John 8:51

(Hom. xviii. in Evang.) As the perversity of the wicked increases, preaching so far from giving way, ought even to become more active. Thus our Lord, after He had been accused of having a devil, imparts the treasures of preaching in a still larger degree: Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death.

But when the perversity of the wicked increases, preaching must not only not be broken off, but even increased. The Lord admonishes us of this by his own example, who after being said to have a demon bestowed the benefits of his preaching more generously, saying: "Amen, amen, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he shall not see death forever." But just as it is necessary for the good to become even better through insults, so the reprobate always become worse from benefit. For having received the preaching, they say again: "Now we know that you have a demon." For since they had clung to eternal death, and did not see the same death to which they clung, while they looked only at death of the flesh, they were blind to the word of Truth.

Above, our Lord had promised two things to his followers: liberation from darkness and the attainment of life, saying, "He who follows me does not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (8:12). The first of these has been treated above; so …

"If anyone keeps My word," that is, joins to faith a pure life as well (for only he truly keeps the Lord's teaching who also has a pure life), such a person shall not see the death by which sinners die, being delivered in the …

If a man keep my word - So will my Father consult my glory. We keep his doctrine by believing, his promises by hoping, his command by obeying. He shall never see death - That is, death eternal.

Verily, verily, I say unto you,....

If a man keep my saying - If he believes on me and obeys my commandments. He shall never see death - To see death, or to taste of death, is the same as to die, Luk 2:26; Mat 16:28; Mar 9:1. The sense of this passage is, “He shall obtain eternal life, or he shall be raised up to that life where there shall be no death.” See Joh 6:49-50; Joh 3:36; Joh 5:24; Joh 11:25-26.

Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?--What intense and virulent scorn! The "say we not well" refers to Joh 7:20. "A Samaritan" means more than "no Israelite at all"; it means one who pretended, but had no manner of claim to the title--retorting perhaps, this denial of their true descent from Abraham.

The word "keep" is in harmony with Joh 8:31, "If ye continue in My word," expressing the permanency, as a living and paramount principle, of that faith to which He referred: "never see death," though virtually uttered before (Joh 5:24; 6:40, 47, 51), is the strongest and most naked statement of a very glorious truth yet given.

There is one who demands it, and he also judges. I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death." Then the Jewish people who had been listening to him responded, "Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, ‘If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never taste of death.’ You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?" Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless.

There is one who demands it, and he also judges. I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death." Then the Jewish people who had been listening to him responded, "Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, ‘If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never taste of death.’ You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?" Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people say, ‘He is our God.’ Yet you do not know him, but I know him. If I say that I do not know him, I will be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching. Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad." Then the Jewish people who had been listening to him replied, "You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!" Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area. We should observe, first, in this passage, what blasphemous and slanderous language was addressed to our Lord by His enemies. We read that the Jews "Aren't we correct in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?" Silenced in argument, these wicked men resorted to personal abuse . To lose temper, and call names, is a common sign of a defeated cause. Nicknames, insulting epithets, and violent language, are favorite weapons with the devil. When other means of carrying on his warfare fail, he stirs up his servants to smite with the tongue. Grievous indeed are the sufferings which the saints of God have had to endure from the tongue in every age. Their characters have been slandered.

IN the previous part of this chapter we hear the Jews, with malicious voices, assailing our blessed Lord with this bitter question, "Say we not well that You are a Samaritan, and have a devil?" How very quietly the Savior answered them! He did answer them because He judged it necessary to do so, but He did so with great patience and with sound argument—"I have not a devil; but I honor My Father." Clear proof, this!

IN the previous part of this chapter we hear the Jews, with malicious voices, assailing our blessed Lord with this bitter question, "Say we not well that You are a Samaritan, and have a devil?" How very quietly the Savior answered them! He did answer them because He judged it necessary to do so, but He did so with great patience and with sound argument—"I have not a devil; but I honor My Father." Clear proof, this! No man can be said to have a devil who honors God, for the evil spirit from the beginning has been the enemy of all that glorifies the Father! Paul, who had not read this passage—for the Gospel of John was not written then—was nevertheless so filled with his Master's spirit that he answered after a like manner when Festus said, "Paul, you are beside yourself; much learning does make you mad." He calmly replied, "I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness." This was a fine copy of our Savior's gentle and forcible reply—"I have not a devil; but I honor My Father." Brethren, whenever you are falsely accused and an evil name is hurled at you, if you must reply, "give a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." Be not heated and hurried, for if so, you will lose strength and will be apt to err. Let your Lord be your model. The false charge was the occasion of our Lord's uttering a great Truth of God. On they rush, furious in their rage, but He flashes in their faces the light of Truth. To put down error, lift up Truth! Thus their deadly saying was met by a living saying—"Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keeps My saying, he shall never see death." Nothing so baffles the adversaries of the faith as to utter with unshaken confidence the Truth of God. The Truth which Jesus stated was full of promise and if they willfully rejected His promise, it became worse to them than a threat.

Shall never see death - As Moses promised a long life, with abundance of temporal blessings, to those who should keep his statutes and ordinances, so he who keeps my doctrine shall not only have a long life, but shall never see death - he shall never come under the power of the death of the soul, but shall live eternally with me in glory.