John 10:31-33 - Lesson #107

The Jews did not understand much of Jesus' teaching so they asked, with a little frustration, "If You are the Christ, tell us plainly" (John 10:24). His response was clear. He was indeed the One sent to save; "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish" (John 10:28a).

Jesus was much more than the promised prophet like Moses who would speak the words of God; much more than the promised king like David who would deliver the Israelites from worldly oppression. He was the One who could give secure eternal life; "neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:28b). But then Jesus further clarified His true identity; "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30).

John 10:31-33
"Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, 'Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?' The Jews answered Him, saying, 'For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.'"

Many people today have difficulty understanding what Jesus meant when He said I and My Father are one. They say Jesus only claimed to be in unity with the Father, much the same as we are all called to be in unity; much the same as we are all called to be God-like. But for all the difficulty the Jews had with Jesus, this is one claim they fully understood. Jesus was claiming to be God!

The Jewish Law required blasphemy to be punished by death: "And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him" (Leviticus 24:16). Blasphemy included any degrading words against God. And to the Jews, nothing was more degrading than to say God was equal with a mere man. But they missed the fact that Jesus was no ordinary man.

Notice that Jesus responded to the life endangering threat with a great (divine) calm. Ever in control, He first appealed to His miraculous works which confirmed His claims. He had previously been accused of breaking the Jewish law because He healed on the Sabbath (John 5:16), but now Jesus forced the issue to be about His claimed identity.

This was the third time the Jews had tried to kill Jesus. The most recent was after He said "before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). Jesus claimed to exist before the time of Abraham and with complete unity with the Father as the giver and sustainer of eternal life. This was indeed blasphemy! Unless, of course, it was true!!

Many Biblical issues are still debated today, many will not be resolved until we see Him face to face. But who Jesus claimed to be was made clear long ago; and this issue demands complete acceptance or absolute rejection. Jesus went to the cross as a sacrifice for our sin claiming to be the Eternal, Almighty God.