Some people, in their hatred of the Jews, claim that ALL the modern Jewish people are not really Jews at all, but are descended from Esau — and are really Edomites! Some even go so far as to claim that — believe it or not — the German people are true Jews, whereas the millions whom they sent to the concentration camps and ovens were actually "Edomites," descended from Esau — that is, false Jews!
Some anti-Semitic religious ministers even claim the Jews are the "serpent's seed" — and claim their father was none other than Satan the devil. They even quote the words of the Messiah in John 8:44 as "proof" of this claim.
However, when we read the words of the Messiah, we find he was referring not to the Jewish people as such, but rather to the Jewish religious leaders who were at that moment interrogating him and denying his Messiahship !
To those specific religious leaders who were seeking to kill him (John 8:37), and who sneered and accused him of being born of sex out of wedlock and who boasted that YEHOVAH God was their father — the Pharisees and Sadducees — to them he replied, because of their evil works, "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him" (John 8:44).
These evil religious leaders, who rejected the Messiah, were on dangerous ground. But Yeshua was not accusing the Jewish people as such. Rather, his remarks were addressed to those Jerusalem rabbis who should have known better, or did, but rejected him anyway. These particular religious leaders he branded as "hypocrites," "snakes," "vipers," "blind leaders of the blind," and worthy of "hell"
Some anti-Semitic religious ministers even claim the Jews are the "serpent's seed" — and claim their father was none other than Satan the devil. They even quote the words of the Messiah in John 8:44 as "proof" of this claim.
However, when we read the words of the Messiah, we find he was referring not to the Jewish people as such, but rather to the Jewish religious leaders who were at that moment interrogating him and denying his Messiahship !
To those specific religious leaders who were seeking to kill him (John 8:37), and who sneered and accused him of being born of sex out of wedlock and who boasted that YEHOVAH God was their father — the Pharisees and Sadducees — to them he replied, because of their evil works, "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him" (John 8:44).
These evil religious leaders, who rejected the Messiah, were on dangerous ground. But Yeshua was not accusing the Jewish people as such. Rather, his remarks were addressed to those Jerusalem rabbis who should have known better, or did, but rejected him anyway. These particular religious leaders he branded as "hypocrites," "snakes," "vipers," "blind leaders of the blind," and worthy of "hell"