Once Were Slaves
The slave does not remain in the house forever; the Son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:35,36)
We’ve heard or read ‘So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed’ (8:36) lots of times. But have you ever noticed the verse begins with ‘So’?
Jesus has been talking to a hostile mob. Not only are they jeering at Him but they think they’re “right” in God’s eyes. They tell Jesus they’re free because they’re part of Abraham’s family. Jesus tells them they’re slaves because they’re continuing in a godless, sinning lifestyle.
Jesus turns the conversation to talk about God’s house. He tells the crowd that in God’s house there is a Son, Himself (8:35,36,38). Everyone else is a slave because of their slavery to sin (8:34).
The crowd would well understand that no slave could set himself free. A slave was always a slave to a particular household. Jesus acknowledges that those listening to Him are “children of Abraham” but is adamant that in God’s house, they are not masters but slaves. Only the master or his appointed son and heir had the right to set a slave free (8:36).
But the crowd is rejecting the rightful son and heir of God’s house, Jesus, and so can never be free from their slavery and sin. Only the head or the true son of the head of the house has the right to determine what happens in the house. Only the son continues the family line; slaves don’t. So if the son of the house confers any privilege, that privilege is valid. If the son confers freedom on a slave, that freedom is valid. ‘So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed’ (8:36).
We are part of God’s family. We were once in slavery but the Son of the Master of the house has conferred everlasting freedom from slavery on us. We are forever free. We live in God’s family as full sons and daughters of the living God.
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