John 8:44

[mackdog]

I have a question about the well known John 8:44 verse that we often use to prove that the jews are the children of the devil. When Christ says to the jews, in verse 8:31, "if you abide in my word, you are my deciples indeed" why does he say that the jews can just believe in him, and they will become deciples? In 8:37 he says, " I know you are Abrahams decendants, but you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you". And, of course, in John 8:44, he says that the jews are of their father the devil. My main question is, how do we know that Christ is talking to the jews and not the Judahites? How do we distinguish jew from Judahite in the NKJV translation?
Ive heard that the word jew is not supposed to be in the bible anywhere, so does that mean that it should say Cannanites?

[matthewott]

The proper New Testament translation for "jew" is actually "Judaean", as the proper Old Testament translation for "jew" is "Judahite"...that seems to be the recognized DSL CI 'rule of thumb'. Judahite is the specific reference to the Israelite tribe of Judah, whereas Judaean is a geo-political designation...like being called an American. In it's inception, the realm of Judaea was obviously an all Israelite inhabited province where only Israelites could be citizens, but that changed through time, in almost a mirror image of what has happened here in America (e.g. history repeats itself), as originally, only "free white men" were allowed to be American citizens.

CNT John 8:31-32
31 Therefore Yahshua said to those Judaeans who believed Him: “If you abide in My Word, truly you are My students, 32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

"Those Judaeans who believed Him" could only be Israelites from among the amalgamized Judaean citizenry. To put it in perspective, if Yahshua was preaching to a group of Americans, only white (pure Israelite) Christians would be the ones "who believed Him".

The "They" in the next verse is explained within that very same verse, who are obviously a different kind of Judaean than the ones "who believed Him":

CNT John 8:33
33 They replied to Him: “We are offspring of Abraham, and to no one have we been in bondage ever yet!

"They" obviously were not decendants of Jacob/Israel, only through whom is the seed of promise. Remember, Abraham had other offspring, but they were not included in Yahweh's unconditional Covenant, referred to as the Abrahamic Covenant, to which was bound only the decendants from the loins of Jacob/Israel, and thusly the 12 Tribes of Israel.

Yahshua only ever addressed the Israelites, though he had to speak to a "mixed multitude" of Judaeans to reach them.

This is how he spoke to the non-Israelite (mostly Edomite/Canaanite) Judaean 'jews' who did not believe Him:

CNT John: 37-47
“37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham, but you seek to kill Me because My Word has no place in you. 38 The things which I have seen from the Father I speak; so also you, the things which you have heard from your father you do.” 39 They replied and said to Him: “Our father is Abraham!” Yahshua says to them: “If you are children of Abraham, you would have done the works of Abraham! 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a man whom has spoken to you the truth which I have heard from Yahweh. This Abraham has not done. 41 You do the works of your father!” Then they said to Him: “We were not born of fornication! We have one father, Yahweh!” 42 Yahshua said to them: “If Yahweh was your father you would have loved Me, for I have come from of Yahweh and am here. I have not come by Myself, but He has sent Me. 43 For what reason do you not perceive My speech? Because you are not able to hear My Word! 44 You are the sons of a father: the False Accuser! And you wish to do the desires of your father! He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him! When he speaks a lie, he speaks from of his own devices, because he is a liar and the father of it! 45 Now because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Who from among you censures Me concerning wrongdoing? If I speak truth, for what reason do you not believe Me? 47 He who is from of Yahweh hears the words of Yahweh. For this reason you do not hear, because you are not from of Yahweh!”

I hope this brings clarity to your confusion, Mackdog.

Yah Bless,
Matt