Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 8:40
But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
40. ‘On the contrary, ye seek to commit murder, and a murder of the most heinous kind. Ye would kill One who hath spoken unto you the truth, truth which He learnt from God.’
a man that hath told you ] This pointed insertion of ‘man’ possibly looks forward to Joh 8:44, where they are called the children of the great man-slayer, lusting like him for blood. The Lord nowhere else uses this term of Himself.
this did not Abraham ] A litotes or understatement of the truth. Abraham’s life was utterly unlike the whole tenour of theirs. What could there be in common between ‘the Friend of God’ (Jas 2:23) and the enemies of God’s Son?
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ye seek to kill me – See Joh 8:37.
This did not Abraham – Or such things Abraham did not do. There are two things noted here in which they differed from Abraham:
1. In seeking to kill him, or in possessing a murderous and bloody purpose.
2. In rejecting the truth as God revealed it. Abraham was distinguished for love to man as well as God. He liberated the captives Gen 14:14-16; was distinguished for hospitality to strangers Gen 18:1-8; and received the revelations of God to him, however mysterious, or however trying their observance, Gen 12:1-4; Gen 15:4-6; 22. It was for these things that he is so much commended in the New Testament Rom 4:9; Rom 9:9; Gal 3:6; and, as the Jews sought to kill Jesus instead of treating him hospitably and kindly, they showed that they had none of the spirit of Abraham.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
You declare by your actions that you are very far from the spirit and temper of Abraham: I am one who, being sent of God, whom you own as your Father, have faithfully revealed the will of God to you, and have never told you any thing but the truth; and this is all my crime, for which you seek to murder me: this was none of your father Abrahams practice; so as though you have something of Abrahams blood, yet you have nothing of Abrahams spirit in you.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
40. this did not AbrahamIn sodoing ye act in direct opposition to him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But now ye seek to kill me,…. A temper and disposition very foreign from that of Abraham’s:
a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God; to seek to kill a man is a very great crime, and punishable with death; to kill an innocent one, that had done no sin, who was pure, holy, harmless, and inoffensive to God and man, was an aggravation of the iniquity; and to kill a prophet, and one more than a prophet, who brought a revelation from God himself, and declared the whole truth of the Gospel, and particularly that of his divine, eternal sonship, which incensed them against him, and put them upon seeking to take away his life, still increased the sin.
This did not Abraham: the sense is not, that Abraham did not tell the truth he had heard of God; for he did instruct, and command his children after him, to walk in the ways of the Lord, which he had learned from him; but that Abraham did not reject any truth that was revealed unto him, and much less seek to take away the life of any person that brought it to him; and indeed not the life of any man that deserved not to die: and our Lord suggests, that if he had been on the spot now, he would not have done as these his posterity did, since he saw his day by faith, and rejoiced in the foresight of it, Joh 8:56. The Jew o makes an objection from these words against the deity of Christ;
“you see (says he) that Jesus declares concerning himself that he is not God, but man; and so says Paul concerning him, Ro 5:15; and so Jesus, in many places, calls himself the son of man: for do we find in any place that he calls himself God, as the Nazarenes believe.”
To which may be replied, that Jesus does not declare in these words, nor in any other place, that he is not God; he says no such thing; he only observes, that he was a man, as he really was: nor is his being man any contradiction to his being God; for he is both God and man; and so those that believe in him affirm: and though Christ does not in express terms call himself God, yet he owned himself to be the Son of God, Mr 14:61, and said such things of himself, as manifestly declared him to be God; and upon account of which the Jews concluded, that he not only made himself equal with God, but that he made himself God, Joh 5:17. Besides, he suffered himself to be called God by a disciple of his, which he would never have done, had he not been really and truly God, Joh 20:28; yea, he seems to call himself so, when being tempted by Satan, he observed to him what is written, “thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God”, Mt 4:7. The reason why he so often calls himself the son of man is, because it was more suitable to him in his state of humiliation; and indeed, there was no need for him to assert his deity in express words, since his works and miracles most clearly proved that he was God: and as for the Apostle Paul, though he sometimes speaks of him as a man, he also says of him, that he is God over all, blessed for ever; and calls him the great God, and our Saviour, and God manifest in the flesh, Ro 9:5.
o R. Isaac Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 48. p. 436. & par. 1. c. 10. p. 118.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But now ( ). Clear statement that they are not doing “the works of Abraham” in seeking to kill him. See this use of after a condition of second class without in John 16:22; John 16:24.
This did not Abraham ( ). Blunt and pointed of their unlikeness to Abraham.
A man that hath told you the truth ( ). (here=person, one) is accusative case in apposition with
me () just before. The perfect active indicative from is in the first person singular because the relative has the person of , an idiom not retained in the English
that hath (that have or who have) though it is retained in the English of 1Co 15:9 “that am” for .
Which I heard from God ( ). Here we have “I” in the English. “God” here is equal to “My Father” in verse 38. The only crime of Jesus is telling the truth directly from God.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
A man [] . Used only here by the Lord of Himself. To this corresponds His calling the Devil a manslayer at ver. 44. Perhaps, too, as Westcott remarks, it may suggest the idea of the human sympathy which, as a man, He was entitled to claim from them.
This did not Abraham. In the oriental traditions Abraham is spoken of as “full of loving – kindness.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But now ye seek to kill me,” (nun de zeteite me apokteinai) “Yet now and continually hereafter by former collusion, you seek to kill or assassinate me,” Joh 5:16; Joh 5:18; Joh 7:19-20; Joh 7:25; Joh 8:37, as children of the devil, Joh 8:4; 1Jn 3:10.
2) “A man that hath told you the truth,” (anthropon hos ten aletheian humin lelaleka) “A man who has spoken the truth to you,”
3) “Which I have heard of God:- (hen ekousa para tou theou) “Which I heard from God,” alongside, while in communion and fellowship with God, Joh 8:47; Joh 8:56; Joh 12:48.
4) “This did not Abraham.” (touto Abraam ouk epoiesen) “Abraham did not do this, “this kind of thing. He did not turn a deaf ear to the voice and call of God to Him in Ur of Chaldee, Gen 12:1-5; or when the angel-messenger reported the coming birth of Isaac, Gen 17:18; Gen 17:15-19, or when God called on Him to offer his son Isaac, as a sacrifice, etc. Gen 22:1-14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
40. But now you seek to kill me. He proves from the effect, that they are not the children of God, as they boasted, because they oppose God. And, indeed, is there any thing in Abraham that is more highly commended than the obedience of faith? (237) This then is the mark of distinction, whenever we are required to distinguish between his children and strangers; for empty titles, whatever estimation they may procure before the world, are of no account with God. Christ therefore concludes again, that they are the children of the devil, because they hate with deadly hatred (238) true and sound doctrine.
(237) “ Et de faict, y a-il chose qu’on puisse plustost louer en Abraham ?”
(238) “ Ils haissent de haine mortelle.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(40) But now ye seek to kill mei.e., As a matter of fact, in opposition to the conduct which would characterise the true children of Abraham, ye are seeking to kill Me. (Comp. Note on Joh. 8:37.)
A man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard (better, which I heard) from God.The term a man, expresses His revelation, by means of human form, of the divine truth which He heard in the pre-human state (Joh. 8:38). The crime of seeking to kill Him is aggravated by the fact that He was One who came to tell them truth, and that from God. They seek to destroy the human life which for the sake of humanity He has assumed.
This did not Abraham.It is usual to explain these words by a reference to Abrahams receptivity of the divine truth and messengers (see Genesis 12; Genesis 14; Genesis 18; Genesis 22); but they probably point to the whole course of the patriarchal life as directly opposed to the spirit of those who claim to be his children.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 8:40. Now ye seek to kill me, &c. “If ye were the spiritual progeny of Abraham, ye would resemble that great and good man in his righteousness; and therefore instead of seeking to take away the life of any one who is come to you from God with a revelation of his will, much less that of the true Messiah, you would believe on him in imitation of Abraham; who for his faith in all the divine revelations, and his obedience to all the divine commands, however hard they were to flesh and blood, was ennobled with those most illustrious of all titles, the father of the faithful, and the friend of God.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Ver. 40. A man that hath told you the truth ] Yea, but you tell them not toothless truth, but such as breeds hatred. He that prizeth (preacheth) truth, shall never prosper by the possession or profession thereof, saith Sir Walter Raleigh. And, truth is a good mistress, saith another; but he that followeth her too close at heels, may hap have his teeth struck out. The hearing of truth galls, as they write of some creatures, that they have fel in aure. Praedicare, nihil aliud est, quam derivare in se furorem mundi, said Luther, who had the experience of it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
a Man. Greek. anthropos. App-123. Used by the Lord of Himself only here, and in contrast with the “manslayer “of Joh 8:44.
God. App-98.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 8:40. , , to kill, a man) Jesus is wont to entitle Himself the Son of Man; but in this passage, He calls Himself a man: for to this passage corresponds the fact, that at Joh 8:44 He calls the devil a man-slayer [, a murderer of man]. Therefore the word who seems best to be referred to the me, rather than to a man.- , the truth) which is precious, as well as otherwise unknown to men, and hated by you. Often the truth and the life are joined, as also a lie and death. The former are peculiar to Christ and believers; the latter, to the devil and the ungodly; Joh 8:44, Ye are of your father the devil, etc. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own.-, not this) but what was altogether different, and worthy of a lover of the Christ. See below, Joh 8:56, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, etc.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 8:40
Joh 8:40
But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham.-If they were Abrahams children after the flesh, they were not after the spirit. Jesus had come into the world to elevate the spiritual man above the fleshly, and the spiritual relations above the fleshly. [Note the uncompromising assertion of Jesus as a messenger from God.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
now: Joh 8:37, Psa 37:12, Psa 37:32, Gal 4:16, Gal 4:29, 1Jo 3:12-15, Rev 12:4, Rev 12:12, Rev 12:13, Rev 12:17
a man: Joh 8:26, Joh 8:38, Joh 8:56
this: Rom 4:12
Reciprocal: Pro 26:28 – lying Isa 48:2 – and stay Isa 57:3 – sons Mat 3:9 – We Luk 4:29 – and thrust Luk 6:41 – but Joh 3:34 – he Joh 14:10 – words Joh 15:23 – General Joh 17:17 – word
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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These Jews had sought to kill Jesus for telling them the truth, which was something that Abraham would not have done. On that account, they were not worthy of being considered the children of Abraham.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 8:40. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath spoken to you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. The assertions of Joh 8:37-38 are reiterated, but now with a simple directness that cannot be misunderstood (thus Jesus no longer speaks of the Father but of God), and with a distinct expression of the contrast (this did not Abraham) which in Joh 8:37 has been merely implied. True kindred to Abraham is therefore impossible in their case.