John 8:48-53, He Will Never See Death Again

48 The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." 52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.' 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?"

John Stott writes, “The human heart is seldom so spiteful as when it perceives its self-esteem threatened.” Jesus’ self-esteem is never threatened. We can tell by his cool demeanor and responses. It is his detractor’s self-esteem that is threatened by Jesus’ accusation that they are children of the father of lies, of Satan himself. The remaining verses of chapter 8 capture the depth of the conflict between them. First, his detractors, the children of the devil, accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan, which is an insult because of the impurity of their heritage and religion. (In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus turns the tables on their impurity in what we know as the Parable of the Good Samaritan.) Second, they accuse Jesus of demon possession. He replies stating his passion is to serve the living God, to honor him, and promote his glory.

And then Jesus says the most astonishing thing: “Those who keep my word shall never see death.” He is not saying that his disciples will never die. All people die. He is saying that they shall never be eternally separated from God. This response is too much for his detractors, who know that all people die like Abraham and the prophets. They, however, do not understand that Jesus is pointing forward to the act of reconciling love he will undertake on their behalf to put away the effects of sin and death forever. If only they would listen to his words and know that he speaks on behalf of God the Father!

Father, help me not to be terrified of death, but to see it as the gate I will pass through one day on my way with Jesus to my joyful resurrection. Amen.