John 8:52-55 - It is my Father who glorifies me

8:52,53

The religious leaders now think they have got Jesus, and are more convinced than ever that He has a demon. They have taken Jesus’ words about never tasting death as meaning they will not physically die. They point out that Abraham died, as did all the prophets. Jesus, of course, did not mean this. We will die, but we will be raised again on the last day. There are possible implications for what the experience of physical death will actually be like. It is not wise to speculate over much, but we should not fear death, and the experience of death will be different for those who are in Christ compared to those who are not. Death has lost its sting. 

They then ask Jesus if He is greater than Abraham and the prophets. The truth is that He is infinitely greater than Abraham and the Prophets, for everything was created through Christ. “Who do you make yourself out to be?” The problem was not who Jesus knew Himself to be, but that the religious leaders refused to see who He was.

8:54.55

Rather than answer their question directly, Jesus goes back to the matter that He does not glorify Himself, but it is the Father who glorifies Him. The Father is the one whom the religious leaders claimed as their God, yet they knew nothing of the Father. They did not know God. Jesus did know the Father. Then we get the reason that Jesus would not back down on His claims. If Jesus did back down He would then be a liar, for He does know Him and does keep His word. As mentioned earlier, it is the same with the gospel. We must boldly proclaim the power of the gospel and must not back down, whatever the criticism. If we do back down then we are liars.