John 8:40 — Community Reflections

JOHN 8:40 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.”

But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham — the specific accusation is clear: they seek to kill Jesus, a man who has told them truth from God. Abraham would not do this; he listened to God and obeyed. The murder of Jesus is the antithesis of Abrahamic faith. It proves that the authorities are not Abraham's children, regardless of their genealogy. They have heard God's word (Jesus) but refused to believe it.

Church Fathers on John 8:40

The Jews had asserted they were free, because they were Abraham’s seed. Our Lord replies, I know that you are Abraham’s seed; as if to say, I know that you are the sons of Abraham, but according to the flesh, not spiritually and by faith. So He adds, But you seek to kill Me.
Augustine · 4th century

He says this, that they might not attempt to answer, that they had no sin. He reminds them of a present sin; a sin which they had been meditating for some time past, and which was actually at this moment in their thoughts: putting out of the question their general course of life. He thus removes them by degrees out of their relationship to Abraham, teaching them not to pride themselves so much upon it: for that, as bondage and freedom were the consequences of works, so was…
Chrysostom · 4th century

whereas men, to whom the revelation is made, were not witnesses.
Origen · 3rd century · This is proof that our Savior was witness to what was done with the Father

Read all 21 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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