John 8:30-59

4. “I and you”: 8:30-59.

Jesus, in His second discourse (John 8:12-20) attributed to Himself two modes of teaching: testimony, by which He reveals His origin, His mission, His work, and judgment, by which He unveils the moral state of His hearers. In this sense He had also said, John 8:26: “ I have yet many things to say and to judge concerning you. ” These more severe judgments which Jesus bore in His mind respecting the moral state of His people, we find expressed in the first section of the following discourse; it is judgment reaching its culminating point (John 8:30-50): you are not free; you are not children of Abraham; you are not children of God, but of the devil. Such are the severe judgments which are gradually introduced in the conversation between Jesus and even the least ill- disposed of His hearers. The second part is that of testimony. Jesus rises to His greatest height: He is the destroyer of death; He is before Abraham (John 8:51-59).