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id； 〃If God were your Father； ye would love Me： for I proceeded forth and came from God。〃
Their works testified of their relationship to him who was a liar and a murderer。 〃Ye are of your father the devil；〃 said Jesus； 〃and the lusts of your father it is your will to do。 He was a murderer from the beginning； and stood not in the truth； because there is no truth in him。 。 。 。 Because I say the truth； ye believe Me not。〃 John 8：44； 45； R。 V。 The fact that Jesus spoke the truth； and that with certainty； was why He was not received by the Jewish leaders。 It was the truth that offended these self…righteous men。 The truth exposed the fallacy of error； it condemned their teaching and practice； and it was unwelcome。 They would rather close their eyes to the truth than humble themselves to confess that they had been in error。 They did not love the truth。 They did not desire it； even though it was truth。
〃Which of you convicteth ＇Revised Version＇ Me of sin？ And if I say the truth； why do ye not believe Me？〃 Day by day for three years His enemies had been following Christ； trying to find some stain in His character。 Satan and all the confederacy of evil had been seeking to overcome Him； but they had found nothing in Him by which to gain an advantage。 Even the devils were forced to confess； 〃Thou art the Holy One of God。〃 Mark 1：24。 Jesus lived the law in the sight of heaven； in the
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sight of unfallen worlds； and in the sight of sinful men。 Before angels； men； and demons； He had spoken； unchallenged； words that from any other lips would have been blasphemy： 〃I do always those things that please Him。〃
The fact that although they could find no sin in Christ the Jews would not receive Him proved that they themselves had no connection with God。 They did not recognize His voice in the message of His Son。 They thought themselves passing judgment on Christ； but in rejecting Him they were pronouncing sentence upon themselves。 〃He that is of God；〃 said Jesus； 〃heareth God's words： ye therefore hear them not； because ye are not of God。〃
The lesson is true for all time。 Many a man who delights to quibble； to criticize； seeking for something to question in the word of God； thinks that he is thereby giving evidence of independence of thought； and mental acuteness。 He supposes that he is sitting in judgment on the Bible； when in truth he is judging himself。 He makes it manifest that he is incapable of appreciating truths that originate in heaven； and that compass eternity。 In presence of the great mountain of God's righteousness； his spirit is not awed。 He busies himself with hunting for sticks and straws； and in this betrays a narrow and earthly nature； a heart that is fast losing its capacity to appreciate God。 He whose heart has responded to the divine touch will be seeking for that which will increase his knowledge of God； and will refine and elevate the character。 As a flower turns to the sun； that the bright rays may touch it with tints of beauty； so will the soul turn to the Sun of Righteousness； that heaven's light may beautify the character with the graces of the character of Christ。
Jesus continued； drawing a sharp contrast between the position of the Jews and that of Abraham： 〃Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day： and he saw it； and was glad。〃
Abraham had greatly desired to see the promised Saviour。 He offered up the most earnest prayer that before his death he might behold the Messiah。 And he saw Christ。 A supernatural light was given him； and he acknowledged Christ's divine character。 He saw His day； and was glad。 He was given a view of the divine sacrifice for sin。 Of this sacrifice he had an illustration in his own experience。 The command came to him； 〃Take now thy son； thine only son Isaac； whom thou lovest； 。 。 。 and offer him 。 。 。 for a burnt offering。〃 Gen。 22：2。
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Upon the altar of sacrifice he laid the son of promise； the son in whom his hopes were centered。 Then as he waited beside the altar with knife upraised to obey God； he heard a voice from heaven saying； 〃Lay not thine hand upon the lad； neither do thou anything unto him： for now I know that thou fearest God； seeing thou hast not withheld thy son； thine only son from Me。〃 Gen。 22：12。 This terrible ordeal was imposed upon Abraham that he might see the day of Christ； and realize the great love of God for the world； so great that to raise it from its degradation； He gave His only…begotten Son to a most shameful death。
Abraham learned of God the greatest lesson ever given to mortal。 His prayer that he might see Christ before he should die was answered。 He saw Christ； he saw all that mortal can see； and live。 By making an entire surrender； he was able to understand the vision of Christ； which had been given him。 He was shown that in giving His only…begotten Son to save sinners from eternal ruin； God was making a greater and more wonderful sacrifice than ever man could make。
Abraham's experience answered the question： 〃Wherewith shall I come before the Lord； and bow myself before the high God？ Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings； with calves of a year old？ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams； or with ten thousands of rivers of oil？ shall I give my first…born for my transgression； the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul？〃 Micah 6：6； 7。 In the words of Abraham； 〃My son； God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering；〃 （Gen。 22：8）； and in God's provision of a sacrifice instead of Isaac； it was declared that no man could make expiation for himself。 The pagan system of sacrifice was wholly unacceptable to God。 No father was to offer up his son or his daughter for a sin offering。 The Son of God alone can bear the guilt of the world。
Through his own suffering； Abraham was enabled to behold the Saviour's mission of sacrifice。 But Israel would not understand that which was so unwelcome to their proud hearts。 Christ's words concerning Abraham conveyed to His hearers no deep significance。 The Pharisees saw in them only fresh ground for caviling。 They retorted with a sneer； as if they would prove Jesus to be a madman； 〃Thou art not yet fifty years old； and hast Thou seen Abraham？〃
With solemn dignity Jesus answered； 〃Verily； verily； I say unto you； Before Abraham was； I Am。〃
Silence fell upon the vast assembly。 The name of God； given to Moses to express the idea of the eternal presence； had been claimed as
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His own by this Galilean Rabbi。 He had announced Himself to be the self…existent One； He who had been promised to Israel； 〃whose goings forth have been from of old； from the days of eternity。〃 Micah 5：2； margin。
Again the priests and rabbis cried out against Jesus as a blasphemer。 His claim to be one with God had before stirred them to take His life； and a few months later they plainly declared； 〃For a good work we stone Thee not； but for blasphemy； and because that Thou； being a man； makest Thyself God。〃 John 10：33。 Because He was； and avowed Himself to be； the Son of God； they were bent on destroying Him。 Now many of the people； siding with the priests and rabbis； took 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 Light was shining in darkness； but 〃the darkness apprehended it not。〃 John 1：5； R。 V。
〃As Jesus passed by； He saw a man which was blind from his birth。 And His disciples asked Him； saying； Master； who did sin； this man； or his parents； that he was born blind？ Jesus answered； Neither hath this man sinned； nor his parents： but that the works of God should be made manifest in him。 。 。 。 When He had thus spoken； He spat on the ground； and made clay of the spittle； and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay； and said unto him； Go； wash in the pool of Siloam； （which is by interpretation； Sent）。 He went his way therefore； and washed； and came seeing。〃
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It was generally believed by the Jews that sin is punished in this life。 Every affliction was regarded as the penalty of some wrongdoing； either of the sufferer himself or of his parents。 It is true that all suffering results from the transgression of God's law； but this truth had become perverted。 Satan； the author of sin and all its results； had led men to look upon disease and death as proceeding from God；as punishment arbitrarily inflicted on account of sin。 Hence one upon whom some great affliction or calamity had fallen had the additional burden of being regarded as a great sinner。
Thus the way was prepared for the Jews to reject Jesus。 He who 〃hath borne our griefs； and carried our sorrows〃 was looked upon by the Jews as 〃stricken； smitten of God； and afflicted；〃 and they hid their faces from Him。 Isa。 53：4； 3。
God had given a lesson designed to prevent this。 The history of Job had shown that suffering is inflicted by Satan； and is overruled by God for purposes of mercy。 But Israel did not understand the lesson。 The same error for which God had reproved the friends of Job was repeated by the Jews in their rejection of Christ。
The belief of the Jews in regard to the relation of sin