“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.” The Jews listened incredulously to this assertion, and said, sneeringly, “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?” Jesus, with a lofty dignity that sent a thrill of conviction through their guilty souls, answered, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” For a moment, silence fell upon all the people, as the grand and awful import of these words dawned upon their minds. But the Pharisees, speedily recovering from the influence of his words, and fearing their effect upon the people, commenced to create an uproar, railing at him as a blasphemer. “Then took they up stones to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” {2SP 357.2}

Abraham, jeres fader, frydede sig over at skulle se min dag, og han fik den at se og glædede sig." (56.vers) Jøderne lyttede tvivlende til dette vidnesbyrd og sagde spottende: "Du er ikke halvtreds år endnu, og du har set Abraham!" Jesus svarede med ophøjet værdighed, som trængte overbevisende ind i deres onde hjerte: "Sandelig, sandelig siger jeg eder: før Abraham blev til, er jeg." (58.vers) Folket stod et øjeblik uden at sige et ord, idet den (358) store og forfærdelige betydning af disse ord opgik fra deres sind. Men farisæerne genvandt snart deres fatning, og da de frygtede for virkningen af hans ord på folket, søgte de at fremkalde et opløb, idet de forhånede ham som en bespotter. "Da tog de sten op for at kaste dem på ham; men Jesus skjulte sig og gik bort fra helligdommen." (59.vers)