John 8:42-47

Hello everyone. It’s time for another blog from Deeper Waters. We left on somewhat of a cliffhanger last time asking how Jesus would respond to his opponents who claimed that their father was God. On that point, I think it’s good to discuss the Bible leaving us on cliffhangers. This is a story and we should read the story wondering “What will happen next?” We can even do that with stories that we have seen. We know what will happen, but we still get that tenseness.

Anyway, we’re going through the New Testament trying to come to a deeper understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity. We’re in John 8 now and we’re going to be reading verses 42-47.

⁴²Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. ⁴³Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. 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. ⁴⁵Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! ⁴⁶Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’s response to the people is the same as their statement that they were children of Abraham. If they were the children of Abraham, they would have done the works of Abraham. (Makes you wonder that if they couldn’t even do the works of Abraham, what makes them think they’re doing the works of God?) If they were children of God, they would love Jesus since he is of God as well. They don’t, therefore they are not of God.

Instead, Jesus tells them who their father is. Their father is the devil and they seek to do his works. He was a murderer from the beginning and when he lies, he speaks his native language. It’s quite a strong accusation, but for the people he was speaking to, it would be true. You are either on the side of God or the side of the devil. They would prove themselves to be murderers also as the generation at that time was the one that put to death Jesus.

Since they believe the father of lies, they have a problem with Jesus who tells the truth. This is a point I’d like to get applicational on. We all too often as Christians believe lies rather than truth. We would prefer to believe the father of lies than the God of all truth. What nonsense are we believing about God, the universe, and ourselves so often? How often do we take the truths of Scripture with skepticism, but what our next-door neighbor says as solid gospel?

Jesus then makes an incredible statement in that he looks at his opponents and says “Which of you accuses me of sin?” I could go to the very next room here with my roommate and say “Tell me a sin that I’ve committed” and I am sure I would leave with a lengthy list. None of us would really want to ask that question. Jesus doesn’t just ask it. He challenges with it. He doesn’t challenge his friends either! He challenges his enemies!

Then Jesus asks why they do not believe him if he is not telling the truth. It’s a good syllogism which gets me to the point that Jesus knew logic well. If Jesus is telling the truth, you should believe him. It’s simple. If you do not believe him, it is because you do not believe he was telling the truth.

Jesus states that if we belong to God, we hear the things of God. He then tells his opponents the final conclusion. They do not hear the things of God because they do not belong to God. How will they answer this charge?

I suppose we’ll find out tomorrow night.