John 10:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?

NIV: Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are "gods" ’ ?

NASB: Jesus answered them, 'Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GodS’?

CSB: Jesus answered them, "Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods?

NLT: Jesus replied, 'It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’

KJV: Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods

NKJV: Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’?

Prior to this, Jesus was about to be stoned by a mob of hostile religious leaders. Their claim was that Jesus committed blasphemy, by claiming He and God were "one" (John 10:30–31, 33). Jesus' immediate response, however, was to refer to His miracles—indirectly pointing out that His words ought to be judged in the context of His ministry and not with careless prejudice (John 10:32).

Starting here, Jesus uses a debate style which these men knew all too well. Religious leaders and scribes of this era would often debate Scripture using an endless barrage of technicalities and convoluted explanations. Jesus engages in an abbreviated form of that technique to prove that, even by their own standards, they're being hypocrites.

Jesus cites Psalm 82:1–8. A reference to the Old Testament grounds His claim in something these men claim to take seriously: the Word of God. In the next verses, Jesus will compare the words of the Old Testament to the claim these men now state is blasphemous. It's important to note that Jesus isn't making a blanket defense of all claims related to God. Rather, He'll once again point to all the ways in which He fulfills the role of Messiah. If "gods" is an appropriate description—from God Himself—to those who are enabled to perform His will, then how can they stone Jesus, who has performed actual miracles, for blasphemy by claiming to be the Son of God?

John 10:22–42 happens a few months after the controversy which began in chapter 9. Here, Jesus is cornered in an overt threat by the same religious leaders He has been castigating for years. He echoes metaphors about sheep and shepherds. Jesus points out that His teachings and miracles are all consistent with predictions of the Messiah. Yet these men refuse to accept Him. This culminates in another attempt on Jesus' life, which He somehow avoids. This represents the last time Jesus will publicly teach prior to His crucifixion.

This passage continues Jesus' discussion with the religious leaders of Jerusalem, seen in chapter 9. Jesus lays out three separate analogies about His ministry using the concept of sheep and shepherds. In those statements, Jesus explains why some people refuse to accept Him. He declares Himself the only means of salvation. He again predicts His sacrificial death. This leads to controversy. Later, Jesus is cornered by a mob in the temple grounds. They try to stone Him as He repeats His divine claims, but He escapes in a way not fully described by the text. After this, Jesus leaves the area and returns to the region where John the Baptist had once preached.

Starting in chapter 7, the gospel of John describes Jesus' preaching at the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. Through chapters 7 and 8, He debates with critics and attempts to explain spiritual truths. On the way out of the city, Jesus gives sight to a man born blind, as shown in chapter 9. That begins an extended debate which continues in this chapter. Jesus gives analogies of His mission using shepherding as a theme. Months later, He repeats those ideas when cornered by an aggressive mob in the temple. This sets the stage for His grandest miracle, the raising of Lazarus, seen in chapter 11.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.