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Joh_8:52-53. The Jews understood Him to speak of natural death, and thus found a confirmation of their charge that He was mad in consequence of being possessed with a devil. It is in their view a senseless self-exaltation for Jesus to ascribe to His word, and therefore to Himself, greater power of life than was possessed by Abraham and the prophets, who had not been able to escape death.
νῦν ἐγνώκ .] “antea cum dubitatione aliqua locuti erant,” in Joh_8:48, Bengel.
γεύσηται ] a different and stronger designation, not intentionally selected, but the result of excitement. Comp. on the expression Mat_16:28, and the Rabbis as quoted by Schoettgen and Wetstein; Leon. Alex. 41: γεύεσθαι ἀστόργου θανάτου . The image employed, probably not derived from a death-cup,—a supposition which is not favoured by the very common use of the expression in other connections,—serves to set forth to the senses the πικρότης , the bitterness of experiencing death. Comp. the classical expressions, γεύεσθαι πένθους , Eur. Alc. 1072; μόχθων , Soph. Trach. 1091; κακῶν , Luc. Nigr. 28; πόνων , Pind. Nem. 6. 41; πενίης , Maced. 3; ὀϊστοῦ , Hom. Od. φ , 98, χειρῶν υ , 181. The kind of experience denoted by γεύεσθαι is always specified in the context.
Joh_8:53. Surely thou art not greater (furnished with greater power against death), and so forth; σύ is emphatic. Comp. Joh_4:12.
ὅστις ] quippe qui, who verily; assigning the ground.
τίνα σεαυτ . ποιεῖς ] What sort of one dost thou make thyself? (Joh_5:18, Joh_10:33, Joh_19:7), “quem te venditas?” (Grotius), that thy word should produce such an effect?