Jesus' opponents then abused him further, calling him a Samaritan (an outcast) and saying that he was demon-possessed (Mark 3:22). Jesus then said that he did not seek honour for himself but for his Father (8:49-50). His claim in 8:51 referred to salvation from spiritual death, not physical death, but his opponents misunderstood and abused him violently again (8:52-53). In Jesus' reply (8:54-56) there is a reference to the belief of the rabbis that God had revealed to Abraham the mystery of the coming of the Messiah. Abraham rejoiced to know that Jesus the Messiah would come to the world (8:56). The scorn of his opponents (8:57) was answered by Jesus' claim to have been with God since the beginning (8:58); for the second time, the divine 'I am' is used. The result was an attempt by his opponents to kill Jesus (8:59), but the time for his death had not yet come.

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