John 8:52

52 The Jews said to him, Now we are certain that you have an evil spirit. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead; and you say, If a man keeps my word he will never see death.

John 8:52 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:52

Then said the Jews unto him
Upon these last words that he spake, giving assurance, that whoever kept his saying, should not die:

now we know that thou hast a devil;
they thought and said so before, but now they were assured, that he must be under diabolical influence, must be possessed with the devil, and mad, and out of his senses; for they thought no man in his senses would ever talk at this rate:

Abraham is dead, and the prophets;
that is, they are dead also, as the Ethiopic version adds; see ( Zechariah 1:5 ) ;

and thou sayest, if a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of
death:
Abraham and the prophets were so far from pretending by their doctrine to communicate life and secure men from death, that they could not keep themselves from dying; and therefore it must be diabolical madness and frenzy to assert anything of this kind.

John 8:52 In-Context

50 I, however, am not in search of glory for myself: there is One who is searching for it and he is judge.

51 Truly I say to you, If a man keeps my word he will never see death.

52 The Jews said to him, Now we are certain that you have an evil spirit. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead; and you say, If a man keeps my word he will never see death.

53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: who do you say that you are?

54 Jesus said in answer, If I take glory for myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father who gives me glory, of whom you say that he is your God.