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 hammer home their hypocrisy, they will accuse Him of insanity (John 8:48), and then resort to physical violence (John 8:59).

John 8:31–59 is a passage which dovetails with John 2:13–22, where Jesus drives 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!''

John chapter 8 includes 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. This chapter 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. Eventually, Jesus' opponents are enraged enough to attempt killing Him right then and there.

Jesus is attending the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem, and has once again come into conflict with the local religious authorities. In the previous chapter, Jesus referred to Himself as a source of living water, playing off of the festivals' ritual pouring of water in the temple. In this chapter, Jesus will use the imagery of lights, also related to festival traditions. This chapter 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 gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 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”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/8/2024 12:01:28 AM