John 10:22-42 | What's happening (and who's involved)?

To begin this section, Scripture tells us that it is now the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in Jerusalem and it was winter. This is drawing a distinction between the previous section that was taking place in a different time frame. It should be read and understood then that the event here is entirely distinct.

As Jesus walked in the temple, the Jewish leaders surrounded Him and pressed Him on a confession of being the Christ. It can be inferred that they were not asking out of a genuine place of curiosity or hope of finding the Messiah, but out of hope that Jesus might say something incriminating.

It didn't work.

Jesus' response highlights how His works have spoken clearly of who He is. He draws the distinction that they do not believe because they are not of His sheep. His sheep know Him and He knows them. Through all of this, Jesus makes a bold statement.

"I and My Father are one."
-John 10:30

The Jews take up stones ready to stone Him and Jesus questions them as to why. They announce that they seek to stone Him for making Himself equal with God. It is well known that man and God are not the same. But the claim was received in this way.

Jesus draws them to an interesting text found in Psalm 82. Now, this text is widely debated and many scholars still struggle to understand the text as it stands. As such, many of these scholars attempt to draw the distinction that Jesus is making rather than following the whole rabbit trail through Psalm 82. I will share one of these views.

The later rabbinic understanding of "You are gods" is that it was typological of the law being given to them. It was in the law that they would be a holy people set apart for the LORD, and thus live like gods. Naturally, even among rabbinic understanding this was debated. Nevertheless, by Jesus' argument, if God named those to whom He gave His law "gods" then it makes no sense for Him to be accused of blasphemy in recognizing Himself as distinctly set apart to carry the Word of God.

Many scholars note that Jesus' use of the text is not exactly defending the use of Psalm 82 in this way, but showing that by the Pharisee's own logic, they cannot condemn Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus once again highlights how His works are that which testifies of Him. He does not need to testify of Himself. His works do that more than sufficiently.

They sought to seize Him, but as Jesus does, He heads out from their midst. He went back to beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing. Many there believed in Him.

What observations are you making here?