Why did Jesus answer with sarcasm when He was accused about knowing Abraham?
When accused regarding Abraham, Jesus used sarcasm to put His accusers in their place and expose their false claim to know the Father. He affirmed that He knew the Father, and said that if He denied knowing Him, He would be a liar like them for claiming to know Him.
Les teaches that when Jesus responded to a question, sometimes there was sarcasm, as in John’s Gospel chapter 12, when they accused Him of knowing Abraham. In sarcasm Jesus said, “I know the Father, and you claim to know Him, and if I said I didn’t know Him, I’d be a liar like you are for claiming to know Him.” Les says that was sarcasm, and He was putting them in their place. By contrast, Les notes that in the passage before them Jesus answers plainly, not with sarcasm, speaking of those who followed Him, the regeneration, the Son of Man on His throne, and the twelve ruling the twelve tribes of Israel.