John 8:52

52 The Jews therefore said to him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham has died, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If any one keep my word, he shall never taste death.

John 8:52 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:52

Then said the Jews unto him
Upon these last words that he spake, giving assurance, that whoever kept his saying, should not die:

now we know that thou hast a devil;
they thought and said so before, but now they were assured, that he must be under diabolical influence, must be possessed with the devil, and mad, and out of his senses; for they thought no man in his senses would ever talk at this rate:

Abraham is dead, and the prophets;
that is, they are dead also, as the Ethiopic version adds; see ( Zechariah 1:5 ) ;

and thou sayest, if a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of
death:
Abraham and the prophets were so far from pretending by their doctrine to communicate life and secure men from death, that they could not keep themselves from dying; and therefore it must be diabolical madness and frenzy to assert anything of this kind.

John 8:52 In-Context

50 But I do not seek my own glory: there is he that seeks and judges.

51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If any one shall keep my word, he shall never see death.

52 The Jews therefore said to him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham has died, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If any one keep my word, he shall never taste death.

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who has died? and the prophets have died: whom makest thou thyself?

54 Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father who glorifies me, [of] whom ye say, He is our God.

Footnotes

• [a]. See Nots, ch. 4.14.