John Ch.8

Ch.8

The Woman caught in adultery

This particular part of chapter 10 is somewhat of an enigma in the Gospel of John, with most of the earliest Greek manuscripts omitting it entirely: I am including it in this study however, because the picture it paints is a powerful one; that supports entirely the overarching message of the Gospels.

Ch.8

1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 

3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 

5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 

6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

Here again, they are trying to use Jesus’s own words to trap him - and this time they really must think they have him trapped: He either upholds Moses and the Law, whist going against Roman Law, and watches (apparently hardened and merciless) while they stone her;

or he goes against Moses and the Law and advocates for her freedom. 

 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.

What was Jesus writing? We don’t know; and because there is doubt as to the authenticity of this story, with many scholars believing that it came from oral tradition, we can only speculate as to what we think he may have been writing: Maybe the Commandments and statues of the Law - the Law that these accusers - every one of them  - had broken; the same Law the Pharisees were trying to trap him with? 

The text itself paints a powerful picture of what he may have been writing: 

“he stooped down and wrote with his finger in the dust.”

This brings to mind the two tablets of the Testimony in Exodus 31:18, written by the finger of God Himself. Except that this time, Jesus is writing - not on stone (which cannot be altered or erased) - but in the dust of the earth, as if saying: “I wrote them…I am the only one able to keep them…and the only one able to wipe their penalty away.” 

This he will do, not only for this woman, but all of us. For none of us is without sin (Romans 3:21-23). He will take the commandments - written in stone - and miraculously, by his own death, wipe them away. 

The dust symbolizes not only the substance from which humanity was formed, but also our temporal state in this life: Our sinful, fallen state is only temporary: The Lord is about to wipe the slate clean, like the dust of the earth - and make all things new. (Revelation 21:4-5)

9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

Whatever it was that Jesus wrote, it was enough to suitably and soundly convict every single one of those who stood as her accusers: Because again, non of us is without sin; our consciences tell us so: we have, all of us  in our hearts, broken the Law of God.

But what was this system of punishment by death - and why did the Pharisees think they could use it to trap Jesus?

Here is a quick summary:

The judicial system under Moses, began with  Ten Commandments - but it did not stop there. (Read Exodus ch.20-31) It was a system of Laws, statutes and ordinances that were designed to give God’s chosen people Israel, the understanding of what was right/good in the eyes of the Lord, versus what was wrong/evil. Israel would be the only nation on the face of the Earth to be taught this: As a result, they would be the only nation in Old Testament times to live under the shepherd’s rod of God’s discipline. {In effect, they would be the first example of a “civilized” nation.}

The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). And extreme violations of God’s Law, such as cold-blooded murder, striking your father or mother and adultery, were indeed punishable by death: 

For the most part however, Israel’s sins under the Old Covenant were punished through, not a person’s own death, but the death - the blood - of a substitutionary animal, who would be sacrificed in their place. This was the purpose of the Tabernacle Sacrificial System.

The punishments under this system although hard for us to read today, were a temporary measure of justice, put in place by the Lord until through his Sacrifice, Jesus Christ would take every punishment for every sin and be dealt the full accumulation of God’s Judgment in his own body on the cross. 

But until that time comes, the system of sacrifice under Moses is staying God’s hand of Judgment, and in doing so, is paving the way for this ultimate Sacrifice that will end all others: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” - Ch.1:29.

Think on this for a moment: What would have happened if there was no nation of Israel…if there was no temporary sacrificial system…if there was no knowledge of right or wrong? We are left with continued and unbridled sin; where everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25) not only in places like Sodom and Gomorrah - but everywhere - world-wide; leaving the Lord with no option but another global judgment - and this time permanently. (See Genesis 6:3)

Under the Old Covenant, the little nation of Israel and its sacrificial system was acting almost like a buffer to prevent a total global destruction: Through the blood of animals, the wrath of God was appeased, until Jesus Christ Himself offered the final and complete sacrifice. When we see things from this point of view, we should also be able to see the vane of God’s incredible mercy for mankind, running all the way through the Old Testament. {This is the significance of Israel - and why Satan hates this nation.}

10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.” 

11 And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” 

(See Romans 2:4)

Jesus is the only one with the right and the authority to judge - to condemn - and yet he doesn’t: Jesus will take her condemnation upon himself; provided that she follows his charge to turn from her old ways, and repent. 

In doing this, yes Jesus does “over-ride” the Law: But he is also the only One with the authority to do this! 

How? 

Firstly, it was He - his finger - that wrote the Law; (He is God)

Secondly, it will be him - and him alone - who will perfectly and completely fulfill the Law; satisfying its requirements and (just as he showed with his writing in the dust) erasing our violation of it, permanently. This is good news indeed! This is the message of the Gospel!

(See Romans 8:31-34)

Jeremiah 17

1“

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars,

13 

O Lord, the hope of Israel,

    all who forsake you shall be put to shame;

those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth,

    for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.

(Read Jeremiah 17:1-13; Although it seems unlikely that this story was penned by John and a part of his Gospel, it is at the same time understandable why a scribe may have thought it pertinent to insert this “story” here.)

For more information about this section visit:

https://www.gotquestions.org/John-7-53-8-11.html

I AM the Light of the World…

During the feast of Tabernacles, every candelabra in the entire temple area would have been lit, so that, with its white and gold architecture, the Temple Mount would have been a blaze of light. How fitting that following the feast, after all the lights have all been extinguished, Jesus (the Light who can never be extinguished) would say this:

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

{Refer back Ch.1:4-5 

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.}

The Pharisees have always considered themselves as being the “enlightened” ones; the guides for the people: But Jesus seems to be implying that, up until now, the people have actually been walking in darkness. Why? Because this is exactly where these teachers of the Law and Pharisees - they who were supposed to be shepherding the people - are leading them.

“They are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Read Matthew 15:7-14

These are strong words of Jesus, from the Gospel of Matthew - and he will continue to use words like this; confronting the Pharisees with their hypocrisy - over and over again, throughout the four Gospels.

13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” (See Deuteronomy 19:15)

This is possibly in response to something Jesus said to them earlier in Ch.5:31-32

“If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 

There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.” 

If they had failed to understand Jesus then, he will shortly (in vs.17-18) make it much clearer for them.

14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

Shockingly, these teachers of the Law do not know who he is: And this is exactly because they are walking in darkness…and they do not even realize it: Compare this to what he says to his disciples in ch.14:4:

“And you know the way to where I am going.”

And yet Jesus is saying to the Pharisees: “you do not know where I come from or where I am going.”

How could he (an obscure carpenter’s son from Galilee) have the audacity to say that he knows…and  they (the teachers of God’s Law) don’t know. (You can almost hear them thinking…muttering this among themselves…)

Because the truth is: They truly do not know; They do not know the Lord - because they are not looking for him (Again: Jeremiah 29:10-14) …they are it seems, only looking out for themselves. 

Did these men have knowledge? Without a doubt yes: But it was not the knowledge of the fear of the Lord, which therefore makes it useless. Their teaching was of the Oral Law - the traditions of the elders…constantly changing…constantly evolving. Yet we know the Word of God does not change! 

{“You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” See Matthew 15:7-9}

 

vs.15 You judge according to the flesh; 

I judge no one. 

Why does Jesus say this?

Because:

{“…God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God - Refer back to ch. 3:17-18}

vs.16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 

What is this judgment?

Again, look back to Jesus’s words of ch.3:19 “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”

This is where the teachers of the law and Pharisees now find themselves: In darkness - and content to remain there: This is why they hate Jesus…and why they will ultimately give him over to death.

vs. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 

18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 

19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 

Even though Jesus has not come specifically to judge, in saying this, he is indirectly - but purposely - passing judgment upon them: They have chosen willingly and willfully to not “know” him. And in rejecting Jesus the Son, they have also rejected the One who sent him - and placed themselves directly under his judgment. Jesus is also giving them a warning (if only they would humble themselves and hear it.) Because the Lord will never bring down judgment without first issuing a warning.

See Matthew 7:21-23: Just like Jesus, we must seek to do the Father’s will, not our own. According to the words of Jesus, this is how he will “know” us. But if we do not choose to follow him…to obey him…to know him - he will not know us.

20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

In these last few chapters we see how clearly and deliberately Jesus has unveiled his glory; to the Jewish leaders and to the multitudes in general: Yet they (the leaders) choose to remain incredulous: 

It could be that, at least some of them genuinely do not recognize him: After all, how can you know and recognize someone you are not looking for: And how can you look for him when you are so caught up studying and teaching the laws and traditions of men? (The Oral Law)

Or - worse still: They do recognize him - and are threatened by what they see: Therefore they are without excuse: 

“But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

Ch.15:21-22 (also Ch.9:39-41)

Because of this they will crucify Jesus Christ, the Son of God ~ exactly as the Scriptures foretold. Jesus will be given over to death ~ not because of ignorance: But, just like Judas Iscariot, at least some of these people will hand him over, with a full knowledge of who he is. (Psalm 41:9)

21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 

Compare this again to what he says to his disciples in ch.13:36.

“you will die in your sin.” He knows they have already rejected him, which is why he says the following: “Where I am going, you cannot come.” The way things stand at present, Jesus’s words sound like a death sentence: As if, the gates to Heaven have already closed on these people forever. 

22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 

23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 

Refer this statement back to John’s open testimony of Jesus: 

John 3:31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.” 

{In other words: “The One who comes after me, is God…Worship HIM!}

Both Christ and John the Baptist, define the great chasm between God incarnate - the man Jesus Christ - and his fallen creation. But if they did not believe or receive John; they will subsequently,  neither believe nor receive the One he prepared the Way for: Jesus Christ.

24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” 

Now we realize that this is not final - not irrevocable - there is still hope: “for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” Jesus has explained clearly the impending judgement; now he is showing them - and will continue to show them - the Way to be saved from it. “Believe that I AM”

25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 

(They still will not entertain the notion that this is Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14) - God who has come down in the flesh…possibly because this “flesh” is not what they expected - a lowly carpenter from Galilee - and not what they wanted.)

26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 

In other words, Jesus could as Lord and Christ, judge them here and now, but he has come, not to do and speak as he wills - but according to the will of the Father who sent him. 

{It is not yet time for judgment; but Christ has come to give himself as a ransom for the many: If this were not so…if it doesn’t happen this way, there will be no one left standing for Christ to ransom: We are, outside the Cross, all under judgment.}

27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 

28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 

We can reference this back to Jesus’s words to Nicodemus in chapter 3. Only following Christ’s death on the cross, will the realization of what they have done and to whom, suddenly dawn on these people:

See Acts 2:36-39

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

So we see, there is hope for these people - as there is for all of us; even for we “who are far off…”

29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

Because to be in communion with the Father,  is to walk  in obedience to the Father. Jesus showed us the Way - and by the grace and fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we now must also walk it.

See John 16:32

30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

Definition of  abide: to stay, to continue, to dwell, to endure;

Where? In his word: 

It is not enough to believe (as these Jews did). In James Ch.2:19 we read that even the demons believe - and tremble. 

We must ABIDE: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” See Ch.15:9

Jesus is simply saying: “You have come to me: Now STAY.” 

{The poignant illustration of ch.6 -eating his flesh and drinking his blood - alongside Jesus’s words in Matthew ch. 6:11 & 24:12-13, also demonstrate to us, what it means to abide…to endure…to stay…in him.}

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 

Where will this abiding in Christ and his Word lead us? Straight to his Cross (remember vs.28?) and never leaving its shadow: This is where we find Christ…where we KNOW Him: Only in this Way, will we recognize what our bondage truly is: the bondage of sin:  If we do not recognize it, how can we turn from it (repentance) and be set free (forgiveness): This is the Truth that sets the captive free.

33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

Again, they think because of their lineage…their ancestry - that they are automatically guaranteed a place in Heaven: We know, through understanding the Gospel as in, for example, Ephesians ch.2 - and through reading Scriptures like Matthew 3:7-10, that this simply isn’t true: and yet, this is what the so-called teachers of the Law have been teaching the people.

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 

35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

So the One who abides in the House forever…who is forever…has come to set us free from the slavery of sin, so that we too, can “abide” in the House (his house) forever.

Remember Jesus’s words from vs.31: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

But this blessing of the Lord doesn’t stop here: Think back to Ch.1:

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

When we abide in the Son, we are adopted by the Father. (See also Ch.14:2-6)

For the time being, however, these “offspring of Abraham” remain in bondage to sin: We know this, because of their reaction to Jesus’s words in these next few verses of this chapter:

37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 

His word has no place in them, because they have sought to fill their “place” with something else: a desire to serve themselves…which, as we will find out…is really serving Satan.

38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

This may sound harsh, but the truth is, until we receive the Sacrifice of Christ Jesus, we are all under the “fatherhood” of Satan; and, no matter how hard we try, all of us will, without fail, do what he wants us to do, at certain points in our lives.

For these Jews - who look to Abraham as their father; and see his “righteousness” as their own - this is especially hard to understand. This is why, many of them that are seeking to kill him, do not even recognize that this intent, within their own hearts, is evil: They have somehow created a “middle ground”;

But the reality is, that there is no middle ground: We are either with God, through Jesus Christ; or with Satan; And until the Law of God is truly written in our hearts (ie. until we are born again) we will always desire to govern ourselves by our own laws, from our own hearts - which are inherently evil. This is what it means to have Satan as “father”. 

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”Judges 21:25

39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 

{What “works” did Abraham do?

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. See: Genesis 15:6; Romans ch.4.

 Abraham believed- not intellectually, as many of these do - but sincerely…from his heart (Jeremiah 29:13-14). This began a relationship; whereby he was able to walk with…talk with…abide with God; until this belief, became total trust: Read Genesis 22:1-18}

40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 

41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

{“If God were your father, you would KNOW him…and if you knew him, you would KNOW…recognize…me! - paraphrased }

43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 

This…all of this…is bringing the thoughts and intentions of the heart to the surface. 

10 I seek you with all my heart;
    do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
    that I might not sin against you.

Read: Psalm 119:9-12

We could read the whole of this Psalm, and see the same thing: a desire…a hunger; for the Word…the Law; not written by men - but by God!

To make room for His Word, is to make room for HIM - to KNOW Him; and in Psalm 119:11, we see something very beautiful: The more we make room for the Lord and his Word in our hearts, the less room sin will have, to work in us. 

These teachers of the Law and Pharisees have made the fatal mistake of abandoning the sacred Word of God, in favor of their own words; this has lead to sin in the heart, which is now bearing its fruit: murder.

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do 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 lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 

45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 

46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 

See Genesis ch.4: This was the dividing line between Cain and Abel: 

Abel SOUGHT the Lord; and his offering (the blood of his firstborn lamb) showed this clearly. Cain did not seek the Lord, which his offering also shows. Jesus makes this very clear: If we are not following him with our whole hearts (eating his flesh…drinking his blood) it is only a matter of time before we become prey for Satan: This is what happened to Cain - and the result was murder. 

Why do they want to murder Jesus? Because they are not, with their whole hearts, seeking, or following, the Lord; they have not made room for His Law…His Word…in their hearts.

(See James 1:13-18 & 1John 3:1-10)

47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Once again, Jesus tells them plainly: If they are not for him, they are for the devil. They are blind to the Light and deaf to his Word; just as the Lord knew they would be. And yet: see again, Acts Ch.2:36-47; Ch.6:7 (also Isaiah 57:17-18). The Lord will have mercy on them: Remember those well-quoted words of ch.3 vs.16…Is this not exactly why he came?

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 

Their reaction to Jesus’s words here, is evidence that they are “not of God”.

Again, they are CLAIMING they know: They who apparently believe in the resurrection of the dead, cannot recognize the One who is the Resurrection…and the Life! (See Ch.11:25)

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 

50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.

As always, Jesus’s words are true to his character: see 1Peter 2:23

51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 

Things should at this point, be falling into place for the Pharisees: They have read the testimony of the Prophets; such as, Job (ch 19:25-27); of David (Psalm 16:8-11); of Isaiah (Isa. 26:19) and of Hosea (Hos. 13:14). They claim to BELIEVE in the resurrection…but do they?

52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 

53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”

The obvious response for Jesus to make, would be an  immediate “Yes”: He is greater than Abraham; but instead, he says the following:

54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’

Again and again, Jesus demonstrates that he is not seeking his own glory, but the glory of the One who sent him. As the perfect man…the spotless Lamb, there was no pride…nothing of “self” in him. He (as the last Adam) sets the precedent for all of us who would follow; and draws a defining line, between the one who seeks his own glory: Satan; and the One who seeks the glory of God: the Man, Jesus Christ. 

{What would have happened, had he said “yes”, to their previous question? It seems highly likely that, at least some of them would have seized him and tried to proclaim him king; whilst others (most of the Sanhedrin) would have still plotted his death: Because, whether sincere or not, Jesus Christ is a threat to their established authority.}

55 But you have not known him. 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. 

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

{Abraham saw the Sacrifice - the Lord who would save, from afar - and rejoiced.

These people are seeing him face to face; and do not accept, but instead are trying to kill him.}

Jesus is hiding nothing from them now; so why are they behaving this way? The answer is revealed at least partially, further along, in ch.11:48. 

The Bible makes it clear: the fear of man is a snare (Proverbs 29:25)…And truly, it is: Not only is it keeping them from receiving their “Yeshua”…the LORD, their Salvation, but it will ultimately drive them to “crucify the Lord of glory.” 

However, when we read Psalm 22, Isaiah ch. 52:13-15 & 53, Daniel 9:26, and Zechariah 13:7, we realize that this, was the very center of God’s plan, all along: A perfect Sacrifice had to be offered - once and for all; One who would take on his body, the sins of the whole world…but whom, in his perfection, the grave would not be able to hold on to (Acts 2:23-24): This is a task that only Lord can perform: and he will allow sinful humanity to do their very worst to him; so that he can pour forth mercy and forgiveness on the same - sinful humanity - afterwards.

Only when sin is recognized for what it is, can it become truly sinful, in the eyes of the sinner; This is why Jesus speaks such bold, uncompromising truths here: “You are not of God!” 

No medicine is pleasant to taste, but once ingested, it brings wellness; and can be the difference between life and death. These truths the Lord speaks, are excruciatingly painful for the hearers; but later on, for at least some of them, the result will be repentance and Salvation. There is no sin that is so great, as to  overpower the forgiveness of the Cross.

57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”

58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 

See Exodus 3:14: An irrefutable claim to deity: 

Jesus is not saying “Before Abraham was, I was”, which, in itself, would be a claim to deity: Jesus takes it even further than that: “Before Abraham was, I Am”: implying “ALWAYS”: the beginning - and the end; the one who is the same yesterday…today…forever; the One who was, who is - and who is to come; who encompasses time and holds every second in his hand:  This is a statement that only the Lord God Almighty (the author and overseer of time itself) could possibly make: 

{Note: Some translations include the word “born” after “before Abraham was” - but others - like the ESV - simply say: “Before Abraham was - I Am”: I have a personal preference to this translation: The wording here shows that time and space are irrelevant to our Lord; before anything was…before anyone came into being; Jesus Christ - the Lord God Almighty - simply is! See Ch.1:1-3, 14-15.}

Now these people have no excuse; But they are committing the most grievous of sins, by willfully rejecting the Messiah. They will accuse him of the highest blasphemy, and, for the first time, attempt to stone him because of this. They are so blind…and yet, they think they can see! (See ch.9:39-41)

59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.