Lots of questions about fatherhood in this chapter!
Jesus continues to make claims regarding His Father. Meanwhile, the Jews first assert that Abraham is their father (vs. 39), then God (vs. 41). Kind of an ironic statement, seeing as how they had been ready to kill Jesus for a similar claim (John 5:18).
Jesus, however, states that the devil is actually their Father. The true test seems to be that one's actions mirror the actions of one's father (vs. 38 and vs. 39 and vs. 41 and vs. 44).
Any thoughts on why Jesus' final statement in this chapter, "Before Abraham was born, I am!" was enough to make them pick up stones to stone Him?
I noticed once again in this chapter that Jesus knew who he was, where he came from and where he was going. A firmly rooted identity allowed him to say and do the things that the Father wanted him to.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to wanting to stone Jesus, my hunch is that they were picking up connections between what Jesus said to them and what God said to Moses when He revealed His name of Yahweh. From what I remember, Yahweh translates "I am" or something close to that. So Jesus making an "I am" statement was pretty much like putting himself on the same level as God. And the Jews, well they did not like that very much.
I'm with you, Josh. "I am" sounds rather eternal, doesn't it? Their ire increases with each claim Jesus makes to know God or to have come from God.
ReplyDelete