“Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”” (John 8:56, NIV)
In John 8:31–59 "Jesus debates His Jewish audience over the value of their Abrahamic ancestry in bringing them into right standing with God. Initially, the audience is depicted as Jews who had believed Jesus, but their belief was superficial since they are prepared to stone Him for blasphemy by the end of the passage." [1]
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” (John 8:31–32, NIV) These Jews responded by claiming that their ancestry removed them from bondage from anyone. Jesus told them that it was sin that held them in bondage, implying that regardless of race, the slave master is sin. Again they played the ancestry card. ““Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.” (John 8:39, NIV). "Christ gives a logical sequence of statements. Given the assumption that they were Abraham’s children, they would do the works of Abraham (he believed in God, Gen 15:6)." [2]
Christ identified Satan as their father, not Abraham; and then they threw their insults back at him. “You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”” (John 8:41, NIV). They then accused him of being demon-possessed. They also accused him of lying. All the great men of the Bible had died. They hadn't lived forever, they claim. “Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”” (John 8:53, NIV).
It seems that Jesus understood them as to taking the glory to Himself. Then Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”” (John 8:56, NIV). "In Jewish tradition, details about the final judgment of all people are revealed to Abraham before his death." [3] I doubt if that is the case. The KJV Commentary takes this position:
"The joy of Abraham refers to the birth of Isaac. Abraham saw in Isaac the hope of mankind and the promise of a Messiah."
My opinion is that it is more specific than that. I think that when Abraham saw God's substitute in a ram on Mount Moriah -- the one who would deliver his son from death, he saw in the future the coming Messiah and rejoiced. As the other men and women of faith, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” (Hebrews 11:13, NIV). Abraham saw Christ in the ram and rejoiced.
This gives us unique insight into the spiritual apprehension of the Old Testament saints. "This statement shows clearly that even in Old Testament times, believers were saved through faith in Christ presented to them in the foreshadowing given by God to reveal His redemptive plan (cf. Acts 4:12)." [4]
"Note, A believing sight of Christ and his day will put gladness into the heart. No joy like the joy of faith; we are never acquainted with true pleasure till we are acquainted with Christ." [5]
Father, Your secret and grace-filled work in the hearts of believers under the Old Covenant is amazing. As the hymn-writer teaches us: it is a mystery how you teach the heart to fear. What joy Abraham must have experienced to see a ram caught in a thicket with his human eyes and yet see Christ his eternal Redeemer with his Spirit-given eyes. Indeed there is no greater joy in the hearts of the faithful than to see Christ in all His glory. Father, in the mundane and earthy experiences of this day, "we would see Jesus." Come Holy Spirit Divine and fill this poor hungry soul of mine. Glorify the Savior, that we too would rejoice to see His Day. Amen!
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1. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Jn 8:31–59). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
2. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2097). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
3. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Jn 8:56). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
4. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Jn 8:56). Nashville: T. Nelson.
5. Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (1974). Peabody: Hendrickson.
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