Trying to Stone Jesus - John 8:59

The apostle John wrote how Jesus told the Jewish people who were questioning Him, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am”, and in chapter eight and verse fifty-nine of his book John shared how the religious leaders, “took they up stones to cast at him” where we read:

Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

The verse reads, “Then took they up stones to cast at him:” John began with the words, “Then took they up stones” which means “at that time the Jewish people who were questioning Jesus picked up, raised and carried rocks or stones” “to cast at him” or “to throw, scatter and thrust at Jesus”. John shared how the Jewish people began to “pick up” rocks to throw at Jesus after He told them He was the “I am” and existed in advance of “Abraham”.

The verse goes on to say, “but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by .” John continued with the words, “but Jesus hid himself” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnated concealed and kept secret His own self”, “and went out of the temple” or “and left, departed and went forth from the sacred worship place located in Jerusalem”, “going through the midst of them” which means “pierced, traveled and walked through the middle of the group of Jewish people”, “and so passed by” or “and therefore, wherefore and consequently lead away, departed, disappeared and went away”. John shared Jesus “slipped away” through the middle of the crowd of Jewish people who were interrogating Him and disappeared.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how the anger of the crowd of Jewish people who were questioning Jesus grew immensely, and they decided to “stone” Him to death. Jesus, however, was not to be “stoned” or killed at this time, so He simply slipped through the middle of the whole group. God's desire is to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, however, He will never force them to “believe”. If they are disgusted with Jesus because He makes Himself equal to God, (He declared Himself to be, “I am”), and would “take up stones” to destroy Him, they should reconsider their ways and understand He desires to be their “Savior and Lord” and live with them for all eternity.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see John share how Jesus, “saw a man which was blind from his birth”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".