John 10:31ff Sunday School

We have been working through the synoptic Gospels, but it's sort of stepped out of that for a moment so that we might Cover some relevant chapters in John. We've been in John chapter 10 for a few weeks and we are coming toward the latter half of the chapter here and Specifically we have finished the portion at the beginning about 25 26 in regards to the oneness of the Father and the Son in bringing about salvation.

And.

We had mentioned last time the strong emphasis upon the unity of the Father and the Son in that act being the proper context the interpretation of John chapter 10 verse 30. The fact that very frequently this verse is misused even by good Orthodox Christian people.

I and my father we are one is specifically in that context in regards to the salvation of the sheep. If we are in the hand of Christ, we're in the hand of the Father. No one can snatch them out of the son's hand.

Snatched by the father's hand he and the father are one in that way that then becomes a evidence of the deity of Christ indirectly not directly. It's it's a little inappropriate to Look at this text and go ah, here's all the Inter -trinitarian information found in one verse.

That's reading too much into it. I don't think that it can substantiate that that amount of weight. But it is an important text in his testimony to the fact that the father and the son that unity. That has been emphasized throughout the gospel throughout the prologue.

Throughout John chapter 5 the son does nothing of himself. Etc. Etc. Is seen here in verse 30, but then we see the response and the response is also important for a number of reasons. Let's take a look at it and we'll see how that goes beginning verse 31.

The Jews Take Up Stones in Response to Jesus' Claim

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Notice the again part if you're wondering why it says again. Remember John chapter 8. When Jesus said ego I me I am and the Jews picked up stones to stone him there.

When the Jews took up stones again to stone him Jesus answered them many good works. I've shown you from my father. For which of those works do you stone me?

Jesus.

Answered saying for a good work. We do not stone you but for blasphemy because you being a man make yourself God. Jesus answered them. Is it not written in your law? I said you are God's if you called them God's to whom the Word of God came.

The scripture cannot be broken. Do you say of him whom the father sanctified and send the world you are blaspheming because I said I am the Son of God. If I do not do the works of my father do not believe me.

But if I do though you do not believe me believe the works you may know and believe the father's in me and I in him. Therefore they sought again to seize him. But he escaped out of their hand and he went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first and there He stayed.

Then many came to him and said John performed no sign. But all the things that John spoke about this man were true and many believed in him. There I think I may have just discovered a typo in the electronic version of the New King James Version.

That I may have to report Who has a New King James in front of them. The first phrase of Okay, never mind, it's it's good. All right. All right. When I it's good when I when I saw that first phrase Jews answered him.

For some reason in my mind. I thought it was Jesus answering the Jews. I thought they put a him instead of them, but Thank goodness, it's just just a reading error on my part. We wouldn't want to have any errors in the Bible.

That's of course. It's the the one that I caught in the New King James back when I was writing the King James only controversy. But that's another long story and they fixed that anyway, so all is all as well.

Anyway, John chapter 10 verse 31. We see the response to Jesus words. I and my father are one is the Jews pick up stones to stone him just as in John chapter 5. When Jesus uses language that Emphasizes the particularity of his relationship with the father.

I cannot help, you know when I'm basically a week out from Debates I'm start thinking about pretty much only that so the I was always running through my mind next week a Week from today this actually week from this evening.

I will be engaging in what the first of two debates with Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed a wall in Dearborn, Michigan and I'm thinking about things that he has he has said and things that I can expect from Muslims, I'll be doing another television programs or live call -in and stuff like that and This issue of Jesus as the Son of God Always comes up in those in those Situations especially since the second debate we'll be doing will be on whether Jesus is in fact the divine Son of God or not.

And.

Muslims like to say well God has sons by the tons and they will go through Old Testament texts where David is called the Son and Israel's called the Son and in F in essence to try and say that the Sonship of Jesus is equal to These metaphorical uses in the Old Testament.

But it is without question that in the 10th chapter of it's in the gospel of John. I'm sorry. The emphasis is made upon the uniqueness of the relationship of Jesus as son to the father in fact. It's interesting they like to go to John chapter 1 and.

I believe.

Does someone have a King James here? That's King James a John 1. John 1 12. I believe in the. Yeah, John 1 12 in the KJV. What is that? What does that say? Okay, that's where it comes from. Right right there.

Do you see that sons of God? Now how many of you have children in your translation. How many of you have sons. King James the King James has sons. Interesting. I mean, I'm not going to call it a mistranslation, but I think it's a misleading translation.

The the term that is used in the Greek at this point is Tecna. Which means children? Son is we are or we are if you're going to use the plural form. And John is very careful to emphasize the uniqueness of the relationship of Jesus to the father as the monogamous.

We are the unique son and I know that I expect a week from Monday night my opponent to quote this text from the King James. To say see you know we all are sons of God. And I will have to point out that that's actually not what it's saying.

But John is emphasizing this uniqueness and that uniqueness came out in John chapter 5 when Jesus said Called God his own father. What verse 18 making himself equal with God. Then in John chapter 8 he's the I am and now in John chapter 10 When he utilizes this language of I and the father We are one.

I keep emphasizing the we it's a plural verb. Jesus is not saying he is the father he is saying he and the father are one. The response from the Jews is pretty consistent. Now you could argue That the Jews get it wrong.

But you'd have to argue that from what comes after this. The Jewish response to Jesus claims is to see him as making a very unique claim about himself. As they took up stones again to stone him you didn't stone people for anything, but blasphemy or Fornication which obviously wasn't fornication so you have this charge of blasphemy and so Jesus answered them many good works I've shown you from my father for which of those works.

Do you stone me and So notice Jesus puts it right back upon them to provide a Meaningful grounds their accusation their accusation is supposed to flow from What Jesus has just said and that is it is a good work of The father and the son together to bring about the salvation of God's people.

Many good works I've shown you from my father notice even the works that he's shown come from the father. Perfect unity again between the father and the son and So those would be the only grounds upon which to if the works that he's done Come from the father.

Then they're divine works they testify the truthfulness of who he is and So they would have to be stoning him for having done a divinely good work notice immediately. What is at the base of Jesus words here?

Which is normally lost in this conversation in this particular text? Unbelievable number of interpretations of this text especially amongst various false religions as We'll see in a moment, but notice.

What is at the foundation of Jesus's words there is an implicit accusation of Injustice in the charge is being made. There is an implicit accusation of injustice in The charge is being made against Jesus.

Many good works. I have shown you from my father for which of those works. Do you stone me? Assumption is you must have you must at least pretend to have some Grounds some just grounds for bringing the law to bear because stoning is a punishment of the law and So you are acting as judges you must have a basis for your judgment and.

Yet if these are good works that come from God Then there is an implicit accusation of Injustice on the part of these Jews that's going to be expanded upon in what follows because notice their answer to him.

Did the Jews ever believe God has a son?

Not in the sense of the incarnation. No it depends on what you mean by son.

You're sounding like like you're repeating the Muslim accusation there. The Muslims believe that that sonship is a physical sonship and that that clearly is not the case. But the the Jews did not believe that there was no revelation of an incarnation prior to the incarnation itself.

So They were not looking for Yahweh to become incarnate if that's what you're asking. Yeah, and that's used a number of different ways in the New Testament, but I Can't see how someone could have looked at that and come up with the incarnation.

Not from the Old Testament, so no the Jews were not looking for an incarnation. There when we look back at the Old Testament with New Testament eyes we can see allusions to things in Isaiah 9 A son is given to us a child is born to a son is given to us.

We can see illusions, but the idea that there was some full -blown doctrine of a coming incarnation I think is utterly untenable. So Jesus answered and said for for a good work. We do not stone you But for blasphemy and because you being a man make yourself God.

Now.

We really need to hear what they're saying here first of all they say we're not stoning you for a good work so they immediately assume a disjunction a disconnection between the source of Jesus's works and The works themselves because remember what Jesus said many good works.

I've shown you from my father They assume well That doesn't actually come from the father, and we're not even deal with the reality that these are good works that you're doing. That really harkens back remember to the John 5 issue as well.

And that is what was the what was the accusation in John 5? That Jesus had healed and Sabbath and They were you know more than once Jesus in fact mark says Jesus looked around with anger on the people in the synagogue when he Healed him when he was about to heal a man on this on the Sabbath, so Whether it's a good work or not.

They don't want to get into that. These are the same men that Jesus is going to accuse and calling white black and black white and so on and so forth but for blasphemy and Because you being a man make yourself God now there is an implicit Assumption here as well also shared by my Muslim friends that God cannot take human form now clearly God is not a man the Old Testament says that more than once God is not a man that he should lie The Son of Man that he should repent He is the unchanging God.

It is not God's nature to be a man. But as we say to our Mormon friends the Gospels not that men can become gods. But the God became a man the person of Jesus Christ God as the creator of all things Can take on a human nature and that is what he has done, but in the mindset of this question You being a man they see a man in front of them Make yourself God now a couple things Assumption being that God can never do that why?

If God chose to do so for his own purposes Why would he not be able to do so if he created a human nature? Why could he not take on a human nature not while ceasing to be God? But take on a human nature and Secondly this is clearly how the Jews understood Jesus's words when he said I my father we are one.

That he was making himself.

Deity.

Now the answer that is given is going to be extremely important. There are many people who would say that in the answer that Jesus gives He is denying his own deity. He is correcting the Jews. And how does that come about.

Well Jesus answer them is it not written in your law. I said you are gods. If you call them gods to whom the Word of God came the scripture cannot be broken. Do you save him when the Father sanctified and send the world.

You are blaspheming because I said I am the Son of God. So here's the interpretation is given I'm not God. I'm the Son of God. And Son of God just simply means a godly man and Since God in the Old Testament called men gods.

Then.

You're missing the point in accusing me of blasphemy when I simply say that I'm the son of man. Which just simply means a righteous person.

That's.

One of the interpretations that is offered. One of the problems is that people generally don't take the time to look back at the text that Jesus cites. When he says is it not written your law I said you are gods.

Now most of you have the reference right. There is Psalm 82 6 and so let's take a look at Psalm 82 for a moment. We want to have our context. It's a fairly short psalm a plea for justice and this one we need to read the whole psalm because.

The whole psalm is important. God stands in the congregation of the mighty. He judges among the gods. How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked. Defend the poor and fatherless.

Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy free them from the hand of the wicked. They do not know nor they understand. They walk about in darkness. All the foundations the earth are unstable.

I said you are gods and all of your children the most high, but you shall die like men and Fall like one of the princes arise. Oh God judge the earth for you shall.

Inherit all.

Nations.

Now notice a couple of things here, and I don't want to get Too far afield, but this is a subject. I've had to deal with more than I would like to notice the context. God stands in the congregation of The mighty the term the mighty and then you notice he judges among the gods.

There are those of a more liberal persuasion Who would see this psalm as an echo of not monotheism a belief in one God. But an echo of a form of polytheism or what's actually known as he know the ism.

He know the ism is the belief of one primary God, but an acceptance of the existence of lesser divine beings.

In.

Well in any Theological seminary that you would go to today That's even attempting to do serious instruction. You would at least be exposed to and in a vast majority presented to you as a fact the idea that Monotheism developed slowly in the history of Israel and That there are plenty of.

Examples of.

Non monotheistic belief to be found in the Old Testament text and this would be one of them. God stands the congregation of the mighty. These are mighty divine beings. He judges among the gods and. The term.

Elohim.

Appears twice in the text. First is translated as God with a capital G and then it's translated as God's a small G which it can be translated depending on what verb it's used with and.

So the.

Now I've said this too many times for but one of the most dangerous Places for the Christian is a Christian bookstore if you were to purchase almost any Commentary on the book of on the Psalter that's been written in the past hundred years Almost all you would get in this text would be a discussion of This being an echo of a polytheistic view that you know is still there and hasn't been you know edited out etc. Etc.

Now if you go before that time period you would find Old Testament commentators Who would not automatically take that perspective, but as far as modern ones almost everything will be that way. How are we to understand this well notice?

How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked. Defend the poor and faultless do justice the afflicted and needy? Deliver the poor and needy freedom from the hand of the wicked. Well unless you're actually going to buy into the idea that the psalmist here had the idea that Judgment amongst men was actually the purview the authority of divine beings between God and men.

Then you have a problem instead partiality. Judging unjustly. The command to defend the poor and the father's do justice the afflicted and needy who's who's in view here? What's the judges of Israel of course?

It's to them that these Duties have been given. How long will you just judge unjustly. We know that in many of the periods of Israel's history while the primary Condemnations brought against the people of Israel by the prophets.

Was that of injustice being done land? The oppression of the poor and the fatherless. The showing of partiality to the wicked. The rendering of unjust judgment. We are told it is a judgment upon a land to be given unjust judges, and we see that today.

We may sit around and chuckle sometimes at the night circus, but that is a judgment from God when you see the kind of lack of common sense that people have. In our land today, especially amongst the judiciary, it's it's judgment from God.

So what we have here is God stands the congregation of mighty He judges among the gods is that God is amongst his people and he will judge those who have been given Responsibility to act as judges amongst the people.

That's what's going on here, and that's why you have this very human Affirmation of the need to do justice the afflicted need deliver the poor and needy freedom from the hand of the wicked. And when this doesn't happen They do not know nor they understand they walk about in darkness.

All the foundations the earth are unstable. When justice is not done amongst men God is not honored. Especially amongst the people of God his witness amongst the nations is destroyed again one of the charges brought against the people of Israel by especially the minor prophets and Given the fact that justice is the foundation of Yahweh's throne.

Just a few Psalms down the road. You'll have that asserted if justice is the foundation of his throne that when injustice is done then there is instability in the world. That then becomes the context of I said I said you are gods and all of your children the most high but.

But.

You shall die like men and fall like one of the princes now. Again some have said ah see this shows that they aren't really men because it says I'll die like men. Well the point is these are individuals who have been placed in a position of authority and God is reminding you're mortal.

You will die like men you'll fall like any one of the princes. Don't think that just because you hold a divine position. That you can escape the judgment of God for doing justice in the position that is yours.

So I said you are God. I placed you in my position amongst the people. Your judgment is to be my judgment.

But.

Given your injustice you will die like men and fall like any one of the princes. So psalm 82 6 is about what it's about unrighteous judges is a plea for justice in light of. What happens when you have unrighteous judges in positions of leadership in?

God's own people. That's the psalm 82 is about.

So.

With that in mind we go back to John chapter 10 because that's where Jesus is quoting from. In John chapter 10 is it not written in your law. I said you are God's. Now the individuals who would hear this Would know exactly what he was quoting from.

They remember the the psalm the psalms. The Psalter Was the hymn book of the people of God? Now we don't know all the hymns in our hymn books because we have I don't know how many hundreds and I was Chuck when I go over to the United Kingdom I've mentioned to you that they don't have music in their hymn books.

It's just the words you have to know the tunes and. And there's some of them of 1200 to as many as I think I've seen 1700 in a single little book. So it's not not quite parallel because the Psalter is not quite that big.

And.

They would have known the 82nd Psalm. They would have known. What the context of the 82nd Psalm was? Remember I emphasized to you just before this. There is an a.

Presupposed.

Accusation of unjust judgment in verses in verse 32. Now you have it brought out. Is it not written in your law. I said you are gods if he called them gods and who were they. To whom the Word of God came.

There is the final Interpretation of Psalm 82 for you. I think hopefully at least all Christians could agree that Jesus's interpretation of the 82nd Psalm should sort of be normative for us. If Jesus interpreted that way it's probably best that we do too.

Though again, you would be shocked at how many people teach in Seminaries today that would say oh, that's such a naive thing to say. I'm serious. In the majority of seminaries United States today what you would be taught would be a Jesus never said what's in John chapter 10.

That's John speaking for Jesus Decades after he's gone and be that's just that community's interpretation of Psalm 82 and so it's irrelevant to Psalm 82 itself. That's what you'd be taught. That's what you'd be taught.

Did y 'all hear that? I've mentioned this school today before I thought I'd mentioned this just in passing has nothing to do with John chapter 10, but that's okay. Did y 'all hear that? Claremont Graduate School in California has decided to become a multi -faith seminary.

Claremont Graduate School is the one of the United Methodist graduate schools and I would have told you a long time ago that Claremont Graduate School is no longer even so much as a Christian school. In any way shape or form it's been the home of prophet theology which makes God a part of the cosmos and he's growing and evolving and changing and it's pretty well itself, but They announced last week or sometime maybe early this week.

That they have decided to become a multi -faith seminary. What is a multi -faith seminary where they will train people? Starting with Christian ministers Islamic imams and Jewish rabbis. You'll all get to be taught in the in the same school and not just in different you be taking classes together because We all need to work together.

We need to break down these walls between us dorm rooms. Yes and kosher food and. Yeah, I'm sure all sorts of interesting things. And I can guarantee you. Well, I remember back in the 90s. I was speaking over in Southern California someplace.

Someone mentioned they knew a friend That had actually applied to teach there. Fully qualified, but he was rejected for teaching there. Because he actually admitted in the interview process that he believes in the deity of Christ.

That's just way too conservative for Claremont's. So now they aren't even a Christian. They're even pretending to be Christian anymore. They're. Everything you know, it's just I don't I just What a world we live in anyhow, that is what you would be have presented.

Yes, sir. Obviously they grew in an understanding of what that meant. There Jesus had to deal with all sorts of false ideas of what the Messiah was supposed to be. We've seen in the in the synoptics a number of times.

Jesus.

Forbidding people from writing about saying that he was the Messiah and the primary reason for that What's called the messianic secret was because of how many? False ideas were attached to that and even after the resurrection at the Ascension.

What are the disciples doing? Time for us to rule Israel on thrones and yeah, you know, there's still all this Misapprehension. I don't think there's any question especially as we see Thomas, you know confessing Jesus to be my Lord and my God in John 20 28.

That that is exactly what it says that it is but the full You know a full understanding of all the ramifications of that. I think would require the the ministry of the Holy Spirit Reflection upon the scriptures for a full understanding that we see Developing coming out in in Philippians and and things like that.

I mean There we can just tell from the questions that are asked by the disciples. John 14 Show us the Father and it suffice it thus. Was Jesus response? Have I been so long a time with you Philip and yet you have not known me.

So.

There was a it wasn't just a Sudden oh, I Understand incarnation and and everything just just like that. There was a a growing and understanding of what all of that meant that I think becomes Very clearly stated in Luke 2445 When after everything else they've seen and all the ministry they've seen and heard and the teaching It says Jesus Opened their minds to understand the scriptures and what they testified concerning him.

So it was it was a process the act of revelation, you know, well, they certainly ended up seeing.

The the Old Testament witness to that in texts like Isaiah 7 and 9 and and in Psalm 2 and Psalm 22 and Psalm 110 and. Obviously, we know that those Old Testament Texts become part and parcel of that how much at any one point?

Prior to the opening of their minds to understand the scriptures and the coming of the Holy Spirit. I don't know they had their their foundation of Jewish monotheism and yet Jesus they clearly saw commanded the Winds and the ways he they knew he was not just merely a prophet and John goes so far as to use the name Yahweh of him.

So I think it's clear I want to get this text done because we're gonna run out of time here and then it's going to be Two weeks before I get a chance to finish up and we're gonna have to redo the whole thing because it's we will lost it.

So notice what Jesus says. If he called them gods to whom the Word of God came so Jesus.

Identifies.

The ones to whom that was said you are gods as the ones to whom the Word of God came. Now if you're thinking. Okay, that sounds like a prophet or somebody who's revealing scripture. But that's actually a better description of someone who is a judge.

The Word of God has come to them and they are to judge. Based upon what God's Word says not unjustly not with partiality. The Word of God has come to them and since it has come to them. They are to judge on that basis.

That's why they were called gods because they're judging on the basis of God's Word and. So if he called them gods to whom the Word of God came and the scripture cannot be broken we could stop there and preach for quite some time as.

To what that means. The scripture the writings the graph. A cannot be broken or destroyed. Do you say of him Whom the Father sanctified and send the world what. The first thing Jesus does.

This isn't just a self -description.

This takes us right back To what he had said back in verse 32. Verse 30. I'm the father. One verse 32. Many good works that I've shown you from. The father the unity that exists. My good works are divine because they come from the father.

Do you say of him whom the father? Sanctified and sends into the world. And so here is. Here are men Who have only received the scriptures upon which they are to judge? Standing in front of him whom the father has sanctified and sent into the world.

You are blaspheming because I said I am the Son of God. The argument is not oh anybody can be called God's. That would completely miss everything Jesus is saying. The argument is If you claim to be The leaders of God's people as they did.

We know Moses. We know this man's a sinner. Blah blah blah. Remember John 9. We are Moses's representatives. Here they're standing in front of him whom the father sanctified and sent into the world. They've only received the Word of God.

Now the Word of God is sanctified and sent in the world. And standing in front of them. Remember how John begins. Log off the word? You are blaspheming because I said I am the Son of God. If one has been sanctified by the father and sent in the world that's the very definition of the Son of God and.

So what is the accusation?

You're just like the unrighteous judges of Psalm 82. They had the Word of God in their hand and They judged unjustly they showed partiality the Word of God said don't judge unjustly and don't know partiality and gave you exactly how you to judge.

They ignored that it was right in front of them and now Jesus Sanctified by the father sent in the world right in front of them. You're blaspheming. You're the Son of God. You said you're the Son of God.

That's blasphemy. But notice as well Jesus makes no differentiation. He does not correct their statement That they made earlier. You being a man make yourself God. Jesus's restatement of that is I am the Son of God.

Don't let somebody get away with diminishing what Son of God means In that text don't get away with that. By referring to some other uses some other context because I said I am the Son of God if I do not do the works of my father.

Do not believe me. But if I do though you do not believe me believe the works that you may know and believe the father's in me and I in him. Was that a repudiation of? His claim no. In no way shape or form notice he goes right back to the same testimony the testimony that they skipped.

Remember what they skipped in their response if for a good work, we've not shown you they wouldn't deal With the fact that the works that he did were divine works that come from the father. They skipped that part so he goes right back to it if I do not do the works of my father Do not believe me.

But if I do though you do not believe me believe the works that you may know and believe the father is in me and I In him now Jesus didn't have to add that last section, but he does. Because it brings us right back to the end of verse 30 I Have the father one.

That you may know and believe the father is in me and I in him. Sound a little bit familiar that you may know and believe that I am John 13 19. John 8 58 very words Jesus could say in John 18. When he says I am the soldiers and they fall back to me no one believed John 13 19.

But you may know and believe the father is in me and I in him. Therefore they sought again to seize him, but he escaped out of their hand. Now some would say a miracle here or I Don't know the text. Doesn't doesn't say but their response is.

To press.

With the charge of blasphemy they do not see that Jesus has repudiated the charge of blasphemy. What they do see is that Jesus has placed a right back upon them and accused them of being false judges and Hence hypocrites and hence The false shepherds that come in for so much of the Old Testament's condemnation.

All right, it's not revealed at all in the Old Testament.

It's not revealed at all in the Old Testament. Revelation the doctrine the Trinity takes place in the incarnation of the Son the outpouring the Spirit. Revelation the Trinity is between the Old and New Testament.

Hence it is a revelation that takes place before the first words of the New Testament were written. Which is why the New Testament is not where the Trinity is revealed. It is the record of the triune religion itself.

If you want to read a Tremendously good work on this subject BB Warfield's article on the Trinity you could probably read it in in an hour. It is one of the most clear compelling Articles I have ever read.

I would highly recommend it to you. I actually put on my iPod last week or week for last and listen to it again.

In.

How to be some way I can make that available to everybody else so you could. You know, well, I don't have that. Well, I could make the mp3 available for you. If you don't mind listening to a computer voice, which is a very good computer voice, by the way, you know.