76. Teachings on Spiritual Freedom (continued)

        ⁴⁴You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.^b He has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. ⁴⁵But because I tell the truth you do not believe me.”
        ⁴⁶“Which of you convicts me of sin? If I proclaim the truth, why do you not believe? ⁴⁷He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
        ⁴⁸The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you have a demon?”
        ⁴⁹Jesus answered, “I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰I seek not my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he will be the judge. ⁵¹Verily, verily, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
        ⁵²The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a devil. Abraham died, as did the prophets. And you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.' ⁵³Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets are dead! Who do you claim to be?”
        ⁵⁴Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is as nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, the very one of whom you say that he is your God. ⁵⁵But you have not known him. I know him. ⁵⁶Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my days, and [by faith] he saw it and was glad.”
        ⁵⁷The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”
        ⁵⁸Jesus said to them, “Verily, verily, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
        ⁵⁹So they took up stones to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.
        (Jn. 8:44–59)

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b   “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.”—Here Jesus makes clear the spiritual meaning of fatherhood and sonship—the "child” is the one whose will is to do what his father desires. (See also Ch. 76, fn. a.) The unbelieving Jews who seek Jesus' destruction have chosen the ways of evil (and the devil) rather than the will and way of God. Thus, they are children of the devil.

Jn. 8:44  He has / He was a murderer from the beginning, and has (RSV)
Jn. 8:46  I proclaim the / I tell the (RSV) • believe? / believe me? (RSV)
Jn. 8:48  you have / you are a Samaritan and have (RSV)
Jn. 8:50  I seek not my (KJV) / I do not seek my (RSV)
Jn. 8:51  Verily, verily, I (KJV) / Truly, truly, I (RSV)
Jn. 8:52  a devil. (KJV) / a demon. (RSV)
Jn. 8:53  prophets are dead! (KJV) / prophets died! (RSV)
Jn. 8:54  me, the very one of (Phi) / me, of (RSV)
Jn. 8:56  (KJV) • and [by faith] he / and he (KJV)
Jn. 8:58  Verily, verily, I (KJV) / Truly, truly, I (RSV)
Jn. 8:59  to cast at (KJV) / to throw at (RSV)   (162:7/1796–7)

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