John 8:58

An early peek of the John 8:58 illustration I’m working on. A quick fact is before I was saved I used my talent to draw comic books, but henceforth I will use my talent to the glory of God by making these illustrations available for everyone looking to share God’s word. Hang them on the wall in your home displaying the powerful word of God, or hand them out as a gospel tract. I’ll add another post, Lord willing, as the illustration develops.

Tools Used
1. Blick Sketch Pad (Studio 8½ x 11, 100 sheets, 60lb, 98gsm)
2. Koh-I-Noor Technigraph 5611
3. Sakura Micron 08 (#1 Archival Ink)
4. Paper Mate Tuff Stuff Eraser Stick “Factis BM2”
5. Sharpie Ultra Fine Point
6. LePen drawing
7. Ruler (Acme made in Canada)

This verse is significant we read the Lord Jesus came to the Mount of Olives and spoke to the people in the temple. The scribes and Pharisees accused a woman taken/caught in the act of adultery. The religious leaders thought to accuse the Lord Jesus by tempting him. They said: Moses in the law commands that such a one should be stoned (John 8:1–6). The Lord Jesus answered saying: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her (John 8:7).

All of the people who wanted to stone her became convicted of their own sin, and each one of them left one by one. The Lord Jesus then asks where are your accusers? Does anyone condemn thee (you)? She answered No man, Lord. Then the Lord Jesus has compassion on her showing forgiveness and says: Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more (John 8:11).

Then a conflict breaks out between Him and the Pharisees as He reveals Himself to them as the light of the world and the One who came from the Father (John 8:12–18). Then the Lord Jesus makes a statement which rocks them to the core. As the Pharisees and children of Israel question Him, this wonderful statement of truth is declared.

John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

The people took up stones to cast at Him trying to kill Him because they knew what He claimed, and that claim was that He is God! The Lord Jesus is the Son of God and is eternal, without beginning or end, therefore He is God.

That our LORD by this expression asserted his divinity and eternal existence, as the great I AM, appears evident from the use of the present tense, instead of the past tense, from its being in answer to the Jews, who enquired whether he had seen Abraham, and from it's being thus understood by the multitude, who were exasperated at it to such a degree that they took up stones to stone him. The ancient Jews not only believed that the Messiah was superior to and LORD of all the patriarchs, and even of angels, but that his celestial nature existed with God from whom it emanated, before the creation, and that the creation was affected by his ministry. Exo 3:14; Isa 43:13; Isa 44:6,8; Isa 46:9; Isa 48:12; Rev 1:8 — BLB