John

Chapter 8 (Continued)

{Two Contrasts - Function and Source}
38~~ I {Jesus} keep on speaking/'teaching categorically' {laleo}
you the things I have seen in {eternity} past {horao}
'by the side of'/'from the immediate source of' My Father,
but, in contrast, you keep on doing {poieo}
 the things you have heard from your father {the devil}."

{Note: Jesus is easing into the fact that these religious Jews emphasize their physical father - Abraham. They think because of their racial heritage, they are automatically saved at birth! They emphasize work, work, work. But Jesus emphasizes learn, learn, learn! He will get around in verse 44 to tell them exactly who their real father really is - spiritually - the devil.}

39~~ They 'had an answer'/'gave a discerning answer
from the ultimate source of themselves' {apokrinomai} for Him,
"Abraham keeps on being our father! {they knew what Jesus was implying at this point!}"
Jesus said {lego} unto them,
"If - and I am assuming you are -
you were Abraham's children,
you would do the works/deeds {ergon} of Abraham."

{Note: Ergon means works, deeds, and production. It has two connotations. The negative one is 'work, work, work' that comes from the energy of the flesh. The positive one is 'divine good production' that comes from allowing God to work through you. Abraham 'believed and it was credited to his account for righteousness'. This was his salvation - faith in the manifest member of the Godhead - Jesus Christ. Many years later, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar. Abraham knew that God had promised him a long line of offspring through Isaac. Therefore, RBT says Abraham understood the doctrine of resurrection and knew God had the power to resurrect Isaac if it was His will. By following God's commands, Abraham produced divine good. That is an example of the 'works of Abraham' here - divine good production.}

40~~" But now you keep on trying to violently murder Me,
a Man Who has told {laleo - taught categorically} you
the truth/'true doctrines' {aletheia}
I heard from the immediate source of God.
Abraham did not do this!"

41~~"You people keep on doing the deeds/work {ergon}
of your father."
Then they said to Jesus,
"We were not born of fornication!
  {idiom meaning 'WE know our Father! We are not bastards!'}
We keep having only ONE Father . . . GOD
  {syntax says they shouted this}."

{Jesus No Longer Subtle - 2nd Class Condition - 'And You Are NOT!'}
42~~Jesus said {lego} to them,
"If God were your Father,
- and He is not -
you would have kept loving {agape} Me,
for I have come from the ultimate source of God and have arrived.
I have not come from the ultimate source of Myself
  {meaning as God He could have sent Himself -
  but His humanity has agreed of His own free will to be obedient
  to the will of the Father},
but He sent Me on a mission {apostello}."

{Note: There are two main words for love in the spiritual realm (with a different one for physical lovemaking). - agape and phileo. Agape is the mental attitude love - an unconditional love based on your own virtue - nothing to do with the virtue of the object of your love. Phileo is conditional love based on the virtue of the object. Though as God, He could have asked them to phileo Him based on who and what He is, he only asked them to 'love all mankind' - including Him - based on who and what they are! This is called having a 'relaxed mental attitude'.}

{Note: Apostello means to send on a mission with authority (as opposed to pempo, which means to send on an errand.}

43~~"Why don't you understand {ginosko} what I am saying?
It is because you 'do not have the power to'/'are not able' {dunamai}
to hear and obey My Words/teaching {logos}."

{Note: Ginosko has the connotation of concentration in study and learning from the study.}

{Note: Dunamai is one of the words for 'power'. It is the word from which we get dynamite. Here it is a verb meaning you do not have the power or ability - you are not able.}

44~~ "You keep on being from your father - the devil!
And you want to do what your father desires/lusts {epithumia}.
He {Satan} kept on being a murderer from the beginning
  {of human time},
and did not stand in the truth/'true doctrine' {aletheia}
  {this tells us that Satan also was/is the father of those
  who reject of doctrine},
because there is no truth/'true doctrine' {aletheia} in him {Satan}.
Whenever he speaks 'the lie' {'to pseudos' - false doctrine},
he speaks of his own {his own false doctrine - doctrine of demons}.
Because he is a liar {pseustes}
and the father of it {lies/false doctrine -
    anything contrary to the truth of the Word of God}."

{Note: This ties it all together. It was Satan who was the instigator of the first murder - Cain murdering Abel.}

{Note: Epithumia means lusts or evil desires. In view here are three lusts of Satan: murder, antagonism toward true doctrine, and deceit/lies/'false doctrine'. And these are three attributes of religion. Remember Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship with God based on the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. You do not earn it or deserve it - it is a gift of God. All you have to do is use your free will in a non-meritorious act of Faith. Faith is like eating or drinking - there is no merit in doing it. Therefore, all the 'merit'/glory goes to the Lord.}

{Note: 'To pseudos' is singular - it means 'the lie'. What is the lie? Here in context, we see that Jesus is contrasting aletheia - true doctrine - with that which the father of religion gives his children - false doctrine - the lie - later called 'doctrine of demons'.}

{Function of Deceit - Why does Satan give false doctrine?}
45~~" But because I keep on teaching the truth/'true doctrine' {aletheia}, you do not believe Me."

{Note: Satan's purpose is revealed. He puts out false doctrine so humans will be confused and reject Christ and His teaching. People with negative volition toward God and His Word will readily accept false doctrine to fill the void of where true doctrine should be. See also II Corinthians 4:3-4.}

46~~Which of you can convict Me concerning sin?
If I keep on communicating 'true doctrine'/the truth
- and I do -
why don't you believe Me?

{Note: The principal here is if you are positive at the point of God consciousness, you will accept the truth when you hear it. If you are negative, you will reject truth and fill the vacuum with false doctrines - 'false' meaning 'not supported by the Word of God' - because today with the Word of God in writing.}

47~~ He {Jesus Christ} Who keeps on being from God
hears and responds {positive volition}
to God's Words/Bible Doctrine/Plan of God/Divine Decrees
  {in Eternity Past}.
Therefore, you do not hear {negative volition},
because you are not from God {rejected the plan of God}."

{Name Calling Defense - Always a Good Defense if you do not have the Truth!}
48~~Then the Jews {religious leaders} 'had an answer'/'gave a discerning answer from the ultimate source of themselves {apokrinomai} and said to Him,
"Did we not say correctly/'with propriety' {self-righteousness}
that You keep on being a Samaritan
  {Jews hate the Samaritans - racial prejudice -
  like calling Jesus an SOB}
and keep on having a demon?"

49~~Jesus 'had an answer'/'gave a discerning answer
from the ultimate source of Himself {apokrinomai},
"I do not keep on having a demon,
but I keep on honoring My Father
and yet you keep on dishonoring Me."

{Note: The Father honors Jesus by permitting Him to do miracles and even speak in the temple. But the religious crowd is negative to the One honored by the Father, so by dishonoring Jesus they also dishonor the Father - who they have claimed to honor!}

50~~"I {Jesus} do not keep on seeking My own glory/praise.
There is One Who keeps on seeking it {honor for Christ},
and He also keeps on judging {those who do not honor Christ}."

{Note: The Father's plan does not call for Jesus to honor Himself - the Father's plan calls for the Father to honor Him.}

51~~ " Point of doctrine, I keep on teaching {lego} to you,
if anyone obeys/keeps My Word/teaching {logos},
he will absolutely never {ouk}
perceive and experience {theoreo} death."

{Note: Ouk is the strong negative - absolutely never. Theoreo is the word from which we get 'theory'. It means to perceive and experience something - death in view here.}

{Verses 52-59: Jesus Christ as the Victor over Death}
52~~ Then said {lego} the Jews to Him,
"Now we {really} know {ginosko}
you have a demon!
Both Abraham and the prophets died,
and yet You and only You keep on saying,
'If anyone 'keeps My Word'/'obeys My teaching',
he will 'never forever taste of death'/'live forever'. "

{Logic did not work - Neither did Name Calling - So now they try Sarcasm}
53~~"Do YOU keep on being greater
than our father Abraham who is dead? Of course you are not! {me}
And the prophets are dead!
Who do You think you are?
  {idiom - literally 'who makes thou thyself'}"

{Note: Ouk used earlier is the absolute negative in the Greek. 'Me' is the other negative when the door is a little open. But used as it is here, it is sarcasm requiring a negative response - 'you are NOT!'.}

54~~ Jesus 'had an answer'/'gave a discerning answer
from the ultimate source of Himself {apokrinomai},
"If I honor/glorify Myself
- maybe I will, maybe I will not {I could you know!} -
My honor/glory is worthless/nothing.
The One Who honors/glorifies Me is My Father,
about Whom you say, 'He keeps on being our God.'

55~~"Yet you do not 'know from experience' {ginosko} Him,
but I 'inherently know' {oida} Him.
If I say that I do not know Him
- maybe I will, maybe I will not -
I would be a liar . . . {probably a pause here} . . . just like you!
  {Jesus called them liars right to their faces!}
But I do inherently know {oida} Him,
and I obey His Words/teaching/'Divine Decrees'."

56~~"Your father Abraham rejoiced/'was exceedingly glad' {agalliao}
to 'saw the perspective of' {horao} My day,
and he saw it and had inner happiness {chairo}."

{Note: Horao is the word from which we get horizon. It means to have a panoramic view. Here it means Abraham lived in a tent but looked out here and 'saw my day' - means faith rest. He believed in God's promises to him and from doctrine in his soul, Abraham saw the 1st Advent of Christ.}

57~~Then said {lego} the Jews to Him,
"You are not yet fifty years old!
And, YOU have seen Abraham? {more sarcasm}"

{Note: Two meanings here. First, unless you were 50, you were inexperienced. Secondly, if Jesus is less than 50 how could he have seen Abraham who has been dead hundreds of years?}

{Jesus Declares Himself Clearly to be a Member of the Godhead}
58~~Jesus said to them,
"Point of doctrine'/'I keep on saying to you the solemn truth',
before the point of time Abraham came into existence,
I always existed!"

{Note: Jesus speaks from His deity and declares Himself to have always existed - long before Abraham - and He always will exist.}

{Not Jesus' time to Die nor Manner of Death}
59~~Then they picked up stones to throw at Him,
but Jesus quietly 'faded out' {krupto} Himself
and went out from the temple area.

{Note: Krupto is the word from which we get cryptic. Here it means as they started to pick up the stones, Jesus quietly faded away without their realizing it - probably in their anger.}

{SideNote: 'Through the midst of them and passed them' is not in the original.}

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