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More John commentaries
John 5:1-15
Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda
John 5:16-23
Jesus Claims to be God
John 5:24-29
Four Types of Resurrections
John 5:30-38
Jesus’ Witnesses of his Diety
John 5:39-47
Blindness to the Truth of the Scriptures
John 6:1-15
Philip Fails the Exam
John 6:16-29
Jesus Calms Their Fears
John 6:30-44
What’s Your Motive for Following Jesus
John 6:56-71
Confussion of the Body and Blood of Christ
John 7:1-14
The Advice of Jesus’ Brothers
John 7:25-36
Blinded to the Truth
John 7:37-53
Divided Opinions About Jesus
John 8:1-7
Pharisees Condemn the Adulterous Woman
John 8:8-11
Jesus Forgives the Adulterous Women
John 8:12-20
Jesus is the Light of the World
John 8:21-30
Jesus Predicts His Death
John 8:31-47
Bound by Pride
John 8:48-59
Jesus’ Claims To His Identity
John 9:1-12
Contentment in Any Circumstance
John 9:13-23
Trouble with the Jewish Leaders
John 9:24-41
The Testimony of the Healed Man
John 10:11-21
The Good Shephard Knows His Sheep
John 10:22-42
Rejected by the Religious Leaders
John 11:1-16
News of Lazarus’ Death
John 11:17-30
Jesus Arrives at Mary and Martha’s House
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Bound by Pride
John 8:31–47
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
Former heavy-weight boxer James (Quick) Tillis is a cowboy from Oklahoma who fought out of Chicago in the early 1980s. He still remembers his first day in the Windy City after his arrival from Tulsa. “I got off the bus with two cardboard suitcases under my arms in downtown C … More
Physically these Jews, of course, were the descendants of Abraham (v.34). However, they were seeking to kill Jesus and in doing so they were showing that they were not Abraham’s spiritual descendants. They were very unlike Abraham (v.40). He listened to God’s truth and obeyed it, but these religious leaders were proud and rejected the truth. Our church membership and family connections will not make us a true child of God. Our true father is the one we imitate and obey.
Love is a family affair. If these Jews really had God as their Father and really loved Him, then they would have loved Jesus because He came from God. Since they wanted to kill Jesus and since they rejected the truth and embraced the lie, it was clear that they did not belong to God but instead their father was Satan who is the enemy of life and truth and keeps them in bondage (v.44). Satan’s children may be well versed in their traditions but have no understanding of the truth of God’s Word.
Application
These religious leaders were very proud. What are some areas of pride that perhaps keep me from enjoying God’s blessing? How has God been working in my life to break down these barriers?
John 8:31-47 (English Standard Version)
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father--even God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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