Section 99b
Jesus' relationship to Abraham, and attempted stoning
Jerusalem, in the temple
| John 8:31-59 |
|---|
| 31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham, and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How then can you say, ‘You will be set free’?” 34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35The slave does not abide in the house forever0x3B the son abides forever. 36So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you are seeking to kill me because your hearts have no room for my word. 38I speak of what I have seen with my Father0x3B so you also are doing what you have seen with your father.” 39They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were children of Abraham, you would be doing the works of Abraham. 40But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do such a thing. 41You are doing the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of fornication. We have one Father—God.” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come of my own accord, but he sent me. 43Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot bear to accept my word. 44You belong to your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks lies, he speaks from his own character, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe me. 46Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why do you not believe me? 47Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is because you do not belong to God.” 48The Jews answered him, “Do we not rightly say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50I do not seek my own glory0x3B there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will certainly never see death.” 52The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will certainly never taste death.’ 53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I keep his word. 56Your father Abraham was glad that he would see my day. He saw it and rejoiced.” 57Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?” 58Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple grounds. And passing through the crowd, he walked away. |
Notes
Temple Mount
For many people, their first view of the Temple Mount is from the Mount of Olives to the east. The most easily recognized area of Jerusalem; the Temple Mount is located within the walls on the eastern side of the Old City. The site of the Temple of Solomon, and of the later Temple built by Herod the Great (which is the temple Jesus visited), is now an enormous stone platform upon which stands the golden covered Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa Mosque.
Here Jews come to pray at the Western Wall; here Muslims come to pray at the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa Mosque. Here Israeli soldiers and the Arab Temple Mount Police protect what may rightly be called the most revered spot on the face of the earth.
Solomon built the First Temple on the threshing floor that his father David had purchased from Arunah the Jebusite (2 Samuel 24:18 25). The site was hallowed as the place where God stayed the hand of Abraham as he was about to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1), and where God stopped the plague against the Israelites (2 Samuel 24:15 18). In addition to the Temple and its associated buildings, Solomon built other magnificent structures between the City of David and the Temple Mount.
Southern Steps of the Temple
The main public access to the Temple was from the southern steps. People entered and exited through a double and triple gate, together called the Huldah Gate. These gates had to handle enormous crowds during feast days; estimates as high as 500,000 people at a time. The triple arched gate was the entrance and the double arched gate served as the exit. Although the double and triple gates have been filled in, you can still see their outlines in the walls near the well-preserved steps of the monumental staircase.
The triple gate to the east led to a tunnel that brought worshippers up to the Temple and the columned porches. To leave the Temple they would exit the double gate on the west and go down a staircase 4 times larger than the entry staircase, since everyone was leaving at the same time. The steps below the wider staircase are well preserved and are one of the few places you can walk where you are sure Jesus walked. An interesting exception to the rule about entry and exit gates regarded mourners. According to the Talmud, they were to go in and out against the traffic in order that people would know of their loss. People would then extend their condolences by saying, “May He who dwells in this House give you comfort.”
In this area we will also see ritual baths from the time of Christ, important inscriptions from the Temple, the street that runs inside the Western Wall tunnels, and the ruins from the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.