John 10:32

Joh 10:32-36. Jesus answered, Many good works have I showed you from my Father — That is, in confirmation of my mission from my Father I have wrought many miracles, all of a beneficent kind, and most becoming the perfections of my Father, who sent me. I have fed the hungry, I have healed the lame, I have cured the sick, I have given sight to the blind, I have cast out devils, and I have raised the dead: for which of all these are you going to stone me? The Jews answered, For a good work we stone thee not — We are going to punish thee with death, not for a good work, but for blasphemy; for, though thou art a man, weak and mortal as we ourselves are, thou arrogantly assumest to thyself the power and majesty of God; and by laying claim to the incommunicable attributes of the Deity, makest thyself God. This they took to be the plain meaning of his assertion, that he and the Father were one. Jesus — Not judging it proper, at that time, to bring the sublime doctrine of his Deity into further debate; answered them, Is it not written in your law — Or, in those sacred books which you own to be of divine original, (see Psa 82:6,) where it is plain the persons that are spoken of are princes and magistrates; I said, Ye are gods? — “The Jewish magistrates were God’s deputies in an especial manner, because the people whom they governed were his peculiar people, and because, in many instances, they were expressly called by him to undertake the fatigues of government, and had an afflatus, or inspiration of the Spirit, for that end. Thus the high-priests derived their dignity from God, and were possessed of the Urim and Thummim, by which they inquired of the Lord. When Moses chose the seventy elders to assist him in the distribution of justice, God put his Spirit upon them, and they prophesied, Num 11:17. Joshua, who succeeded Moses by divine appointment, is said to have been a man in whom was the Spirit, Num 27:18. Many of the judges were raised up by God, and had his Spirit. When Saul was anointed, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied, 1Sa 10:6; 1Sa 10:10.” — Macknight. If he (God) called them gods, to whom the word of God came — That is, to whom God was then speaking; and the Scripture cannot be broken — That is, nothing that is written therein can be censured or rejected. Dr. Campbell translates this clause, And if the language of Scripture is unexceptionable; observing, “Our Lord defends what he had said from the charge of blasphemy, by showing its conformity to the style of Scripture in less urgent cases; insomuch, that if the propriety of Scripture language were admitted, the propriety of his must be admitted also.” “This,” adds he, “is one of those instances wherein, though it is very easy for the translator to discover the meaning, it is very difficult to express it in words which shall appear to correspond to those of his author.” Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified — Hath set apart for the great work of redeeming and saving the human race; and sent into the world — For that purpose; Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God? — If the Scripture, which cannot err, gives the title of gods to mortal and sinful men, why should you reckon guilty of blasphemy, me, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world on so grand a design, because I assume to myself a title which so justly belongs to me, namely, that of the Son of God? Some set the argument in another light, thus: If they, to whom the word of God, and the revelation of his will came, are called gods in Scripture, how dare you say to the Word of God himself, by whom all the various revelations of the divine will have been made to men; how dare you say to such a person, on such an occasion, Thou blasphemest! Jesus, it must be observed, was charged here by the Jews with ascribing divinity to his human nature; and in reply to this he shows, that, calling himself the Son of God, did not imply that, and that his works proved such a union of the human nature with the divine as he had before asserted, than which no answer could have been more wise and pertinent.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 10:32. Καλὰ ἔργα, good works) Jesus shows that judgment is to be formed from His works; Joh 10:37, “If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not.”—λιθάζετε, do ye stone) The Jews had now determined to stone Him; Joh 10:33, “For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy.”

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 10:32 . Jesus anticipating them says: Πολλὰ … με ; “Many excellent works [‘praeclara opera,’ Meyer] have I shown you from my Father; for what work among these do ye stone me?” Which of them deserves stoning? (Holtzmann). As it could only be a work differing in character from the καλὰ ἔργα which deserved stoning, ποῖον is used, although in later Greek its distinctive meaning was vanishing. Wetstein quotes from Dionys. Halicar., viii. 29, an apposite passage in which Coriolanus says: οἵ με ἀντὶ πολλῶν καὶ καλῶν ἔργων , ἐφʼ οἷς τιμᾶσθαι προσῆκεν … αἰσχρῶς ἐξήλασαν ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

III. Second Address: Joh 10:32-39.

The reply of Jesus treats of two subjects: 1. That of the blasphemy which is imputed to Him (Joh 10:32-36); 2. That of His relation to God which is contested (Joh 10:37-39).

Vv. 32, 33. “Jesus answered them: I have shown you many good works by the power of my Father; for which of these works do you stone me? 33. The Jews answered him it is not for a good work that we stone thee, but for blasphemy, and because, being a man, thou makest thyself God.”

This time Jesus does not withdraw, as in Joh 8:59; He makes the stones fall from the hands of His adversaries by a question. Instead of good works, the translation should properly be beautiful works (Rilliet). The epithet καλά designates indeed not the beneficent character of the works, but their moral beauty, their perfection in holiness, in power, as well as in goodness. The term ἔδειξα, strictly, I have shown, characterizes these works as grand specimens of all those which the Father holds in reserve, and as the sensible and glorious proofs of the favor which the Son enjoys with Him. The Father shows Him these works in the ideal sphere (Joh 10:19-20), and He shows them to the world in the sphere of reality. The preposition ἐκindicates that the will and power by which Jesus accomplishes these works proceed from the Father (Joh 10:36).

The question of Jesus contains a keen irony, an expression of the deepest indignation. Undoubtedly, the ground on which the Jews intended to stone Him was not that which Jesus here ascribes to them; but in alleging another ground they imposed upon their consciences, and Jesus reveals to them the true condition of things by means of this question. Was it not on occasion of the healing of the impotent man that their murderous hatred had first manifested itself (chap. 5)? Had it not been increased in violence by the healing of the man born blind (chap. 9)? And will it not be a third miracle, the resurrection of Lazarus (chap. 11), which will bring it to its fatal limit? Jesus knew this full well: it was these great and beautiful works which, by marking Him as the Son, caused Him to be the object of their fury: “This is the heir; let us kill him!” Apart from this hatred, they would not so readily have accused Him, who was by His whole life glorifying God, of being a blasphemer. This question in a sense paralyzes them; Jesus is able to speak to them again.

The Jews formulate the point in dispute, in Joh 10:33, as it presents itself to their perverted consciences. The term: a blasphemer, expresses the general idea, and the following clause: and because ..., specifies the charge, by applying it to the present case.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Through my Father’s authority and power.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Many good works have I showed you--that is, works of pure benevolence (as in Act 10:38, "Who went about doing good," &c.; see Mar 7:37).

from my Father--not so much by His power, but as directly commissioned by Him to do them. This He says to meet the imputation of unwarrantable assumption of the divine prerogatives [LUTHARDT].

for which of those works do ye stone me?--"are ye stoning (that is, going to stone) me?"

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 32. Many good works have I showed you] I have healed your sick, delivered those of you who were possessed from the power of demons; I have fed multitudes of your poor, and I have taught you in all places, at all times, without expense, with patience; and is this my reward?

To show good works or good things is a Hebraism, which signifies to do them really, to give good things liberally. The phrase is similar to the following: Who will SHOW us any good? Ps 4:6; i.e. who shall give us good things. SHOW us thy mercy, Ps 85:7; i.e. give us to feel the effects of thy mercy. Thou hast SHOWED thy people hard things, Ps 60:3; i.e. thou hast treated them with rigour. Thou hast SHOWED me great and sore troubles, Ps 71:20; i.e. thou hast exposed me to terrible hardships.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

32. Many good works I have shown you. Here Christ not only says that they have no reason for their cruelty, but accuses them of ingratitude, in making so unjust a requital for God’s favors. Nor does he only state that he has done them a service by one or two works, but that in many ways he has been kind to them. Next, he upbraids them with being ungrateful, not only to himself, but rather to God, when he says that he is the minister of the Father, who openly manifested his power, that it might be known and attested to them. For when he says that the good works were from the Father, he means that God was the Author of them. The meaning may be thus summed up, “God intended to make known to you, by me, distinguished benefits; he has conferred them upon you by my hand. Banish me as much as you please, I have done nothing that does not deserve praise and good-will. In persecuting me, therefore, you must show your rage against the gifts of God.” But the question has greater force to pierce their consciences than if he had made a direct assertion.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(32) Jesus answered them—i.e., answered the thought which He read in their hearts, and the intention which was expressed by their act.

Many good works have I shewed you from my Father.—For the idea of “good” expressed here, comp. Note on Joh_10:14. We have no better word in English; but “excellent,” “distinguished,” approach the sense. It is not the nature of the works as beneficent that is made prominent, but their moral excellence. They are works from the Father manifested in the visible world by the Son. (Comp. Notes on Joh_5:19-20.) Jesus speaks of “many” such works. John has recorded but few, but he has given hints that many more were done (Joh_2:23; Joh_3:2; Joh_5:36), and he afterwards expressly asserts this (Joh_20:30).

For which of those works do ye stone me?—Again there is a fulness of meaning in the Greek which it is difficult to convey in translation. The word rendered “which” marks, not simple distinction, but quality. (Comp. “What kind of commandment,” Note on Mat_22:36.) “What is the character,” our Lord would ask, “of that one of these works on account of which ye are about to stone Me?” If they had thought out this question they must have been led to see that the quality of the works proved that they were from God, and that therefore He by whom they had been wrought, was also from God. This thought of the quality of the works had been in the minds of some of them (Joh_9:16). Its true issue would have been to worship Him as God; they are preparing to stone Him as a blasphemer.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32. Many good works] It is the same word as is used Joh_10:14 of the Good Shepherd: many beautiful, noble, excellent works. Comp. ‘He hath done all things well’ (Mar_7:37) and ‘God saw that it was good’ (Gen_1:8; Gen_1:10; Gen_1:12, &c.). These excellent works proceed from the Father and are manifested by the Son.

for which of those] Literally, for what kind of work among these; i.e. ‘what is the character of the work for which ye are in the act of stoning me?’ It was precisely the character of the works which shewed that they were Divine, as some of them were disposed to think (Joh_10:21, Joh_7:26). Comp. Mat_22:36, where the literal meaning is, ‘what kind of a commandment is great in the law?’ and 1Co_15:35, ‘with what kind of body do they come?’ See on Joh_12:33, Joh_18:32, Joh_21:19.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Jews answered him, saying,.... As follows;

for a good work we stone thee not: they could not deny, that he had done many good works; this was too barefaced to be contradicted; yet they cared not to own them; and though they industriously concealed their resentment at them, yet they were very much gravelled and made uneasy by them, but chose to give another reason for their stoning him:

but for blasphemy; which required death by stoning, according to Lev 24:16, and according to the Jews' oral law (q):

and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God; which they concluded very rightly, from his saying, Joh 10:30, that God was his Father, and that he and his Father were one; that is, in nature and essence, and therefore he must be God; but then this was no blasphemy, but a real truth, as is hereafter made to appear; nor is there any contradiction between his being man, and being God; he is truly and really man, but then he is not a mere man, as the Jews suggested; but is truly God, as well as man, and is both God and man in one person, the divine and human nature being united in him, of which they were ignorant: two mistakes they seem to be guilty of in this account; one that Christ was a mere man, the other that he made himself God, or assumed deity to himself, which did not belong to him, and therefore must be guilty of blasphemy; neither of which were true: the phrase is used by the Jews, of others who have taken upon them the name and title of God; as of Hiram king of Tyre, of whom they say, , "that he made himself God" (r); the same they say of Nebuchadnezzar; and the modern Jews still continue the same charge against Jesus, as their ancestors did, and express it in the same language, and say of him, that he was a man, and set himself up for God (s).

(q) Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 7. sect. 4. (r) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 96. fol. 83. 4. & Tzeror Hammor, fol. 134. 4. (s) Aben Ezra in Gen. xxvii. 39. & Abarbinel Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 5. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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

Ver. 32. From my Father] i.e. Eius authoritate fretus. (Beza.) All our works must be done in God, and for God; then they are of the right stamp, and carry heaven in them, Heb 6:9. Besides that, they are unanswerable syllogisms, invincible demonstrations, to confute and convert even pagans, saith Chrysostom.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Many good works - Many miracles of benevolence healing the sick, etc. 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.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The word translated good is of a very large signification; signifying excellent, useful, profitable, beauteous, &c., whatsoever in common speech cometh under the notion of good. I (saith our Saviour) never did harm to any of you, but I have been the instrument of a great deal of good to you. I have given sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, healed many that were sick of grievous diseases, cast out many devils out of those which were infested with or possessed by them. Do any of these deserve any such usage at your hands? What maketh you in such a rage against me?

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

32. Many good works—The assumption that they were stoning him for a good work is at once sarcastic, gentle, and true. Nothing but good works (including words) had he done.

From my Father; for which… stone me?— The gentle question firmly repeats the claim of Sonship of God.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jesus answered them, Many good (kala) works have I shown you from the (my) Father. The works of Christ were lovely and radiant with Divine beneficence; they were revelations of the Father. "I showed you many of them," says he; "I gave you signs thus of the intimate relation between the whole of the self-revelation I am making and the Father". (cf. Joh_6:65 Joh_7:17 Joh_8:42) For which work of these (works) are ye stoning me? i.e. preparing by your gesture to carry this into effect. By these words, uttered with smiting irony and terrific though quiet indignation, Jesus answered their threat.

Vers. 32-39. The charge of blasphemy.

There is now a second address.

I OUR LORD"S METHOD OF ELICITING THE TRUE MOTIVE OF JEWISH VIOLENCE AND ANGER. "Many good works have I showed you from the Father; for which of these works do ye stone me?

1. Jesus had wrought many more miracles which are not recorded in this Gospel.

2. They were not only works done, as visible indications of the.Father, but they were, as the word signifies, beautiful works." With a moral excellence that ought to have touched the Jewish heart.

3. Yet they excited the deepest hostility of the Jews.

II THE REPLY OF THE JEWS. "For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

1. Their interpretation of his language was perfectly just. When he said, "I and my Father are one," he asserted his true Deity. The Jews saw in the words more than our modern critics.

2. Our.Lords declaration was designed to set forth his distinctness from the Father as against Sabellianism, and his co-ordination with the Father as against Arianism.

III OUR LORD"S VINDICATION OF HIS DEITY. He appeals to their Law, in which judges are called gods, and asks, if this be so, "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?

1. He does not retract the assertion of his Divine nature, nor tower the sense of the word God," as if he were God in no higher sense than an Israelite judge. But, arguing upon the principles of their Law, he urges that he does not deserve to be treated as a blasphemer for having called himself the Son of God.

2. He argues, from the contrast between himself and the "gods" of the Jewish Law, that the charge cannot apply to himself. How could blasphemy be charged to him who was not consecrated to a mere earthly judgeship, but sent into the world to reveal the Father to men?

3. Our lord puts honor on the Scriptures of the Old Testament, when he asserts that they cannot be broken.

IV FRESH STRESS LAID UPON THE EVIDENCE OF HIS WORKS.

1. Jesus returns to the undeniable evidence of his works. To believe the works is a necessary step to believing for the works" sake.

2. He emphasizes the truth taught by the works. "That ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

(1) Mark the fact of the communication of the Divine fullness to the Son.

(2) Mark the fact of the Son"s entire self-abnegation; for he recognizes no life but that of the Father. The whole passage sets forth the Divine fellowship of the Father and the Son.

V THE BAFFLED ANGER OF THE JEWS. "Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand.

1. His arguments restrained their violence. For they did not venture to fling their stones at him, though they had a desire to arrest him.

2. Jesus used the interval of their indecision to escape beyond reach of their violence.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father

Jesus performed the miracles by the power of God. The word "Father" is an important title for God. (See: Translating Son and Father)

For which of those works are you stoning me?

This question uses irony. Jesus knows the Jewish leaders do not want to stone him because he has done good works. (See: Irony)

The Jews answered him

The word "Jews" is a synecdoche that represents the Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus. AT: "The Jewish opponents replied" or "The Jewish leaders answered him" (See: Synecdoche)

making yourself God

"claiming to be God"

translationWords

works

stone

blasphemy

God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

32. ἀπεκρίθη. Just as the Jews ‘answered’ His act of cleansing the Temple (Joh 2:18), Jesus ‘answered’ their act of preparing to stone: comp. Joh 5:17. The act in each case involved an assertion.

ἔργα καλά. Works morally beautiful, noble and excellent (Joh 10:14). Comp. καλῶς πάντα πεποίηκε (Mar 7:37) and εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι καλόν (Gen 1:8; Gen 1:10; Gen 1:12, &c.). The noble works (Joh 5:20; Joh 5:36) proceed from the Father and are manifested by the Son.

ἔδειξα. Divine works are exhibitions of goodness, ‘signs’ of something above and beyond them.

διὰ ποῖον αὐ. ἔρ. Literally, for what kind of work among these; i.e. ‘what is the character of the work for which ye are in the act of stoning me?’ It was precisely the character of the works which shewed that they were Divine, as some of them were disposed to think (Joh 10:21, Joh 7:26). Comp. Mat 22:36, where the literal meaning is, ‘what kind of a commandment is great in the law?,’ and 1Co 15:35, ‘with what kind of body do they come?’ see on Joh 12:33, Joh 18:32, Joh 21:19. The ἐμέ is emphatic, ‘Me, the Representative and Interpreter of the Father.’ For the present tense see Winer, p. 332.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32.] See Mar 7:37.

ἐκ τοῦ πατρός μου, because (cf. vv. 37, 38) He Himself proceeded forth from the Father, and the Father wrought in Him.

ἔδειξα, because they were part of the manifestation of Himself as the Son of God.

λιθάζετε, are ye stoning (preparing to stone) Me?

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32. ἀπεκρ. αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰη. He did not withdraw Himself immediately, as at 8:59, but proceeded to answer the thoughts which urged them to kill Him. Cf. 5:17 and Mar 11:14 for ἀπεκρίνεσθαι used of an answer to acts, rather than to words.

πολλὰ ἔργα καλά, “many noble works,” καλός expressing goodness as well as beauty (see on v. 11; and cf. 1Ti 6:18); His works of healing were not only good works (as we use the phrase), but were works significant of the beauty of holiness. See on 2:23 for “signs” which He showed at Jerusalem on an earlier visit. These ἔργα were ἐκ τοῦ πατρός. This He had repeatedly urged (5:19, 36, 9:4, 10:25).

The rec. has μου after πατρός, but om. א*BDΘ. For ἔδειξα, Θ has ἐδίδαξα.

διὰ ποῖον αὐτῶν ἔργον ἐμὲ λιθάζετε; He knew, indeed, that it was not merely because He had cured the impotent and the blind that they sought to kill Him, but because of the claims which He consistently made as to the source of His power and authority. He desired to bring this out, by putting to them such a question, “For what kind of work among these do you stone me?” ποῖον directs their attention to the quality and character of His works.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Good works [καλα] . Beautiful, noble works, adapted to call forth admiration and respect. Compare Mr 14:6, and see on ver. 11.

For which of these works [δια ποιον αυτων εργον] . Literally, for what kind of a work of these. This qualitative force of poion is not to be lost sight of, though it is impossible to render it accurately without paraphrasing. Jesus does not mean, as the A. V. and Rev. imply, "for which one of these works," but "what is the character of that particular work among all these for which you stone me?" The me, closing the sentence, is emphatic.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.