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Selected Verse: John 8:39 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Joh 8:39 |
King James |
They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham--He had just said He "knew they were Abraham's children," that is, according to the flesh; but the children of his faith and holiness they were not, but the reverse. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Abraham is our father - We are descended from Abraham. Of this the Jews boasted much, as being descended from such an illustrious man. See the notes at Mat 3:9. As Jesus did not expressly say who he meant Joh 8:38 when he said they did the works of their father, they obstinately persisted in pretending not to understand him, as if they had said, "We acknowledge no other father but Abraham, and to charge us with being the offspring of another is slander and calumny."
If ye were Abraham's children - The words "sons" and "children" are often used to denote those who imitate another or who have his spirit. See the notes at Mat 1:1. Here it means, "if you were worthy to be called the children of Abraham, or if you had his spirit." |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Children (τέκνα)
See on Joh 1:12. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
If ye were Abraham's children - Griesbach reads εϚε, ye are, instead of ητε, ye were, on the authority of BDL, Vulgate, four copies of the Itala; Origen and Augustin.
Ye would do the works of Abraham - As the son has the nature of his father in him, and naturally imitates him, so, if ye were the children of Abraham, ye would imitate him in his faith, obedience, and uprightness; but this ye do not, for ye seek to kill me - ye are watching for an opportunity to destroy me, merely because I tell you the truth: Abraham never did any thing like this; therefore, you have no spiritual relationship to him. |
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: