SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:37
S que sois simiente de Abraham, mas procuris matarme, porque mi palabra no cabe en vosotros.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 8:37
Verse 37. My word hath no place in you.] Or, this doctrine of mine hath no place to you. Ye hear the truths of God, but ye do not heed them: the word of life has no influence over you; and how can it, when you seek to kill me because I proclaim this truth to you? It is a dismal omen when a person is regardless of the truth of God: it is more so to be provoked against it: but to persecute and endeavour to destroy those who preach it is the last degree of perverseness and obduracy. The word of God requires a heart which is empty. A heart filled with earthly projects, carnal interests ambition, thoughts of raising a fortune, and with the love of the superfluities and pleasures of life, is not fit to receive the seed of the kingdom. When a man shuts his heart against it by his passions, he at the same time opens it to all sorts of crimes. QUESNEL. From what is here said, it is manifest, says Dr. Lightfoot, that the whole tendency of our saviour's discourse is to show the Jews, that they are the seed of that serpent which was to bruise the heel of the Messiah: else what could that mean, ver. xli5: Ye are of your father the devil, i.e. ye are the seed of the serpent.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 37. I know that ye are Abrahams seed , etc.] In answer to the other part of the Jews objection to Christ, and in favour of themselves, Christ owns that they were the natural seed of Abraham; for truth must be allowed to an adversary. But then this hindered not but they might be, as they were, in moral bondage to sin, and a generation of vipers, as those of them who came to Johns baptism were; and might not be the sons of God, for not because they were the natural seed of Abraham, were they all the adopted sons of God; and might be cast out of the house of God, as Ishmael was cast out of Abrahams, though he was his natural seed. And what follows proves them to be under the power, and in the servitude of sin, and that they were the seed of the serpent that was to bruise the heel of the womans seed, or put the Messiah to death, though they were the natural seed of Abraham: but ye seek to kill me ; which none but such who are under the governing power of sin, are slaves unto it, and the vassals of the devil, would ever do: the reason of which is, because my word hath no place in you ; their hearts were barred and bolted against it, with ignorance, enmity, and unbelief; it had no entrance into them; it did not come with power to their hearts, nor work effectually in them; it had no place at all in them, much less a dwelling; had it had one, it would have produced another effect in them, even love to Christ; which the doctrine of Christ, wherever it comes with power, and takes place in the soul, brings along with it; but where it does not, as here, hatred and indignation, envy and malice, more or less, show themselves. This clause is differently rendered, and so admits of different senses. The Vulgate Latin renders it, my word does not take in you; it did not take place in them, nor did it take with them; they could not receive it; in which sense the word is used in ( Matthew 19:11); for the natural man cannot receive the doctrines of Christ; they are not suited to his taste: they are disagreeable to him. The Syriac version renders it, ye are not sufficient for my word, to take it in; they were not capable of it; they could not understand it; it requires divine illumination, and a spiritual discerning, which they had not: the Persic version is, ye are not worthy of my words; of having the Gospel preached to them, and continued with them; they contradicting and blaspheming it, and rejecting the author of it; (see Acts 13:45,46). The Ethiopic version renders it, my word does not remain with you; and to the same purpose the Arabic version, my word is not firm in you; as soon as it was heard by them, it was caught away from them by Satan, whose children they were; it made no lasting impressions on them, but was like water spilt upon the ground: it may be rendered, my word does not enter into you; it did not make its way and penetrate into their hearts; for though, when attended with the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power, it is quick and powerful, and sharper than a twoedged sword, and enters into the conscience, and penetrates to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and lays open the secret thoughts and intents of the heart; yet of itself is an insufficient means of conversion; it cannot make its own way; there must be an exertion of powerful and efficacious grace; which shows the hardness and obstinacy of the heart of man.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 37-40 - Our Lord opposed the proud and vain confidence of these Jews, showin that their descent from Abraham could not profit those of a contrar spirit to him. Where the word of God has no place, no good is to be expected; room is left there for all wickedness. A sick person wh turns from his physician, and will take neither remedies nor food, in past hope of recovery. The truth both heals and nourishes the hearts of those who receive it. The truth taught by philosophers has not thi power and effect, but only the truth of God. Those who claim the privileges of Abraham, must do Abraham's works; must be strangers an sojourners in this world; keep up the worship of God in their families and always walk before God.
Greek Textus Receptus
οιδα 1492 5758 V-RAI-1S οτι 3754 CONJ σπερμα 4690 N-NSN αβρααμ 11 N-PRI εστε 2075 5748 V-PXI-2P αλλα 235 CONJ ζητειτε 2212 5719 V-PAI-2P με 3165 P-1AS αποκτειναι 615 5658 V-AAN οτι 3754 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM λογος 3056 N-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM εμος 1699 S-1NSM ου 3756 PRT-N χωρει 5562 5719 V-PAI-3S εν 1722 PREP υμιν 5213 P-2DP
Vincent's NT Word Studies
37. Hath no place (ou cwrei). Rev., hath not free course, or maketh no way. This rendering is in harmony with vv. 30, 31, concerning those who believed, but did not believe on Him, and who showed by their angry answer, in ver. 33, that the word of Jesus had made no advance in them. The rendering of the A.V. is not supported by usage, though Field ("Otium Norvicense") cites an undoubted instance of that sense from the Epistles of Alciphron, a post-Christian writer, who relates the story of a parasite returning gorged from a banquet and applying to a physician, who administered an emetic. The parasite, describing the effect of the medicine, says that the doctor wondered where such a mess had place (ecwrhse). For the rendering of the Rev., compare Aristophanes: pwv oun ouj cwrei tourgon; "How is it that the work makes no progress?" ("Peace," 472). Plutarch, ejcwrei dia thv polewv oJ logov, "the word: (or report) spread (or advanced) through the city ("Caesar," 712).
