John 8:48-53 - Lesson #92

In a heated discussion with the Jews, Jesus made the accusation that these Jews were actually children of Satan; "you are of your father the devil" (John 8:44). They responded with the greatest insult they knew.

John 8:48-53
"Then the Jews answered and said to Him, 'Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?' Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.' Then the Jews said to Him, 'Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, "If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death." Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?'"

To call someone a Samaritan was to call them the lowest of all life. The Jews despised the Samaritans, avoided walking through their part of the country and considered themselves unclean if they even drank water from a Samaritan cup. But Jesus taught the worldwide nature of the gospel by taking His Jewish disciples to minister to a Samaritan woman (John 4:4-42). He also taught the universal need for compassion by telling a story of a Samaritan who gave assistance to a man in great need. Perhaps this is why Jesus did not respond to being called a Samaritan. It's not an insult to be identified with someone you love.

The other great insult was to associate someone with a demon. This was not the only time the Jews had accused Jesus of working with the devil; "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons" (Mark 3:22). But Jesus was not working with the evil one, He came "that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). And in the process of complete victory over Satan, Jesus would bring glory to God in all He did.

One of the messages throughout the gospel of John is that there is power in the words of Christ. We see this with the very first verse; "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). Jesus affirms this power by saying that keeping His words would cause someone to never see nor taste death. By destroying the work of the devil, Jesus provided a way to truly live; "He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25). With complete victory over death assured, whom now shall we fear!!

The Jews did not know what else to say. Jesus had just promised a way to avoid death, yet Abraham and all the prophets had died - Who was He claiming to be? The claims of Jesus are clear - and they will become clearer. He is the One true Son of God, sent by God to be the revelation of God and His plan to restore the relationship which Satan sought to destroy. Jesus Christ came to defeat the devil by becoming a sacrifice for our sin and calling ALL to believe, receive His forgiveness, and live.