English
Português
Español
Français
Response
In John 8:31–47, the Jewish religious leaders asserted their lineage from Abraham, claiming God as their “true Father” (verse 41, NLT; also see verses 33, 37, and 39). However, Jesus challenged them, stating, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out 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 tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies” «Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. », (John 8:44, CSB).
The Pharisees and teachers of the law believed that their lineage from Abraham exempted them from sin and wrongdoing, automatically making them children of God. Jesus, however, presented them with a definitive paternity test: “If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus said, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father” (John 8:39-41).
Jesus affirmed that a person’s actions reflect their true nature. Our way of living and behaving demonstrates our genuine lineage. If Abraham is our father, we will exhibit his characteristics. We will resemble Abraham, having faith in God and obeying His truth (Genesis 15:6;Romans 4:3;Galatians 3:6). Abraham was renowned as “God’s friend” (Isaiah 41:8).
H+41%3A8%3BJames+2%3A23″>(Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23) and for a valid reason. He loved God, listened to Him, and obeyed His truth even when he didn’t comprehend it (see Genesis 22:1-24). Abraham’s obedience demonstrated his character as a child of God. The Jewish leaders were nothing like Abraham. Their rebellion confirmed they were offspring of the devil (Acts 13:10; Matthew 13:38).
Jesus informed the Jewish religious leaders, “You are of your father the devil,” because they behaved like the devil. “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God,” explained Jesus «Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. », (John 8:42). The devil is God’s adversary. He opposes God’s presence, purposes, and people in this world (Matthew 16:23; 1 Chronicles 21:1; Ephesians 6:11-13; 1 John 3:7-10; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 13:6). Genuine children of God love Jesus «Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. », (1 John 5:1), but the devil hates Him. Satan is a murderer (John 8:44; 1 John 3:12), and the Jewish leaders were cut from the same cloth, seeking a way to kill Jesus (John 7:1; John 8:37, 40). Their hate-filled, murderous actions
Scriptures proved that they, like Cain, “belonged to the evil one,” their father, the devil «In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. », (1 John 3:10).
After he killed his brother Abel, Cain lied about it (Genesis 4). Jesus said the Jewish leaders could not understand His words because their native tongue was lying, the same language as the devil’s: “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! . . . Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God” (John 8:44-47;NLT).
If we are God’s children, then we “participate in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:1-4) and walk in His truth (Ephesians 5:8-9;2 John 1:4;3 John 1:4). But if we are of our father the devil, we share in his evil nature and have no truth in us.
The devil brought spiritual and physical death to humankind by telling a lie (Genesis 3:4,13;1 John 3:8,10-15). Today, he still distorts the truth, doing everything in his power to lead people away from God, who is the source of truth and life «in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. », 2 Corinthians 4:4.
The Bible teaches that obedience, love, and truthfulness are characteristics of a genuine child of God: “So now we can distinguish between the children of God and the children of the devil. Anyone who does not practice righteousness and does not love fellow believers does not belong to God” «In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. », (1 John 3:10, NLT). Jesus confronted the Jewish leaders, saying, “You are of your father the devil,” as they did not accept Christ’s message of life and truth «I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; but you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. », (John 8:37). These religious hypocrites revealed their true nature as murderers, deceivers, and rejecters of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. By rejecting God’s message of truth and life, they missed the opportunity to become His children (John 3:19-20;8:40).
