John 10:31-42 “The Deity of Jesus questioned”

(John 10:31) Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

This is the second time that here in the Temple they have tried to stone Jesus to death. To stone someone to death in the Temple was not allowed or proper. They were supposed to take the victim outside of the city to do this. Stephen was carried away from the Temple when he was stoned to death. These men have lost their since of reasoning due to their inflamed state of mind. They are so angry at what Jesus has said that they have not stopped to consider that the place for stoning is not in the Temple. Nor have they considered arresting Jesus and having him officially tried. The proper reaction to blaspheme was to bring the accused before the judges and have him fairly examined. The actions of this crowd are nothing short of mob justice. They are not acting as just men. They asked for a plain answer and Jesus could not have been plainer than to say “I and the Father are one.”

(John 10:32) Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

Jesus could have given them an impressive list of good works which He had done.

1. Healed a woman bowed together

2. Healed a man born blind

3. Cast a demon out of a boy

4. Healed a blind man in Bethsaida

5. Healed a deaf and dumb man

6. Calmed a storm and walked on water.

7. Fed 5000 men beside women and children

8. Fed 4000 men

9. Healed the sick

10. Healed 2 blind men

11. Healed a dumb demoniac

12. Healed Jairus’ daughter

13. Cast out a legion of demons

14. Jesus calmed another storm.

15. Healed a centurion’s servant

16. Healed a man with a withered hand

17. Healed a lame man.

18. Healed a paralytic who was lowered down through the roof.

19. Healed a leper

20. Healed Peter’s mother-in-law

21. Healed a demoniac

22. Healed the Nobleman’s son

23. Cleansed the temple of thieves

24. Raised the dead son of the widow of Nain.

25. Turned water into wine.

To do good works is never wrong. All the works of Jesus were good. He never did anything that was unrighteous.

Jesus has even done a good work in that He taught people the truth. He has taught them that He is one with His Father. The greatest work Jesus did was to teach people the ways of God.

(John 10:33) The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

The Jews are in effect saying it is not what you have done but what you have said. God is not a man and a man is not God. You, being a man, are claiming to be God. This they deem to be a transgression of God’s law. They had asked Jesus, back in verse 24, to tell them plainly if He were the Christ or not. Jesus responded plainly that He and the Father were one. Had they considered what Isaiah had said they would have known that the Christ would be both man and God.

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God..."

Jesus does not take them to this verse but instead refers to Psalm 82.

(John 10:34) Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

In Psalm 82 God is rebuking the Judges of the land of Israel for being unjust. They were mistreating God’s people especially the poor. God states through Asaph that He had called them gods. In Exodus 21:6 the word for Judges is the Hebrew word for God. He did not use the Hebrew word for Judge but used the word for God to describe the judges of the land. They would have been just and right to have referred to themselves as gods for that is what Moses had called them by the inspiration of God.

(John 10:35) If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

Now if God called the judges of the land gods and the scriptures are true and right in all things, which is the meaning of “cannot be broken”, then for a judge or prince to call himself a god would not be a violation of the law concerning blaspheme.

(John 10:36) Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

In the case of Jesus it is not blaspheme for He is the only begotten Son of God. Jesus has every right to a divine title.

(John 10:37) If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

The proof that Jesus is the Son of God is in the works which He had done. These works were of God and they were prophesied by God’s prophets of old as being done by the Messiah. There was ample proof from the scriptures in Jesus’ day that He was indeed the Christ.

Jesus gives them a command here in this verse. If they check out His works and they are found to not be of God then they were to not believe the claim which Jesus made of being the Christ.

(John 10:38) But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father [is] in me, and I in him.

(John 10:39) Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

(John 10:40) And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

(John 10:41) And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

(John 10:42) And many believed on him there.