John 8:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.

NASB: Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came forth from God and am here; for I have not even come on My own, but He sent Me.

CSB: Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me.

NLT: Jesus told them, 'If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.

KJV: Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

NKJV: Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

Jesus is using the analogy of fatherhood to explain why His critics refuse to accept His claims. Children inherit the nature of their fathers. So, those who are the "true sons" of Abraham will do as Abraham did. He obeyed God and accepted God's words. Jesus brings the words of God (John 8:38), and the will of God (John 6:38), proven by both Scripture and miracles (John 5:30–47). And yet, these religious leaders have ignored His message and attempted to have Him killed (John 5:18). Their actions suggest that they have a spiritual father other than Abraham and other than God (John 8:44).

In continuing to make this point, Jesus once again claims that He is acting in submission to God the Father (John 6:57).

The critics' responses have become less and less meaningful, and recently sank to the level of petty insults (John 8:41). As Jesus continues to highlight their hypocrisy, they will accuse Him of insanity (John 8:48) and then resort to physical violence (John 8:59).

John 8:31–59 dovetails with John 2:13–22. There, Jesus drove corrupt businessmen from the temple. These Scriptures disprove any myths that Jesus was weak, timid, passive, or soft. In this exchange with the Pharisees, Jesus pulls no punches. Jerusalem's religious leaders, and their followers, continue to resist Jesus' preaching. They rely on arrogance and insults, to which Jesus responds with blunt, unfiltered condemnation. This culminates in Jesus making an overt statement of His own divinity, punctuating the debate by declaring ''before Abraham was, I am!''

This begins with the story of the adulterous woman, a well-known but controversial passage. Most scholars believe this story is authentic, but not originally found in this exact spot in Scripture. The rest of chapter 8 continues Jesus' preaching during the Feast of Booths, where He once again comes into conflict with local religious leaders. Here, Christ will make His second ''I am" statement, using the analogy of light, which is a common theme in Hebrew theology. This conversation will become more and more heated. Jesus' opponents become so enraged that they attempt to kill Him right then and there.

Jesus is attending the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. There He once again conflicts with local religious authorities. Previously, Jesus referred to Himself as a source of living water (John 7:37–38). That built on the festival's ritual pouring of water in the temple. In this chapter, Jesus will do something similar with the imagery of lights also related to festival traditions. This demonstrates Jesus' willingness to be direct, even aggressive, with His critics. The next few chapters will complete Jesus' public ministry, as He prepares for His impending death.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 11/21/2024 12:16:08 PM