Before Abraham Came To Be…!

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Gen 17:3-9; Jn 8: 51-59

Today’s Gospel highlights the misunderstanding between Jesus and the Jews over Abraham. 

The descendants of Abraham are offended by Jesus’ statement that those who keep his word will never see death. 

They conclude that, because Abraham and the prophets died, there is no way that Jesus’ word can help them escape death. They torture Jesus from such misconception. 

How can we understand the spiritual connection between Abraham and Jesus?

St. Paul holds that there is a reference to Jesus in God’s promise to Abraham. 

Jesus’ claim of relationship to Abraham reminds us of God’s promise to him in Genesis 22:18, which reads, ‘Through your offspring, all nations on earth will be blessed.’ St. Paul explains that the word ‘offspring’ in God’s promise to Abraham refers only to Christ: ‘Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It doesn’t say, ‘And to his offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ (Gal 3:16). 

Though there is a biblical reference to Jesus in God’s promise to Abraham as explained by Paul, those Jews who claim to know the Scriptures and are descendants of Abraham refuse to believe the scriptural truth. 

Secondly, the Jews torture Jesus largely from misunderstanding. They fail to see the wisdom of Jesus’ words. Though Jesus talks of his lineage to Abraham, the claim is to be understood as belonging to two different realms. Hence, we may understand that in his humanity, Jesus is Abraham’s offspring. But in his divinity, he preexisted Abraham, as we can make out from his words: ‘Before Abraham came to be, I AM.’

The misunderstanding of Jews arises from their inability to perceive Jesus’ divine nature and identity as the Son of God and believe in it. 

They fight with Jesus and reject him from such ignorance, and Jesus cannot help it. 

Let us pray for the gift of the right understanding that will ensure our spiritual growth.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar