John 8:52

52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never taste 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 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge.
51 Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."
52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'
53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?"
54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, "He is our God,'
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.