Audience: (NET) The Jewish people in Jerusalem... who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31). They have now become completely hostile, as John 8:59 clearly shows.
Difficult passages: v.51, Jesus said, “ I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death.” Did believers die? (NET) Those who keep Jesus’ words will not see death because they have already passed from death to life (cf. 5:24). In Johannine theology eternal life begins in the present rather than in the world to come.
V.56 “Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” When did Abraham see Jesus’ day?(NET) it is likely that Gen 22:13–15 lies behind Jesus’ words....tells of Abraham finding the ram which will replace his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice—an occasion of certain rejoicing.
V.58-59a Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!”8:59 Then they picked up stones to throw at him...What was wrong with Jesus’ words that they tried to kill Him? (NET) I am! is an explicit claim to deity...Exod 3:14...Jesus’ Jewish listeners understood his claim to deity, rejected it, and picked up stones to throw at him for what they considered blasphemy.
Reflection: 在猶太人心目中, 沒有把耶穌當神,卻看祂如亞伯拉罕和先知為同等. 所以, 當耶穌說人若遵守祂的道, 就永遠不見死, 他們就不相信了. 其實是他們不承認父神對耶穌的見證, 他們說父神是他們的上帝, 其實他們不認識祂, 所以他們是說謊的 v. 54-55. 所以當我們不接受上帝的見證, 也就是不認識上帝.
那麼我們呢? 我們看耶穌與人是平等的呢? 還是他與神是平等的呢?如果是後者, 那麼我們就應該遵守祂的道, 向祂尊崇與向神一樣. 今天我們對耶穌的話是什麼的態度, 其實是反應我們是否相信他是誰. 我們把耶穌的話當是話嗎?
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