John 8:51-52 -- Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 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.’
So, we've been following closely the conversation between Jesus and the wooden religious rulers. We've watched them willfully ignore what He's said. Ask questions over and over to try and trap Him. Then when they couldn't pin anything on Him, they resorted to bullying through insults and lies.
Today we see the religious leaders have what they think is their "GOTCHA" moment. However, there is something interesting in how they make that moment happen.
As I read verses 51-52, I noticed a tiny difference between what Jesus says and what the wooden religious teachers quote Him as saying.
Jesus: "If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."
Pharisees: "If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death."
That single word difference really jumped off the page at me today. "SEE" and "TASTE". Both are part of our human senses however they operate differently, and the end results impact us quite differently.
Let's start with what Jesus actually said and the word "SEE". What you see enters through your eye, and impacts your mind, your thoughts, your heart/soul.
The Greek word here is theōreō and it means: look at, behold, to see, to ascertain, find out by seeing. So, we find Jesus is clearly speaking in spiritual terms. Whoever keeps His word, will not be fixated on death, will not be staring at it, not be getting acquainted with death by constantly focusing on it. This is such a powerful promise and it's vastly different than what the religious folks twist it into.
So, the religious leaders/teachers replace "SEE" with the word "TASTE". A very small, easily overlooked change. Now, this is coming from religious rulers, leaders, teachers, who were very smart and fully understood the meaning and impact of words when it comes to scripture. What you taste enters through your mouth and impacts your whole body.
The Greek word here is geuomai and means: taste, try the flavor, partake of, to feel, experience. We find the pharisees speaking in physical terms. Thus, using this one simple word swap to twist Jesus' statement to mean whoever abides in His words would never die on this Earth and physically live forever.
So, the wooden religious leaders used what they knew best their head knowledge of words and using them selfishly to fabricate their "GOTCHA" moment with Jesus. How heartbreaking that here stands a group of people who have spent their lives in study of God's Word, memorized it, taught it, outwardly lived it, yet they would blindly twist Jesus' words to try and destroy Him.
Christian, if you are not walking with the Lord daily, in His Word and in prayer, will you be able to know when someone changes a single word? If you are honest with yourself on this, you'll come to understand the answer is, NO you will not be able to tell when someone removes, adds to, or subtly twists the Word of God.
Just think on that today and remember Jesus has said in John 8, if you abide in His word, you are truly His disciple and now if you keep His word, you will not see death. Jesus has called you to do some things, abiding and keeping His word. Talk with Him about it today.
Be the Berean and get into the Word to see this for yourself. You don't have to take my word on it, let God guide you!
You are loved. You are prayed over. You are not alone.
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