Wentzville | Matt Hess
August 17, 2025
John 8:48-59

The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 8:48-59 

1. The Slander against the Savior (v. 48) 

The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon? John 8:48 

“The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God.” Romans 8:7 

2. The Security for the Saints (vv. 49–51) 

Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. John 8:51 

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” John 11:25   

“He who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” John 5:24 

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. John 10:27-29 

3. The Shock of the Statement (vv. 52–58) 

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. John 8:58 

“For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.” Hebrews 3:3 

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17 

4. The Stone-Throwing of the Self-Righteous (v. 59) 

So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 8:59 

“Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.” Leviticus 24:16 
 
“Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.” Acts 7:54-58