At first the Pharisee’s response to Jesus’ words about freedom looks absurd. “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be made free’?” (John 8:33). Weren’t they being occupied by Rome even as they spoke? Weren’t they lead into captivity by the Babylonians in Jeremiah’s time?
Maybe they were saying, “We have been obeying Abraham and have never followed any other religious teaching. But wasn’t the reason they were lead captive in the Old Testament because they were worshiping other gods?” It seems the Pharisees were so blinded by their pride that they could not speak the truth at any level.
It seems pride in one’s own righteousness is a dangerous thing.
