Who is Your Father?

The Truth will set you free was the topic of our last meeting.  Today we ask the question “who is your father” in John 8:39-47.

39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Jesus closed off his statement last week with this line “I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”  The simple comparison eh…one that spoke volumes, especially in light of the verses coming eh?

Their response “Abraham is our father“.

Jesus refutes that claim saying “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.“

The Pharisees didn’t much care for this response (at least that’s how it reads to me) because suddenly they bring up “We were not born of sexual immorality.  We have one Father – even God.“

This too Jesus refuted this as well “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.“

And then went on to clearly say “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

He closes out his conversation with them “45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Part of me wonders what to do with this passage.  I can break it down to it’s parts, but part of me feels like I’m missing something. I think it’s because I can just see their resistance here you know?  They just didn’t really get it at all!  That resistance just has me wanting to avoid dealing with this passage I think.  Jesus is so clear with them though.  They aren’t of Abraham, and they aren’t of God, what they are of, is the devil.  They act like him, so they must be from him.   They can’t see that he tells the truth, ergo…they are not of God. 

I read this passage and I just feel sad.  You know?