John 10:29-31

Verse 29. Which gave them me. See Jn 6:37.

Is greater. Is more powerful.

Than all. Than all others--men, angels, devils. The word includes everything--everything that could attempt to pluck them away from God; in other words, it means that God is supreme. It implies, farther, that God will keep them, and will so control all other beings and things that they shall be safe.

None is able. None has power to do it. In these two verses we are taught the following important truths:

1st. That Christians are given by God the Father to Christ.

2nd. That Jesus gives to them eternal life, or procures by his death and intercession, and imparts to them by his Spirit, that religion which shall result in eternal life.

3rd. That both the Father and the Son are pledged to keep them so that they shall never fall away and perish. It would be impossible for any language to teach more explicitly that the saints will persevere.

4th. That there is no power in man or devils to defeat the purpose of the Redeemer to save his people. We also see our safety, if we truly, humbly, cordially, and daily commit ourselves to God the Saviour. In no other way can we have evidence that we are his people than by such a persevering resignation of ourselves to him, to obey his law, and to follow him through evil report or good report. If we do that we are safe. If we do not that we have no evidence of piety, and are not, cannot be safe.

(d) "gave them me" Jn 17:2 Verse 30. I and my Father are one. The word translated "one" is not in the masculine, but in the neuter gender. It expresses union, but not the precise nature of the union. It may express any union, and the particular kind intended is to be inferred from the connection. In the previous verse he had said that he and his Father were united in the same object--that is, in redeeming and preserving his people. It was this that gave occasion for this remark. Many interpreters have understood this as referring to union of design and of plan. The words may bear this construction. In this way they were understood by Erasmus, Calvin, Bucer, and others. Most of the Christian fathers understood them, however, as referring to the oneness or unity of nature between the Father and the Son; and that this was the design of Christ appears probable from the following considerations:

1st. The question in debate was not about his being united with the Father in plan and counsel, but in power. He affirmed that he was able to rescue and keep his people from all enemies, or that he had power superior to men and devils--that is, that he had supreme power over all creation. He affirmed the same of his Father. In this, therefore, they were united. But this was an attribute only of God, and they thus understood him as claiming equality to God in regard to omnipotence.

2nd. The Jews understood him as affirming his equality with God, for they took up stones to punish him for blasphemy (Jn 10:31,33), and they said to him that they understood him as affirming that he was God, Jn 10:33.

3rd. Jesus did not deny that it was his intention to be so understood. Jn 10:34, also on Mt 10:35-37.

4th. He immediately made another declaration implying the same thing, leaving the same impression, and which they attempted to punish in the same manner, Jn 10:37-39. If Jesus had not intended so to be understood, it cannot be easily reconciled with moral honesty that he did not distinctly disavow that such was his intention. The Jews were well acquainted with their own language. They understood him in this manner, and he left this impression on their minds.

(e) "I and my father" Jn 17:11,22 Verse 31. The Jews took up stones. Stoning was the punishment of a blasphemer, Lev 24:14-16. They considered him guilty of blasphemy because he made himself equal with God, Jn 10:33.

Again. They had before plotted against his life (Jn 5:16,18) and once at least they had taken up stones to destroy him, Jn 8:59.

(f) "The Jews" Jn 8:59

John 10:33

Verse 33. For blasphemy. Mt 9:3.

Makest thyself God. Jn 5:18. This shows how they understood what he had said.

Makest thyself. Dost claim to be God, or thy language implies this.

(g) "and because" Jn 5:16, 10:30, Ps 82:6, Rom 13:1

John 10:36

Verse 36. Whom the Father hath sanctified. The word sanctify with us means to make holy; but this is not its meaning here, for the Son of God was always holy. The original word means to set apart from a common to a sacred use; to devote to a sacred purpose, and to designate or consecrate to a holy office. This is the meaning here. God has consecrated or appointed his Son to be his Messenger or Messiah to mankind. See Ex 28:41, Lev 8:30.

And sent into the world. As the Messiah, an office far more exalted than that of magistrates. I am the Son of God. This the Jews evidently understood as the same as saying that he was equal with God. This expression he had often applied to himself. The meaning of this place may be thus expressed: "You charge me with blasphemy. The foundation of that

charge is the use of the name God, or the

Son of God, applied to myself; yet that same term

is applied in the Scriptures to magistrates. The use

of it there shows that it is right to apply it to

those who sustain important offices. And especially

you, Jews, ought not to attempt to found a charge

of blasphemy on the application of a word to the

Messiah which in your own Scriptures is applied to

all magistrates."

And we may remark here,

1st. That Jesus did not deny that he meant to apply the term to himself.

2nd. He did not deny that it was properly applied to him.

3rd. He did not deny that it implied that he was God. He affirmed only that they were inconsistent, and were not authorized to bring a charge of blasphemy for the application of the name to himself.

(h) "hath sanctified" Isa 11:2,3, 49:1,3, Jn 6:27
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