Abraham is our father (John 8:39-47)

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In John 8:39-47, Jesus engages in a deep and confrontational dialogue with the Jews who believed in Him, focusing on the themes of spiritual lineage, truth, and freedom. The passage contrasts the notion of physical descent from Abraham with the spiritual descent that comes from doing the works of God. Jesus challenges the Jews' claim to be Abraham's descendants, not on the basis of genealogy, but on their failure to do the works of Abraham, which would be to recognize and accept Jesus, whom God sent.

This passage revolves around the themes of true spiritual ancestry and the liberating power of truth. Jesus argues that true children of Abraham (τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ [tekna tou Abraam]), and indeed of God, are those who hear, accept, and enact the truth (ἀλήθεια [aletheia]) of God's word as revealed in Jesus Christ. This marks a significant shift from an understanding of religious and ethical identity based solely on physical ancestry or adherence to the law, towards one centered on faith in Christ and adherence to His teachings.

The passage emphasizes that liberation from sin does not come through lineage or the law, but through knowing and following Jesus, the Truth (ἀλήθεια [aletheia]). It suggests a critical view of formalistic or nationalistic religiosity, proposing instead a spirituality that is dynamic, rooted in ethical behavior, and centered on a personal relationship with Jesus.

Vocabulary

Word Meaning
ἀποκρίνομαι répondre
καί et, aussi
εἶπον J'ai dit (aor. de λέγω)
αὐτός, ή, ὁ lui; soi-même
ὁ, ἡ, τό le, la, les
πατήρ, πατρός, ὁ père
ἡμεῖς, ἡμῶν nous
Ἀβραάμ, ὁ Abraham
εἰμί je suis ; être
λέγω dire

Biblical text

8:39ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν. λέγει αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς Εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ποιεῖτε·40νῦν δὲ ζητεῖτέ με ἀποκτεῖναι, ἄνθρωπον ὃς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑμῖν λελάληκα, ἣν ἤκουσα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ· τοῦτο Ἀβραὰμ οὐκ ἐποίησεν.41ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν. εἶπαν αὐτῷ Ἡμεῖς ἐκ πορνείας οὐκ ἐγεννήθημεν, ἕνα Πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Θεόν.42εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς Εἰ Θεὸς Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἦν, ἠγαπᾶτε ἂν ἐμέ· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἥκω· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ ἐλήλυθα, ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνός με ἀπέστειλεν.43διὰ τί τὴν λαλιὰν τὴν ἐμὴν οὐ γινώσκετε; ὅτι οὐ δύνασθε ἀκούειν τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐμόν.44ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὲ καὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν θέλετε ποιεῖν. ἐκεῖνος ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἦν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ οὐκ ἔστηκεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλήθεια ἐν αὐτῷ. ὅταν λαλῇ τὸ ψεῦδος, ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖ, ὅτι ψεύστης ἐστὶν καὶ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.45ἐγὼ δὲ ὅτι τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγω, οὐ πιστεύετέ μοι.46τίς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐλέγχει με περὶ ἁμαρτίας; εἰ ἀλήθειαν λέγω, διὰ τί ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετέ μοι;47 ὢν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀκούει· διὰ τοῦτο ὑμεῖς οὐκ ἀκούετε, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἐστέ.