John 8:53

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

John 8:53 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:53

Art thou greater than our father Abraham?
&c.] So the woman of Samaria said, concerning Jacob, ( John 4:12 ) . The Jews had a mighty opinion of their ancestors, especially of Abraham; and yet they allow the Messiah to be greater than he, as Jesus truly was: so one of their ancient commentators ^F23 on those words of ( Isaiah 52:13 ) thus paraphrases them,

``"Behold my servant shall deal prudently", this is the King Messiah; "he shall be exalted" above Abraham, as it is written, ( Genesis 14:22 ) , "and extolled" above Moses, as it is written, ( Numbers 11:12 ) , and he shall be higher than the ministering angels, as it is written, ( Ezekiel 1:26 ) ( Zechariah 4:7 ) , for he shall be (twba Nm lwdg) , "greater than the fathers".''

They add here, of Abraham,

which is dead;
he was a great and good man, and yet dead:

and the prophets are dead;
though they truly kept, and faithfully delivered the word of God:

whom makest thou thyself?
who art a poor carpenter's son, a Galilean, a Nazarene, and yet makest thyself greater than Abraham, or any of the prophets; yea, makest thyself to be God, to promise security from death, and an everlasting continuance of life upon keeping thy word.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Tachuma apud Huls. p. 321.

John 8:53 In-Context

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.

55 And ye know him not; but I know him; and if I said, I know him not, I should be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word.