Why Does Jesus Say, "You Are Gods?" (John 10:34)

  In a discussion with some Jews in John 10, Jesus quotes this verse to them from Psalm 82, “Isn’t it written in your scripture, I said, you are gods?"

  Why did Jesus say this? 

  The context of this "You are gods" statement in the psalm is one in which God-appointed men are sitting as "gods" in judgement of their brethren, but they are doing so incorrectly and unjustly. We know this because the emphasis is obvious in the passage:

  1 "God... judges among the gods:

  2 “how long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? 

  3 provide justice for the needy and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.

  ... 

  6 I said, “You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.

  7 However, you will die like men and fall like any other ruler.”

  8 Rise up, God, judge the earth, for all the nations belong to You." Psalm 82

  Jesus' masterful use of Scripture tells the Jews in John 10 that they are just like the unfair judges of Psalm 82. Yeshua the Messiah is walking amongst them (Immanu El), yet when He tells them that He is God, all they want to do is stone Him to death for blasphemy. Listen to what Jesus says:

  34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your scripture, I said, you are gods? 

  35 If He called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 

  36 do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?" 

  With that last phrase, there can no longer be any waffling on the issue: Jesus has made it clear Who He is. He then tries to get them to judge correctly, and use the evidence which He has already provided for them:


  37 If I am not doing My Father’s works, don’t believe Me. 

  38 But if I am doing them and you don’t believe Me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father.”      

  But what is their response? They try to kill Him.

 39 Then they were trying again to seize Him, yet He eluded their grasp."

  They remained focused on rejecting His claim to deity, and sought to stone Him to death.  

  Jesus has strong words for those who reject Him and His message:

23 “You are from below,” He told them, “I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 

24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” John 8

  Who do you say Jesus is?
  

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