John 8:52-53

John 8:52-53. The Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man have kept my word, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died: whom makest thou thyself? The word ‘now' looks back to John 8:48. ‘Even if we were too hasty then, now we have learnt from thine own words that our charge is true.' In attributing to His word a power to preserve His followers from that which had come upon the prophets, and even on Abraham himself, He is clearly placing Himself above Abraham and the prophets. Whom then is He making Himself? The Jews do not quote the words of Jesus with exactness. He had said, ‘shall never behold death,' for ever shall be spared the sight of death; they vary the metaphor a little, passing to a still more familiar phrase, ‘taste death;' perhaps because it seemed more direct and clear, less susceptible of a figurative meaning.