John 8:38

ΒΆ I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

I {G1473} speak {G2980} that which {G3739} I have seen {G3708} with {G3844} my {G3450} Father {G3962}: and {G2532} ye {G5210} do {G4160} that {G3767} which {G3739} ye have seen {G3708} with {G3844} your {G5216} father {G3962}.

I say what my Father has shown me; you do what your father has told you!”

I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father.

Commentary

In John 8:38, Jesus delivers a profound and challenging statement that lies at the heart of His ongoing debate with the Jewish leaders. He starkly contrasts His own divine origin and mission with the spiritual lineage and actions of His adversaries, emphasizing the source of their respective words and deeds.

Context

This verse is situated within a heated discussion in John chapter 8, where Jesus asserts His identity, His relationship with God the Father, and the liberating power of His truth. The Jewish leaders, despite some initial belief, are increasingly hostile, questioning His authority and claiming Abraham as their father. Jesus's statement here serves as a pivotal point, directly challenging their spiritual heritage and implying a different, ungodly source for their opposition to Him. He had previously declared Himself the Light of the World and spoken of the truth setting people free, setting the stage for this confrontation about spiritual parentage and its influence on behavior.

Key Themes

  • Divine vs. Earthly Origin: Jesus explicitly states His words come from what He has "seen with my Father," underscoring His unique, intimate, and divine relationship with God. This contrasts sharply with His opponents' actions, which stem from what they have "seen with your father," hinting at a different, unholy spiritual parentage.
  • Spiritual Lineage and Conduct: The verse highlights the direct correlation between one's spiritual father and one's character, words, and deeds. Jesus's actions perfectly reflect the will and nature of God, while His opponents' actions reveal a spirit of falsehood and opposition to divine truth. This theme is further elaborated in John 8:44, where Jesus identifies their father as the devil.
  • Truth vs. Deception: Jesus speaks truth because He comes from the Father of truth. His opponents, by rejecting Him and seeking to harm Him, demonstrate they are operating under the influence of deception, aligning with a father who is a liar and a murderer from the beginning.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "seen with" (Greek: heōraka para) implies more than just visual perception; it suggests an intimate, shared experience and deep understanding. Jesus's knowledge of the Father is not theoretical but based on direct, personal communion. For the Jewish leaders, "seen with your father" similarly implies an experiential learning and adoption of their spiritual father's ways, leading them to reject Jesus's divine authority.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder that our actions and words reveal our true spiritual alignment. It prompts us to consider:

  • Source of Influence: From whom do we draw our understanding of truth and our motivation for action? Are our lives characterized by the principles and character of God, or are we influenced by worldly or ungodly perspectives?
  • Spiritual Discernment: It encourages us to carefully discern the spiritual forces at work in the world and in our own lives, recognizing that not all influences lead to truth and life.
  • Living Authentically: True followers of Christ are called to speak and act in ways that reflect their spiritual parentage in God the Father, through Jesus Christ. This means aligning our will with His, seeking His truth, and walking in His ways, as Jesus Himself did.

Reflection

John 8:38 underscores the profound spiritual chasm between Jesus and those who reject Him. It highlights that one's spiritual origin dictates one's behavior and allegiance. For believers, it is a call to live consistently with the divine nature we have received, speaking and doing what we have "seen with our Father" through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • John 5:19

    Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

  • John 8:44

    Ye 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 it.

  • John 5:30

    I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

  • John 12:49

    For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

  • John 12:50

    And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

  • John 8:41

    Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God.

  • John 3:32

    And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
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