John 8:53

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

John 8:53 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:53

Art thou greater than our father Abraham?
&c.] So the woman of Samaria said, concerning Jacob, ( John 4:12 ) . The Jews had a mighty opinion of their ancestors, especially of Abraham; and yet they allow the Messiah to be greater than he, as Jesus truly was: so one of their ancient commentators ^F23 on those words of ( Isaiah 52:13 ) thus paraphrases them,

``"Behold my servant shall deal prudently", this is the King Messiah; "he shall be exalted" above Abraham, as it is written, ( Genesis 14:22 ) , "and extolled" above Moses, as it is written, ( Numbers 11:12 ) , and he shall be higher than the ministering angels, as it is written, ( Ezekiel 1:26 ) ( Zechariah 4:7 ) , for he shall be (twba Nm lwdg) , "greater than the fathers".''

They add here, of Abraham,

which is dead;
he was a great and good man, and yet dead:

and the prophets are dead;
though they truly kept, and faithfully delivered the word of God:

whom makest thou thyself?
who art a poor carpenter's son, a Galilean, a Nazarene, and yet makest thyself greater than Abraham, or any of the prophets; yea, makest thyself to be God, to promise security from death, and an everlasting continuance of life upon keeping thy word.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F23 Tachuma apud Huls. p. 321.

John 8:53 In-Context

51 Verily, verily, I say to you, If a man shall keep my saying, he shall never see death.

52 Then said the Jews to him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man shall keep my saying, he shall never taste death.

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

54 Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honoreth me, of whom ye say, that he is your God:

55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I should be a liar like you: but I know him, and keep his saying.