Jehovah's witnesses and other Christians, may I ask a question regarding John 10:24-39?

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Question: Why do the Jews accuse Jesus of blasphemy?

To have him killed.

Matthew 26:4 "They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by....deceit...and kill him."

Question: Why does Jesus say that they are stoning Him for claiming to be God's son when they say that they are stoning Him for claiming to be God?

The Jewish leaders were angry because he declared himself to be the Son of God, who had been given a work to do by his Father. John wrote of them:

"For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God." (John 5:18)

Therefore, the "causes" were really simple excuses to kill Jesus, not that Jesus had actually broken the sabbath, or that he actually claimed to be equal to God.

The Jews:
1) falsely charged him having a demon. (Mark 3:22,30; John 7:20; 8:48,52)
2) They falsely denied that they were seeking to kill him. (John 7:20)
3) They falsely charged that Jesus broke the sabbath. (John 9:16)
4) They falsely charged that Jesus was a sinner. (John 9:25)
5) And they falsely charged that Jesus was making himself equal with God*

*John does not say the grounds for which the Jews sought to kill Jesus are true. The Jewish leaders sought to frame a cause to kill Jesus by deceit (not by truth). -- Matthew 26:4.

New Topic: "The first time the Jews wanted to kill Jesus was when He said...."

The idea to kill Jesus did not spring suddenly; it was not a new issue in the record stated in John 10:33, nor even as recorded in John 7:1 or when they attempted to kill Jesus as recorded in John 8:59; it was an idea that had been in the minds of the Jewish leaders for some time.

Mark 3 reports of Jesus’ healing of the man with a withered hand, which miracle was done on the sabbath. Thus, in their search for a reason to kill Jesus, rather than thinking about praising God if Jesus did a good from God, we read:

“They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.” (Mark 3:2)

This definitely shows that they were already seeking some reason to accuse Jesus. Thus Mark 3:6 says:

“The Pharisees went out, and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.”

Here they thought they might have a clear legal “cause” for which to kill Jesus. It does show that they were already seeking a way to destroy Jesus *before* they came up the false charge that Jesus was claiming to be God [or, a god], or equal to God [or, a god].

Thus, their seeking to kill Jesus after falsely claiming that Jesus was claimed to “God” [or, a god] is not the real reason they were seeking to kill Jesus (John 10:33), but rather the false accusation that was being used as an excuse to do what they had already determined to do.

Jesus had already pointed to the real reason they sought to kill Jesus, that is, because Jesus performed the works of his God and Father. — John 10:32.

Question: Are you saying that these are not emotional responses?

no.

The Jews were emotional. They showed emotional responses prior to picking up stones. For example the first recorded attempt on his life by any of the Jews was in his hometown of Nazareth. He had already performed many works from God in Capernaum, and evidently the people of Nazareth knew of those works.

However, when Jesus read Isaiah 61:1, and, in effect, proclaimed that he was the one spoken in that prophecy, the Jews became angry, and tried to throw him off a cliff. There is nothing at all in the record that hints that Jesus here proclaimed himself to "God". Instead, he was claiming that he was the one spoken of as anointed by Jehovah;

"Jehovah has anointed me." (Isaiah 16:1, World English)

Yet, this is all that was needed to get the people angry enough to want to kill Jesus.

Questions: That the Jews were not genuinely confused by Jesus' words that he and his father are one? They didn't think for even one moment that Jesus was claiming equality with god or deity - even if by misunderstanding what he really meant?

The claim that he was making himself God in John 10:33 was false, regardless of what "understanding" they may have had. Jesus had earlier said to them:

"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word." -- John 7:43.

Question: Were they intentionaly twisting his words or were they misundersganding him?

The Jewish leaders were liars, bent on killing Jesus by deceit who did not understand what he said. Are they really the source of Trinitarian belief? Or are Trinitarians going to believe as JW's do that Jesus is the "Son of God" who the Jews wanted to kill because of "good works"? (John 10:32,36)

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Good Questions,

1)Because he was saying he was the son of God and the Messiah, which they did not believe him to be. Most believed that signs of the Messiah would be physical (ie freedom from Rome, not of the soul) and thus they believed his claims to blasphemy.

2) Because they were, that is why he was put on the cross. The Sanhedrin pronounced him guilt, the Roman only cared it out.

3)If God is God, then how could any part of him be any less? Think of it his way, what is half of infinity?

4) I am not sure what you mean exactly, but I think you mean the last paragraph and that is Jesus explaining his basis for the claim and his logic.


hope that helps somehow....Show more

Interesting question.

Verse 33. Most translations here say “God”; Torrey’s translation lowercases the word as “god,” while the interlinear reading of The Emphatic Diaglott says “a god.”

Support for “a god” is found in Jesus’ own answer, in which he quoted from Psalm 82:1-7. As can be seen, this text did not refer to persons as being called “God,” but “gods” and “sons of the Most High.”
According to the context, those whom the Creator called “gods” and “sons of the Most High” in this psalm were Israelite judges who had been practicing injustice, requiring that God himself now judge ‘in the middle of such gods.’ (Ps 82:1-6, 8)

Since God applied these terms to those men, Jesus was certainly not guilty of blasphemy in saying, “I am God’s Son.”

Jesus wants people to reach the conclusion themselves that he is the Christ (Messiah) by comparing his activities with what the Bible foretold that the Christ would accomplish. That is why earlier he charged his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. And that is why he now goes on to say to these hostile Jews: “The works that I am doing in the name of my Father, these bear witness about me. But you do not believe.” Why do they not believe? Because a lack of humility.

Sincerely, E....Show more

No, Jesus was not being deceptive. The Bible tells us there was no deception found in Him, so if there was any deception it was on the part of the antichrist Jews who hated Him. When people hate you they will say and do all manner of evil (lies included) against you.

Why did the Jews accuse Jesus of blasphemy?
Because according to them he was making himself equal to God, which if that was the case he would be guilty of blasphemy. But Jesus said, "My Father is GREATER than I." So at no time did he ever claim to be equal to God because God has no equal.

Why Did Jesus claim the Jews are accusing him of Blasphemy?
Because they were. He claimed to be the Son of God and Messiah. The Jews could only see a human. Even members of Jesus Jewish family thought he was crazy.

Why does Jesus say they are stoning Him for being God's Son when in fact they were stoning Him for claiming to be God?
To the Jews claiming to be God's Son is the same as claiming to be God. They believe He was making Himself equal to God by saying He is God's Son. That is why Jesus said what He said at John 10:34-36. God called certain humans gods who act as God's spokesman and they did not accuse them of blasphemy, so how is it they are accusing Jesus of blasphemy for saying He is the Son of God.

How can a Son be equal to the Father who begot him? Their hatred of Jesus blinded them to the truth. That Jesus was indeed the Messiah, Son of the Living God Jehovah....Show more

In the minds of those religious hypocrites, by admitting that he was indeed the Son of God, he was claiming to be equal to God. (John 5:18)

However, Luke 1:31-35 compared with Psalm 83:18 and Exodus 6:3, clearly shows that Jesus is the Son of Jehovah God, and not God himself.

Remember, these were wicked people who wanted Jesus dead....Show more