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Commentaries
English
John
  
g) Christ exists before Abraham
(John 8:48-59)
48The Jews answered him; "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"49Jesus answered, "I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.50Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it and He will be the judge."


Jesus tore down the masks of these Jews, showing them their collusion with Satan’s spirit, by ignoring truth.
Following this attack, the evil spirit was forced to come out into the open. Instead of repenting and mourning their sins, they showed their alliance with the devil, and confessed that they had blasphemed by denying Jesus’ birth by the Holy Spirit. They called him Samaritan from the mixed race. The news of a Samaritan revival had reached Jerusalem, and Jewish racists were indignant.
One party knew about Jesus’ Jewish roots, and insisted that he was indeed Jewish. But others insisted that he was performing miracles with the devil’s help. The devil-possessed were unaware of their true state, but claimed that the Holy One of God was devil-possessed. Thus the father of lies twisted their minds so as to treat white as black, and black as white.
Calmly Jesus answered these spiritually blind folk, saying, "There is no Satan in me; I am filled with the Holy Spirit. No evil spark inclines me to the worldly desires. I overflow with truth and love; I do not live for myself; I have denied my self and honor my Father; this is my reasonable worship. I proclaim God’s name to you, and sanctify the Father by my conduct. Yes, I reveal God’s truth to you, but you hate me, for declaring God is my Father. The evil spirit in you has no wish to leave you for the Spirit of God to take over. You do not wish to become children of the Holy One, so you blaspheme me and purpose my death. I do not seek my glory, since I abide for ever in the Father. He defends me, cares for me, honors and glorifies me. He it is who will judge you, because you reject me. Whoever rejects the One born of the Spirit, falls into God’s judgment. That is because the evil spirit is upon those who reject, deterring them from receiving the Savior."