The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
When the Jews hurled the insult "you are a Samaritan and have a demon," they weren't just calling Jesus names; they were implying he was an outcast and a heretic, someone utterly opposed to God's true people and, therefore, clearly possessed by an evil spirit. This venomous accusation was their way of dismissing everything Jesus said and did, twisting his divine mission into something wicked and insane, revealing their own deep-seated prejudice and spiritual blindness.
The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just challenged the crowd, asking who can prove him wrong about his teachings and why they don't believe him if he speaks the truth. In response, they launch into a furious accusation, spitting out the most hateful insults they can think of: calling him a Samaritan (a deeply offensive term for Jews) and claiming he's possessed by a demon. This isn't a logical argument; it's pure rage and desperation from people whose worldview Jesus is shattering.
Why did the Jews hurl such specific and vicious insults at Jesus? It wasn't just random name-calling; these words carried the weight of deep-seated prejudice and spiritual accusation.
When Jesus challenged the religious leaders about their true spiritual heritage, they responded with two deeply offensive labels: 'Samaritan' and 'demon-possessed.'
A Label of Disdain
Calling Jesus a 'Samaritan' was more than an ethnic slur. The Jews and Samaritans had a bitter, centuries-old religious and social feud. To them, Samaritans were heretics, apostates who had corrupted the Law. By calling Jesus a Samaritan, they were effectively calling him an enemy of God and an outcast from true worship. It was a way to dismiss his teachings and his very identity.
Accusation of Demonic Influence
The charge of 'having a demon' (or 'being demon-possessed') was even more severe. This wasn't just about mental instability; it was a spiritual indictment. They believed his powerful words and actions, which they couldn't comprehend or accept, must stem from an evil spiritual source. It was their ultimate accusation to claim he was not just wrong, but actively in league with the forces of evil.
How does Jesus react when faced with such hateful and false accusations? He doesn't just fire back; his response reveals a deeper strategy rooted in his divine mission.
Jesus' reply to being called a Samaritan and demon-possessed is remarkable for its focus and restraint.
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Strategic Silence and Focus
Jesus doesn't directly refute the 'Samaritan' label. Some scholars suggest this might be because the ethnic slur was less significant than the spiritual accusation, or that the primary offense was the denial of his divine truth, not his person. He focuses on the more profound charge.
Defending God's Honor, Not His Own
His core response is: 'I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.'
Understand the original words
Ioudaioi · Greek Noun
A historical and ethnic group in Judea; in John, the term often refers to the religious leadership who were hostile toward Jesus.
Samareitēs · Greek Noun
An inhabitant of Samaria; in the first-century Jewish context, this was a derogatory label implying spiritual corruption or being an outsider to the covenant.
daimonion · Greek Noun
A malevolent, supernatural spirit under the authority of the devil, capable of possessing humans or exerting evil influence.
The accusation of being a 'Samaritan' was a deeply cutting insult in Jesus' day, far more than just a regional slur. It carried heavy baggage from centuries of religious and ethnic conflict, implying heresy and separation from God's people. Coupled with the charge of having a 'demon,' it was a venomous attempt to dismiss Jesus entirely by associating Him with everything the Jews despised.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the deportation of many Israelites and the resettlement of foreign peoples in the land. This event marks a major historical division between the populations that would become known as Jews and Samaritans.
c. 515 BC
Second Temple Construction
The rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple is completed by the returning Jewish exiles. This reinforces Jerusalem as the sole legitimate center of worship for the Jews, further alienating the Samaritans who had their own temple on Mount Gerizim.
c. 20 BC - AD 30
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee and Judea
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and calling disciples. His ministry takes him through various regions, including interactions with both Jews and Samaritans, as seen in John 4.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Teaching during the Feast of Tabernacles
Jesus is teaching in the temple courts in Jerusalem during a major Jewish festival. His controversial claims about his divine authority and his debates with Jewish leaders escalate tensions.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Trial and Crucifixion
Following intense opposition and accusations from Jewish leaders, Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified. The deep animosity between Jesus and his accusers culminates in this event.
This passage explains the deep-seated animosity between Jews and Samaritans, making the insult in John 8:48 particularly stinging and indicative of the Jews' rejection of Jesus.
Matthew 12:24Here, the Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons. This parallel shows a recurring pattern of the religious elite attributing Jesus' miraculous power to demonic influence when they refuse to accept His divine authority.
1 Samuel 2:30Jesus responds by saying He honors His Father and that His Father will vindicate Him. This Old Testament verse echoes that God honors those who honor Him, providing a theological backdrop to Jesus' defense of His divine mission.
John 10:33The Jews accuse Jesus of blasphemy and claim He has a demon because He asserts His divine authority. This shows a consistent theme of their misunderstanding and misinterpreting His claims, leading to accusations against His character and source of power.
calvinJohn 8:46-50: "Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?"
- Which of you convicteth me of sin? And if I speak truth, why do you not believe me? 47. He who is of God heareth the words of God; you hear them not, because you are not of God. 48. The Jews therefore answered, and said to him, Do we not say well, that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil, but I honor my Father, and you have dishonored me. 50. But I…
bensonJohn 8:48: "Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?"
John 8:48-53 . Then answered the Jews, Say we not well — Have we not just cause to say; Thou art a Samaritan — An enemy to our church and nation; and hast a devil? — Art possessed by a proud and lying spirit? The Jews and Samaritans bearing a mortal hatred to one another on account of religion, it happened, that in common language, Couthi, or Samaritan, was used to signify, not m…
When the Jews hurled the insult "you are a Samaritan and have a demon," they weren't just calling Jesus names; they were implying he was an outcast and a heretic, someone utterly opposed to God's true people and, therefore, clearly possessed by an evil spirit. This venomous accusation was their way of dismissing everything Jesus said and did, twisting his divine mission into something wicked and insane, revealing their own deep-seated prejudice and spiritual blindness.
Jesus has just challenged the crowd, asking who can prove him wrong about his teachings and why they don't believe him if he speaks the truth. In response, they launch into a furious accusation, spitting out the most hateful insults they can think of: calling him a Samaritan (a deeply offensive term for Jews) and claiming he's possessed by a demon. This isn't a logical argument; it's pure rage and desperation from people whose worldview Jesus is shattering.
Jesus has just challenged the crowd, asking who can prove him wrong about his teachings and why they don't believe him if he speaks the truth. In response, they launch into a furious accusation, spitting out the most hateful insults they can think of: calling him a Samaritan (a deeply offensive term for Jews) and claiming he's possessed by a demon. This isn't a logical argument; it's pure rage and desperation from people whose worldview Jesus is shattering.
"The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”" — When the Jews hurled the insult "you are a Samaritan and have a demon," they weren't just calling Jesus names; they were implying he was an outcast and a heretic, someone utterly opposed to God's tru…
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Last reviewed October 2026