51-53 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.

56-57 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 8:51-59 English Standard Version

It's common these days to hear of someone being 'triggered' by something they think is outrageous! A similar picture would be someone saying something that's like a spark to a fuse, and the hearers are ready to explode. That certainly happened to many in the crowd listening to Jesus in the incident described in today's reading. They wanted to stone Him to death! So what was it that Jesus said which triggered them so much? (vs 58)

They were already upset because He’d made the claim that anyone who took His words to heart, and followed them, would never see death. They pointed out that, since Abraham and the prophets of old had all died, Jesus was surely making Himself out to be greater than those heroes of the Jewish faith. Abraham was regarded as the father of their faith. Jesus, however, pointed to an even greater Father who was honouring Him. (vs 54) And then He made a statement that startled and upset them. He said: “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

I think this refers to the promise God made to Abraham that “in his offspring, all the nations of the earth would be blessed”. (Genesis 22:18) The apostle Paul enlarged on those words when he wrote “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It doesn't say, 'And to offsprings', referring to many, but referring to one, 'And to your offspring', who is Christ.” (Galatians 3:16) So Jesus was making a bold claim which implied that He was the particular heir promised to Abraham. But it was His reply to their objection that He had never seen Abraham that really triggered them. Jesus said: “Before Abraham was, I am.”

For those who heard Jesus say those words, it could only mean one thing. He was claiming a oneness with God. The Old Testament describes how God caught the attention of a man named Moses through a bush that was on fire, but not being consumed. And God told Moses he would be God's messenger to bring the descendants of Abraham out of their bondage in Egypt. “Then Moses said to God, 'If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you’, and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And He said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:13-14)

Jesus applied that sacred name to Himself. I suspect we'd be triggered too today if someone claimed they were God. The difference is that Jesus' life gave ample evidence of that truth. His miracles, words, and holy life, all testified that He had indeed come from the Father. That’s why those who now see and believe this truth, become true offspring of Abraham who inherit the blessing God promised. In Matthew 8:11-12 we read that, after a Roman centurion had shown amazing faith in His words, Jesus said to the crowd: “I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness.” Do the words of Jesus in the Bible trigger us, or have they led to our trust and faith in Him? In Matthew 11:6 Jesus said: “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”