John 8:46-50 (WEL) “Which of you finds me guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 “The one who is of God hears God’s words. The reason you don’t hear it is because you are not of God.” 48 Then the Jews answered and said to him, “We said it well that you are a Samaritan and have a demon.” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. On the contrary, I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. 50 “I do not seek honor for my glory. There is one who seeks and judges.
V46 “Which of you finds me guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, why don’t you believe me?
Jesus asks two questions: 1) What sin have I committed and 2) if I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?
Well, the time has come. The Lord Jesus gives a challenge. These Jews have slandered, falsely accused, Him of sin. “So, point it out. Tell me, show me.”
“If not, then show where I have lied.” If He is telling the truth, why don’t they believe? They exercise their free will to not believe. This is a perfect example of a limited, libertarian free will—the ability to say, “No.” Now, it should be pointed out that God always has override privileges to do what He says, when He says it—period, but He has decreed a limited, libertarian free will.
Principle: Those who hate God and truth will resort to slander, verbal abuse, threats, counterattacks, self-promotion, and lies, lies, lies for they must destroy. Our only help is God and His grace.
God’s assisting grace is needed to live the Christian life.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (WEL) He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I would gladly boast in my weaknesses instead, so that the power of Christ might rest in me.
We need God’s help to live a Christian life. He is willing to give us this help whether it be wisdom (James 1:5-8), strength in persecution and afflictions (2 Timothy 4:17), strength to resist temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), comfort in sorrow (Psalm 23:4), ability to do what He has commanded (1 Corinthians 15:10), help in discouragement (1 Peter 1:13), and help to live the Christian life (2 Corinthians 1:12).
V47 “The one who is of God hears God’s words. The reason you don’t hear it is because you are not of God.”
(Robertson’s Word Pictures): “Their not listening proved that they were not of God” (Dods). They were of the earth and the devil, not of God.”
If one is a true believer in God and has called on His name, then He will recognize Jesus as the Messiah because that person knows the Scriptures and believes them. See Psalm 116:13, 1 Corinthians 1:2, and Joel 2:32.
Call on His name is to pray to YHWH and none other. When people bow to statues and utter words to them, they are invoking that name. Bowing and invoking their name is worship.
It would have been a fearful thing to hear the Lord Jesus say, “You are not of God.”
They reject God; God rejects them. It is lex talionis.
“A Law of Retaliation: The core principle of lex talionis is that a person who has injured another should be punished with a similar or identical injury, a concept known as Retributive Justice (https://uslawexplained.com/lex_talionis).”
V48 Then the Jews answered and said to him, “We said it well that you are a Samaritan and have a demon.”
In their arrogance, they mock the Lord Jesus, slander Him, and falsely accuse Him.
One of the reasons people refuse to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation is pride; for example, “I am a good person.”
Samaritans were despised by the Jews because they were half-breeds of the nation of Israel with Gentiles, and secondly, they had a different place to worship and different form of worship (John 4:19-26).
V49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. On the contrary, I honor my Father, but you dishonor me.
Jesus responds calmly, “I do not have a demon.” This is true. Jesus never blasphemes, never urges people to worship other than at Jerusalem, never urges people to worship any other god, never disrespected the High Priest, and never did miracles in another name, and He obeyed Mosaic law.
See Psalm 69:7-9.
Comments:
(Holman Commentary): “Now the discussion turned ugly. Jesus’ opponents had already questioned his proof and family connections; now they said what they had been thinking all along: you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed. Few insults could have carried more anger and bitterness in the first century. But Jesus ignored the name-calling. He stuck to his basic theme of true discipleship by emphasizing that true disciples keep Jesus’ words. The Lord emphasized truth and explained his relationship to the Father. In verse 51, the opening phrase (I tell you the truth) translates the two words omen, amen, which appear in 127 verses of the New Testament.”
(Zondervan King James Version Commentary, New Testament): “In Jewish agency, the one sent is as the one who sends, and the dishonor shown to Jesus was dishonor shown to the Father who sent Him. If Jesus had glorified Himself or sought His own benefit, He would have been representing Himself and not the Father who sent Him. If Jesus had acted on His own (“If I honour myself” 8:54), slurs such as His opponents had thrown at Him in 8:48 would have been against Him alone (see v. 54). Jesus did not glorify Himself, however. In saying that He honored the Father, Jesus confirmed that He represented the Father faithfully. Jesus certified this fact by deferring to one that seeketh and judgeth (v. 50). In other words, Jesus sought the Father’s glory (implied in I seek not my own glory), and it was the Father who would judge Jesus’ faithfulness and therefore His opponents’ dishonor and rejection of Him.”
V50 “I do not seek honor for my glory. There is one who seeks and judges.
Principle: Do not seek your own glory.
Jesus by stating this shows us the best answer possible to this accusation. May we all be guided by His example in responding. May God help us.
We learn:
- How to respond to false accusations.
- Telling the truth in the face of mockers, etc.
- To seek God’s glory only.
Questions:
- What is the usual human response to insults?
- Have you sought only God’s glory?