<p>3:9&nbsp;<em>And think not to say within yourselves</em>- Always the Biblical emphasis is upon internal thought processes and the need to be aware of them. John's great convert Paul several times uses the same device in his letters- foreseeing the likely thought process in response to his message, and answering it ahead of time (e.g. 1 Cor. 15:35).</p>
<p><em>We have Abraham as our father, for I say to you, that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham</em>- Said perhaps pointing to the stones. Perhaps they were the 12 stones set up after the Jordan crossing (Josh. 3 and 4). There is a word play between&nbsp;<em>avanim</em>, stones, and&nbsp;<em>banim, </em>sons.&nbsp;<em>Avanim</em>, stones, in turn sounds like&nbsp;<em>evyonim</em>, the term for the poor, the social outcasts- these were the &quot;stones&quot; which were being accepted into the covenant of grace.&nbsp;</p>