Abstract:
John, the apostle, uses the context in John 8:31-59 to show how Jewish traditions were an obstacle to believing Jesus. The selected text of John 8:31-59 deals with truth; liberty of true discipleship; the fatherhood of God, of Abraham, and of the devil; and the authenticity and divinity of Jesus. It relates true discipleship to the knowledge of the truth that sets free. By contrasting the fatherhood of God and the devil, it demonstrates how those Jews had subscribed to false discipleship akin to open rebellion against God. This was in contrast to the conduct of Abraham, whom they claimed to be their father. It addresses the question of truth by presenting falsehood as the reality of the devil and truth as the reality of God. This research, therefore, sought to critically interpret the text of John 8:31-59 so as to discover its original and intended meaning; with its theological significance and practical significance to a contemporary Kikuyu Christian in Kenya. The study found that the author used epideictic rhetoric to present the Jews being addressed by Jesus as a foil and Abraham as a mirror of true discipleship. The study highlights that the Jewish claim of Abraham as their father was an indirect justification for practicing their traditions against the teachings of Jesus, which they presumed was a threat to their values and customs. With this understanding, the study established parallelism and contrasts between the biblical Jews and the Kikuyu people’s contexts. These have the potential of making it easier or being a hindrance to the Kikuyu Christians in Kenya to appreciate the truths revealed in this text. This study recommends
further research to be done on ways of further mitigating the hindrances and maximizing the advantage of the parallels. The study adopted a combination of rhetorical and historical-grammatical methods to interpret the text. The analysis of the text was organised into and presented in a complementary structure.
