Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Abraham looked forward with joyful faith beyond his own time to the coming Saviour, and he saw His day and was glad. Jesus spoke these words in His morning teaching in the court of the temple, where He had declared Himself the light of the world who gives the light of life to all who follow Him. What Abraham was given to see beforehand was Christ laying aside His royal robes and kingly crown in heaven, taking human nature and living among humanity as God in human flesh to bear as the divine Substitute the guilt lifted from the race. That gospel was opened to him especially in the promise and in the offering of Isaac, where the ram provided in Isaac's place pointed to God's own Son sacrificed in humanity's place, for no person can atone for sin but only the Son of God can bear the guilt of the world. Abraham embraced the promise through Christ, who was his Saviour as He was the Saviour of the patriarchs and prophets, and those who are Abraham's children by faith trust in that same Christ.
Setting and Plain Meaning
The saying was spoken in the same morning teaching in the court of the temple, connected with the services of the Feast of Tabernacles, in which Jesus declared Himself the light of the world. That temple teaching was opened by the declaration, I am the light of the world, with the promise that whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
Abraham looked forward with joy to Christ's day, saw it, and was glad, his faith reaching beyond his own time to the coming Saviour. His rejoicing response to Christ stands in contrast to the rejection of Him by the Jews and Pharisees. The hearers misunderstood the saying as a claim that Jesus had personally seen Abraham, but His reply that He existed before Abraham reveals His divine, preexistent identity.
What Abraham Saw
Abraham saw Christ's day some fifteen hundred years before Christ came to earth in human life, and this was possible because in God's eternal presence the distant past and the distant future are seen as clearly as present events. What he saw so long beforehand was Christ laying aside His royal robes and kingly crown, leaving His place of honor in heaven, taking human nature upon Himself, and living among humanity. God gave Abraham light about the future, so that by faith he beheld the coming Redeemer as God in human form, His divinity veiled by humanity, bearing as the divine Substitute the guilt lifted from the human race. As God unfolded His purpose to redeem humanity, the promise that through Abraham's line all families of the earth would be blessed gave him bright hope and gladness in the hope of deliverance through the coming Redeemer.
His practical obedience to God's commands showed growing spiritual knowledge, with mind and purpose brought into harmony with God, who revealed future events to him. Through supernatural revelation Abraham, who longed to see the promised Saviour, was shown Christ's divine character and the incarnate Saviour, and he rejoiced in His day. The promise and the offering of Isaac gave him a glimpse of the gospel, for as in faith he prepared to obey, the promise opened before him of Christ, the Just One and the Lamb slain for the sins of humanity.
The ram provided in Isaac's place represented God's Son, who would be sacrificed in humanity's place, so that God provided a substitute for Isaac while giving His own Son to save sinners, and Abraham's own anguish helped him grasp something of the greatness of God's sacrifice. The verse therefore points to Christ's mission and to the truth that no person can atone for his own sin, but only the Son of God can bear the guilt of the world.
Saving Faith and Witness
Abraham saw Christ and embraced the promise through Him. Christ was Abraham's Saviour, even as He was the Saviour of the patriarchs and prophets, whose hope, like ours, depended on believing in Christ. Abraham saw Christ's day afar off, and those who are children of Abraham by faith trust in that same Christ. That trust lays upon them a high calling to leave an example in keeping with their light and privileges, showing under every test that they have faith in Him, remaining not easily provoked, and so serving as witnesses for Christ.
Abraham looked forward with joyful faith beyond his own time to the coming Saviour, and he saw His day and was glad. Jesus spoke these words in His morning teaching in the court of the temple, where He had declared Himself the light of the world who gives the light of life to all who follow Him. What Abraham was given to see beforehand was Christ laying aside His royal robes and kingly crown in heaven, taking human nature and living among humanity as God in human flesh to bear as the divine Substitute the guilt lifted from the race. That gospel was opened to him especially in the promise and in the offering of Isaac, where the ram provided in Isaac's place pointed to God's own Son sacrificed in humanity's place, for no person can atone for sin but only the Son of God can bear the guilt of the world. Abraham embraced the promise through Christ, who was his Saviour as He was the Saviour of the patriarchs and prophets, and those who are Abraham's children by faith trust in that same Christ.
Setting and Plain Meaning
The saying was spoken in the same morning teaching in the court of the temple, connected with the services of the Feast of Tabernacles, in which Jesus declared Himself the light of the world. That temple teaching was opened by the declaration, I am the light of the world, with the promise that whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
Abraham looked forward with joy to Christ's day, saw it, and was glad, his faith reaching beyond his own time to the coming Saviour. His rejoicing response to Christ stands in contrast to the rejection of Him by the Jews and Pharisees. The hearers misunderstood the saying as a claim that Jesus had personally seen Abraham, but His reply that He existed before Abraham reveals His divine, preexistent identity.
What Abraham Saw
Abraham saw Christ's day some fifteen hundred years before Christ came to earth in human life, and this was possible because in God's eternal presence the distant past and the distant future are seen as clearly as present events. What he saw so long beforehand was Christ laying aside His royal robes and kingly crown, leaving His place of honor in heaven, taking human nature upon Himself, and living among humanity. God gave Abraham light about the future, so that by faith he beheld the coming Redeemer as God in human form, His divinity veiled by humanity, bearing as the divine Substitute the guilt lifted from the human race. As God unfolded His purpose to redeem humanity, the promise that through Abraham's line all families of the earth would be blessed gave him bright hope and gladness in the hope of deliverance through the coming Redeemer.
His practical obedience to God's commands showed growing spiritual knowledge, with mind and purpose brought into harmony with God, who revealed future events to him. Through supernatural revelation Abraham, who longed to see the promised Saviour, was shown Christ's divine character and the incarnate Saviour, and he rejoiced in His day. The promise and the offering of Isaac gave him a glimpse of the gospel, for as in faith he prepared to obey, the promise opened before him of Christ, the Just One and the Lamb slain for the sins of humanity.
The ram provided in Isaac's place represented God's Son, who would be sacrificed in humanity's place, so that God provided a substitute for Isaac while giving His own Son to save sinners, and Abraham's own anguish helped him grasp something of the greatness of God's sacrifice. The verse therefore points to Christ's mission and to the truth that no person can atone for his own sin, but only the Son of God can bear the guilt of the world.
Saving Faith and Witness
Abraham saw Christ and embraced the promise through Him. Christ was Abraham's Saviour, even as He was the Saviour of the patriarchs and prophets, whose hope, like ours, depended on believing in Christ. Abraham saw Christ's day afar off, and those who are children of Abraham by faith trust in that same Christ. That trust lays upon them a high calling to leave an example in keeping with their light and privileges, showing under every test that they have faith in Him, remaining not easily provoked, and so serving as witnesses for Christ.