John 8:56

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 8:56-59

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 8:56

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ,.... Or "he was desirous to see my day", as the Syriac and Arabic versions rightly render the word; or "very desirous", as the Persic version: and indeed, this was what many kings and prophets, and righteous men, were desirous of, even of seeing the Messiah and his day: we often read of ימות המשיח , "the days of the Messiah": and the Jews, in their Talmud F25 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 99. 1. , dispute much about them, how long they will be;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:56

Abraham rejoiced to see my day - Or, he earnestly desired to see my day; ηγαλλιασατο , from αγαν , very much, and ἁλλομαι , I leap - his soul leaped forward in earnest hope and strong expectation that he might see the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The metaphor appears to be taken from a person who, desiring to see a long-expected friend who is coming, runs forward, now and then jumping up to see if he can discover him. There is a saying very like this in Sohar Numer fol. 61: "Abraham... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:56

Verse 56 56.Your father Abraham. He grants to them, in words only, what he formerly took from them, that Abraham is their father But he shows how idle is the objection drawn from the name of Abraham “He had no other object,” says he, “during his whole life, than to see my kingdom flourish. He longed for me when I was absent, you despise me when I am present.” What Christ here asserts concerning Abraham alone, applies to all the saints. But this doctrine has greater weight in the person of... 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 8:47-58

(6) THE I AM . The claim to be the Source of liberty and life, in reply to those who appealed to their Father God and their father Abraham, led Jesus to assert his anteriority to Abraham. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:51-59

Deliverance of the believer from death. The dialogue now takes a new turn. I. THE BLESSED PROMISE MADE TO THE OBEDIENT DISCIPLE . "If a man keep my Word, he shall never see death." he evidently now addresses those Jews who believe in him. 1 . The character of discipleship. It 2 . The blessed destiny of discipleship. II. FRESH MISAPPREHENSION OF THE JEWS . "Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 8:54-59

Christ and Abraham. "Whom makest thou thyself?" In answer to this question and to the objections made by his opponents, our Lord further reveals himself. I. IN RELATION TO THE FATHER . 1 . His entire devotion to him. This includes: 2 . Some of the features of his peculiar honour. 3 . His entire contrast with his foes. II. IN HIS RELATION TO ABRAHAM , AND ABRAHAM TO HIM . These Jews claimed Abraham as their father, and attempted to cause... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 8:56

Your father Abraham - The testimony of Abraham is adduced by Jesus because the Jews considered it to be a signal honor to be his descendants, John 8:39. As they regarded the sayings and deeds of Abraham as especially illustrious and worthy of their imitation, so they were bound, in consistency, to listen to what he had said of the Messiah.Rejoiced - This word includes the notion of desire as well as rejoicing. It denotes that act when, compelled with strong desire for an object, we leap forward... read more

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