Father Abraham

"Abraham is our father"

JOHN 8 COMMENTARY ◄
John 8:31-36 The Truth Will Set You Free

John 8:37-42 Father Abraham

JOHN 8:37-40 37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me because My word has no place in you. 38 I say what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” 39 They answered and said to Him, “Our father is Abraham.” 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 spoken to you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.

Whom do the Jews claim as their father?
“Our father is Abraham” (John 8:39).

After saying, “I know that you are Abraham's descendants” (John 8:37), why does Jesus then say, “If you were Abraham's children” (John 8:39)?
He is differentiating their biological and spiritual pedigrees. They may be Abraham's biological descendants but their actions, including trying to “kill” Jesus, who “has spoken to you the truth” (John 8:40), disqualify them from claiming spiritual lineage to Abraham.

From what did Jesus speak to them?
From what He has directly “seen with” (John 8:38) and “heard from” (John 8:40) God the Father.

JOHN 8:41-42 41 “You do the works of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one father: God.” 42 Jesus then said to them, “If God were your father, you would love Me, for I came forth and am here from God; for nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

Why do the Jews say, “We were not born of fornication; we have one father: God” (John 8:41)?
They are talking about spiritual fornication. The Jews took great pride in being the descendants of Abraham. When Jesus refuted that as above, the Jews, without accepting Jesus' refutation, are bringing up their other claim to fame, which is that unlike the polytheistic pagan nations that worship idols around them, they - the Jews - are monotheists who worship the one true God: “we have one father: God” (John 8:41) - a claim that Jesus also immediately refutes.

Whom do people love if God the Father is their father?
Jesus: “If God were your father, you would love Me” (John 8:42).

What are the opening words of The Lord's Prayer?
“Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9).

Are you in love with Jesus?