John 8:55 · Bible study
John 8:55 Commentary: Divine Knowledge and Obedience
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus claims unique knowledge of the Father, contrasts Jewish ignorance, and links knowing God with keeping His word. Study the Greek and context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus affirms His perfect, intrinsic knowledge of the Father, contrasts the Jews' lack of recognition, and ties real knowledge to obedience to God's word.
- Key words: 'know' (ἐγνώκατε from γινώσκω, acquired recognition; οἶδα, inherent knowledge), 'liar' (ψεύστης), 'keep' (τηρῶ, guard, observe), 'word' (λόγον).
- Main debate: Whether Jesus’ knowledge here is a claim to essential divine omniscience or a unique filial knowledge; most commentators affirm both.
- Theological theme: Christology, Jesus is the sole revealer of the Father, and knowledge of God is inseparable from obedience to His word.
- Best use: Teaching on the exclusivity of Christ as the way to know God, and challenging believers to let obedience confirm their profession.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word.
WEB World English Bible 2000
You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him and keep his word.
KJV King James Version 1769
Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and ye have not known Him, and I have known Him, and if I say that I have not known Him, I shall be like you--speaking falsely; but I have known Him, and His word I keep;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And ye know him not; but I know him; and if I said, I know him not, I should be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And you have not known him: but I know him. And if I shall say that I know him not, I shall be like to you, a liar. But I do know him and do keep his word.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y no le conocéis: mas yo le conozco; y si dijere que no le conozco, seré como vosotros mentiroso: mas le conozco, y guardo su palabra.
E vós não o conheceis, mas eu o conheço; e se disser que não o conheço, serei mentiroso como vós; mas eu o conheço, e guardo sua palavra.
et que vous ne connaissez pas. Pour moi, je le connais; et, si je disais que je ne le connais pas, je serais semblable à vous, un menteur. Mais je le connais, et je garde sa parole.
und kennet ihn nicht, ich aber kenne ihn. Und so ich würde sagen: Ich kenne ihn nicht, so würde ich ein Lügner, gleichwie ihr seid. Aber ich kenne ihn und halte sein Wort.
En gij kent Hem niet, maar Ik ken Hem; en indien Ik zeg, dat Ik Hem niet ken, zo zal Ik ulieden gelijk zijn, dat is een leugenaar; maar Ik ken Hem, en bewaar Zijn woord.
e non l’avete conosciuto; ma io lo conosco, e se dicessi di non conoscerlo, sarei un bugiardo come voi; ma io lo conosco e osservo la sua parola.
Lecz go nie znacie, a ja go znam; i jeźlibym rzekł, że go nie znam, byłbym podobnym wam, kłamcą; ale go znam i słowa jego zachowuję.
И вы не познали Его, а Я знаю Его; и если скажу, что не знаю Его, то буду подобный вам лжец. Но Я знаю Его и соблюдаю слово Его.
你們未 曾認識 他； 我 卻認識 他。 我若說 不 認識 他，我就是 說謊的，像 你們一樣；但 我認識 他，也 遵守 他的 道。
You have no knowledge of him, but I have knowledge of him; and if I said I have no knowledge of him I would be talking falsely like you: but I have full knowledge of him, and I keep his word.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 8:55
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The Cambridge Bible notes that two different Greek words for ‘know’ appear in close proximity, which English versions obscure. The Jews have not ‘recognised’ Him (ἐγνώκατε, perfect tense of γινώσκω), whereas Jesus ‘knows’ Him (οἶδα, present tense indicating immediate inherent knowledge). Gill expands: the Jews lacked spiritual, relational knowledge of the Father as Father of Christ; Jesus knows His nature and perfections, being of the same essence. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observes that Jesus’ language rises to “the summit of holy, naked severity”, He stakes His own truthfulness on knowing the Father. Matthew Henry integrates the final clause: “But I know him, and keep his saying.” Christ’s entire life was a continuous practice of obedience (Hebrews 5:8; Philippians 2:8). Commentators across traditions agree: Jesus makes an exclusive claim. He alone truly knows the Father, and this knowledge is inseparable from doing the Father’s will.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus claims to truly know the Father in a way His opponents do not, and He links that knowledge with obedience to God's word.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge of God | Jesus alone fully knows the Father; the Jews lack this true knowledge. | Whether this knowledge is exclusive to Jesus' divine nature or accessible to believers through revelation (Matthew 11:27). |
| Liar accusation | Jesus would be a liar if He denied His knowledge of the Father, showing His truthfulness. | The extent to which this verse obligates Christians to always speak truth under threat. |
| Keeping God's word | Obedience is the evidence of knowing God. | The precise relationship between faith and works: does keeping the word cause knowledge, or does knowledge produce obedience? |
| Divine identity | Jesus claims a unique filial relationship with the Father, superior to the Jews' claim. | Whether this is an explicit claim to deity or a claim to unique messianic authority; most hold both. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse sits near the climax of a fierce controversy in the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2, 7:14). The religious leaders have challenged Jesus’ authority, and He has just called them children of the devil (John 8:44). They appeal to Abraham as their father; Jesus counters that they do not share Abraham’s faith. In verse 54, the Jews say of God, “he is our God.” Jesus now exposes the gap between their profession and reality.
The two Greek verbs for ‘know’ carry weight. ἐγνώκατε (perfect tense, from γινώσκω) implies coming to know through experience or revelation, the Jews have not arrived at that recognition. Jesus uses οἶδα, a verb that often denotes intuitive, direct knowledge. The Cambridge Bible calls it “His immediate essential knowledge of the Father.” This is not a distinction the Jews would miss: Jesus claims a kind of knowledge they cannot access.
Jesus then raises the stakes with a hypothetical lie. “If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar.” The accusation recalls verse 44, where the devil is called “the father of lies.” By contrast, Jesus ties knowing to keeping. τηρῶ (I keep) means to guard, attend to carefully, obey. His knowledge of the Father is not abstract, it shows in a life of obedience to the Father’s word (τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ). This connection between knowledge and obedience echoes the Old Testament prophets: Jeremiah 4:22 and 9:3, Hosea 5:4, where Israel does not know Yahweh because their deeds contradict Him.
The scene is tense. Jesus is speaking to people who think they know God, yet He insists they do not. He offers Himself as the only one who truly knows the Father, and as the one who perfectly obeys Him. This verse leads directly to His staggering claim in verse 58: “Before Abraham came into existence, I AM.” The dialogue ends with stones in hand.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Greek text is stable across the major manuscript traditions.
Reception History
This verse has figured prominently in Christological reflection. Early church writers (e.g., Athanasius, Augustine) used it to argue that the Son knows the Father by nature, not by acquisition, key in anti-Arian polemics. The Reformers, especially Luther and Calvin, highlighted the contrast between human religious ignorance and divine revelation in Christ. In devotional reception, the verse has been read as a call to honest confession (if Jesus did not lie, neither should we) and as a promise that Jesus can make the Father known to those who follow Him. The link between knowledge and obedience has been a recurring theme in moral and spiritual formation literature across Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The tragedy of ignorant religion. The Jews claimed God as their God (v.54), but Jesus says they have not known Him. Religious profession without true knowledge is empty.
- The truthfulness of the Son. Jesus would be lying to deny His knowledge. His integrity is bound to His identity. He speaks the truth even when it provokes hostility.
- The test of knowledge: obedience. “I know him and keep his word.” True knowledge of God produces a life that guards and does His word. Obedience is not the root of salvation but the fruit of real relationship.
Five-point outline
- Two kinds of ‘not knowing’, the Jews have not recognized the Father, though they claim Him.
- One who knows, Jesus has direct, essential knowledge of the Father (Matthew 11:27; John 6:46).
- The cost of truth, Jesus would be a liar if He denied His knowledge. He chooses honesty over safety.
- The contrast with the devil’s children, His opponents are liars, but Jesus is the truth (John 14:6).
- The proof of knowledge, keeping the Father’s word, as Jesus does perfectly (Hebrews 5:8).
Illustration hooks
- A child who knows a parent intimately vs. a relative who only knows facts about that parent. The child’s knowledge is lived, not second-hand.
- A witness in court who risks perjury charges rather than betray what they know is true. Jesus risks stones rather than deny the truth.
- A student who not only knows the teacher’s rules but obeys them. Knowledge without obedience is hollow.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “How do I know if I really know God, or if I’m just going through religious motions?”
- “In what situations am I tempted to downplay my faith to fit in or avoid conflict?”
- “Does my life show that I keep God’s word, or is my profession unconnected from my choices?”
Leading a Discussion
John 8:55 is one of the sharpest contrasts in the Gospels. Jesus stands before religious people who think they know God, and He says they do not. He then stakes everything on His own perfect knowledge, and on His obedience. This passage calls us to examine what it really means to know God.
Discussion questions
- Read John 8:54, 55. How does verse 54 set up the problem? What claim do the Jews make about God?
- Jesus uses two different Greek verbs for ‘know.’ Why does that matter? What is the difference between ‘knowing about’ God and truly knowing Him?
- Why would it be a lie for Jesus to say He does not know the Father? What does that imply about His relationship with the Father?
- Jesus says, “I know him and keep his word.” Why does He connect knowing and obeying? Can you truly know God without obeying Him? (See 1 John 2:3, 6.)
- In what areas of your life are you tempted to claim knowledge of God while failing to keep His word?
- How does Jesus’ willingness to speak the truth, even when it provokes a violent response, challenge you about truthfulness in your own witness?
- How does this passage deepen your trust in Jesus as the only one who can reveal the Father to you? (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27)
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Jeremiah 4:22 | “For my people are foolish. They don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but they don’t know how to do good.” |
| Jeremiah 9:3 | “They bend their tongue, as their bow, for falsehood. They have grown strong in the land, but not for truth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they don’t know me,” says Yahweh. |
| Hosea 5:4 | Their deeds won’t allow them to turn to their God, for the spirit of prostitution is within them, and they don’t know Yahweh. |
| Matthew 11:27 | All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him. |
| Luke 10:22 | Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.” |
| John 1:18 | No one has seen God at any time. The only born Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him. |
| John 6:46 | Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father. |
| John 7:28 | Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary draws attention to two different Greek words for "know" that are lost in most translations. Jesus says the Jewish leaders have not recognised the Father, while He possesses an immediate, essential knowledge of Him. The phrase "keep His saying" points to Christ's entire life as continuous obedience.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note stresses that Jesus' claim to know the Father is not empty talk — it is proven by his obedience to God's word. He refuses to deny that knowledge, even to avoid conflict, because doing so would make him as dishonest as his opponents. True knowledge of God produces a life that keeps his commands.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the sharp contrast: Jesus knows the Father from within the divine nature itself, while the Jews who claim to know God actually do not. If Jesus denied this knowledge, He would be a liar like them. His obedience to the Father's word proves His claim is true.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that Job here reaches the peak of holy, direct severity. By declaring he would be a liar like his friends if he agreed with them, Job aims to force the long debate to a decisive conclusion.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights the dramatic swing from apparent faith to murderous hatred in the same group of Jews. Their initial belief was shallow, rooted in hopes for political freedom, and when Jesus spoke instead of spiritual liberation from sin, they recoiled and sought to kill him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry unpacks what "keeping" Christ's sayings really means: receiving them, holding them in mind and affection, never violating them, and living by them as a rule. The believer's privilege follows directly from this: he will never see death in any ultimate sense, because his life is bound to the eternal Word.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Saying [ λογον] . Properly, word, as ver. 51. So Rev.