How could Abraham have seen Jesus' day?
The Gospel of John: John 8.48-59
Read and meditate on John 8.56.
How could Abraham, long dead, have seen Jesus’ day? He was a prophet, and Jesus was His prophecy!
56“And I
know Abraham, agrees with Me, for he,
your ‘father’ Abraham, rejoiced to see
My day. He saw it, and was glad.”
– John 8.56
Reflect
1. They claimed Abraham as their father, but Jesus said they had another father, not the patriarch. Now He granted their claim, but only to make a point. What’s the point? Complete the following prayer: Lord, many people today claim to be children of the Enlightenment, children of reason, logic, understanding, and truth. But if they really were, they would see that…
2. Abraham “rejoiced” to see the day of Jesus’ coming? What did Jesus mean by this? Can you think of any episodes from Abraham’s life that Jesus might have had in mind? All Scripture looks to You, Lord Jesus, so whenever I’m reading Your Word, I…
3. Meditate on Romans 4.13-25. How did Paul connect Jesus with Abraham? Lord, we who believe in You are the true children of Abraham, because…
4. Peter, too, in 2 Peter 1.4, connected Jesus with Abraham, through the promises. Meditate on this passage, as well as 2 Corinthians 1.20. Then go back to read Genesis 12.1-3. How are these promises fulfilled in Jesus? Bring me more completely into Your precious and very great promises, Lord, that I may rejoice in You as Abraham did, and…
5. This connection between Jesus and Abraham is extremely important, because it puts Jesus squarely into the midst of God’s covenant, as the One for Whom the covenant is intended, and Who fulfills it. The Jews of Jesus’ day claimed a place in God’s covenant by physical descent and tradition. How do we claim our place in that covenant? And what does that place promise for us? Bring together your prayers from questions 1-4 into one prayer.
Summary
“Therefore, he says, after my Father’s testimony about me has been explained, now listen to what is in conformity with that [testimony] about me: I am certainly enough of Abraham’s superior that he also wished and hoped to see the time when I would reform the world through my passion. And in his desire he saw this, as much as he was allowed to, and clearly rejoiced when, by sacrificing his own son, he revealed his will and received from God the revelation so that he might know what would happen. As he accepted giving his son as a victim for God, so also God would give his Only Begotten for the salvation of the world.” Theodore of Mopsuestia (350-428 AD)
One more passage linking Abraham to Jesus: meditate on Hebrews 11.17-19. What did Abraham “see” about Jesus and His day, that caused him to rejoice even in the face of an impossible task? What impossible task has God put before you? Are you rejoicing? Are you, like Abraham, looking through the task or trial to the promise of life in Jesus?
Closing Prayer
Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!
He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
He remembers His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
The covenant which He made with Abraham…
Psalm 105.1-9a
Psalm 105.1-11 (Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Give thanks unto the Lord Most High; call on His Name, before Him cry!
Make known His deeds in every land; sing praise for all the works of His hand.
Glory in God, rejoice in heart, all you who seek His holy part.
Him and His strength and presence seek; His works proclaim, His judgment speak.
You holy children of Abraham, you chosen ones of Jacob, stand!
He is our Lord, of wondrous worth; His judgments are in all the earth.
He will His covenant faithfully guard – His oath, the promise of His Word.
That which He to our fathers swore, He will perform forevermore!
T. M. Moore
We are happy to offer each week’s Scriptorium studies in a free weekly PDF, suitable for personal or group use. You can download all the studies in our series on the Gospel of John by clicking here. Please prayerfully consider sharing with The Fellowship of Ailbe through your giving. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute button at the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.
Men, God is calling you to pray. Watch this brief video, then seek the Lord about joining our Men at Prayer movement.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.
