John 8:31 - 44 Spirit v. World Breakdown


John 8 shows the difference between Jesus living in the Spirit and the world living for satan.  The Jewish leaders did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.  They argued with Jesus about it but they couldn't understand what Jesus was telling them.  Jesus said they didn't understand because their father was "the devil."  They thought Jesus was questioning their paternity.

John 8:31-34 says:

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

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

Jesus told them that the truth would set them free from satan.  His non-believers thought Jesus was talking about setting them free from slavery.

John 8:34 says:

"Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin."

Jesus uses their own words.  Jesus says to them that they are slaves to sin (as opposed to of slave owners). 

Then Jesus explains to them at John 8:35

 "35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. "

Jesus is talking about His family in Heaven.His brethren.  Believers of Christ Jesus Lord.  Jesus says that a slave to sin, "has no permanent place in the family."  This means that a slave to sin will not go to Heaven.  Jesus won't adopt those who do the works of the devil into  His blood line.  

In John 8:36, Jesus offers them hope through Him.

"36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.""

The "Son" that Jesus says "sets you free" is Himself.  Jesus is the Son of God.  So Jesus is saying if you accept Jesus as the messiah who came to Save the world, then you will be Saved.

John 8:37 quotes Jesus saying:

""37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word.""

Jesus tells them that they may be Abraham's biological descendants,  but they don't have the same faith that Abraham had in God. 

Then Jesus breaks it down for them and tells them in John 8:38:

"38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”

Their father is the devil. Jesus was telling them that they were doing the works of the devil.  

The detractors thought Jesus was questioning their descendancy:

"39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered."

Jesus again tells them that they don't have faith in Jesus as the Messiah that Abraham had for God.  That's what John 8:39 means when Jesus says:

"“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did."

Abraham had complete faith in God and did not question God's commands.

Then in John 8:40, Jesus told them that they are not like Abraham, who was faithful to God.  Abraham "did not do such things," referring to their attempt to kill Jesus.

Then Jesus again tells them that they are doing the work of the devil, their father.  In John 8:41, Jesus says:

"41 You are doing the works of your own father.”"

But Jesus' detractors again think that Jesus was questioning their paternity when they say in John 8:41:

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested."

Then, in the same verse, the devil steps in through Jesus' detractors.  In the same verse of John 8:41 they say:

"“The only Father we have is God himself.”"

That's clearly the devil speaking through the faithless Jesus non-believers.  In the first part of the verse, they think that Jesus is questioning who their biological parents are.  But Jesus was telling them that they were doing the works of the devil.

But then in the same verse, they say that God is their only Father.  The purpose of saying that to Jesus is to diminish Jesus' Lordship.  That's straight out of the devil.

The devil wants to detract from Jesus.  Why would the devil want to detract from Jesus?

It's because satan knows that the Blood of Jesus Christ is what defeated death.  This means that Jesus Christ was crucified to pay for our sins.

Death symbolizes satan.  Satan kills the spirit.  Satan does it by taking our focus off from Jesus and onto worldly affairs.  By not having faith in Jesus, satan murders the spirit.

That's what the following exchange in John 8:42-44 shows:  

"42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 

With these verses in mind, I pray that our Lord Christ Jesus will make Himself known to the world so that satan's influence over the world can eviscerate.  Amen!

All biblical citations are from the NIV.


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