you, If a man keep My word, he shall never see
death. The Jews said unto Him, Now we know that Thou hast a devil.
Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and Thou sayest, If a man keep My
word, he shall never taste of death. Art Thou greater than our
father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom
makest Thou Thyself? Jesus answered, If I glorify Myself, My glory
is nothing: it is My Father that glorifieth Me; of whom ye say, that
He is your God; and ye have not known Him: but I know Him; and if I
should say, I know Him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I
know Him, and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My
day; and he saw it, and was glad. The Jews therefore said unto Him,
Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham? Jesus
said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was,
I am. They took up stones therefore to cast at Him: but Jesus hid
Himself, and went out of the temple."--JOHN viii. 21-59.

John has now briefly detailed the self-manifestations of Jesus which He
considered sufficient to induce the Jews to believe in Him; and he has
shown us how, both in Galilee and in Jerusalem, the people, with few
exceptions, remained unconvinced. He has also very clearly shown the
reason of His rejection in Galilee. The reason was that the blessings He
proposed to bestow were spiritual, while the blessings they craved were
physical. Their Messianic expectation was not satisfied in Him. So long
as He healed their sick, and by His mere will furnished famishing
thousands with food, they thought, This is the King for us. But when He
told them that these things were mere signs of higher blessings, and
when He urged them to seek these spiritual gifts, they left Him in a
body.

In Jerusalem opinion has followed a similar course. There also Jesus has
exemplified His power to impart life. He has carefully explained the
significance of that sign, and has explicitly claimed Divine
prerogatives. But although individuals believe, the mass of the people
are only perplexed, and the authorities are exasperated. The rulers,
however, find it impossible to proceed against Him, owing to the
influence He has with the people, and even with their own servants.
This state of matters, however, was not destined to continue; and in the
eighth chapter John traces the course of popular opinion from a somewhat
hopeful perplexity to a