31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
This starts off with a very important point that we must not overlook. Jesus is not talking to the religious leaders who have been hounding him. He is speaking to his own followers, people who have believed everything he has told them. They believed in him when others disappeared because they couldn’t handle his teaching about the bread of life (John 6:60). They held steady when some of the crowd couldn’t understand from where he came (John 7:27, 42). If we were Jesus, we would be proud of these disciples. However, Jesus expects more and in fact demands more from his disciples than we expect of them or even ourselves. So, he again begins a weeding process to remove those who will become true disciples and those who are following with the wrong motives. He will reveal the true intentions of their hearts.
To be a true disciple, Jesus’ words must remain in us. It needs to live in us and change us. It can’t be good mottos or cleaver saying. It can’t be esoteric philosophies that only the keenest of minds grasp or admired by the pious mystics. The word must be living and active in us to change our hearts and minds (Heb 4:12). The word must not be something we casually approach or read when we have some particular need. Rather, it must be with us always. It needs to be part of our daily life. It must penetrate deeply so that it guides our thoughts, action, and motivation. When his word abides in us it truly sets us free.
33 They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"
These disciples are puzzled by Jesus statement that they are in some kind of bondage. We could look at their question as a simple request to learn more about their bondage or as a challenge to or rejections of what Jesus said. A true disciple will take the first position. However, it looks like they have stepped over a line because they are offended by Jesus’ statement. They don’t just wonder about the implication that they are in bondage but tie it together with their heritage. Somewhere along their spiritual journey, they have been sold a lie. If they were thinking spiritually, they must have viewed this as having never been enslaved to sin because they belonged to Israel. However, the history of Israel clearly showed that they were enslaved to idolatry and other sins. If they were thinking physically then they would only need to look at the current Roman occupation to see that they were enslaved to them. Jesus’ words triggered their root problem of racial pride. Jesus was going to have to clarify this for them and I’m sure they were hoping he would do so in a way that would pacify their alarm.
When we come to God’s word, we need to put aside our pride and let him speak to us the truth. The truth is that we need to be rebuked, trained, taught, and corrected so that we can effective in his kingdom (2 Tim 3:16-17). While we should ask for clarity when we don’t understand, we need to understand that any offence we take from Scripture is because we have a sin we don’t want to surrender.
34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Jesus clarifies that he is talking about being enslaved to sin. He isn’t talking about political, social, or economic enslavement. While the truth will help in becoming free from the entrapments of all of these, the primary problem is sin. This is mankind’s problem from just after the beginning of time. God told Cain that he had to rule over sin, which he didn’t do (Gen 4:7). From Adam’s sin until Jesus came, sin has enslaved everyone. Even though Abraham was counted as righteous, he still sinned, his descendants all sinned and we all sin. Sin only creates more sin. It can never bring about righteousness and we will be slaves to it to our dying day and then into eternity, unless the Son sets us free. We can’t overcome sin until God gives us the power through Jesus Christ. It isn’t until the Word dwell in us, that is Jesus, can we be freed from sin.
Apparently, Jesus knew his followers quite well. He knew that his word had not yet done the work in them that is required for salvation.
37 “I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father. You Are of Your Father the Devil.”
Popular preachers who want to woo the world to their doors would never do what Jesus did. Preachers who speak the word of God do exactly what Jesus did. They tell the people the truth. Each one of us has the Devil as our father until we are saved. We all wanted to kill Jesus before we were saved. Remember these people had been following Jesus and believed in him. But they were not converted, they were not saved and therefore were at enmity with God and Jesus. They just didn’t know it.
The truth that we are enemies of God can certainly set us free from the bondage of sin when we are told and we understand. We can’t understand until the Holy Spirit convicts us and renews our minds. Then we can agree with God and be freed from our sins. Or we can be dig our heels in and continue in rebellion proving that we have not been converted and born again.
39a They answered him, "Abraham is our father."
This is digging in our heels. It happens when we place more importance in outward appearances than letting God work in our lives. It happens to people who aren’t saved and it even happens to Christians. It is nothing but pride.
39b Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41a You are doing what your father did."
Earlier, Jesus stated the same thing when he compared false prophet with trees. You will know them by their fruit (Matt 7:15-20). The fruit of Abraham was to obey God and believe his promises. Sure, Abraham messed up a few times, but he never hated God as the devil does.
41bThey said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God."
These one-time disciples are now at total enmity against Jesus. They are accusing him of being illegitimate and that his mother was immoral. No one who denies the virgin birth is likely to be saved. I can’t say for sure, but those who deny it probably don’t really know who Jesus is and believing in a wrong Jesus put a person in eternal jeopardy. Some may be unaware of it or haven’t thought it through, but that isn’t the same as imply Jesus was born from an immoral relationship.
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Jesus doesn’t let their name calling and slander anger him. He keeps on telling them the truth and it is a fundamental theological truth that people do not want to hear then or now.
When we are insulted for our believe in Jesus, we should respond in the same way. We just tell the truth. We speak the truth of God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit convict. We may have to explain more as Jesus does, but our attitude must be that of gentleness to explain the hope that we have in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:15-16).
