Commentary
Freedom from Sin The Bible teaches that everyone is born as a spiritual slave to a cruel master called "Sin" (Ro 3:23, Ro 6). Cursing God, lying, theft, murder, slander, dishonouring parents and covetousness are the results of spiritual enslavement to Sin. Every person desiring to be truly free needs a new spiritual master who is called "Grace". A transfer of ownership from Sin to Grace happens when Jesus sets a person free. Though that person may slip at times into the old habits of Sin, Grace will always win in the end because the freed person abides in Jesus's word. True Disciple of Jesus Every sin rests on a lie or a false and empty promise. Abiding in Jesus's word and thereby knowing the truth which sets free is a true indicator for a disciple of Jesus. False Professions Some Jewish leaders that appeared to believe Jesus considered themselves to be free because they were Abraham's descendants. - This is a lie. Abraham's descendants were slaves of a number of nations and at that time under Roman rule. If they were referring to spiritual freedom, then they neglected their secret sins. Had they acknowledged sin in their lives, then they could be set free by Jesus. Has Jesus set you free from Sin yet?
notes
Main point summary
Jesus offered freedom from sin but the Jewish leaders rejected freedom and remained in bondage to sin. Jesus's divine words aggravated the Jewish leaders to murder Him. This in itself was evidence to the truth of Jesus's claims about His and their spiritual origin.
Discourse
editing
NT
John 8:31-38
nkjv
mine
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him,
Then Jesus said to the Jews that appeared to have believed Him,
“If you abide in My word ,
" If you continue to listen and believe My word,
you are My disciples indeed.
then you proof to be truly My followers.
conditional
And you shall know the truth ,
Your resilient listening to My word will yield insight to universal and absolute truth,
and the truth shall make you free .”
and the truth will free and enable you to do what is good and right in God's sight.
progression
actionresult
ideaexplanation
They answered Him,
The Jewish leaders answered Him,
“We are Abraham’s descendants,
"We are Abraham's descendants,
and have never been in bondage to anyone.
and therefore have never been in bondage to anyone.
inference
How can You say,
So, what you say is baseless
‘You will be made free ’?”
because Abraham's descendants were always free.
questionanswer
Jesus answered them,
Jesus answered them,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin
"I assure you that if a person commits sin
is a slave of sin.
then that person is a slave of sin, no matter of whose descendant that person is.
And a slave does not abide in the house forever,
And as you know, a slave can change the family he serves if he is sold
but a son abides forever.
but I, the perfect representation of God in human form, will always be with God the Father.
alternative
Therefore if the Son makes you free ,
Therefore if I cause you to be free,
you shall be free indeed.
then you will surely be free.
“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants,
"I know that you are Abraham's decendants,
but you seek to kill Me,
nevertheless , unlike Abraham, you seek to kill Me,
because My word has no place in you.
because you can't bare hearing the truth.
ground
concessive
series
I speak what I have seen with My Father,
It is evident that I speak what I have seen with My Father in heaven,
and you do what you have seen with your father.”
and you do what you have seen with your father the devil."
discourse
Phrase
John 8:31-38
Spiritual freedom for My followers
Jesus
Then Jesus said to those Jews
who believed Him,
Adjective
“If you abide in My word,
Condition
you are My disciples indeed.
Content
And you shall know the truth,
Result
and the truth shall make you free.”
Freedom? We were never in bondage!
Jews
They answered Him,
Answer
“We are Abraham’s descendants,
Ground
and have never been in bondage to anyone.
How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
You are slaves of sin!
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you,
whoever commits sin
is a slave of sin.
And a slave does not abide
Negative
in the house
Locative
forever,
Temporal
but a son abides
Reference
Therefore if the Son makes you free,
you shall be free indeed.
“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants,
Concessive
but you seek to kill Me,
because My word has no place
in you.
I speak what I have seen
Comparison
with My Father,
Accompaniment
and you do what you have seen
Context
with your father.”
phrasing