John 10:31-33

The Jews accuse Jesus of blasphemy: V. 31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. V. 32. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from My Father; for which of those works do ye stone Me?

V. 33. The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy, and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God.

With growing indignation and resentment the Jews had listened to the statements which Jesus made concerning Himself, until He reached the climax in the declaration of the essential unity of Himself and the Father. Here they could no longer contain themselves. This seemed to them the essence of blasphemy that this man should say He was one with God. And so they took up stones in order to punish Him for His supposed blasphemy, Lev. 24, 14-16, as they had attempted to do once before, chap. 8, 59.

But a further word from Jesus arrested their murderous action. He reminded them of the fact that He had shown them many good works which gave evidence of the authority of the Father; which of these was it that deserved stoning?

The Jews answered as they saw the situation. They had no objection to His works, to His miracles, as such. But their belief was that He was a mere man, and as such it was blasphemy for Him to , arrogate to Himself the Sonship of God. From their blind standpoint they were right: it was blasphemy for a man to claim equality with God, or deity for Himself, Deut. 18,20; Lev.14, 10-17.

The modern unbelieving teachers that deny the unity of essence of Father and Son on the ground that this is not taught in Scriptures are blinder than the Jews were in this instance.