Father of lies

John 8:44 (NLT)

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Anyone who thinks that Jesus was a wimp during His time on earth needs to be reminded of this verse.  Jesus was being confronted by Jewish leaders who not only did not believe Jesus’ words but also were out to kill Him (8:37, 40).  Rather than back down to these threats, Jesus became even more confrontational and uttered these words.

Can anyone be more condemning that telling someone that he is a child of the devil?  Can you imagine the ire raised within and amongst Jewish listeners as they hear Jesus talk to them this way?  Think how you would feel if anyone, much less the Savior of the world, talked to you like this.  Of course, anyone reading these words are or will be children of God, not of the devil, but imagine how these words penetrated and infuriated the hearts and minds of those to whom these words were directed. 

Jesus described who the devil is.  He is a murderer (Greek word means “manslayer”) and a liar.  The word Jesus used for liar is “pseustes”, meaning a false and faithless man.  This is the first and only time in Scripture that the devil is described this way.  Jesus said that the devil was a murderer from the beginning.  What beginning?  The beginning of the lives of Adam and Eve where in Genesis 3:1-7 the devil in the form of a serpent deceived Eve by overtly contraindicating what God had told Eve.  In Genesis 3:3 Eve repeated what God had told her, that she should not eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—Gen 2:9) or she would die.  Yet the serpent replied in Gen 3:4, “You surely shall not die”.  Such  blatant antagonism and hostility the serpent showed against God’s instructions to Eve, yet his words produced doubt in her and subsequent loss of faith and disobedience in her actions.  Such actions produced death of all mankind (Gen 3:19) for her and Adam’s sin against God caused by the devil’s lies. 

The devil has been murdering and lying to people ever since.  Could it not be argued that the devil is the fundamental reason for all the killing and all the lying ever perpetrated upon the earth? 

Jesus’ words about the devil always hating the truth, there is no truth in him, and his character is one of lying shows how he is completely and totally opposite of Jesus.  What did Jesus say about Himself? 

·  “I am the truth” (John 14:6). 

·  “I speak the truth” (John 8:45).

·  “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

If you ever wonder why there is so much violence, crime, hatred, and evil in this world, think about what Jesus said about the devil in John 8:44.  And anytime you get away from the truth of Scripture and start listening to what people say not supported by Scripture, you are being deceived. Lying and murder are the two main characteristics of the devil, the personification of all evil in this world.