Matins Devotion: February 26, 2025

John 8:39-59

Beware those who get offended on behalf of someone else. Because, very often, vicarious offense is really just a smokescreen for our own pride. This is something we see when the crowds in our reading from John this morning angrily ask our Lord, “Are you greater than our father Abraham?”

These men act as though they’re defending the honor of their father from some Galilean hick claiming to be greater. But they know who Jesus is. And what is there to compare? What demons did Abraham cast out? Whom did Abraham raise from the dead? What Scriptural prophecies concerning the Savior of the world did Abraham fulfill? Abraham is, of course, to be honored, because he was the man given the promise of the covenant. But Jesus has repeatedly shown Himself to be the very promise itself.

And so their hearts are revealed. Their problem with Christ is not that He claims to be greater than Abraham. Their problem is that He claims to be greater than they are. They’re happy to have the miracles, the miraculous feeding, all of that. They’re happy to have a Messiah who knows where He belongs, beneath their feet. But they hate Jesus because He refuses to be that.

And thanks be to God our Lord was not content to be the savior of those who don’t need saving. Thanks be to God that He came to rescue those Abraham couldn’t rescue, those lost in the condemnation of sin. Thanks be to God that He rescued you and me, that He dug the sin and condemnation out of our hearts with His nail pierced hands. Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we will never taste death, even when we die. Thanks be to God that our crucified yet risen Lord has transformed death into a slumber and that He has sworn to wake us on the glorious day of His return.