John 8:53

Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(53) Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead?—The question is exactly the same, with the substitution of “Abraham” for “Jacob,” as that asked by the Samaritan woman in John 4:12 (see Note). “Surely thou art not greater than our father Abraham, who indeed died?”

Whom makest thou thyself?—“If Abraham, who received God’s covenant, himself died, and if the prophets, who uttered the oracles of God, themselves died, what kind of person dost Thou assert Thyself to be that Thy word shall deliver men from death?” The same phrase occurs again in John 5:18; John 10:33; John 19:7.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:48-53 Observe Christ's disregard of the applause of men. those who are dead to the praises of men can bear their contempt. God will seek the honour of all who do not seek their own. In these verses we have the doctrine of the everlasting happiness of believers. We have the character of a believer; he is one that keeps the sayings of the Lord Jesus. And the privilege of a believer; he shall by no means see death for ever. Though now they cannot avoid seeing death, and tasting it also, yet they shall shortly be where it will be no more forever, Ex 14:13.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whom makest thou thyself? - Or, who dost thou pretend to be? Although the greatest of the prophets have died, yet thou a Nazarene, a Samaritan, and a devil pretendest that thou canst keep thy followers from dying! It would have been scarcely possible to ask a question implying more contempt and scorn.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

52, 53. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil, &c.—"Thou art now self-convicted; only a demoniac could speak so; the most illustrious of our fathers are dead, and Thou promisest exemption from death to anyone who will keep Thy saying! pray, who art Thou?"

Matthew Poole's Commentary

If thou canst so effect it, that those who keep thy sayings shall not die, thou canst also make thyself immortal: neither Abraham nor the prophets could save themselves from death, they are all dead: what art thou? What dost thou make thyself? And by the way, this was another charge upon our Saviour, the Jews having no patience with any that should prefer himself before their father Abraham or Moses.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Art thou greater than our father Abraham?.... So the woman of Samaria said, concerning Jacob, John 4:12. The Jews had a mighty opinion of their ancestors, especially of Abraham; and yet they allow the Messiah to be greater than he, as Jesus truly was: so one of their ancient commentators (w) on those words of Isaiah 52:13 thus paraphrases them,

""Behold my servant shall deal prudently", this is the King Messiah; "he shall be exalted" above Abraham, as it is written, Genesis 14:22, "and extolled" above Moses, as it is written, Numbers 11:12, and he shall be higher than the ministering angels, as it is written, Ezekiel 1:26, for he shall be , "greater than the fathers".''

They add here, of Abraham,

which is dead; he was a great and good man, and yet dead:

and the prophets are dead; though they truly kept, and faithfully delivered the word of God:

whom makest thou thyself? who art a poor carpenter's son, a Galilean, a Nazarene, and yet makest thyself greater than Abraham, or any of the prophets; yea, makest thyself to be God, to promise security from death, and an everlasting continuance of life upon keeping thy word.

(w) Tachuma apud Huls. p. 321.

Geneva Study Bible

Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

John 8:53. What did He expect them to take Him for?—τίνα σεαυτὸν σὺ ποιεῖς; For the μὴ σὺ μείζων cf. John 4:12.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

53. Art thou greater] Exactly parallel to John 4:12. ‘Thou’ is emphatic: ‘Surely Thou art not greater than our father Abraham, who died?—And the prophets died.’ An anacoluthon, like their exaggeration, very natural. Strictly the sentence should run, ‘and than the prophets, who died?’

Bengel's Gnomen

John 8:53. Μὴ σὺ μείζων, whether [art] thou greater) Thou, say they, who dost promise to him, that keepeth Thy word, immortality, a privilege which was not enjoyed by so great men as Abraham and the prophets.—καὶ, and) Explain thus; and greater than the prophets, who are dead? The Christ was indeed greater than Abraham and the prophets.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 53. - Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? This use of ποιεῖν is not uncommon. "By thy own statements, whom wouldst thou have us believe that thou art?" (cf. John 5:18; John 10:33; John 19:7, 12). This claim to be Giver of immunity from death, and the further assumption that the belief of and continuance in his word would metamorphose and transfigure death itself, implied functions which "made" Jesus mightier, more august, than either Moses or Elijah, Abraham or the prophets, who were dead. "These all died who art thou?" John 8:53

Vincent's Word Studies

Art thou (μὴ σὺ)

Thou, emphatic, and the negative interrogative particle implying a negative answer, thou art not surely greater.

Which is dead (ὅστις)

The compound pronoun ὅστις, which, is used explicatively, according to a familiar New Testament usage, instead of the simple relative. The sense is, seeing that he is dead. The compound relative properly indicates the class or kind to which an object belongs. Art thou greater than Abraham, who is himself one of the dead? So Colossians 3:5. "Mortify covetousness, seeing it is (ἥτις ἐστὶν) idolatry." See on Matthew 13:52; see on Matthew 21:41; see on Mark 12:18; see on Luke 12:1; see on Acts 7:53; see on Acts 10:41; see on 1 Peter 2:11.