John 8:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Indeed, if He came in order to take away the sin of the world, and if one can put off sin only through Baptism, then the old man necessarily remains in the unbeliever. Whoever does not wish to put him, the old man, to death and bury him through faith will die with him. He will depart there to bear punishment for his former sins. Therefore He said, “He who does not believe is already condemned” (Jn 3:18), not only because he does not believe, but also because he departs from here with his former sins.

What then does the Lord again say to them? “If you do not believe in Me, you will die in your sins.” If He came to take upon Himself the sin of the world (Jn 1:29), and forgiveness of sins can be received only through Baptism, while one cannot be baptized without first believing, then the unbeliever inevitably dies in his sin. For, not having received Baptism, he has not put off the old man. Therefore the Lord says elsewhere that the unbeliever is already condemned (Jn 3:18), not only because he has not believed, but also because he dies with his former sins.

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins.” Having refuted in a few words the senseless supposition of those who reasoned in the way described above, He again exposes their idle talk about Him. He returns to the aim of the discourse proposed, as it were, from the beginning. Again He repeats and sets before them the evils in which they will be and what they will suffer if they madly reject faith in Him. Such repetition of the same thing is necessary for a wise and experienced teacher. I think it belongs to one who teaches not to indulge the ignorance of his hearers. Nor should he treat them carelessly, even if they do not receive the knowledge of the teachings altogether willingly. Rather, by repeating again and often, he should say the same thing in the same words.

What does it mean, "If you do not believe that I am"? "I am" what? He added nothing. Because He added nothing, He placed much in it.

They expected Him to say what He was, but He did not say it. What did they expect Him to say? Perhaps, "If you do not believe that I am the Christ. If you do not believe that I am the Son of God. If you do not believe that I am the Word of God. If you do not believe that I am the Founder of the world. If you do not believe that I am the Creator and Re-Creator of man, the One who made and makes anew, the Maker and Life-giver. If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."

There is great significance also in His saying, "I am." For so God once said to Moses: "I am He who is" (Ex 3:14). Who can worthily explain what "I am" means?

Everything that can be changed, in its changed state, is not what it was. If it is not what it was, a kind of death has appeared there. Something that was and no longer is has been destroyed.

O Truth, truly existing! In all our actions and movements, and in all further activity of creation, I find two times, past and future. I seek the present, and nothing stands still. What I have said no longer exists. What I am about to say does not yet exist. What I have lived no longer exists. What I am about to live does not yet exist.

I find past and future in every movement of things. But in that which abides in truth, I find neither past nor future, but only the present, and that incorruptibly. This is not found in creation. Consider the mutability of things, and you will find "was" and "will be." Think on God, and you will find "is," where "was" and "will be" cannot be.

And so He said: "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins" (Jn 8:23-24).

He disclosed to us, brethren, what He wished to bring to our understanding: "You are of this world." Of course, He said, "You are of this world," because they were sinners, unrighteous, unbelieving, and earthly in their thoughts.

What do you think of the holy apostles? How great is the difference between the Jews and the apostles? It is as between darkness and light, faith and unbelief, piety and impiety, hope and despair, love and lust. That is a very great difference.

What then? Since the difference is so great, were the apostles not of the world? If you consider how they were born and whence they came, you will see that, since they came from Adam, they were of the world.

But what did the Lord Himself say to them? "I chose you out of the world" (Jn 15:19). Thus those who were of the world became not of the world, and began to belong to Him through whom the world was made. But those to whom it was said, "You will die in your sins," continued to be of the world.

Let no one, brethren, say, "I am not of this world." Whatever kind of man you are, you are of this world. But He who made the world came to you and delivered you from this world.

If the world, mundus, delights you, you always prefer to be unclean, immundus. But if this world no longer delights you, you are already clean, mundus. Yet if through some weakness the world still delights you, let Him who cleanses remain in you, and you will be clean.

If you become clean, you will not remain in the world, and you will not hear what the Jews heard: "You will die in your sins." For all of us, born with sin, have by our life added sins to that with which we were born. We have become even more of the world than when we were born of our parents.

Where would we be if He who had no sin had not come to redeem every sin? Because the Jews did not believe in Him, they deservedly heard: "You will die in your sins." For, being born with sin, you cannot in any way be without sin. Yet if you believe in Me, though you were born with sin, you will not die in your sin.

Thus the whole misery of the Jews was not that they had sin, but that they died in their sins. This is what every Christian must avoid. For this reason one must hasten to Baptism. For this reason those over whom the danger of sickness or some other calamity hangs long to receive help.

For this reason even an infant at the breast is carried to church by the pious hands of his mother. He must not remain without Baptism, nor die in the sin in which he was born.

Wretched is the condition and bitter the lot of those who heard from the mouth that speaks truth: "You will die in your sins." Yet He disclosed to them why this would happen: "For if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins."

I believe, brethren, that among the multitude that listened to the Lord there were also those who believed. But that very stern sentence sounded as though against all: "You will die in your sins." Therefore even those who believed were deprived of hope. Some raged, others were frightened, or rather, they did not become frightened but fell into despair.

He restored hope to them, for He added: "If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins." Therefore, if you believe that I am, you will not die in your sins.

Hope was restored to the despairing. The sleeping were awakened, and their hearts were encouraged. Because of this many believed, as the subsequent account of the Gospel itself testifies. For there were members of Christ there who had not yet been joined to the Body of Christ.

Among that people who crucified Him, who hung Him on the tree, who mocked Him as He hung, who pierced Him with the spear, and who offered Him gall and vinegar, there were members of Christ. For their sake He said: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Lk 23:34).

What, then, will not be forgiven to one who turns, if the very Blood of Christ that was shed forgives? Should any murderer despair, if hope was restored even to him who put Christ to death?

After this, many believed. They were gifted with the Blood of Christ so as to drink it, which brought them deliverance, and not remain guilty of shedding it.

Who can despair, if the thief was saved on the cross? Shortly before, he was a murderer. A little later, he was accused, convicted, condemned, crucified, and finally saved by the Lord. This should not amaze us. Where he was convicted, there he was condemned. But where he was transformed, there he was saved (cf. Lk 23:39-43).

Among that people to whom the Lord spoke were those who would die in their sins. But there were also those who would believe in Him who spoke to them and be delivered from every sin.

But consider what the Lord Christ said: "If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins." What does it mean, "If you do not believe that I am"? "I am" means what? He added nothing. Because He added nothing, much remains that He entrusted to us.

It was expected that He would say who He was, and yet He did not say it. What was He expected to say? Perhaps: "If you do not believe that I am the Christ. If you do not believe that I am the Son of God. If you do not believe that I am the Word of the Father. If you do not believe that I am the Creator of the world. If you do not believe that I am the Fashioner and Refashioner of man, Creator and Restorer, Maker and Remaker. If you do not believe that this is I, you will die in your sins."

Augustine gives Christ epithets whose rhetorical nuance is difficult to render, since they repeatedly use the prefix re-. Their meaning is that Christ created man and, having become incarnate, restored him by freeing him from sin.

Much was said through His uttering, "I am." For so God spoke to Moses: "I am He who is" (Ex 3:14). Who can worthily explain what "I am" is?

God sent His servant Moses through His angel to deliver His people from Egypt. You have read and know what you now hear, but I shall recall it. He sent him fearful, unsure of himself, yet obedient.

Being unsure of himself, he said to God, whom he understood to be speaking through the angel: "If the people say to me. 'Who is the God who sent you?' what shall I say to them?" And the Lord answered him: "I am He who is." And He added: "Say to the sons of Israel: He who is has sent me to you" (Ex 3:14).

Even then He did not say, "I am God." Or, "I am the Maker of the world." Or, "I am the Creator of all things." Or. "I am the One who brings deliverance to the people." He said only: "I am He who is." And: "Say to the sons of Israel: He who is..." He did not add, "your God, the God of your fathers." He said only this: "He who is has sent me to you."

Perhaps this was much for Moses himself, as it is too much for us to understand what was said: "I am He who is," and, "He who is has sent me to you." And if Moses suddenly understood this, when will those to whom he was sent understand it?

Therefore the Lord put aside what man could not understand and added what he could understand. For He added and said: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (cf. Ex 3:15). You can understand this. But what mind can understand, "I am He who is" (Ex 3:14)?

What then are we? Shall we dare say anything about what was spoken: "I am He who is"? Or even about what you heard the Lord say: "If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins"?

With my very small and scarcely noticeable powers, shall I dare discuss what the Lord Christ’s saying means: "If you do not believe that I am"? I would rather dare to question the Lord Himself.

Listen to me as one questioning rather than reasoning, seeking rather than presuming, learning rather than teaching. You also should question with me or through me. The Lord, who is everywhere, is near us. May He not remain deaf to our desire to inquire, and may He lead us at last to understanding.

For by what words, even if I suddenly understand something, could I entrust to your hearts what I understand? What voice would be required? What eloquence would be fitting? What powers of understanding? What capacity for explanation?

Therefore I shall turn to our Lord Jesus Christ. I shall turn, and may He hear me. I believe that He is near; I do not doubt this at all. For He Himself said: "I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Mt 28:20).

O Lord our God, what does it mean that You said, "If you do not believe that I am"? For what does not exist among the things You have created? Is there no heaven? Is there no earth? Is there not what is on earth and in heaven? Does not the very man to whom You speak exist? Does not the angel whom You send exist?

If all these things created through You exist, then what existence is Yours alone? What existence do You have that You gave to no one else, so that You alone are as You are?

For I hear, "I am He who is," as though all the rest were not. And how should I hear, "If you do not believe that I am"? Did not those who heard this exist? Even if they were sinners, they were still men, that is, they existed.

What, then, shall I do? What is this existence? Let Him tell my heart. Let Him speak within me. Let it be said within. Let the inner man hear. Let the mind receive what this true existence means.

One must suppose that such existence is eternal. For every thing whatsoever, as I have begun to reason and ceased to question, however excellent it may be, does not have true existence if it is mutable. Perhaps I want to say what I have already heard. May He strengthen your hearing and mine as I speak.

There is no true existence where there is non-being. For everything that can be changed, once changed, ceases to be what it was. If something has ceased to be what it was, then a certain death has occurred. Something that existed has been taken away, and it no longer exists.

The blackness on the head of a gray-haired elder has died. The beauty in the body of a weary and bent old man has died. Strength has died in the body of a withered man. Stillness has died in the body of one who began to move. Movement has died in the body of one who stopped. Movement and the ability to stand have died in the body of one lying down. Speech has died on the tongue of one who fell silent.

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins.” Again He frightens them, wishing to persuade them. “For if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins.” If you do not believe that I am the Christ, the Son of God, then you will die in your sins, as bound by them. Whoever does not believe and does not wash away the defilements of sins through Baptism will certainly die in this defilement. Rising with it, he will bear punishment.

“You reason in this way,” Christ answered them, “because you judge everything according to your humanity, and do not wish to renounce your purely earthly and base notions.

You do not wish to lift your mind to another world, the heavenly world. All your thoughts and all your desires are concentrated on securing for yourselves only the goods of this world, this temporary earthly life.

But I am not of this world. Therefore you do not understand Me. For this reason I told you, and now repeat, that if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

He said to them: without answering their crude mockery, the Lord points to their moral character. It is from this disposition that they reach such derision of Him.

“You are from below, I am from above.” What is below is earthly and subterranean, in contrast to what is above, heavenly and beyond heaven (Acts 2:19; Col 3:1-2; Gal 4:26; Phil 3:14; cf. Jn 3:3, 31).

“Of this world”: here the world is understood as the sum of all evil, hostile to Christ and to His work.

The meaning of Christ’s answer is this: you are so hostile toward Me because, in your sensual, worldly, and false dispositions of spirit, you have lost the ability to understand what is heavenly and divine.

To the same hearers to whom the previous teaching had been offered, as the words “He said to them again” show, the Lord continued to offer teaching about Himself. Answering the secret designs of His enemies, who were attempting to take His freedom and life, Jesus says, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and you will die in your sins.” The time is near when He will leave the earth. This is certain. It is also certain that, had this not been His will and the will of the heavenly Father, neither the malice of the Sanhedrin nor the malice of Hades could have brought Him to a violent death. “I go away,” He says, with complete freedom. But the matter is not only about this. It is also about the Jews.

The Lord repeats still more clearly to the Jews the sacred expression “I Am.” In His love for mankind, He does not close the door of salvation even to these embittered men.

He says that they will die in their sins if they do not believe that He is the Lord who brought Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Their stubborn resistance to the light, which depends on themselves, will be the reason that they “die in their sins.” So the rebellious and obstinate Israelites died in the wilderness.

Compare the solemn words of the Lord in Num 14:22-23. Only to their children did the Lord grant the sight of the promised land.