Johannes 8:34

34 Jezus antwoordde hun: Voorwaar, voorwaar zeg Ik u: Een iegelijk, die de zonde doet, is een dienstknecht der zonde.

Johannes 8:34 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:34

Jesus answered them, verily verily I say unto you
Taking no notice of their civil liberty, to which he could easily have replied to their confusion and silence, he observes to them their moral servitude and bondage, and in the strongest manner affirms, that

whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin;
which must be understood, not of one that commits a single act of sin, though ever so gross, as did Noah, Lot, David, Peter, and others, who yet were not the servants of sin; or of such who sin through ignorance, weakness of the flesh, and the power of Satan's temptations, and especially who commit sin with reluctance, the spirit lusting against it; nor indeed of any regenerate persons, though they are not without sin; nor do they live without the commission of it, in thought, word, or deed; and though they fall into it, they do not continue and live in it, but rise up out of it, through the grace of God, and by true repentance; and so are not to be reckoned the servants of sin, or to be of the devil. But this is to be understood of such whose bias and bent of their minds are to sin; who give up themselves unto it, and sell themselves to work wickedness; who make sin their trade, business, and employment, and are properly workers of it, and take delight and pleasure in it: these, whatever liberty, they promise themselves, are the servants of corruption; they are under the government of sin, that has dominion over them; and they obey it in the lusts thereof, and are drudges and slaves unto it, and will have no other wages at last but death, even eternal death, if grace prevent not; see ( Romans 6:16 ) ( 2 Peter 2:19 ) .

Johannes 8:34 In-Context

32 En zult de waarheid verstaan, en de waarheid zal u vrijmaken.

33 Zij antwoordden Hem: Wij zijn Abrahams zaad, en hebben nooit iemand gediend; hoe zegt Gij dan: Gij zult vrij worden?

34 Jezus antwoordde hun: Voorwaar, voorwaar zeg Ik u: Een iegelijk, die de zonde doet, is een dienstknecht der zonde.

35 En de dienstknecht blijft niet eeuwiglijk in het huis, de zoon blijft er eeuwiglijk.

36 Indien dan de Zoon u zal vrijgemaakt hebben, zo zult gij waarlijk vrij zijn.