CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM

Passage: John 8:31-41

Key verse: 31,32

NIV

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,(A) you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(B)

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(C) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.(D) 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.(E) 36 So if the Son sets you free,(F) you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,(G) because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,(H) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a]”(I)

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”(J) said Jesus, “then you would[b] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,(K) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.(L) Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”(M)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”(N)

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Footnotes
  1. John 8:38 Or presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father.
  2. John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then
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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Truth Will Set You Free

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, (A)“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will (B)know the truth, and the truth (C)will set you free.” 33 They answered him, (D)“We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (E)everyone who practices sin is a slave[a] to sin. 35 (F)The slave does not remain in the house forever; (G)the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet (H)you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 (I)I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard (J)from your father.”

You Are of Your Father the Devil

39 They answered him, (K)“Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, (L)“If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now (M)you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth (N)that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, (O)“We were not born of sexual immorality. We have (P)one Father—even God.”

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Footnotes
  1. John 8:34 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verse 35
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. If you hold to my teaching (31-36)

To hold to Jesus' teaching means to obey God's word as Abraham did (Ge 12:4; 22:18). If we receive God's absolute word in our hearts and obey it in our practical lives, we are really Jesus' disciples. Then we can know the truth that sets us free from the power of sin and death. When we sin we are slaves of sin. Slaves enjoy small pleasures; they think they have security if their material problem is solved. But slaves have no security. Children, however, are free and secure in the Father's love. The Son of God sets us free and makes us children of God.

2. Do what your father did (37-41)

The Jews were the physical descendants of Abraham. They were offended when Jesus said they were slaves. They had overcome physical slavery, first in Egypt and later in Babylon. But they still were slaves of sin, for they did not have God's word in their hearts, and they acted, not like Abraham, but like children of the devil.

Prayer: Lord, help me to hold your word in my heart and obey it in my life.

One Word: Hold to God's word and be free