John 8:32

Disciples who continue to abide (Gr. meno) in Jesus’ word (John 8:31) come to know the truth. Jesus’ words are truth because He is the incarnation of truth (John 1:14; John 14:6). This truth, Jesus’ words, sets people free when they understand His teaching. It liberates them spiritually from ignorance, sin, and spiritual death.

". . . their own tradition had it, that he only was free who laboured in the study of the Law. Yet the liberty of which He spoke came not through study of the Law, but from abiding in the Word of Jesus." [Note: Edersheim, 2:172.]

Many people misapply this verse. It occurs as a motto in numerous public libraries in the United States, for example, with the implication that any true information has a liberating effect. That is only true to a degree. In the context Jesus was speaking about spiritual truth that He revealed. Thus people in our day have the same problem with Jesus’ words as people in Jesus’ day. Many take them as referring to physical rather than spiritual things. It is spiritual truth that Jesus revealed that is in view here. Jesus was speaking particularly of the gospel.