John:8:48-59

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rwp @John:8:48 @{Thou art a Samaritan and hast a demon } (\Samareit ˆs ei su kai daimonion echeis \). On the spur of the moment in their rage and fury they can think of no meaner things to say . They know , of course , that Jesus was not a Samaritan , but he had acted like a Samaritan in challenging their peculiar spiritual privileges (4:9 ,39 |). The charge of having a demon was an old one by the Pharisees (Matthew:12:24 |) and it is repeated later (John:10:20 |). rwp @John:8:49 @{I have not a demon } (\eg “ daimonion ouk ech “\). This Jesus says calmly , passing by the reference to the Samaritans as beneath notice . {My Father } (\ton patera mou \). As in strkjv @2:16 |. He is not mad in claiming to honour God (cf . strkjv @7:18 |). They were insulting the Father in insulting him (cf . strkjv @5:23 |). On \atimaz “\ (\a \ privative and \tima “\, to dishonour ) see strkjv @Luke:20:11 |. rwp @John:8:50 @{But I seek not mine own glory } (\eg “ de ou z ˆt “ t ˆn doxan mou \). As they did not seek the glory of God (5:44 ; strkjv @8:4 |). {And judgeth } (\kai krin “n \). The Father judges between you and me , though the Son is the Judge of mankind (5:22 |). "It is only the \doxa \ (glory ) that comes from God that is worth having " (Bernard ). rwp @John:8:51 @{If a man keep my word } (\ean tis ton emon logon t ˆr ˆs ˆi \). Condition of third class with \ean \ and constative aorist active subjunctive of \t ˆre “\. Repeated in verse 52 |. See verse 43 | about hearing the word of Christ . Common phrase in John (8:51 ,52 ,55 ; strkjv @14:23 ,24 ; strkjv @15:20 ; strkjv @17:6 ; strkjv @1John:2:5 |). Probably the same idea as keeping the commands of Christ (14:21 |). {He shall never see death } (\thanaton ou m ˆ the “r ˆs ˆi eis ton aiona \). Spiritual death , of course . Strong double negative \ou m ˆ\ with first aorist active subjunctive of \the “re “\. The phrase "see death " is a Hebraism (Psalms:89:48 |) and occurs with \idein \ (see ) in strkjv @Luke:2:26 ; strkjv @Hebrews:11:5 |. No essential difference meant between \hora “\ and \the “re “\. See strkjv @John:14:23 | for the blessed fellowship the Father and the Son have with the one who keeps Christ 's word . rwp @John:8:52 @{Now we know } (\nun egn “kamen \). Perfect active indicative of \gin “sk “\, state of completion , "Now since such talk we have come to certain knowledge that thou hast a demon " (verse 48 |). {Is dead } (\apethanen \). Second aorist active indicative of \apothn ˆsk “\. "Abraham died ." {And thou sayest } (\kai su legeis \). Adversative use of \kai \, "and yet ." Emphatic position of \su \ (thou ). Same condition quoted as in verse 51 |. {He shall never taste of death } (\ou me geus ˆtai thanatou eis ton aiona \). Same emphatic negative with subjunctive as in verse 51 |, but \geus ˆtai \ (first aorist middle subjunctive of \geu “\ with genitive case \thanatou \ (death ). Another Hebraism for dying like \the “r ˆs ˆi \ (see ) in verse 51 |. Used in strkjv @Hebrews:2:9 | of the death of Jesus and in Synoptics (Matthew:16:28 ; strkjv @Mark:9:1 ; strkjv @Luke:9:27 |). It occurs in the Talmud , but not in the O .T . The Pharisees thus did not misquote Jesus , though they misunderstood him . rwp @John:8:53 @{Art thou greater than our father Abraham ?} (\M ˆ su meiz “n ei tou patros h ˆm “n Abraam ;\). Negative answer expected by \m ˆ\ with ablative case of comparison in \patros \ after \meiz “n \. The question was designed to put Jesus in a difficult position , for Abraham and the prophets all "died ." They do not see that Jesus uses death in a different sense . {Whom makest thou thyself ?} (\tina seauton poieis ;\). \Seauton \ is predicate accusative with \poieis \. They suspect that Jesus is guilty of blasphemy as they charged in strkjv @5:18 | in making himself equal with God . Later they will make it specifically (10:33 ; strkjv @19:7 |). They set a trap for Jesus for this purpose . rwp @John:8:54 @{If I glorify myself } (\ean eg “ doxas “ emauton \). Third-class condition with \ean \ and first aorist active subjunctive (or future active indicative ) of \doxaz “\. {It is my Father that glorifieth me } (\estin ho pat ˆr mou ho doxaz “n me \). The position and accent of \estin \ mean : "Actually my Father is the one ," etc . {Of whom ye say } (\hon humeis legete \). The accusative of the person (\hon \) with \legete \ is regular (cf . strkjv @10:36 |). {Your God } (\theos hum “n \). Songs:Aleph B D and apparently correct , though A C L W Delta Theta have \h ˆm “n \ (our God ). The \hoti \ can be taken as recitative (direct quotation , \h ˆm “n \, our ) or declarative (indirect , that , and so \hum “n \). The Jews claimed God as their peculiar national God as they had said in 41 |. Songs:Jesus turns this confession and claim against them . rwp @John:8:55 @{And ye have not known him } (\kai ouk egn “kate auton \). Adversative use again of \kai \="and yet ." Perfect active indicative of \gin “sk “\, the verb for experiential knowledge . This was true of the \kosmos \ (1:10 ; strkjv @17:25 |) and of the hostile Jews (16:3 |). Jesus prays that the world may know (17:23 |) and the handful of disciples had come to know (17:25 |). {But I know him } (\eg “ de oida auton \). Equipped by eternal fellowship to reveal the Father (1:1-18 |). This peculiar intimate knowledge Jesus had already claimed (7:29 |). Jesus used \oida \ (8:19 ; strkjv @15:21 |) or \gin “sk “\ (17:23 ,25 |) for the knowledge of the Father . No undue distinction can be drawn here . {And if I should say } (\kan eip “\). Third-class condition (concession ), "even if I say ," with \kai ean \ (\kan \) and second aorist active subjunctive . "Suppose I say ." {I shall be like you a liar } (\esomai homoios humin pseust ˆs \). Apodosis of the condition . \Homoios \ (like ) is followed by the associative-instrumental case \humin \. The word \pseust ˆs \ (liar ), in spite of the statement that they are the children of the devil , the father of lying (8:44 |), comes with a sudden jolt because it is a direct charge . This word liar is not considered polite today in public speech when hurled at definite individuals . There is a rather free use of the word in strkjv @1John:2:4 ,22 ; strkjv @4:20 ; strkjv @5:10 |. It is not hard to imagine the quick anger of these Pharisees . rwp @John:8:56 @{Rejoiced } (\ˆgalliasato \). First aorist middle indicative of \agalliaomai \, a word of Hellenistic coinage from \agallomai \, to rejoice . {To see } (\hina id ˆi \). Sub-final use of \hina \ and second aorist active subjunctive of \hora “\. This joy of Abraham is referred to in strkjv @Hebrews:11:13 | (saluting , \aspasamenoi \, the promises from afar ). There was a Jewish tradition that Abraham saw the whole history of his descendants in the vision of strkjv @Genesis:15:6f .|, but that is not necessary here . He did look for and welcome the Messianic time , "my day " (\t ˆn h ˆmeran t ˆn em ˆn \). "He saw it , and was glad " (\eiden kai echar ˆ\). Second aorist active indicative of \hora “\ and second aorist passive indicative of \chair “\. Ye see it and are angry ! rwp @John:8:57 @{Thou art not yet fifty years old } (\pent ˆkonta eti oup “ echeis \). Literally , "Thou hast not yet fifty years ." Not meaning that Jesus was near that age at all . It was the crisis of completed manhood (Numbers:4:3 |) and a round number . Jesus was about thirty to thirty-three . {And hast thou seen Abraham ?} (\Kai Abraam he “rakas ;\). Songs:A C D and B W Theta have \he “rakes \, both second person singular of the perfect active indicative of \hora “\. But Aleph , Sin-syr ., Coptic versions (accepted by Bernard ) have \kai Abraam he “rake se ?\ "Has Abraam seen thee ?" Either makes sense here . rwp @John:8:58 @{Before Abraham was } (\prin Abraam genesthai \). Usual idiom with \prin \ in positive sentence with infinitive (second aorist middle of \ginomai \) and the accusative of general reference , "before coming as to Abraham ," "before Abraham came into existence or was born ." {I am } (\eg “ eimi \). Undoubtedly here Jesus claims eternal existence with the absolute phrase used of God . The contrast between \genesthai \ (entrance into existence of Abraham ) and \eimi \ (timeless being ) is complete . See the same contrast between \en \ in strkjv @1:1 | and \egeneto \ in strkjv @1:14 |. See the contrast also in strkjv @Psalms:90:2 | between God (\ei \, art ) and the mountains (\gen ˆth ˆnai \). See the same use of \eimi \ in strkjv @John:6:20 ; strkjv @9:9 ; strkjv @8:24 ,28 ; strkjv @18:6 |. rwp @John:8:59 @{They took up stones therefore } (\ˆran oun lithous \). First aorist active indicative of \air “\, inferential use of \oun \. The time for argument had past . {To cast at him } (\hina bal “sin ep ' auton \). Final clause with \hina \ and the second aorist active subjunctive of \ball “\. Vivid picture of a mob ready to kill Jesus , already beginning to do so . {Hid himself } (\ekrub ˆ\). Second aorist passive indicative of \krupt “\. He was hidden . No Docetic vanishing , but quietly and boldly Jesus went out of the temple . His hour had not yet come . Once again three months later the Pharisees will try to kill him , but he will pass out of their hands (10:39 |).

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