Jn 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Some background:
In Exodus the Hebrew word judges is translated ("sm g" gods)
21:6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
Ex 22:
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.
9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
Ps 82:
6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
82:7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.[human judges representing God, not divine beings]
When Jesus proclaimed God was His Father (Jn 10:25-30).
The Jews took up stones again to stone him. (Jn 10:31)
They claimed Jesus had committed blasphemy (Jn 10:33).
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? (Jn 10:34)
Jesus quoted Ps 82:6, reminding the Jews that scripture refers to men of authority as gods (human judges/not divine beings) placed in authority.
Ps 82 Earthly judges must act honestly, because judges will one day stand before the ultimate Judge. Vs 6-7 warn men of authority they will also face judgment: “I said, `You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High. The teaching here is: God has appointed men in places of authority & they were considered gods/judges/rulers of the people they've been placed in authority over.
Jn 10:
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 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?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
Additional context:
Ps 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(1) Standeth.—In the Hebrew a participle, with an official ring about it. (See Isaiah 3:13.) It is used to designate departmental officers (1Kings 4:5; 1Kings 4:7; 1Kings 4:27; 1Kings 9:23. Comp. 1Samuel 22:9; Ruth 2:5-6). Thus the psalm opens with the solemn statement that God had taken His official place as president of the bench of judges.
Congregation of the mighty.—Rather, assembly of God, or divine assembly; elsewhere, “the congregation of Jehovah” (Numbers 27:17; Numbers 31:16; Joshua 22:16-18), i.e., “Israel in its religious character.”
He judgeth among the gods—i.e., He is among the judges as presiding judge. For “gods,” applied to men delegated with office from God, see Exodus 21:6, and, possibly, Exodus 22:8-9. (See also Note, Psalm 8:5, and comp. Exodus 4:16; Exodus 7:1.) The custom of designating God’s vicegerents by the Divine name was a very natural one. The whole point of Psalm 82:6 lies in the double meaning the word can bear.
Ps 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(6) I have said.—Again the Divine voice breaks the silence with an emphatic I. “From me comes your office and your honoured title, gods; now from me hear your doom. Princes though ye be, ye will die as other men: yea, altogether will ye princes perish.” (For the rendering “altogether,” literally, like one man, see Ezra 2:64; Ezra 3:9, &c.)
It is interesting to notice that Psalm 82:1; Psalm 82:6 were quoted by Constantine at the opening of the council of Nicæa, to remind the bishops that their high office should raise them above jealousy and party feeling. (For the interest gained by the passage from our Lord’s use of it to rebut the charge of blasphemy brought against Him by the scribes, see John 10:34.)
Some background:
In Exodus the Hebrew word judges is translated ("sm g" gods)
21:6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
Ex 22:
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.
9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
Ps 82:
6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
82:7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.[human judges representing God, not divine beings]
When Jesus proclaimed God was His Father (Jn 10:25-30).
The Jews took up stones again to stone him. (Jn 10:31)
They claimed Jesus had committed blasphemy (Jn 10:33).
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? (Jn 10:34)
Jesus quoted Ps 82:6, reminding the Jews that scripture refers to men of authority as gods (human judges/not divine beings) placed in authority.
Ps 82 Earthly judges must act honestly, because judges will one day stand before the ultimate Judge. Vs 6-7 warn men of authority they will also face judgment: “I said, `You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High. The teaching here is: God has appointed men in places of authority & they were considered gods/judges/rulers of the people they've been placed in authority over.
Jn 10:
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 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?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
Additional context:
Ps 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(1) Standeth.—In the Hebrew a participle, with an official ring about it. (See Isaiah 3:13.) It is used to designate departmental officers (1Kings 4:5; 1Kings 4:7; 1Kings 4:27; 1Kings 9:23. Comp. 1Samuel 22:9; Ruth 2:5-6). Thus the psalm opens with the solemn statement that God had taken His official place as president of the bench of judges.
Congregation of the mighty.—Rather, assembly of God, or divine assembly; elsewhere, “the congregation of Jehovah” (Numbers 27:17; Numbers 31:16; Joshua 22:16-18), i.e., “Israel in its religious character.”
He judgeth among the gods—i.e., He is among the judges as presiding judge. For “gods,” applied to men delegated with office from God, see Exodus 21:6, and, possibly, Exodus 22:8-9. (See also Note, Psalm 8:5, and comp. Exodus 4:16; Exodus 7:1.) The custom of designating God’s vicegerents by the Divine name was a very natural one. The whole point of Psalm 82:6 lies in the double meaning the word can bear.
Ps 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(6) I have said.—Again the Divine voice breaks the silence with an emphatic I. “From me comes your office and your honoured title, gods; now from me hear your doom. Princes though ye be, ye will die as other men: yea, altogether will ye princes perish.” (For the rendering “altogether,” literally, like one man, see Ezra 2:64; Ezra 3:9, &c.)
It is interesting to notice that Psalm 82:1; Psalm 82:6 were quoted by Constantine at the opening of the council of Nicæa, to remind the bishops that their high office should raise them above jealousy and party feeling. (For the interest gained by the passage from our Lord’s use of it to rebut the charge of blasphemy brought against Him by the scribes, see John 10:34.)
