Throughout most of this chapter of John the Jews were debating Jesus in the Temple about the question of the validity of His doctrine. They argued that, since He stood alone in making His claims, His testimony must be considered false, (v.13). Jesus answered them that it was their reasoning that was fallacious, since there was indeed Another who spoke for Him. In v.18 He said, "I am He who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me." By their own law, the Law of Moses, the testimony of two witnesses validated testimony (v.17), and Jesus had this required number in Himself and the Father. With His teaching thus verified, He then appealed to all who would respond to accept His word and become His disciples. It says in vs. 31-32 that Jesus said "to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'"
Jesus referred to freedom from the tyranny of sin, but His critical and shortsighted opponents did not grasp His meaning. Thus it says in v.33 that they answered Him, "We are Abraham's offspring and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that You say, 'You shall become free?'" We are made to wonder how they made this boast, since their history was full of bondage to other people -- Egyptians, Philistines, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and even then to the Romans. But Jesus let this arrogance pass, for He had not spoken of bondage to men. One can be enslaved to men but free in spirit, and it was freedom of the spirit that He had in mind. Sin is not a person, but, as a very real and powerful force, it acts as a monster that rules with an iron grip over the souls of those who submit to it. It was irrelevant whether the Jews were in bondage to the Romans, or to anyone else for that matter. What was of paramount importance was the status of their souls. Did sin rule over their minds and direct their lives toward destruction? Jesus announced that the truth He preached, and even personified in His own Being (Jno. 14:6) would liberate them when they put their faith in Him and obeyed that truth.
It was from this enslavement that Jesus appealed to His audience to seek release by putting their faith in what He taught them and yielding their lives to it. Those who reject the rule of the Gospel and abandon themselves to carnal living may believe they are liberated, but in reality they are in bondage. Those who are wise will not let sin reign in their mortal bodies with its strong tendency to sensual gratification. But "being freed from sin" when they yield to Christ, they will commit themselves to be "servants of righteousness," (Rom. 6:12,18)
