John 8:22

22 Therefore the Jews said, Whether he shall slay himself, for he saith, Whither I go, ye be not able to come [Whither I go, ye may 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 Jesus spake these words in the treasury, teaching in the temple; and no man took him, for his hour came not yet.

21 Therefore again Jesus said to them, Lo! I go, and ye shall seek me, and ye shall die in your sin; whither I go, ye be not able to come [whither I go, ye may not come].

22 Therefore the Jews said, Whether he shall slay himself, for he saith, Whither I go, ye be not able to come [Whither I go, ye may come]?

23 And he said to them, Ye be of beneath, I am of above; ye be of this world, I am not of this world.

24 Therefore I said to you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins.