John 8:44
44You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand for truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Why would Jesus say this to the Pharisees? The Pharisees said they were descendants of Abraham and that they were not born of fornication but of one father, God. The first time the Pharisees said they were descendants of Abraham, Jesus knew they were physically descendants of Abraham but they sought to kill Him because His word had no place in them. When they still didn't get it, He elaborated further. The desire to want to terminate someone's life for speaking the truth or desiring that someone would die does not fit with loving thy neighbor as thyself nor the commandment of "thou shalt not kill." The desire to plot to kill someone does not fit with what the Pharisees preached which was indeed to follow the commandments. Like the devil, the Pharisees spoke from their own resources and claimed to be the power source of their people based on their behavior. They were angry because Jesus took away their popularity and usurped their power. But if they were children of God, they would know that ALL power belongs to God. Satan or Lucifer was once the chief angel in heaven and lost his place in heaven because he wanted to be worshipped like God. As a matter of fact, he wanted to be God. And the devil is still angry because he lost his inheritance in heaven. Does not the behavior of the Pharisees match with what the devil desires? The NKJV Study Bible translates the verse as such, "They claimed God as their Father. Jesus, however, told them that they were indeed Abraham's descendants and physical progeny, But in spirit, their father was not God, but the devil. Their behavior confirmed their parentage." Every person created in the earth was made of the image of God, therefore the physical progeny but in spirit, they choose their parentage. So no matter who a person says they are, observe their fruit as Jesus said. Observe the behavior. Actions speak louder than words.
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