had rung this cry into the ears of John the Baptist, when this last prophet had called upon them for repentance. Their following boast is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:33-36

Misapprehension of the disciples corrected. I. THEIR STRANGE MISCONCEPTION . "They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" 1 . We cannot imagine the speakers to be capable of the absurdity of making a historical misstatement. The facts of Jewish history were universally known at Jerusalem. The Jews could not deny the Egyptian, Babylonian, Syrian, and Roman conquests. They either referred to the civil... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:33-36

True freedom. I. TRUE FREEDOM INVOLVES THAT OF THE SOUL . 1 . A man may be physically free without being free indeed. 2 . A man may be socially free without being free indeed. He may be in the full enjoyment of social and political privileges and yet a captive. 3 . A man may be mentally free without being free indeed. His intellect may be sound and grasping, his mental vision clear and far reaching, and still be a prisoner. 4 . True freedom involves... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:33-46

(5) The offer of spiritual freedom to the seed of Abraham provoked bitter hostility and misapprehension. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 8:31-37

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 8:33-36

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 8:33

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:33

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:33

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:31-59

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:33

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:33-36

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:33-36

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:33-46

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