Joh 10:31-36 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 31. The Jews took up stones . Stoning was the punishment of a blasphemer, . They considered him guilty of blasphemy because he made himself equal with God, . Again . They had before plotted against his life ( ) and once at least they had taken up stones to destroy him, . (f) "The Jews"

John 10:31-36

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 Verse 32. Many good works. Many miracles of benevolence--healing the sick, &c. His miracles were good works, as they tended to promote the happiness of men, and were proofs of his benevolence. He had performed no other works than those of benevolence; he knew that they could charge him with no other, and he confidently appealed to them as witnesses of that. Happy would it be if all, when they are opposed and persecuted, could appeal even to their persecutors in proof of their own innocence. 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 Verses 34-38. Jesus answered them. The answer of Jesus consists of two parts. The first (Jn 10:34-36) shows that they ought not to object to his use of the word God, even if he were no more than a man. The second (Jn 10:37,38) repeats substantially what he had before said, left the same impression, and in proof of it he appealed to his works.

Verse 34. In your law. Ps 82:6. The word law here, is used to include the Old Testament.

I said. The Psalmist said, or God said by the Psalmist.

Ye are gods. This was said of magistrates on account of the dignity and honour of their office, and it shows that the word translated "god" in that place might be applied to man. Such a use of the word is, however, rare. See instances in Ex 7:1, 4:16. Verse 35. Unto whom the word of God came. That is, who were his servants, or who received their dignity and honour only because the law of God was intrusted to them. The word of God here means the command of God; his commission to them to do justice.

The scripture cannot be broken. See Mt 5:19. The authority of the Scripture is final; it cannot be set aside. The meaning is, "If, therefore, the Scripture uses the word god as

applied to magistrates, it settles the question that

it is right to apply the term to those in office and

authority. If applied to them, it may be to others in

similar offices. It can not, therefore, be blasphemy

to use this word as applicable to a personage so much

more exalted than mere magistrates as the Messiah."

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