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John 8:56

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Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.

Your {G5216} father {G3962} Abraham {G11} rejoiced {G21} to {G2443} see {G1492} my {G1699} day {G2250}: and {G2532} he saw {G1492} it, and {G2532} was glad {G5463}.

Avraham, your father, was glad that he would see my day; then he saw it and was overjoyed.”

Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.

Commentary

In John 8:56, Jesus makes a profound and controversial statement to a group of Jews who are challenging His claims and lineage. This verse is a pivotal moment in a heated debate, where Jesus asserts His unique relationship with God and His significance in salvation history, even predating Abraham.

Context

This verse is part of an extended discourse in John chapter 8, where Jesus confronts the unbelief and spiritual blindness of the Jewish leaders. They prided themselves on being children of Abraham and obedient to the Law (John 8:33). Jesus, however, challenges their spiritual lineage, asserting that true children of Abraham would recognize and believe in Him (John 8:39). His statement about Abraham seeing "my day" is a direct prelude to His even more startling claim of pre-existence in John 8:58, "Before Abraham was, I am." This exchange highlights the clash between human understanding and divine revelation, and the true nature of God's covenant with Abraham.

Key Themes

  • Jesus' Divine Identity and Pre-existence: The most striking implication is that Jesus existed before Abraham. His "day" refers to His entire redemptive work—His incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection. For Abraham to have seen it, Jesus must transcend ordinary human history.
  • Abraham's Prophetic Faith: This verse reveals Abraham as not merely a patriarch of the Jewish nation, but a man of profound faith who looked forward to the coming Messiah. His joy was rooted in a spiritual vision of God's ultimate plan of salvation, which would be fulfilled in Christ. This aligns with the understanding that the gospel was preached to Abraham.
  • Continuity of God's Plan: It underscores that God's plan of salvation through Christ was not an afterthought but was anticipated and rejoiced in by the very patriarchs of the Old Testament. The Old and New Covenants are intrinsically linked through God's consistent purpose.
  • Spiritual vs. Physical Lineage: Jesus redefines what it means to be a "child of Abraham," shifting the focus from physical descent to spiritual faith and recognition of Him.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "my day" (Greek: tēn emēn hēmeran) refers to the time and reality of Jesus' appearance on earth, encompassing His earthly life, saving work, and the inauguration of His kingdom. It signifies the era of salvation that He brought. Abraham "saw" this day not in a literal, physical sense, but through divine revelation and prophetic insight. This "seeing" is akin to the faith described in Hebrews 11:13, where patriarchs died in faith, having seen the promises afar off and embraced them.

Practical Application

This verse encourages believers today to rejoice in the fulfillment of God's promises, just as Abraham did. It reminds us that our faith is rooted in a timeless plan of salvation, conceived by God before the foundation of the world. Just as Abraham looked forward with joy, we can look back with gratitude at Christ's completed work and look forward with hope to His return. It also challenges us to consider our own spiritual lineage: are we truly children of Abraham by faith in Christ, or are we relying on external markers of identity? Our joy, like Abraham's, should be found in Christ, the ultimate deliverer and fulfillment of all promises.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Hebrews 11:13 (17 votes)

    These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

  • Genesis 22:18 (10 votes)

    And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

  • John 8:39 (9 votes)

    They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

  • Galatians 3:7 (9 votes)

    Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

  • Galatians 3:9 (9 votes)

    So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

  • Matthew 13:17 (9 votes)

    For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous [men] have desired to see [those things] which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear [those things] which ye hear, and have not heard [them].

  • Luke 10:24 (8 votes)

    For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard [them].