John 8:53

53 You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, [are you]? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself [to be]?"

John 8:53 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:53

Art thou greater than our father Abraham?
&c.] So the woman of Samaria said, concerning Jacob, ( John 4:12 ) . The Jews had a mighty opinion of their ancestors, especially of Abraham; and yet they allow the Messiah to be greater than he, as Jesus truly was: so one of their ancient commentators ^F23 on those words of ( Isaiah 52:13 ) thus paraphrases them,

``"Behold my servant shall deal prudently", this is the King Messiah; "he shall be exalted" above Abraham, as it is written, ( Genesis 14:22 ) , "and extolled" above Moses, as it is written, ( Numbers 11:12 ) , and he shall be higher than the ministering angels, as it is written, ( Ezekiel 1:26 ) ( Zechariah 4:7 ) , for he shall be (twba Nm lwdg) , "greater than the fathers".''

They add here, of Abraham,

which is dead;
he was a great and good man, and yet dead:

and the prophets are dead;
though they truly kept, and faithfully delivered the word of God:

whom makest thou thyself?
who art a poor carpenter's son, a Galilean, a Nazarene, and yet makest thyself greater than Abraham, or any of the prophets; yea, makest thyself to be God, to promise security from death, and an everlasting continuance of life upon keeping thy word.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Tachuma apud Huls. p. 321.

John 8:53 In-Context

51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never experience death {forever}."

52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham and the prophets died, and you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death {forever}.'

53 You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, [are you]? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself [to be]?"

54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. The one who glorifies me is my Father, [about] whom you say, 'He is our God.'

55 And you have not known him, but I know him. And if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you! But I know him and I keep his word.

Footnotes

• [a]. *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated in the translation by the phrase "[are you]"