John 8:53

53 Arte thou greater then oure father Abraham which is deed? and the Prophetes are deed. Whome makest thou thy selfe?

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 Verely verely I saye vnto you yf a man kepe my sayinges he shall never se deeth.

52 Then sayde the Iewes to him: Now knowe we that thou hast the devyll. Abraha is deed and also the Prophetes: and yet thou sayest yf a man kepe my sayinge he shall never tast of deeth.

53 Arte thou greater then oure father Abraham which is deed? and the Prophetes are deed. Whome makest thou thy selfe?

54 Iesus answered: Yf I honoure my selfe myne honoure is nothinge worth. It is my father that honoureth me which ye saye is youre God

55 and ye have not knowen him: but I knowe him. And yf I shuld saye I knowe him not I shuld be a lyar lyke vnto you. But I knowe him and kepe his sayinge.