The Pharisees respond to Jesus’ labeling them as doing the works of their father the devil by saying “we be not born of fornication.” It is a very strange statement to make. When you examine this closely an amazing truth will come forth that will literally stun you. Let’s examine and in turn reveal this from the Scriptures.
“40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:40-44
The above verses are a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus is focusing on the life-source of the people. He speaks of their nature now and relates it back to the father, or their source. The two sources of life he speaks of are God and the devil. “If God were your Father you would love me.” The key verse is 44 where he says, you are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father you will do. This is clearly connected to the modern understanding of genetics. You have the nature of your parents; but here Jesus is looking at their works. He says you are of the devil because you are doing the same works as the devil. In verse 41 something very mysterious is spoken. Jesus, in a very subtle manner, calls them: of their father the devil. They immediately understand what he is saying and respond, “We be not born of fornication, we have one Father, even God.” They didn’t say, they have one father, Abraham. They said, they “have one Father, even God.” They were not merely going back to Abraham or to their own personal birth, but to their source. Luke 3:38 tells us that Adam’s Father was God, “Adam, which was the son of God.” They were going all the way back to the beginning and saying our source is Adam, making us sons of God. They note two options here.
- sons of God
- sons of Satan
Then to be born of fornication means you are sons of Satan. This is certainly not speaking of every child that is produced out of wedlock being a son of Satan. This is referring to their source of life. Verse 44 gives us a specific clue as to how the lineage of Satan came about. In the last part of the verse Jesus says that Satan was a murderer and liar from the beginning. This is absolutely the truth. However, I want to point out, he is referring to the beginning: that is, the book of Genesis. Let’s go back and see the origin of murder and lies.
“8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:8-9
It was Cain who murdered and lied. Satan was the father of Cain, he was the result of fornication between the serpent and Eve. Therefore, being born of fornication speaks of the sin of Eve with the serpent. The murderer and liar from the book of Genesis was Cain, but Jesus puts it back on Satan, because he was the father of Cain. He then transfers that to the Pharisees saying, you did the same thing Cain did. Since you are jealous of me, you will kill and embrace lies to do so because your daddy is the devil.