John 8:38-41

38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”

39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 

40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 

41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”

“You Say You are Abraham’s Children…And You are Seeking to Kill Me? Really?”

What do you notice about the word “father” in verse 38? In the NKJV that I am using, the first “Father” begins with a capital letter, while the second “father” begins with a lowercase letter. Jesus says that He speaks what He has SEEN with HIS Father. Jesus has seen THE Father, while the Jews that He is speaking to have not. They have only heard the Father through the scriptures. Jesus belongs to His Father, and the Jews belong to their father, which is not God. Is Jesus saying that their father is Satan? I believe that is exactly what He is saying, especially after we read the next verse. In verse 39, the Jews reply to Jesus with the statement, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus shoots this down with these words in verses 39-40, paraphrasing, “If you were the children of Abraham, then you would act like Abraham. You plan to kill Me after I have told you the truth from God. Abraham never acted like this.” Don’t children normally act like their parents? They usually follow their parents’ or mentors’ example. Jesus emulated His Father. But the Jews were not emulating Abraham. Abraham did not try to kill the Son of God. Abraham tried to obey God in everything He did. He made mistakes, but He was faithful to God. We read about Abraham’s faithfulness to God as he is immortalized in the great chapter of faith in Hebrews 11. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10) “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” (Hebrews 11:17-19) Were these Jews following or emulating the man portrayed in these verses? Absolutely not! So, God was not their father. Abraham was not their father. So, who was Jesus saying their father was? At the beginning of verse 41, Jesus says something that tells us without a shadow of a doubt to whom these Jews belong. He says, “You do the deeds of your father.” By “deeds”, He means their desire to kill Him. Someone who would try to kill the Son of God would be the spawn of Satan, wouldn’t he? The people did not receive Jesus’ words well at all, and grasped at a straw in verse 41. They said, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” They were implying that Jesus was born of fornication, because of the controversy surrounding Mary’s pregnancy. It was also another statement about the purity of their lineage to Abraham, and that this lineage connects them to their one Father, which is God. It was a terrible statement made by these people about the Son of God. In today’s language, here was what they said, “At least we weren’t born in fornication like you.” Wow, just wow! Did they really just say that disrespectful comment to Jesus, and then say that God was their Father in the same breath?

We will be faced with resistance and even ridicule at times when we present the truth to people outside of Christ today. Jesus said we would be hated because He was hated. How will we handle it? Well, we look for opportunities to share the gospel, and we speak the truth with kindness and love, no matter what. 

We can also learn a couple of lessons in what not to do from the Jews. We need to live what we teach. If we aren’t living out the truth, then no one is going to listen to us, including the children God has entrusted us to raise. Another lesson we can learn is humility. We need to be humble enough to admit when we are wrong, because we all make mistakes. The Jews would never admit to making a mistake or misunderstanding something. I’m reminded of Apollos, who was preaching the baptism of John because that was all he knew. No one can teach what they haven’t been taught. Aquila and Priscilla heard him speaking, pulled him aside, and taught him the truth of the gospel, which included the baptism for the remission of sins. Apollos, who was very intelligent and an eloquent speaker, was humble and allowed himself to be taught by these two tentmakers. What an example for us! 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)