Know Jesus, keep His word, and live
John 8:51–59 (NKJV)
51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52 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.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Message
I. Keep My word and never die (never be judged) (51, 52, John 5:24)
See v51.
51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
When the Jews dishonored Jesus and therefore the Father in John 8:48, they became subject to God’s judgment (See John 8:50, Exodus 20:7). There are several types of ‘death’.
- Spiritual death: They are spiritually dead if their relationship with God is broken because of their sin.
- Physical death: There is physical death.
- The second death: On the Day of Judgment, anyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death (Revelation 21:8, 20:14-15).
Judgment and death are related. See John 5:24 NKJV.
24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
See v52.
52 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.’
They are not thinking of the spiritual death or the second death but only the physical death.
See v53-54.
53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.
God, the Father honors Jesus, but the Jews dishonored Jesus. Clearly, they showed that their God was not God, the Father who honors Jesus.
II. Know God and keep His word (55)
See v55.
55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
Jesus didn’t argue about the meaning of ‘death’. His words always contain spiritual meaning (See John 6:63). Instead, Jesus pointed out that they had not ‘known’ Him. Their fundamental problem was not simply the ignorance about other definitions of ‘death’ but no experiential relationship with God who is spirit and invisible. In response to ‘Who do You make Yourself out to be?’ (53b), Jesus points out they are, in fact, liars (just as their father, the devil is a liar) because they claim that God the Father is their God (John 8:41) while they don’t know Him.
This verse makes us ask a good question: “God and the devil, which is my God?” If our answer is God, then we should ask, “Do I know God?” This verse teaches us how important to know God before simply assuming or claiming who my God is.
If we know God, we should keep His word as Jesus said in v55c, “but I know Him and keep His word.” See 1 John 1:3-4 NKJV.
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
III. Jesus is God (56-59)
See v56.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
Jesus knew what Abraham did, which only God would know. Jesus demonstrated He knew all and He is God.
See v57-58.
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
Jesus is God and existed before the Creation (58, John 1:1, 3, 15, 30, Proverbs 8:23 NKJV).
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Know Jesus, keep His word, and live
