John 8:48

Since the Jews could not refute Jesus’ challenge they resorted to verbal abuse (cf. John 7:52). Perhaps they called Him a Samaritan because He had questioned their ties to Abraham. This may have been a Samaritan attack against the Jews as well. [Note: Bruce, p. 199; J. Bowman, "Samaritan Studies," Bulletin of John Rylands University Library of Manchester 40:2 (March 1958):306-8.] Perhaps they also said this because He took a lax view of the tenets of Judaism as they understood them. This is the only record of this charge in the Gospels. However, there are several other instances of the Jews’ claiming that Jesus was demon possessed (cf. John 7:20; John 8:52; John 10:20). Perhaps these superficial believers concluded that only a demon-possessed heretic would accuse them as Jesus did. [Note: Edersheim, 2:174-75.] Jesus had claimed that their father was the devil, and now they accused Him of being the devil’s agent. This charge came after Jesus’ repeated statements that He had come from God, and it illustrates the unbelief of these "believing" Jews (John 8:31).