John Calvin Commentary John 8:33

"They answered unto him, We are Abraham`s seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" — John 8:33 (ASV)

We are Abraham's seed. It is uncertain if the Evangelist here introduces the same persons who formerly spoke, or others. My opinion is that they replied to Christ in a confused manner, as usually happens in an indiscriminate crowd, and that this reply was made by scoffers rather than by those who believed. It is a very customary mode of expression in Scripture, whenever the body of a people is mentioned, to ascribe generally to all what belongs only to a part.

Those who object that they are Abraham's seed and have always been free easily inferred from Christ’s words that freedom was promised to them as to people who were slaves. But they cannot endure having it said that they, who are a holy and elect people, are reduced to slavery. For of what use was the adoption and the covenant (Romans 9:4), by which they were separated from other nations, if not because they were considered the children of God?

They think, therefore, that they are insulted when freedom is presented to them as a blessing they do not yet possess. But it might be thought strange that they should maintain that they never were enslaved, since they had been so frequently oppressed by various tyrants, were at that time subjected to the Roman yoke, and groaned under the heaviest burden of slavery. From this, it may be easily seen how foolish their boasting was.

Yet they had this plausible excuse: that the unjust rule of their enemies did not prevent them from continuing to be free by right. But they erred, first, in this respect: they did not consider that the right of adoption was founded on the Mediator alone. For how is it that Abraham's seed is free, except because, by the extraordinary grace of the Redeemer, it is exempted from the general bondage of the human race?

But there was another error, less tolerable than the former: though they were altogether degenerate, they still wished to be counted among the children of Abraham and did not consider that it is nothing less than the regeneration of the Spirit that makes them lawful children of Abraham. Indeed, it has been an all-too-common failing in almost all ages to attribute the extraordinary gifts of God to fleshly origin, and to ascribe to nature those remedies which Christ bestows for correcting nature.

Meanwhile, we see how all who, swelled with false confidence, flatter themselves about their condition drive away from themselves the grace of Christ. And yet this pride is spread over the whole world, so that there is scarcely one person in a hundred who feels that he needs the grace of God.