John 10:31-39

John 10:31-39 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came — and the Scripture cannot be broken — what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

Today we see Jews again picking up stones and trying to seize Christ, and again he escaped their grasp. As Jesus often does, He uses scriptures against his accusers, and He chose a passage from Psalm 82, by Asaph that refers to men as "gods," a verse used by the Mormon church to validate their false beliefs in their own deity. Some commentators say the word used for god in the psalm and in Jesus' words sometimes refers to God setting up people as judges, magistrates, or rulers in the land and in the Jewish religion. In the psalm, the leaders or judges perverted judgment by showing partiality to the wicked; consequently, they were going to die because God wanted them to defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalm 82:2-4) We can assume that Jesus' reference to this psalm would have made the Jewish leaders uncomfortable. They stood in positions of authority given to them by God and were set apart by God according to the Law, just as those referred to in the Psalm. Those who knew the reference would have understood the inherent rebuke. But they were not in any sense willing to yield to any argument that Jesus put forth. The Jews were not likeminded, they were not as He was, for Jesus was the Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father. He said, "I am God's Son." They could not accept that statement, for it undercut the power and authority that maintained their rule.

Jesus was set apart as the Father's very own and sent into the world. He was sent as the Lamb of God that we might be saved and become part of God's family, not to become gods on Earth, but to be adopted as sons and daughters of the Most High God: a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) The men referred to in Psalms 82 were gods or leaders among men only because they had been sent the word of God and given the position to make decisions for God as He gave them power and authority--to whom the word of God came. In the Old Testament, even in the best of situations, the Holy Spirit temporarily came upon men and women, moved upon the leaders, the prophets, the patriarchs and led God's people: gave them messages, direction, and hope for the future. They also brought warnings, rebukes, chastisements, and predictions of hard times, periods of famine and calamity. Many faced tremendous suffering for their faith of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:38-40)

In today's passage, Jesus asked the Jews, "Why do you seek to kill me for saying something that even the Holy Scripture says?" But his listeners understood what was embedded in his words. He was referring to himself as part of the indivisible one true God: such a claim indicated blasphemy to the Jews. Blasphemy required death by stoning. Jesus did not engage in a verbal battle to escape death; He did no try to deflect their anger with a side issue. He was pointing the people to the salvation plan of God, to become the children of God if they would believe what the scriptures said about MESSIAH. If they would place their complete trust in the miracle worker who now stood before them, they would be transformed as God's much-loved children into a new creation. Not that they might be gods, but that they would be part of God's heavenly family, enclosed in Christ's mercy and love forevermore, who would shower us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3) Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8:14) As you think on these precious truths today, do not underestimate your position in Christ, for you are a son, a daughter. God did not give you a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans:14-17)