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John 8:33
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33
They answered unto him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
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John 8:33 Meaning and Commentary
John 8:33
which is a very great falsehood, for it was declared to Abraham himself, that his seed should serve in a land not theirs, and be afflicted four hundred years, as they were; and as the preface to the law which the Jews gloried in shows, which says, that the Lord their God brought them out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; and they were frequently overcome by their neighbours, the Moabites, Ammonites, and Philistines, and reduced to servitude under them, until delivered by one judge, or another: and not to take notice of their seventy years' captivity in Babylon, they were at this very time under the Roman yoke, and paid tribute to Caesar; and yet such was the pride of their hearts, they would not be thought to be in bondage; and therefore, with an haughty air, add,
FOOTNOTES:
F3 Misn. Bava Kama, c. 8. sect. 6. & T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 86. 1. & 91. 1.
They answered him
Not the believing Jews, whom he peculiarly addressed, but the unbelieving Jews, who were present, and heard these things:
we be Abraham's seed;
this the Jews always valued themselves upon, and reckoned themselves, on this account, upon a level with the nobles and the princes of the earth.
``Says R. Akiba F3, even the poor of Israel are to be considered as if they were (Nyrwx ynb) , "noblemen", that are fallen from their substance, because they are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;''and were never in bondage to any man;
which is a very great falsehood, for it was declared to Abraham himself, that his seed should serve in a land not theirs, and be afflicted four hundred years, as they were; and as the preface to the law which the Jews gloried in shows, which says, that the Lord their God brought them out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; and they were frequently overcome by their neighbours, the Moabites, Ammonites, and Philistines, and reduced to servitude under them, until delivered by one judge, or another: and not to take notice of their seventy years' captivity in Babylon, they were at this very time under the Roman yoke, and paid tribute to Caesar; and yet such was the pride of their hearts, they would not be thought to be in bondage; and therefore, with an haughty air, add,
how sayest thou, ye shall be made free?
when they thought themselves, and would fain have been thought by others, to have been free already, and so to stand in no need of being made free.
F3 Misn. Bava Kama, c. 8. sect. 6. & T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 86. 1. & 91. 1.
Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
John 8:33 In-Context
31
Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, [then] are ye truly my disciples;
32
and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33
They answered unto him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin.
35
And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.