βYe do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even Godβ (John 8:41).
The Pharisees are personally attacking the reputation of Jesus Christ, attempting to humiliate Him by saying, βWe be not born of fornication.β After denigrating His virgin conception (that is, His deity), they exalt themselves by declaring, βWe have one Father, even God.β What irony!
Notice Jesusβ response: βIf God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent meβ (verse 42). Had these Pharisees really known God on an intimate level, they would have understood His Word (that is, their Old Testament Scriptures) prophesied the coming of the Man they were now ridiculing. Had these religionists believed the prophecy that God had sent His only begotten Son, they would not have insinuated that Jesus was βborn of fornication.β They would have known what He meant by the words, βI proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.β
Alas, Godβs Word was βfoolishnessβ to their dead souls (1 Corinthians 2:14). Jesus explained why they misunderstood Him: βWhy do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. He that is of God heareth Godβs words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of Godβ (John 8:43,47). They could hear the sound of Jesusβ voice, but could they hear with comprehension? Nay, they were spiritually dead, not of God like they claimed. Thus, Jesus told them, βYe are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of itβ (verse 44).
The Pharisees were spreading lies about Jesus Christ because they were lost. Lost mankind has not changed one bit⦠source
