John 8:22

22 Then said the Jews, "Will he kill himself, because he saith, `Whither I go ye cannot come'?"

John 8:22 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:22

Then said the Jews, will he kill himself?
&c.] Which was not only a wicked, but a foolish consequence, drawn from his words: for it by no means followed, because he was going away, and whither they could not come, that therefore he must destroy himself; this seems to be what they would have been glad he would have done, and suggested the thought that he might do it, in which they imitated Satan, ( Matthew 4:6 ) , under whose influence they now apparently were, and hoped that he would, which would at once extricate them out of their difficulties on his account:

because he sayeth, whither I go ye cannot come:
this is no reason at all; for had Christ's meaning been, as they blasphemously intimate, they might have destroyed themselves too, and have gone after him.

John 8:22 In-Context

20 These words spoke Jesus in the treasury as He taught in the temple, and no man laid hands on Him, for His hour was not yet come.

21 Then Jesus said again unto them, "I go My way, and ye shall seek Me, and shall die in your sins. Whither I go, ye cannot come."

22 Then said the Jews, "Will he kill himself, because he saith, `Whither I go ye cannot come'?"

23 And He said unto them, "Ye are from beneath; I am from above. Ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

24 I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins."