John Gill Commentary John 8:53

"Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died: whom makest thou thyself?" — John 8:53 (ASV)

Are you greater than our father Abraham ?
&c.] So the woman of Samaria said, concerning Jacob, (John 4:12) . The Jews had a mighty opinion of their ancestors, especially of Abraham; and yet they allow the Messiah to be greater than he, as Jesus truly was: so one of their ancient commentators ^F23 on those words of (Isaiah 52:13) thus paraphrases them,

"Behold my servant shall deal prudently", this is the King Messiah; "he shall be exalted" above Abraham, as it is written, (Genesis 14:22) , "and extolled" above Moses, as it is written, (Numbers 11:12) , and he shall be higher than the ministering angels, as it is written, (Ezekiel 1:26) (Zechariah 4:7) , for he shall be (twba Nm lwdg) , "greater than the fathers." They add here, of Abraham,

which is dead ;
he was a great and good man, and yet dead:

and the prophets are dead ;
though they truly kept, and faithfully delivered the word of God:

whom do you make yourself ?
who are a poor carpenter's son, a Galilean, a Nazarene, and yet make yourself greater than Abraham, or any of the prophets; yea, make yourself to be God, to promise security from death, and an everlasting continuance of life upon keeping your word.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F23: Tachuma apud Huls. p. 321.