John 8:51

Here our Lord speaks a great and mighty statement seemingly towering above His hearers: “if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." The “I tell you the truth” spoken prior red flagging our attention to the gravity and solemnity of His Words. He holds out the Truth of the immortality of believers who themselves hear and heed His Words.

“‘Whether you will hear or not, whether you choose to know Me or not, I solemnly tell you that if any man receives, believes, and keeps my doctrine, he shall never see death. Despised and rejected as I am by you, life or death, heaven or hell, blessing or cursing, depend and hinge on accepting the message I proclaim to you. I am the way, the truth and the life.’ Our Lord seems to be saying, ‘I tell you once more, for the last time, that to keep my saying is the way to escape death.” J.C. Ryle

John records a similar statement of the Lord Jesus in the fifth chapter of his gospel:

24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24 (NIV)

In like manner, the prophet Isaiah prophesized the following regarding the works of the coming Savior:

8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. Isaiah 25:8 (NIV)

What exactly did Jesus mean when He stated “keeps my word” and “never see death”? In the first statement our Lord defines for us the character of a true believer – it is one that adheres to His Word – not just gives intellectual assent or a mere nod of the head but makes it his way of life. It is one who not only receives but keeps and who not only haves but holds. It is one who keeps His Word in their memory (mind), in their love (heart), in their way (walk), and as their rule (Lordship). Jesus is referring here to the whole doctrine of his Gospel. The process begins in the mind and fleshes out in the walk and is forever guided by His rule. I am reminded of the beloved passage in Deuteronomy that Moses gave the Jews:

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deut 6:4-9 (NIV)

Indeed, when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, His reply sounded very similar to the Shema (the Hebrew word for “Hear”) – the passage we just read in Deuteronomy. His top two commandments speak first to loving God and second to fleshing out that love:

36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matt 22:36-40 (NIV)

In stating the believer “will never see death”, Jesus does not mean they will not literally physically die and be buried like all the other children of Adam. Unless Jesus returns first, we must each cross the River Jordan as all who have gone before us. Ever since the fall of Adam death has been man’s enemy. Flesh and blood will feel on our deathbed – death being a serious thing even though the sting has been taken away. We have certainly discovered the Truth found in Genesis 2:17:

17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Gen 2:17 (NIV)

What it does mean is that death has lost its sting for us as we are completely delivered from the spiritual death of condemnation under which all mankind are born – our souls are made alive and can die no more. There will also be a bodily resurrection and heavenly ascension of those who die in Christ Jesus – just as Lazarus came forth from the grave at the voice of our Lord, so too the saints will rise at the sound of His loud command. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians:

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thess 4:16-18 (NIV)

“The death from which our Lord came to deliver us was the second death, eternal death, the death of hell, the death of damnation with the devil and his angels. This is indeed death; for this death of ours is only a migration. What is it but a putting off a heavy load, provided there be not another load carried, by which the man shall be cast headlong into hell. This is the death of which the lord says, ‘He shall not see death.’” Augustine

“You do well to remember that the Shepherd who so tenderly leads you is the King of eternity. Though your earth-body will someday die, you yourself will never perish. When you become absent from the body, you will be present with Me in a deep, rich, glorious way beyond anything you can imagine! No one will be able to snatch you out of My hand. This assurance of your eternal destiny sets you free from fear of death. It also strengthens you to live bountifully today – joyously following your Shepherd.” Sarah Young