56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
Message: The Incarnate I Am
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: Jesus continues to speak and the Jews and those around him continue to listen and things remain tense. Jesus is proclaiming who He is to these people, sharing He is sent by God and believing in Him is the same as believing in God. People are missing the point, His point. He is offering them freedom, but they say they are not enslaved (v. 32-33). They are claiming allegiance to Abraham as their father, but because they do not see that Jesus is indeed the work of Abraham-- Jesus therefore says their allegiance is to Satan, the father of lies (v.44) (conclusion: if you don't accept Jesus you are living by Satan's ways). Jesus states He is greater than Abraham, greater than the prophets. They died, but he infers that he will not die. And now he mentions that Abraham knew also that Jesus would be here, at this time. And then Jesus exclaims that before Abraham was born, "I am." And immediately the Jews knew this to be blasphemy and took up stones to throw at him.
Verse 56 could be referring to the belief that Abraham died in faith, looking forward to the deliverance of the Messiah, the complete fulfillment of God's promises -- Hebrews 11:13 - "All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." But there was probably also among the rabbi's and religious leaders that the secrets of the Messiah had been revealed to Abraham. Clearly Jesus knows more of the story than even these leaders. This is the point that he continues to make over and over. He is to be believed in and He is to be seen as coming from the Father and equal with God.
This is the culmination of the past 2 chapters. That Jesus is proclaiming that before Abraham existed that He existed. Sent from the Father. Equal to the Father. I Am.
Summary: Jesus culminates His deity now by announcing that before Abraham was born, I am, igniting the leaders to stone him for blasphemy.
Promise: Christianity and Jesus' claim that He is God incarnate separates itself from all other world religions. We are to declare it.
Prayer: Lord, it has taken me a while to get through this text after getting sick last week and struggling to concentrate myself on Your Words. Thank you for bringing me through that and then we spent Thanksgiving time in Atlanta with Sherry and Aron and once again, out of my element, I also struggled to make the time to be with You, and one day turns into two and three and more. You are there. You are present. Your Word is alive. Thank you for the conversations that I could have, namely with Aron and his desire to help out those that are in need that I know. Thank you for this message that You continue to put forth that people everywhere are to accept You as I am and sent from the Father. Lord, help us all to make you known. Thank you for repairing things with Pamela and Sherry yesterday morning and help my wife to be confident in herself. Help Derek now to stop smoking and be encouraged to not do this to help his stomach be normal. Lord, give me strength this week as I get back into the swing of things. Direct my path. Thank you for health and being able to feel well again. Give me compassion on those who are struggling. Please help Harris to find work that will sustain him and his future. Give me wisdom on how to encourage him. I praise You Lord and I do want to make your name known.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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