Joh 8:59 | KingComments | STEP | Then the Lord answers the question of whether He would perhaps be greater than Abraham. He speaks of “your father Abraham” because they boasted of being descendants of him. But how completely different did Abraham react to Him than they do now. Abraham rejoiced at what he saw of the Lord Jesus. Obviously, this ‘seeing’ is a seeing in faith and not in seeing as the Jews saw Him now, but therefore no less real. Abraham has seen the day of the Lord Jesus in faith. On what occasion or occasions that was, the Lord does not disclose. We know some of the events in Abraham’s life to which He may refer. We know that Abraham had such great faith in God that he believed in Him as the God of the resurrection. We read about the joy of Abraham when Isaac (meaning laughter) is born from the dead womb of Sarah ( ) through which the son of promise is as it were brought to life from the dead ( ). In that laughter he has seen beyond the child in his arms: he has seen the Son in Whom God’s promises are all yes and amen ( ). Another joy that Abraham undoubtedly enjoyed is when God gives Isaac back from the dead, as it were, after laying him on the altar ( ; ). This joy also extended to the resurrection of the Son from the dead. And did Abraham not look forward in faith to the city that has the foundations, of which God is Architect and Builder ( )? “My day” is the day of the appearance of Christ in glory that Abraham anticipated in faith, and that day rejoiced him. Abraham foresaw in faith the day of the revelation of the Son into the world and the establishment of His kingdom. All of this goes far beyond the comprehension of the Jews. They understand nothing of it. They take everything in a limited, literal sense, because there is no faith with them. They react with the insulting remark as to how He, Whom they estimate to be less than fifty years old, could have seen Abraham who lived many centuries ago? By the way, this estimation of the Lord’s age could mean that the Lord looked older than He was. He was thirty-two or thirty-three years old, but the many sufferings He had come into contact with must have marked Him. It shows that He, Who is truly and eternally God the Son, is also truly Man. In His answer He again gives a brilliant indication of His glorious, eternal, Divine Person. He does not say “before Abraham was born, I was”, but “before Abraham was born, I am”. When the Lord says “I am”, that again is the designation of His eternal Godhead as the “I am”, the eternal Being, the ever Existing. Abraham had a beginning. The Lord Jesus, God the Son, has no beginning. Everything has a beginning through Him. Then the measure for the Jews is full and the conversation is over. They are so angry now that they can no longer hold back. They no longer have any words, only aggression seeking a way out by taking stones to throw at Him. But the Lord hides from them and leaves the temple. This order is remarkable. It does not say that He leaves the temple and then hides. The Lord radiates peace. It is also not plausible that the Lord hid Himself in some corner of the temple. It is more likely that He makes Himself invisible to His opponents or strikes them with blindness (cf. ; ). Previously, the Lord also prevented His opponents from killing Him by showing His Divine power (cf. ). In this way He withdraws from His enemies, to continue the way the Father wants Him to go.

‏ John 8:59

Before Abraham Was Born, I Am

Then the Lord answers the question of whether He would perhaps be greater than Abraham. He speaks of “your father Abraham” because they boasted of being descendants of him. But how completely different did Abraham react to Him than they do now. Abraham rejoiced at what he saw of the Lord Jesus. Obviously, this ‘seeing’ is a seeing in faith and not in seeing as the Jews saw Him now, but therefore no less real.

Abraham has seen the day of the Lord Jesus in faith. On what occasion or occasions that was, the Lord does not disclose. We know some of the events in Abraham’s life to which He may refer. We know that Abraham had such great faith in God that he believed in Him as the God of the resurrection. We read about the joy of Abraham when Isaac (meaning laughter) is born from the dead womb of Sarah (Gen 21:3 ; 6) through which the son of promise is as it were brought to life from the dead (Rom 4:17-21). In that laughter he has seen beyond the child in his arms: he has seen the Son in Whom God’s promises are all yes and amen (2Cor 1:20).

Another joy that Abraham undoubtedly enjoyed is when God gives Isaac back from the dead, as it were, after laying him on the altar (Gen 22:12; Heb 11:19). This joy also extended to the resurrection of the Son from the dead. And did Abraham not look forward in faith to the city that has the foundations, of which God is Architect and Builder (Heb 11:10)?

“My day” is the day of the appearance of Christ in glory that Abraham anticipated in faith, and that day rejoiced him. Abraham foresaw in faith the day of the revelation of the Son into the world and the establishment of His kingdom.

All of this goes far beyond the comprehension of the Jews. They understand nothing of it. They take everything in a limited, literal sense, because there is no faith with them. They react with the insulting remark as to how He, Whom they estimate to be less than fifty years old, could have seen Abraham who lived many centuries ago?

By the way, this estimation of the Lord’s age could mean that the Lord looked older than He was. He was thirty-two or thirty-three years old, but the many sufferings He had come into contact with must have marked Him. It shows that He, Who is truly and eternally God the Son, is also truly Man.

In His answer He again gives a brilliant indication of His glorious, eternal, Divine Person. He does not say “before Abraham was born, I was”, but “before Abraham was born, I am”. When the Lord says “I am”, that again is the designation of His eternal Godhead as the “I am”, the eternal Being, the ever Existing. Abraham had a beginning. The Lord Jesus, God the Son, has no beginning. Everything has a beginning through Him.

Then the measure for the Jews is full and the conversation is over. They are so angry now that they can no longer hold back. They no longer have any words, only aggression seeking a way out by taking stones to throw at Him. But the Lord hides from them and leaves the temple.

This order is remarkable. It does not say that He leaves the temple and then hides. The Lord radiates peace. It is also not plausible that the Lord hid Himself in some corner of the temple. It is more likely that He makes Himself invisible to His opponents or strikes them with blindness (cf. Gen 19:11; 2Kgs 6:18). Previously, the Lord also prevented His opponents from killing Him by showing His Divine power (cf. Lk 4:29-30). In this way He withdraws from His enemies, to continue the way the Father wants Him to go.