John 8:56

John 8:56

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

a. NLT: Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”

b. NIV: Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

c. YLT: Abraham, your father, was glad that he might see my day; and he saw, and did rejoice.'

d. Amplified Bible: Your forefather Abraham was extremely happy at the hope and prospect of seeing My day (My incarnation); and he did see it and was delighted.

e. Worrell Translation: Abraham, your father, rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it, and was glad.”

1. “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day…”

a. your [5216 * humon] [Strong: genitive case of 5210; of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves).]

b. father [3962 * pater] [Strong: apparently a primary word; a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote):--father, parent.]

c. Abraham [11 * Abraam] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (85); Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch:--Abraham.]

d. rejoiced [21 * agalliao] [Strong: from agan (much) and 242; properly, to jump for joy, i.e. exult:--be (exceeding) glad, with exceeding joy, rejoice (greatly).]

e. to [2443 * hina] [Strong: probably from the same as the former part of 1438 (through the demonstrative idea; compare 3588); in order that (denoting the purpose or the result):--albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to.]

f. see [1492 * eido] [Strong: a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.] [Thayer: to see, to perceive with the eyes, to perceive by any of the senses, to perceive, notice, discern, discover, to see, i.e. to turn the eyes, the mind, the attention to anything, to pay attention, observe, to see about something, i.e. to ascertain what must be done about it, to inspect, examine, to look at, behold, to experience any state or condition, to see i.e. have an interview with, to visit, to know, to know of anything, to know, i.e. get knowledge of, understand, perceive, of any fact, the force and meaning of something which has definite meaning, to know how, to be skilled in.]

1). In faith, there is a “seeing” or knowing things that are far off, enough so that we are persuaded of them and embrace them. Surely Abraham saw the day of the Messiah in this way, in faith.

a). Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

b). 2 Peter 1:5-9 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

2). The experience related to here is not just seeing things afar off in faith. Abraham saw something much more. As Albert Barnes writes in his Commentary, “Though Abraham was not permitted to live to see the times of the Messiah, yet he was permitted to have a prophetic view of him, and also of the design of his coming.” Some details are given below in the next section.

g. my [1699 * emos] [Strong:  from the oblique cases of 1473 (1698, 1700, 1691); my:--of me, mine (own), my.]

h. day [2250 * hemera] [Strong: feminine (with 5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit; akin to the base of 1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context):--age, + alway, (mid-)day (by day, (-ly)), + for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.]

2. “…and he saw it, and was glad.”

a. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. he saw [1492 * eido] [Strong: a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

1). Many believe (including me),that God’s appearance to Abraham in Genesis 18 was a pre-incarnation appearance of Christ Jesus. He was appearing to Abraham in the form he would take when becoming man centuries later. It was this experience that caused Abraham to stand in faith when God told him to sacrifice Isaac in a burnt offering. Because Abraham had seen Messiah’s day, he knew that if he did follow through with the sacrifice, that God would have to raise Isaac from the dead because Abraham had already seen his descendant, Christ Jesus.

a). Hebrews 11:17-19  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

c. and [2532 * kai] See “and” above.

d. was glad [5463 * chairo] [Strong: a primary verb; to be "cheer"ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well:--farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hail, joy(- fully), rejoice.]