GNT John 10:22 VEge,neto to,te ta. evgkai,nia evn toi/j ~Ierosolu,moij(

NAS John 10:22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; to,te (adv. of time; "At that time/Then") ta. to, evgkai,nia (d.a. + n-nn-p; "the acts of dedication/consecration"; ref. to the Feast of Dedication that begins in mid-December and lasted for 8 days; it was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus circa 164BC in memory of cleansing the Temple from defilement of pagan worship by Antiochus Epiphanes (1Macc.4:59); a hapax) VEge,neto gi,nomai (viad--3s; "took place") evn (pL of place; "at") toi/j to, ~Ierosolu,moij( ~Ieroso,luma (d.a. + n-dn-p)

GNT John 10:23 ceimw.n h=n( kai. periepa,tei o` VIhsou/j evn tw/| i`erw/| evn th/| stoa/| tou/ Solomw/nojÅ

NAS John 10:23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. h=n( eivmi, (viIPFa--3s) ceimw,n (n-nm-s; "winter"; time of rains and storms; used 6x) kai, (cc) o` VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-nm-s) periepa,tei peripate,w (viIPFa--3s) evn (pL) tw/| to, i`erw/| i`ero,j (d.a. + ap-dn-s; "the temple") evn (pL) th/| h` stoa/| stoa, (d.a. + n-df-s; "the portico/colonnade/roof covered porch"; same as 5:2) tou/ o` Solomw/nojÅ Solomw,n (d.a. + n-gm-s)

1. John now advances the narrative providing another definite chronological note to his gospel as he states; "At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem".
2. A time period of at least some two months has passed from the Feast of Tabernacles in Sept-Oct/Tishri 15^th recorded in 7:2, to December 16^th/Kislev 25^th, 32BC.
3. This particular festival was recently instituted as a result of Judas Maccabeus recapturing Jerusalem and cleansing the temple on Kislev 25^th, 164 BC.
4. It is still observed today, is also referred to as the festival of "lights", and is commonly known as Hannukah (pronounced Chanukah).
5. The festival lasted for 8 days and in many ways reflects the Feast of Tabernacles with the carrying of palm and other branches, the singing of psalms and the time of celebration in joy and happiness.
6. It is not one of the Biblically ordained feasts or holidays and it could be celebrated outside of Jerusalem throughout the country.
7. However, its correlation to the Feast of Tabernacles and dedication of the temple is clearly seen in the parallel consecration of the temple built by Solomon as recorded in 2Chro.7:4-11.
8. As 2Chro.7:11 makes clear, the events of dedicating the newly constructed temple beginning in chapter 6 concluded immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles on the 23^rd day of Tishri/7^th month. Cp. Lev.23:34 (Feast of Booths/Tabernacles began on Tishri 15^th + 8 days = 22^nd, thus the 23^rd day of 2Chro.7:10)
9. Hence, the similarities of observance between these two feasts.
10. Its reinstitution as a new and separate festival by the Jews, was precipitated through the desecration of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BC.
11. He is also known as Antiochus IV, and is a subject of prophecy as recorded in Dan.8:9-14.
12. The prophecy is a dual prophecy and Antiochus is represented as a type of antichrist.
13. In the historical setting, he is seen as part of the last footholds of the Greek/Syrian empire before Roman colonization circa 150-130 BC, beginning the period of the late republic.
14. He came into power over the Seleucid kingdom in 175 BC and is represented in Dan.8:9 as the "rather small horn" that emerged from the one of the four horns in vs.8.
15. The four horns of Dan.8:8, portrays the four ruling generals that divided Alexander's empire who is depicted as the "conspicuous/prominent horn" in vs.5 and "large horn" in vs.8.
16. All four of these generals were Greek: Casander, Lysimicus, Ptloemy and Selecus.
17. Each established a powerful dynasty and each caused Greek culture to spread and to be maintained in his area.
18. Antiochus IV in 175 BC, overthrew Heliodorus, who murdered and usurped Selecus.
19. His likeness to the antichrist is revealed in Dan.8:11, where it says, "It (Antiochus IV) even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down."
20. During his campaigns, Antiochus conquered Palestine called the "Beautiful Land" in Dan.8:9
21. While he enjoyed military success in the east and in the south (Egypt), it was against weak opposition.
22. The Ptolemy dynasty in Egypt was at a very low point with a child on the throne; his Syrian mother Cleopatra I, Antiochus’ sister, was ruling as regent.
23. It was against this weak opposition that Antiochus invaded Egypt, made it a protectorate, and proclaimed himself king in Memphis.
24. He installed his two nephews as co-rulers of Egypt, one in Memphis (Ptolemy VI, Philometer) and one in Alexandria (Ptolemy VIII, Euergetes).
25. Then Antiochus returned to Syria.

26. When the two brothers revolted against their uncle, Antiochus returned to Egypt with a large army.
27. However, the Roman representative Popillius ordered him out and Antiochus left.
28. It was at this point that Antiochus turned the full fury of his bitterness against the Jews.
29. He was determined to force loyalty in Palestine so that it could be a buffer between himself and the Romans.
30. He called himself Zeus Epiphanes and attempted to enforce a cultic Hellenization policy in Israel.
31. It is because of his activities toward the Jews that he is a type of the antichrist (not because he was a powerful ruler).
32. He called himself epifanej (epiphanes; God manifest) but the Jews called him epimanes (epimanes; mad man or insane).
33. Antiochus’ persecution of the Jews came in all of its forms, which included both political and religious persecution; he killed Jews by the ten thousands.
34. When Antiochus took the title God manifest (qeoj Epifanej theos epiphanes) he magnified himself to be equal with Jesus Christ, who is God manifest in the flesh.
35. As part of his Hellenization policy, Antiochus stopped all morning and evening sacrifices as commanded in Exo.29:38-42.
36. Prior to the time of this stoppage, Antiochus had engaged in selling the high priesthood to the highest bidder.
37. Soon after he became king, Antiochus deposed the legitimate high priest, Onias III.
38. He sold the office to Onias’ brother Jason who pledged to support Antiochus and give his whole-hearted support to the Hellenizing of the Jews.
39. Later, Antiochus appointed a Benjamite named Menelaus, high priest.

40. Antiochus believed that these appointments would break a great unifying factor among the Jews.
41. Antiochus believed that Judaism was the main element that kept the Jews from becoming loyal to Syria.
42. In 167 BC, Antiochus forbid the Jews to live in accordance with the Mosaic Law.
43. He forbade the observance of the Sabbath, festivals, traditional sacrifices, and circumcision of children.
44. He ordered the destruction of all copies of the Word of God.
45. Idolatrous altars were set up throughout the land and the Jews were commanded to offer unclean sacrifices and to eat pork.
46. Anyone who disobeyed these orders was sentenced to death.
47. The most infamous of his blasphemies came on December 16^th, 167 BC (Kislev 25), when the temple in Jerusalem became the place of worship for Zeus.
48. A sow was sacrificed on the altar and the temple was sprinkled with the broth.
49. An altar to Zeus was erected in the temple.
50. These actions explain the phrase "the place of His sanctuary was thrown down" in Dan.8:12c.
51. The temple was not actually torn down, but it was defiled in such a way that faithful Jews were forced to abandon its use.
52. The Hebrew word for "thrown down" (%l;v' shalak) can have the nuance of abandonment; this exactly describes the temple situation with regard to faithful Jews.
53. In 165 BC, Judas Maccabaeus following his father’s steps, Mattathias, the founding leader of the Maccabean revolt, defeated Lysias, Antiochus’ regent, marched into Jerusalem and generated a withdrawal of all the abominable decrees instituted.
54. Upon the death of Antiochus in 164 BC, the temple had been solemnly cleansed, and the worship of God restored (1Macc.4).
55. The Maccabees actually tore down the old altar and constructed a new one after they rid the land of Antiochus.
56. They also rebuilt the interior of the temple and the sanctuary and reconstructed the courts.
57. It is surrounding this event that the Feast of the Dedication was institutionalized in the commemoration of the cleansing of the temple.
58. As John notes in vs.23, the time of the year for the Feast was during the rainy season as it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.
59. This roofed colonnade supported by pillars provided protection from inclement weather.
60. It ran along the eastern wall in the court of the Gentiles of Herod’s temple.
61. Though the name of Solomon is preserved, there is not evidence that it was part of the original construction by Solomon.
62. However, that Solomon’s name is attached in context brings to light the premise and real purpose for the Feast of the Dedication, in that the temple originally built by Solomon was representative of God dwelling among the Jews.
63. It is with all the irony of the events surrounding this festival and the symbolism and teaching of the temple and area of the Gentiles of Solomon’s portico that sets the backdrop for Jesus’ final breach of discourse with the –V Jews.
64. As we will see, the remainder of chapter 10 emphasizes the rejection of corporate Judaism and Jesus’ final public disclosure of their unbelief. Joh.10:24-25
65. After this discourse, Jesus withdrew from Jerusalem for the remainder of His ministry until the final Passover. Joh.10:40; 11:54; 12:1 (Bethany was as close as He got.)
66. The ironies can’t be missed:

1. The very purpose of the festival is to commemorate the restoration and cleansing of idolatry from Israel and the temple.
2. It surrounds the events of a type of antichrist prophesied in the OT.
3. Christ Himself is the temple, yet the Jews under their legalistic system regard Him as a type of antichrist (demon-possessed; vs.20).
4. In turn, because they reject their Messiah through their works system, they are the real types of antichrist and spiritually defile/desecrate the temple. Joh.10:8a
5. That the court of Gentiles is in view, points to the Jew’s rejection of the temple and that the teaching of Christ and representatives of His Person will indeed be passed on to others not of this fold. Joh.10:16
6. It is literally His Person they are suppose to be commemorating, yet they are totally blind to the spiritual realities behind the festival, temple and arena of discourse.

40. John does not say that Jesus was observing this festival, only that it is the background for the remaining context of discourse.
41. It symbolically ties in historically the very contrast between the Good Shepherd who dwells among them and the false-shepherds of Judaism who in reality are enemies of Israel and rule only to spiritually steal, kill and destroy them as a nation. Joh.10:10
42. In essence, the atrocities Antiochus IV did to the temple; the Jews via their legalism and –V are just as guilty of spiritually in their rejection and killing of Christ.

GNT John 10:24 evku,klwsan ou=n auvto.n oi` VIoudai/oi kai. e;legon auvtw/|( {Ewj po,te th.n yuch.n h`mw/n ai;reijÈ eiv su. ei= o` Cristo,j( eivpe. h`mi/n parrhsi,a|Å

NAS John 10:24 The Jews therefore gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, oi` o` VIoudai/oi VIoudai/oj (d.a. + ap-nm-p) ou=n (infer. conj.) evku,klwsan kuklo,w (viaa--3p; "gathered around/encircled/encompassed/surrounded"; used 4x) auvto.n auvto,j (npam3s) kai, (cc) e;legon le,gw (viIPFa--3p) auvtw/|( auvto,j (npdm3s) "How long will You keep us in suspense? {Ewj e[wj (pg; "until/till" +) po,te (interr. adv.; "when/at what time"; "how long") ai;reijÈ ai;rw (vipa--2s; "will you lift up/raise up") h`mw/n evgw, (npg-1p; "our") th.n h` yuch.n yuch, (d.a. + n-af-s; "soul"; the entire clause lit., "Until when are you lifting up our souls?"; to lift up or suspend the soul is idiomatic to describe the state of concern or suspense, hence, "How long will you keep out of reach/exceed our understanding?") If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." eiv (part. intro. 1st class condition; assumes the conclusion to be true; "If") su, (npn-2s) ei= eivmi, (vipa--2s) o` Cristo,j( (d.a. + n-nm-s) eivpe. le,gw (vImpaa--2s; "tell") h`mi/n evgw, (npd-1p) parrhsi,a|Å parrhsi,a (n-df-s; "plainly/openly/with no obscurity"; lit. freedom of speech/unreservedness/plain speech that is to the point)

GNT John 10:25 avpekri,qh auvtoi/j o` VIhsou/j( Ei=pon u`mi/n kai. ouv pisteu,ete\ ta. e;rga a] evgw. poiw/ evn tw/| ovno,mati tou/ patro,j mou tau/ta marturei/ peri. evmou/\

NAS John 10:25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; o` VIhsou/j( (d.a. + n-nm-s) avpekri,qh avpokri,nomai (viad--3s) auvtoi/j auvto,j (npdm3p) Ei=pon le,gw (viaa--1s; "I told") u`mi/n su, (npd-2p) kai, (ch) ouv (neg. +) pisteu,ete\ pisteu,w (vipa--2p; "do not believe") the works that I do in My Father's name, these bear witness of Me. ta. to, e;rga e;rgon (d.a. + n-nn-p) a] o[j (rel. pro./an-p; "that/which"; ref. to "works") evgw, (npn-1s) poiw/ poie,w (vipa--1s) evn (pL) mou evgw, (npg-1s) tou/ o` patro,j path,r (d.a. + n-gm-s) tw/| to, ovno,mati o;noma (d.a. + n-Ln-s; "the name") tau/ta ou-toj (near dem. pro./nn-p; "these works") marturei/ marture,w (vipa--3s; "bear witness/testify") peri, (pg; "of/concerning/about") evmou/\ evgw, (npg-1s)

GNT John 10:26 avlla. u`mei/j ouv pisteu,ete( o[ti ouvk evste. evk tw/n proba,twn tw/n evmw/nÅ

NAS John 10:26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. avlla, (strong adv.) u`mei/j su, (npn-2p; "you yourselves"; ref. to unbelieving Jews) ouv (neg. +) pisteu,ete( pisteu,w (vipa--2p) o[ti (causal conj.; "because") ouvk ouv (neg. +) evste. eivmi, (vipa--2p; "are not") evk (pAbl.; "from/of") tw/n to, evmw/nÅ evmo,j (d.a. + adj--gn1p; "of my own/what I possess/belonging to Me") tw/n to, proba,twn pro,baton (d.a. + n-Abln-p; "the sheep")

1. This final discourse by Jesus and scenario at hand is recorded by John to contextually zero in on the reality of the false shepherds, as applied to the Pharisees (9:40), that was presented in the parabolic teaching of vss.1-18.
2. Specifically that the Pharisees and all the Jews that promoted the legalistic system of Judaism and its works for salvation ideology, were the historical agents and primary contributors of Israel’s spiritual destruction and future demise as an independent peoples and nation.
3. They operationally functioned as antichrists that are in total opposition to the spiritual reality of the temple and all that it represents in Christ.
4. This is the force of the inferential conjunction "therefore" that looks back to the background setting of the Feast of Dedication at hand in vss.22-23.
5. As Jesus was walking in Solomon’s portico, the Jews gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly".
6. The following context makes clear that the Jews in view are not approaching Jesus in a spirit of truthful interest, but are hostile with murderous intentions (vs.31,39).
7. Their corporate physical action of totally hemming Him in is meant to be both intimidating and offensive.
8. It reflects of a "gang" like approach designed to entrap Him with no avenue of escape.
9. John has made it extremely clear that they have wanted to kill Him for some time, since they understood precisely what He claimed. Joh.5:18; 7:32; 8:59
10. Upon physically surrounding Him, they engage in verbal badgering, as brought out by the imperfect of "were saying".
11. Their question and hypothetical statement insinuates the following:

1. Jesus has been intentionally keeping them in a state of ignorance as to His ministry, Person and office.
2. Hence, He is not forthright in character and is really trying to deceive people.
3. It indicates that His teaching is not clear and further implies that He is really weak and timid.
4. Because He does not communicate on their level of expectation and understanding they consider Him to be a counterfeit.
5. His intent and purpose of communicating the way He does is only to "grandstand" and "impress" those who are weak and unsuspecting.
6. They consider His approach of communicating as condescending (in a bad sense) in nature.
7. The first class condition of "If you are the Christ", exposes the fact that they know that all of the implications perceived through His teaching has pointed to that reality.
8. Hence, the exposure they are seeking from Him is for the purpose of condemnation and not because they truly lack understanding.

1. It is true that Jesus has not made a specific claim to be the Messiah among these people, unlike the declaration to the woman at the well. Joh.4:25-26
2. However, His purpose for so doing is not from spite or malice, rather it is judgment upon –V that He encountered. Mat.13:10-11
3. Because the Jews were negative and only looking for a "religious"/political Messiah, Jesus refrained from ever feeding their distorted and human viewpoint expectations.
4. To include never acquiescing to their STA demands and salivation’s regarding His Person or Office.
5. But this did not mean that sufficient information for them to make an intelligent decision as to who He was claiming to be was otherwise lacking.
6. One that listened to Him could easily come to the conclusion that He was claiming first and foremost that He was God. Joh.8:58
7. And as God, obviously His office of claim could only be of such status as Messiah.
8. A logical conclusion these men clearly understood and Jesus knew that as vs.25 points out; "Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe’".
9. He knows exactly what is going on and the intent of their questioning and explicitly points out that their questioning is without merit and is only a continued manifestation of their –V.
10. He essentially tells them to their face that they are hypocritical liars and that the only reason they have rejected His teaching is because they are negative.
11. Scripture once again points to the blatant fact that people do not align themselves to the truth because of a lack of information, but because they are negative and reject the truth when espoused.
12. While some people are legitimately ignorant, lack information and thus have some measure of excuse for their darkness, others such as these Jews have heard the truth and simply refuse to accept it.
13. While the culpability is higher for these types of –V, ultimately all ignorance to the truth is due to –V that equates to unbelief.
14. The fact that they have rejected the implicit proclamations of truth as presented by Jesus in and of itself exposes their –V.
15. The principle is that truth taught even implicitly is still truth taught and rejection of the truth at any level is due to –V.
16. For these types, the fact that they are not willing to accept truth on a subtler plane of understanding manifests that any desire they may express to hear it on a more explicit level is only for the purpose to openly degrade it or take issue with it.
17. And before they can counter that what He has told them regarding His Person is anything less than total veracity or lacks in any other way, He states that "the works that I do in My Father’s name, these bear witness of Me".
18. Once again He cites the nature and magnitude of the works that He had consistently done among them as validation of His claims.
19. His works relates to all of the miracles He has performed in His ministry denoting the consistent Divine good production manifested in His office as Messiah.
20. That He performed these works "in My Father’s name" denotes the ultimate authority behind all that He does.
21. As the preceding miracle of healing the blind man pointed out, apart from the Divine power of God, the miracles of Jesus’ ministry would not be possible. Joh.9:31-33
22. And as we have observed earlier in John, these works are but one of the many witnesses to the claims that Jesus makes of His unique Person:

1. John the Baptist. 5:33
2. The Father. 5:37
3. The OT. 5:39
4. Moses. 5:45
5. Abraham. 8:56

1. Yet, in spite of the mass of evidence, these men continue to reject the obvious claims that Jesus is the unique Son of God i.e., Messiah.
2. In vs.26, He restates the fundamental reason for failure to accept the evidence provided, "But you do not believe".
3. He again points to the reality of –V and that is, in total contrast to the overwhelming evidence of truth provided, they will reject that truth.
4. Their fundamental problem is described by the ongoing reality found in the present tense of the verb pisteu,w/believe that denotes they do not have faith.
5. While one might think that faith is required only by those far removed from these issues, it is obvious that many among those who saw and heard Jesus did not believe Him.
6. This explodes the myth that "if I had lived when Jesus lived or if God would just show me in a more specific tangible way, I would have more faith".
7. These men did not believe that Jesus was worth trusting in spite of all the evidence to the contrary.
8. And the fact is, that even with all of the evidence, they still had to exercise faith that He was God.
9. As His Deity was invisible to the physical eye, they could only come to the conclusion that He indeed was God and therefore Messiah by weighing the evidence of His teaching and works and believe.
10. While they may complain that Jesus has not been totally forthright regarding His Person and Office, there is no way that they can say He is not being specific now as He tells them they are negative.
11. Jesus then introduces the underlying cause of their negative unbelief as He states, "because you are not of My sheep".
12. As the parabolic teaching has shown, sheep represent believers.
13. Had the Jews been positive at God consciousness they would have believed.
14. But, since they reject the manifestation of God (Rom.1:20-21) they obviously reject His manifestation as Messiah.
15. This is not to say that they did not believe that a God existed, but rather they were not willing to acquiesce or humble themselves to His Divine essence and seek Him on His terms and conditions.
16. Hence, the God they claimed they worshiped in reality they were not willing to glorify, but rather they replaced His Sovereignty and essence as God with their own rules and authority.
17. Though they knew God existed at God consciousness, they rejected His Sovereign nature as the ultimate authority through which to have a relationship with Him.
18. What they and all -V determines at God consciousness, in whatever method/rational of reasoning their –V leads them to think, is not to surrender their wills to His, but to exalt their own will and thus nature over His.
19. Some may even give their physical life in the name of God, but what they have never given Him is recognition of right of rule and ownership over their own free will as their Creator, by voluntarily submitting their souls back to Him.
20. This is why Jesus used the term "h` yuch,/the soul" for the concept of laying down His "life" as the Good Shepherd in vss.11,13.
21. This principle is the real crux behind their –V and why they are not of Jesus’ sheepfold.
22. The fact that they reject His nature as God, they reject His claim of Office.
23. As He has taught earlier (5:39) and will again reiterate in this passage (10:29), the Father must first "give" to Him any that are to belong to Him i.e., sheep/believers.
24. And in order for the Father to give a believer to Jesus, He first recognizes that the individual is seeking God and wants to have a relationship with Him on His terms and conditions, i.e., +V at God consciousness.
25. The principle of seeking God and God made manifest in the Person of Christ go hand in hand.
26. The reality is that those that manifest a volitional propensity to seek God at the point of God consciousness will only find Him in the Christ.
27. Those who reject the unique nature of Christ simply and bluntly do not want a relationship with God at the expense of true volitional humility, over and out, case dismissed.
28. Therefore, Jesus’ final phrase declares that these Jews are negative because God does not recognize them to have the type of volition that makes them candidates for being sheep.
29. The reality behind all –V is that what they truly reject is God’s Sovereignty.
30. Their rejection is a volitional reality to supercede God’s will with their own will.
31. The Jews at hand were as the Prologue stated, negative and so rejected their Messiah. Joh.1:11
32. Those who desire to be a part of His flock become a part by the simple act of believing in Him that exposes their +V at God consciousness.
33. Those that do not believe manifest they are not His sheep and thus expose their –V at God consciousness.
34. Again, another distinct lesson on the nature of volition as presented by Jesus in this gospel.
35. And it is the principle of volition that ties together all the parts of the parabolic teaching of the shepherd and the sheepfold that has and is being presented.

GNT John 10:27 ta. pro,bata ta. evma. th/j fwnh/j mou avkou,ousin( kavgw. ginw,skw auvta, kai. avkolouqou/si,n moi(

NAS John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ta. to, evma. evmo,j (d.a. + possess. adj--nn1p; "My/that which I own or possess") ta. to, pro,bata pro,baton (d.a. + n-nn-p) avkou,ousin( avkou,w (vipa--3p; "hear"; gnomic present; Jesus uses a series of this type of present i.e., "hear", "know", "follow" and "give [vs.28]" that denotes a timeless fact. In the field of time, these actions do occur at any point in time and represent general maxims/precepts of truth.) mou evgw, (npg-1s) th/j h` fwnh/j fwnh, (d.a. + n-gf-s; "voice") kavgw, (cc&npn-1s; "and I Myself") ginw,skw (gnomic - vipa--1s; "know/recognize/identify") auvta, auvto,j (npan3p) kai, (cc) avkolouqou/si,n avkolouqe,w (gnomic - vipa--3p; "they follow/to join or attach oneself with someone/to become a part of"; has the nuance of obedience) moi( evgw,(npd-1s)

GNT John 10:28 kavgw. di,dwmi auvtoi/j zwh.n aivw,nion kai. ouv mh. avpo,lwntai eivj to.n aivw/na kai. ouvc a`rpa,sei tij auvta. evk th/j ceiro,j mouÅ

NAS John 10:28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish, (corrected translation added in the Greek, "forever"); kavgw, (cc&npn-1s; "and I Myself") di,dwmi (gnomic - vipa--1s; "give") aivw,nion aivw,nioj (a--af-s; "eternal/everlasting/without end") zwh.n zwh, (n-af-s; "life") auvtoi/j auvto,j (npdn3p) kai, (cc) ouv mh, (neg. + neg.; "never/not under any circumstances" +) avpo,lwntai avpo,llumi(vsam--3p; "may never perish/be destroyed"; in the context of sheep, a predator will not under any circumstances kill/destroy them; the subjunctive mood denotes that there is not even any potential of this happening ) eivj (pa; "into") to.n o` aivw/na aivw,n (d.a. + n-am-s; Lit. "into the age" i.e., the eternal state/forever; this idiom places the aspect of no potential of destruction as applied to eternal life) and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. kai, (cc) ti.j (indef. pro./nm-s; "anyone") ouvc ouv (neg. +) a`rpa,sei a`rpa,zw (vifa--3s; "will not snatch/seize/grasp by force"; the future indicative denotes the future reality from the point of occurrence of the gnomic presents forward/onward into time) auvta. auvto,j (npan3p; ref. to sheep) evk (pAbl; "from the source of/out of") mouÅ evgw, (npg-1s) th/j h` ceiro,j cei,r (d.a. + n-Ablf-s; "hand")

GNT John 10:29 o` path,r mou o] de,dwke,n moi pa,ntwn mei/zo,n evstin( kai. ouvdei.j du,natai a`rpa,zein evk th/j ceiro.j tou/ patro,jÅ

NAS John 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; mou evgw, (npg-1s) o` path,r (d.a. + n-nm-s) o] o[j (rel. pro./an-s; "who/that which"; textual problem denotes that the rel. pro. usually agrees with its antecedent in number and gender, however an irregularity is seen in gender when the substantive is viewed as to the natural gender of its antecedent [the Father]; the neuter then, regards the Father as God and a Spirit/pneu/ma, neuter; the pronoun is designed to establish abstractly the idea of God’s essence to include His attributes; it is the essence of God that is to be viewed as the principle subject regarding the Father cf. Dana and Mantey’s Manuel Grammar of the Greek NT, p.126; Lit. the phrase would read, "My Father via the action of/ according to His essence") de,dwke,n di,dwmi (viPFa--3s; "has given/having gave"; the perfect denotes that the action of giving has continuing results) "them" – supplied moi evgw, (npd-1s) evstin( eivmi, (vipa--3s; the present tense now resumes it natural force of "keeps on being" in the present state of time to emphasize a present fact regarded as truth by all the Jews present i.e., God in essence is greater than all; it is this fact of truth that via their –V in reality deny and must truly be accepted to understand and accept the basis of argument for the universal realities regarding believers/sheep presented in vss.27-28) mei/zo,n me,gaj (comparative adj. with the force of a superlative; used substantively/Prednn-s; "greater than"; the predicate notes that the attribute of greatness is equal to the subject; note that the integrity of God’s greatness as "the Father" is maintained in the nominative case of this adjective, while the greatness of His essence as emphasized in the personal pronoun o]j is maintained in the neuter gender of the adjective; what gives this adjective a superlative force is God combined as being both in Person as "the Father" and in essence/attributes; in other words, the Father is only viewed in terms as the "greatest" by relating to His Person in conjunction with His essence) pa,ntwn pa/j (adj-gn-p; "all things"; the neuter here relates abstractly to anything in creation to include contextually the sheep themselves/probaton, also a neuter; all things are to be view collectively as one unit) and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. kai, (cc) ouvdei,j (card. adj./nm-s; "no one/not even one"; contextually references one with a predatory nature) du,natai du,namai (vipd--3s; "is able") a`rpa,zein a`rpa,zw (compl. inf./pa-; "to snatch") "them" supplied evk (pAbl.; "out of") tou/ o` patro,jÅ path,r (n-possessive gen/m-s; "the Father's") th/j h` ceiro.j cei,r (d.a. + n-Ablf-s; "hand")

GNT John 10:30 evgw. kai. o` path.r e[n evsmenÅ

NAS John 10:30 "I and the Father are one." evgw, (npn-1s) kai, (cc) o` path,r (d.a. + n-nm-s) evsmenÅ eivmi, (vipa--1p) e[n ei-j (card. adj./pred. nom/n-s; "one thing/one in essence"; the singular combines the plural subject and its state of being into one entity)

1. In contrast to the –V of the Jews in unbelief, Jesus now articulates the reality behind those that are +V.
2. Compared to the destructive nature of –V as represented by the legalistic system of Judaism that equates to death, exploitation, temporal self-gratification, division, insecurity of life, systematic adherence by devious force and mutiny/sedition of Sovereign authority, all due to their unbelief, the converse is now stated for all that are +V.
3. The issue volitionally was made clear in vs.26 that these Jews are –V due to unbelief.
4. Therefore, +V is by definition those who believe.
5. This concept points to two realities regarding one’s salvation:

1. There is no provision for salvation as it equates to eternal life in man’s history that does not require the exercise of faith in some form.
2. The issue then is in what system, concept, person, etc., that the individual is to believe in to acquire eternal life.

1. As these -V Jews are attempting to attain eternal life through their works system, Jesus now articulates the process of salvation for all those who are +V.
2. Vss.27-28 outlines the volitional process of all believers and its ultimate result.
3. And Jesus is nothing less than clear that it is through His Person that salvation is acquired.
4. Again, sheep contextually refers to all believers.
5. And again, He denotes that all believers are of His possession as He states that they are "My sheep".
6. What qualifies Christ as the Good Shepherd and owner of the sheep is the fact that He willing sacrificed His own "soul/life/h` yuch," on behalf of the sheep. Cp. vss.11,15,17
7. The fact that He is able to take His life up again (resurrection) qualifies Him to be the eternally Good Shepherd.
8. His opening words then reflect the fact that volition/will is indeed the premier issue at hand contextually, to include His own.
9. It is the issue of choice/volition that establishes the basis for reciprocity (establishment of a relationship) that occurs between all that are sheep and God. Cp. vs.14-15
10. Jesus then expresses four universal maxims/truisms that occur in time regarding all that are His sheep:

1. They hear My voice.
2. And I know them.
3. And they follow Me.
4. And I give eternal life to them.

1. The gnomic present tenses of the verbs denote that no matter when in time +V may exist, the listed actions together do occur at anyone specific point in time.
2. The fact that they hear His voice means more than simply the physical act of hearing the sound that one makes.
3. It relates to the spiritual hearing within the soul.
4. It relates specifically to the act of "calling" by God with a gospel presentation as predetermined by God for all that are +V at God consciousness.
5. It is tantamount to recognizing the plan of God for all potential believers under the Doctrine of Election and Calling. Rom.8:28-30
6. It is this doctrine that articulates God’s Sovereign plan to predestine from eternity past all those who would accept the calling of salvation to be conformed to the eternal destiny shared by His unique Son, Christ.
7. God via His omniscience, specifically His foreknowledge, was able in eternity past to perfectly anticipate all that would express +V and ensure for them a gospel hearing.
8. The sense of the word "hear" denotes the willingness for +V to give the gospel a hearing in time.
9. This action in and of itself contextually, is not tantamount to believing, since the Scripture is clear that many are given a gospel hearing, but only a minority actually believes. Mat.22:14
10. Rather, it emphasizes the fact that all who are +V will not exit this life without a gospel hearing and notes a necessary aspect to saving faith.
11. It is the combination of all four declarations that constitutes those that are sheep.
12. The second affirmation that must follow those who are willing to give the gospel a hearing, is the recognition or identification of them by the Good Shepherd.
13. This recognition again is soulish in nature, and it is mandatory for Him to know that indeed they are +V and willing to believe.
14. That He must identify them as being truly +V is essential in determining and dividing all believers from unbelievers, especially since many do hear the gospel, but yet are not willing to believe it.
15. It denotes that +V is expressed from the inner recesses of the soul and only by having the knowledge of one that is willing to believe upon gospel hearing, can salvation universally be distributed accurately, completely and without error.
16. In addition, that He recognizes all that are +V reemphasizes the fact that He will allow no one that otherwise would believe to miss out on a gospel presentation, die, and go to hell.
17. It is an open statement that as Messiah, He possesses the attribute of omniscience, the same attribute necessary for God to perfectly predetermine through His sovereignty those who would be saved in time.
18. The completed exercise of saving faith by those who are +V is seen in the phrase, "and they follow Me".
19. To follow His voice that they hear is tantamount to manifesting their willingness to attach themselves or become adjoined to His Person.
20. It denotes that they have identified His Person as the correct object of faith.
21. To follow also carries with it a necessary nuance of obedience to what they hear.
22. The natural phenomenon of +V that recognize Christ as the way to salvation is to choose to adhere to the principle of faith in Him, as presented in the gospel.
23. It denotes that saving faith is inclusive of not only hearing, but also an act of obedience to the gospel hearing by believing, which produces a union with Him.
24. By believing in Him for salvation, the believer will literally follow Him as the first born among all believers with their own glorified bodies.
25. And the very attribute necessary for resurrection to occur, He notes as being the ultimate result of their belief, "and I give eternal life to them".
26. Again, He openly proclaims His Deity, as He must possess eternal life in order to impart it to believers.
27. And that eternal life is not a reward and attribute one must wait on, but a present reality at the point of faith, is again emphasized by the present tense.
28. That He gives eternal life denotes that salvation is not earned or deserved as the Jews teach, but is based on the non-meritorious act of faith.
29. And in total contrast to the insecure state of trying to "work" throughout their lives for eternal life, as is the reality under the system of Judaism, Jesus then proclaims the type of salvation inherent for His sheep.
30. This is seen in the remainder of vs.28, "and they shall never perish, forever, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand".
31. Jesus’ statement is as emphatic a promise one can find in the Scriptures that once you are saved, you are always saved i.e., eternal security.
32. The double negative ouv mh,/never is used for an emphatic negation to demonstrate the impossibility of any one of His sheep ever perishing.
33. The subjunctive mood of "might perish" denotes that even a potential of perishing is an impossibility.
34. The term "forever"/Lit "into the age" equates the impossibility of perishing to the eternal life given and denotes that for His sheep, there can be no eternal death or condemnation. Rom.8:1
35. The future indicative in the phrase, "no one shall snatch them" denotes the reality of the security of eternal life, as being from the point of saving faith and Jesus giving it, into the future.
36. This would include any remaining future time of the sheep’s existence in their life here upon earth.
37. The verb "to snatch" denotes a seizing by force and denotes that there is no force or power possessed by anyone that is able to negate this reality.
38. To be seized "out of My hand" symbolizes the attribute of strength (Deu.32:39; Isa.43:13) and is another open declaration of Jesus’ Deity, specifically His omnipotence.
39. It is a statement of personal guarantee from Christ Himself that He as God possesses the power to ensure total and complete protection for the believer from any other force that would even think of destroying their eternal life or breaking the union established with Him.
40. And as the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence and eternal life have been clearly expressed; it cannot be missed that a statement of omnipresence and sovereignty has also been clearly implied.
41. Only with omnipresence can the Good Shepherd be every where at once at any time in history, in order to ensure the fulfillment of the universal truths on behalf of His sheep. (That He fills all space is called immensity.)
42. And only One who is sovereign can proclaim that the ultimate result of eternal life given at salvation is secured forever and hence, the final authority on the subject.
43. It is these attributes that Jesus then focuses on as He defers to God the Father in vs.29.
44. It is His reference now to the Father that establishes the basis for the salvation He as Christ is able to provide.
45. The phrase, My Father relates God to Christ as the highest authority in the chain of command in the Godhead.
46. It denotes that Jesus in Person and role always deferred to the Father’s will in all matters as His unique Son. Joh.5:19,30
47. And it is based on God’s sovereignty that Jesus proclaims His will in the matter of salvation as He states, "who has given them to Me".
48. The relative pronoun "o[j" translated "who" in the NAS is neuter in gender and relates the concept of God the Father in His natural Spirit essence as the main emphasis of focus.
49. It denotes that the Father in Person, though related to, is seen as distinct from His essence and attributes.
50. The phrase is better translated as "My Father acting in accordance to His essence/attributes, has given them to Me".
51. The perfect tense of the verb "has given" emphasizes that the act of giving is not only sovereign, but also immutable, since it proclaims action that has continuous results.
52. Again, we see the implications of the Doctrine of Election and Calling as applied to all that are +V.
53. God the Father as the Planner of the POG, sovereignly decreed in eternity past to exercise His essence on behalf of all that are +V.
54. The fact that His decree is immutable denotes that it is the integrity of His essence that causes His plan for salvation to have the absolute security being discussed.
55. God does not and cannot change His mind. Num.23:19; Psa.33:11; Mal.3:6; note the concept of the Rock of Isa.26:4
56. It is God’s immutability that acts as the moral "superglue" that umbrellas/protects the integrity of all of His other moral attributes through which, His Sovereignty and other non-moral attributes are exercised.
57. Jesus in essence (pun implied) is relating His role in the plan of salvation to the Father’s plan for salvation and is stating that all that He has stated in vs.27-28 stands upon and is completely supported by the POG.
58. It is because of Who and What God is in Person and essence that the sheep are given to Christ, and for no other reason i.e., salvation is ultimately dependent upon God.
59. Jesus then relates this reality of God and His essence in terms that these Jews would even agree with, as He states that God is greater than all.
60. The adjective "pa/j/all" in the plural and with the neuter gender views all concepts, ideas, essence of natures and attributes, etc., of creation, as one comprehensive unit. Cp. Joh.13:18 where Jesus views the disciples there as a whole or unit of one.
61. In other words, God the Father in essence is greater than every aspect of power found in the created universe, even if it would be possible to consolidate all of their power together as one mega-force.
62. The subject emphasis on His essence points to the fact that it is the essence of God with all of His attributes that when compared to the essence of created power is greater than all things.
63. His greatness takes on a superlative nature when His essence is viewed in conjunction with His Person as God the Father.
64. It is His role as the Father and Planner that establishes His Person as the greatest in authority even in the Godhead, as even the Son deferred to Him in all things and openly declares this reality. Joh.14:28
65. Hence, when God the Father is compared in Person and essence, He is literally the greatest of all things.
66. For the Greek student, the adjective "greater than" retains its comparative nature in translation because even in the superlative mode, God the Father and His essence is viewed as one entity and thus a one to one comparison is retained grammatically. (What differentiates between the comparative and superlative in the Greek is quantity, not quality; when two things are compared it is comparative, when more than two things are compared it is superlative.)
67. Jesus statement by design declares that the very issue of salvation, eternal life, is solely dependent upon the plan of God the Father and the unchanging force of His essence and attributes.
68. It is stated in such a way as to stimulate His listeners to reconsider their view concerning salvation as applied to the Person and essence of God.
69. In other words, under the concept of life forever, by what authority and via what attributes in their system of works for salvation can they fall back on as having the means and power to secure that life?
70. Where is the power of essence in their legalistic system necessary to impart and sustain eternal life?
71. And no respectable Jews there would disagree that only God has the attributes necessary to make that power possible.
72. Only He has the authority and power to ensure salvation of an eternal nature and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
73. Jesus now declares that it is through the authority of the Father via the power of His essence as God, that the security of eternal life He Himself gives is made a reality.
74. Hence, salvation and its acquired eternal life, demands the exercise of God’s non-moral attributes in order to make it a reality.
75. Only by the power of His attributes is power sufficient to secure and guarantee protection and deliverance forever from any evil that exists that would seek to destroy eternal life.
76. Therefore, any system, means or way of salvation that is true, of necessity must possess these same attributes.
77. His statement is in contrast to the thinking of the Jews in their consideration of Him being Messiah/the Christ.
78. The primary issue they need to consider right now is not necessarily "who" is their Messiah, but "what" is their Messiah.
79. His final statement of vs.29b is one that declares that only by the power of God is eternal life ensured and via His attributes of power that eternal life is absolutely and beyond all measure intact forever.
80. Therefore, whatever form or way salvation is to be viewed, it of necessity must be God in essence for that salvation to be eternal in nature.
81. To find eternal life and secure it forever, the individual must find the source of the power of God and all of His attributes manifested in whatever system, person, etc., that salvation is being sought.
82. Therefore, Christ is articulating that it is through the power of the Father and His sovereign plan to provide the attributes necessary in His unique Person to provide salvation and eternal life for mankind.
83. This is the force of vs.30 as Jesus now proclaims, "I and the Father are one".
84. Though Jesus does not explicitly say He is the Christ, His statement is very explicit in stating that He is God, without so specific words.
85. It is a declaration that He possesses the same essence and attributes of God necessary for salvation.
86. It denotes the separation of the Persons of the Godhead that are one in essence and is documentation supporting the reality of the Trinity. Cp. Mat.28:19
87. The fact that the Father and the Son are separate entities in Person is expressed in the plural predicate coupled with the plural subject..
88. The fact that they are one in essence is seen in the singular neuter term "one thing".
89. In correlation to vs.29, this verse implies that because Christ adhered perfectly volitionally to God the Father’s sovereignty in the POG ("My Father"), He is of necessity equal with God in possession of and manifestation of His essence and attributes.
90. Hence, His Person as God can only be the second member of the Godhead, God the Son.
91. Christ in His humanity placed a premium on God’s Sovereignty by totally submitting to it and thus was qualified to possess God’s essence and attributes.
92. It is through His Person and in this way of the hypostatic union that the Father is able to manifest the attributes necessary to provide salvation to mankind.
93. The irony is revealed; in contrast to the Jews asking Him to be clearer as to "whom" He is, He has answered them specifically as to "what" He is. Cp.8:25 where Jesus uses this same tact as to "what" He is; literally "the Beginning".
94. And it is expressed in such a way that clearly reveals that His way of salvation for the sheep is superlative in every other way of salvation, such as the system of Judaism.
95. That the Son and the Father are in perfect and absolute agreement volitionally in Person, the Father is free to exercise through Him all of the necessary attributes of God for eternal life to be a guaranteed reality, past, present and forever more.
96. Only via the essence of God, with emphasis on His omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence and eternal life in conjunction with His sovereign will, can salvation be made available for anyone at any time in history that is +V.
97. And it is His attribute of immutability that provides the necessary faithful character of God in essence that guarantees salvation for +V will always be a reality.
98. Only a means of salvation inherent with this essence/nature can universally fulfill God’s sovereign will to impart eternal life to the sheep.
99. Jesus has declared previously that it was the father’s will that "I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day". Joh.6:39
100. Jesus has declared to these Jews that if salvation can only be a reality via the Person of God because of His essence, then salvation can only be found in a Person that has that same essence, and through no other system or entity.
101. Vs.29 then, is a declaration that salvation is dependent upon the Sovereignty of the Father to manifest His essence/nature in the vehicle provided for salvation.
102. Vss.27,28 and 30 are declarations that Jesus is that essence as the second member of the Godhead, God the Son.
103. Jesus theologically challenges the Jews confronting Him to consider their belief that only God can truly provide salvation on an eternal level (which can be applied even if they are looking only for a political Messiah to save and rule Israel as a nation eternally cp. Joh.12:34) and therefore, that salvation demands the power of God’s essence to be manifested in whatever belief system/person etc., they choose to adhere to.
104. And He challenges them intellectually and volitionally to deny with integrity that the power of God’s essence hasn’t been manifested in Him, as vs.32 reveals.

GNT John 10:31 VEba,stasan pa,lin li,qouj oi` VIoudai/oi i[na liqa,swsin auvto,nÅ

NAS John 10:31 The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. oi` o` VIoudai/oi VIoudai/oj (d.a. + ap-nm-p) VEba,stasan basta,zw (viaa--3p; "took up/pick up with the hands/to bear or carry"; used 27x) li,qouj li,qoj (n-am-p; "stones/rocks") pa,lin (adv.; "again") i[na (conj. purpose; "in order that/to) liqa,swsin liqa,zw (vsaa--3p; "they might stone/overwhelm or bury with stones") auvto,nÅ auvto,j (npam3s)

GNT John 10:32 avpekri,qh auvtoi/j o` VIhsou/j( Polla. e;rga kala. e;deixa u`mi/n evk tou/ patro,j\ dia. poi/on auvtw/n e;rgon evme. liqa,zeteÈ

NAS John 10:32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; o` VIhsou/j( (d.a. + n-nm-s) avpekri,qh avpokri,nomai (viad--3s) auvtoi/j auvto,j (npdm3p) e;deixa dei,knumi (viaa--1s; "I showed/ pointed out/caused you to see/placed before one's eyes"; ) u`mi/n su, (npd-2p; "to you all") Polla. polu,j (a--an-p; "many" ) kala. kalo,j (a--an-p; "good"; intrinsic good/beneficial/fitted for their purpose) e;rga e;rgon (n-an-p) evk (pAbl) tou/ o` patro,j\ path,r (d.a. + n-Ablm-s) for which of them are you stoning Me?" dia, (pa; "for/because of") poi/on poi/oj (interr. adj./an-s; "which/of what sort or kind or nature of one thing among several?") e;rgon e;rgon (n-an-s; "work"; not translated in the NAS) auvtw/n auvto,j (npgn3p; "from them"; the plural notes the quantity of the works Jesus performed) liqa,zeteÈ liqa,zw (vipa--2p; "are you attempting to stone") evme. evgw, (npa-1s)

GNT John 10:33 avpekri,qhsan auvtw/| oi` VIoudai/oi( Peri. kalou/ e;rgou ouv liqa,zome,n se avlla. peri. blasfhmi,aj( kai. o[ti su. a;nqrwpoj w'n poiei/j seauto.n qeo,nÅ

NAS John 10:33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; oi` o` VIoudai/oi( VIoudai/oj (d.a. + ap-nm-p) avpekri,qhsan avpokri,nomai (viadep--3p) auvtw/| auvto,j (npdm3s) Peri. peri, (pg; "For/about/concerning the issue of") kalou/ kalo,j (a--gn-s) e;rgou e;rgon (n-gn-s) ouv (neg. +) liqa,zome,n liqa,zw (vipa--1p; "we are not ready to stone") se su, (npa-2s) avlla, (strong adv.) peri, (pg; "for") blasfhmi,aj( blasfhmi,a (n-gf-s;"blaspheme/slander/ lying against God/speech injurious to the reputation/talking of God disrespectfully"; used 18x) and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." kai, (cc; ascensive use; "even"; used here to cite the statement that they considered to be blasphemy) o[ti (causal conj.) su, (npn-2s) w'n eivmi, (circ. ptc./p/a/nm2s; "while being") a;nqrwpoj (Pred.n-nm-s) poiei/j poie,w (vipa--2s; "make/to do/assert") seauto.n seautou/ (reflex. pro./am2s "yourself") "to be" supplied qeo,nÅ qeo,j (n-am-s)

1. The reaction of the Jews is predictable, swift and hostile, as they took up stones again to stone Him.
2. These religious hoodlums had Jesus surrounded on the portico (vs.24) and several obviously scatter to procure the stones that would be readily available within the temple precincts due to the continuing construction.
3. As they quickly returned it was obvious what they had in mind.
4. They intended to take matters into their own hands and execute Jesus on the spot.
5. The adverb pa,lin/again indicates that this was not the first occasion on which they have attempted to kill Jesus in this fashion.
6. We certainly know of one other (Joh.8:59) and the sense contextually leads to believe that there might have been other such attempts that are not recorded.
7. The irony here is that they asked Jesus for some plain speech as to His true identity (vs.24) and when He plainly tells them of His unique Person and relationship with the Father they spin off into uncontrollable anger.
8. His works that had provoked them to anger on any number of occasions, are even less inflammatory to these men than His words.
9. Understandably, if they had truly heard what Jesus had just said i.e., "you all are –V and your religious system of salvation is bogus and impotent"; their anger might at least have had a smattering of a normal reaction.
10. However, because they are –V and not there to really get to the truth, the true issues at hand are lost on them or at least dismissed, and they focus in on the primary opening they consider as ammunition for their cause.
11. Before anyone actually has opportunity to cast any stones, Jesus asks them a question that stops them in their tracks, at least momentarily.
12. The phrase, "Jesus answered them" is better translated, "Jesus responded to them", denoting the obvious intentions of their actions.
13. It indicates that He knew exactly what they were thinking and confronts the intent of their motivation.
14. We notice that He does not lose His cool in the face of this attack, while remaining calm and continues to talk with them.
15. Even as these men are attempting to take the law into their own hands in a lynch mob mentality and not allowing due process that every person was entitled, even under their law, Jesus knows that "His hour has not yet come". Joh.12:23; 17:1
16. His opening statement, "I showed you many good works from the Father" explicitly points back to the very essence of God necessary for salvation to occur.
17. He makes them stop to consider the many miracles they and others around Him have observed physically during His ministry.
18. That He refers to them as "good works" denotes the character and nature of all of His miracles as being of a kindly and beneficial quality.
19. That they are "from the Father" indicts their unbelief and dishonest/illogical reasoning and challenges them to defend any position they can to dispute that the nature and power of His miracles could have come from any other source.
20. He then finishes by specifically asking them, "for which of them are you stoning Me?"
21. His statement and question essentially points to the following:

1. Their current action is in the face of overwhelming physical evidence already provided to them that Jesus possesses the power of God’s essence.
2. This is seen in the quantity and quality of the types of miracles He has performed. Joh.5:36
3. None of His miracles can be construed as anything less than beneficial and merciful acts that were blessings and supernatural deliverance’s for those that were the recipients of the deeds.
4. Hence, they of necessity were performed by the power and nature of God.
5. Therefore, the specific challenge for prosecution must be "pick out any of these, deny the qualitative attributes with corroborating evidence and prove your case".
6. Furthermore, it infers that to oppose Him is to oppose God.

1. Jesus’ question obviously places the Jews in a legal and social quandary.
2. That Jesus places as the evidence for His defense, all of the miracles He is known for, is tantamount to causing them to publicly justify their actions.
3. In other words, Jesus’ question reminds them of possible repercussions from the masses if they kill Him with the subject of His miracles being the final "plea" for mercy and the last thing on everyone’s minds, especially without some type of justifying response.
4. And legally, the Jews have already faced the humility of trying to prosecute Him for doing miracles on the Sabbath with the irrefutable conclusions that He can only do these miracles by the power of God, as the case with the blind man of chpt. 9, sorely pointed out. Cp.10:21
5. Therefore, once again we see them "do a little sidestep" as they answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy".
6. It becomes obvious that they realize they must somehow downplay the subject of His miracles and distract from that issue with an accusation that will completely overshadow anything else He has done.
7. In addition, it can’t be missed that though they deny any of His actions are the issue, that’s an outright lie, as John has made it clear that the Sabbath healings have definitely got their "goats" and part of the reason they are wanting to kill Him. Joh.5:18
8. Therefore, they now turn to the second issue they feel they have legal claims for in their agenda, His claim to be One with the Father (vs.30).
9. The blasphemy that they charge Him with is specifically contained in the "o[ti/because" clause that follows, "and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God".
10. The word "and/kai," is ascensive and not a connective attempting to delineate a second charge and should be translated "even".
11. Their charge denotes that they understood exactly what He was claiming, but they were –V with a hostile agenda and completely dismiss the evidence and rather infer a sin worthy of death.
12. Their wording clearly indicates their intentions of the charge as it implies that He is only a man exalting Himself to be a God.
13. It is designed to place upon Him an accusation that if true provides an avenue for prosecution, since any Jewish court would obviously find a claim of a mere man that thinks He has somehow turned into God, indeed blasphemous, which is the force and sense of their statement.
14. Their tactic is clear, by using their phraseology, even if Jesus works are reintroduced as a defense, they can easily proclaim that He had developed a God complex, now thinks He has become God, really is insane and thus demon possessed, and is guilty of blasphemy.
15. However, their assessment of the situation is exactly opposite the reality of the situation.
16. Jesus was not a man that has become God, but rather God that has become a man.
17. And as the detailed analysis of Jesus’ claim in vss.29,30 pointed out, He was not claiming equal authority with the Father in Person, only equality in essence and attributes as the Son of God.

GNT John 10:34 avpekri,qh auvtoi/j o` VIhsou/j( Ouvk e;stin gegramme,non evn tw/| no,mw| u`mw/n o[ti VEgw. ei=pa( Qeoi, evsteÈ

NAS John 10:34 Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I SAID, YOU ARE GODS'? o` VIhsou/j( (d.a. + n-nm-s) avpekri,qh avpokri,nomai (viadep--3s) auvtoi/j auvto,j (npdm3p) Ouvk ouv (neg. +) e;stin eivmi, (vipa--3s +) gegramme,non gra,fw (+circ. ptc./PF/p/nn-s; periphrastic construction; "Has it not been written") evn (pL) u`mw/n su, (npg-2p) tw/| o` no,mw| no,moj (d.a. + n-dm-s; "Law"; applied here to the entire OT, cp. Joh.12:34;15:25; Rom.3:19; 1Cor.14:21) o[ti (cc; intro. indir. disc.; not translated in the English) VEgw. evgw, (npn-1s; "I Myself"; ref. to God) ei=pa( le,gw (viaa--1s) evsteÈ eivmi, (vipa--2p; "you all are") Qeoi, qeo,j (n-nm-p; "Gods")

GNT John 10:35 eiv evkei,nouj ei=pen qeou.j pro.j ou]j o` lo,goj tou/ qeou/ evge,neto( kai. ouv du,natai luqh/nai h` grafh,(

NAS John 10:35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came eiv (part.; 1st class cond.; "If, and it is true") ei=pen le,gw (viaa--3s) evkei,nouj evkei/noj (remote dem. pro./am-p; "them/those men") qeou.j qeo,j (n-am-p) pro,j (pa) ou]j o[j (rel. pro./am-p; "to whom"; ref. to "those men") o` lo,goj (d.a. + n-nm-s) tou/ o` qeou/ qeo,j (d.a. + n-gm-s; subjective gen.; God produced the "word") evge,neto( gi,nomai (viad--3s) (and the Scripture cannot be broken), kai, (cs) h` grafh,( (d.a. + n-nf-s; "the Scripture/Writing") ouv (neg. +) du,natai du,namai (vipdep.--3s; "cannot/is not able/is not possible") luqh/nai lu,w (compl. inf./ap-; "be broken/loosed/set aside")

GNT John 10:36 o]n o` path.r h`gi,asen kai. avpe,steilen eivj to.n ko,smon u`mei/j le,gete o[ti Blasfhmei/j( o[ti ei=pon( Ui`o.j tou/ qeou/ eivmiÈ

NAS John 10:36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, u`mei/j su, (npn-2p; emphatic; "do you yourselves") le,gete le,gw (vipa--2p) o]n o[j (-rel. pro./am-s; "regarding Him, whom") o` path,r (d.a. + n-nm-s) h`gi,asen a`gia,zw (viaa--3s; "sanctified/consecrated/set apart"; used 28x) kai, (cc) avpe,steilen avposte,llw (viaa--3s) eivj (pa) to.n o` ko,smon ko,smoj (d.a. + n-am-s) 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? o[ti (cc; indir. disc.) Blasfhmei/j( blasfhme,w (vipa--2s; "You are blaspheming/lying against God") o[ti (causal conj.) ei=pon( le,gw (viaa--1s) eivmiÈ eivmi, (vipa--1s) Ui`o.j ui`o,j (n-nm-s; "a Son") tou/ o` qeou/ qeo,j (d.a. + n-gm-s; gen. of relation)

1. Jesus now addresses the Jew’s accusation and charge in such a way that it even specifically maintains their phraseology and intent intact.
2. In other words, they claim He is a mere man that has turned into and is exalting Himself to be a God and regard that as blasphemous and His answer does not avoid the issue.
3. His response is designed to answer their accusation is the fullest sense that can be construed from it.
4. So, in addition, vss.34-36 addresses His claim of status as God being His Father (vs.29a) and vss.37-38 address His claim of status as being God in essence (vs.30).
5. He appeals to the OT as He answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are Gods’"?
6. His question is rhetorical and demands a "yes" answer.
7. The fact that He refers to the Scriptures as "your Law" is a direct slam against the Jews as the custodians of God’s plan.
8. It infers that the very quote He is providing is one they should be privy to knowing.
9. The verse He cites is Psa.82:6 and agrees in both the Masoretic text and the LXX ("I said, you are Gods")..
10. The context of Psa.82 deals with the religious leaders of Israel and their responsibility in judgment of the nation.
11. God Himself is seen as the ultimate judge in their midst. Psa.82:1 – the term "rulers" in the NAS is literally "~yhil{a/ /gods", cf. the KJV translation.
12. In that context and sense, mere men are referred to as "gods".
13. The passage further indicts these rulers for not administering their power in a righteous and fair manner. Psa.8:2
14. Psa.8:5 reveals that their unjust rule is due to their –V and function under the human viewpoint of evil.
15. The passage goes on to say that they are "sons of God" and "will die like men". Psa.82:6b-7
16. That they are gods relates to the sovereign position given the religious leaders of Israel through the Levitical priesthood to spiritually rule over the nation. Num.3:5-10
17. That they are "sons of God" denotes their positions as God’s chosen people in custodianship and administration of His word. Deu.14:1-2 cp. 18:1,5; 21:5
18. The overall exhortation of Psa.82 points to the fact that though they enjoy sovereignty of will in their rule over Israel, not to be unjust but to remember that they are mere flesh and if derelict in duty will die under judgment by "the God". Psa.82:7-8
19. The primary principle regarding their leadership roles is that when they disregard ruling according to the precepts of BD, they bring judgment upon the earth. Psa.8:5b
20. Jesus’ reference to this passage has both an implicit and explicit application in response to the Jews.
21. Implicitly, it is the passage evolving around the verse He has cited that is a warning to the Jews, for judging those in their realm of responsibility outside of the strict dictates of BD.
22. In addition, the passage parallels the reality of the Jews now present to the –V observed in the Jews in Psa.82.
23. That they are currently seeking to judge Christ in our passage reflects their persons as acting as gods.
24. Explicitly, and the real force of His citation, is to note that precedence has been set in the OT, of men referred to as gods.
25. It is this recorded fact that serves as the basis of the apologetics presented in vss.35-36.
26. The phrase, "If he called them gods" is a first class condition and is concluded as true, "and he did".
27. Jesus then makes two assertions regarding the men of Psa.82 and the effect of title bestowed upon them:

1. "To whom the word of God came".
2. "And the Scripture cannot be broken".

1. The first assertion denotes that the term "gods" used of men originated from God.
2. The second assertion declares that based on the fact that God established the term in this way and it is a part of Scripture, it cannot be disregarded as anything less than fact and truth as presented in the POG.
3. It points to the fact that no matter how obscure this verse may appear to them, it is as much a part of the OT as the rest and they must include it as evidence in their charge against Him.
4. Observation: BD is not a pick and choose option; its integrity rests on its parts as a whole and vice versa and all aspects, principles, precepts, etc., must be included in our evaluations, judgments and applications in life.
5. Vs.36 uses the apodosis of the 1^st class condition in vs.35, in an a fortiori argument of the lesser to the greater (how much more so then) as applied to His Person as the Son of God.
6. He presents it in the form of a question designed to cause them to reconsider their view towards Him as He asks, "do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’"?
7. Jesus’ argument is not just that since men have been called gods in the past that He, as a man, has the right to the same term, though legally its effect does dismiss the phraseology aspect of their charge on those grounds.
8. Rather, the real power of His statement is if God addressed mere men as gods, then how much more accurate for Jesus to address Himself as the Son of God!
9. In light of the Bible referring to men viewed in Psa.82 being unjust, negative and void of doctrinal understanding as being gods and sons of God, it would be totally remiss not to consider One that the Father has set apart in Holiness and commissioned in Person by Him as being a Son of God.
10. In contrast to those men who reject God’s sovereignty and are stilled considered as gods, how can you call it blasphemy for One that has totally operated under Divine sovereignty (Joh.5:30) to be anything less than His Son.
11. Who can charge Him with sin (Joh.8:46), or deny that His ministry was less than fully discharging His commission as seen through His miracles? Joh.10:32
12. His question is tantamount to saying, "If other Jews that were failing miserably were called gods, how in the world can you say I am blaspheming?"
13. Jesus uses this obscure verse, places it in its proper context and not only blows the doors off of the intent of the Jew’s phraseology in their charge against Him, but again reveals the real ignorance and weakness of the Jews theologically.
14. And that is, that any relationship to God is dependent upon how they exercise their own volition towards God’s sovereign will as revealed in the word of God.
15. All men are considered gods because they possess free will and sovereignly determine their ultimate destiny and exercise authority of will in judging others.
16. These Jews have usurped God’s sovereignty by ascribing to a works for salvation theology and this is how they judge others.
17. Only those that submit their sovereign wills to God’s Sovereign will for salvation are able in reality to be a son of God.
18. Again, the principle is made clear that for God’s plan for salvation to be a reality, it of necessity hinges on the manifestation and exercise of His essence and attributes.
19. And that He is Sovereign in essence demands His Will to be fully revealed/ manifested in the vehicle for salvation.
20. And that salvation is only found in the unique Son of God who perfectly submitted His will in its entirety to God’s Sovereign will as judgment against and for the world. Joh.3:18
21. Though Jesus did not use the term God explicitly for Himself, which would be tantamount to self-glorification, He never denied His unique relationship and position with the Father, and did admit to the title Son of God when describing Himself.
22. This denotes in part that even as God, He never considered Himself fully equal in status with the Father in Person.
23. He used the title merely as the logical extension of the reality that He was set apart by God, possessed a unique relationship with God and was working at God’s request.
24. Jesus has legally and Biblically exonerated Himself in His claim of relationship as the Son of God and his unique relationship with the Father and He will now provide evidence that as His Son He possesses God’s power of attributes in vss.37-38.
25. And the very issue these Jews are trying to avoid, He now reintroduces as He refocuses back on His works.

GNT John 10:37 eiv ouv poiw/ ta. e;rga tou/ patro,j mou( mh. pisteu,ete, moi\

NAS John 10:37 "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; eiv (part.; "If"; intro. 1st class cond.; assuming this preface is true) ouv (neg. +) poiw/ poie,w (vipa--1s) ta. to, e;rga e;rgon (d.a. + n-an-p) mou( evgw, (npg-1s) tou/ o` patro,j path,r (d.a. + n-gm-s) mh, (neg. +) pisteu,ete, pisteu,w (vImp/pa--2p) moi\ evgw, (npd-1s)

GNT John 10:38 eiv de. poiw/( ka'n evmoi. mh. pisteu,hte( toi/j e;rgoij pisteu,ete( i[na gnw/te kai. ginw,skhte o[ti evn evmoi. o` path.r kavgw. evn tw/| patri,Å

NAS John 10:38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, de, (ch) eiv (part.; 1st class) poiw/( poie,w (vipa--1s) ka;n (ab&cs; kai + ean; "even if/though/although") mh, (neg. +) pisteu,hte( pisteu,w (vspa--2p; "you might not believe"; denotes still the potential might exist in not believing Jesus verbal claim of Deity) evmoi. evgw, (npd-1s) pisteu,ete( pisteu,w (vImp/pa--2p) toi/j to, e;rgoij e;rgon (d.a. + n-dn-p) that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father. " i[na (cs; purpose; "in order that") gnw/te ginw,skw (vsaa--2p; "you might know"; denotes the necessary acquired information/knowledge of one towards another in order for a relationship to be established) kai, (cc) ginw,skhte ginw,skw (vspa--2p; the second use of the verb denotes that the acquired knowledge is of such there is no doubt of the identification being made; hence to "fully comprehend without question making it a present reality") o[ti (cc; indir. disc.) o` path,r (d.a. + n-nm-s) evn (pL) evmoi. evgw,(npL-1s) kavgw, (cc&npn-1s; "and I Myself") evn (pL) tw/| o` patri,Å path,r (d.a. + n-Lm-s)

GNT John 10:39 VEzh,toun ou=n auvto.n pa,lin pia,sai( kai. evxh/lqen evk th/j ceiro.j auvtw/nÅ

NAS John 10:39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp. ou=n (infer. conj.; "Therefore") VEzh,toun zhte,w (viIPFa--3p) pa,lin (adv.; "again") pia,sai( pia,zw (inf. purpose/aa-; "to seize/ apprehend/capture) auvto.n auvto,j (npam3s) kai, (ch) evxh/lqen evxe,rcomai (viaa--3s; "went out from/departed, hence eluded") evk (pAbl) auvtw/nÅ auvto,j (npgm3p) th/j h` ceiro.j cei,r (d.a. + n-Ablf-s; lit. "the hand")

1. In vss.34-36, Jesus provided evidence with Biblical documentation that He has all rights to utilize the title of God as applied to His Person including His humanity, in His unique relationship with the Father.
2. Jesus now reintroduces the evidence that substantiates that He also possesses the power of God’s essence and thus has right of title in that regard.
3. He challenges them in a most logical and straightforward manner and appeals to any common sense reasoning they might posses.
4. He does so by establishing two 1^st class conditional clauses that are designed to appeal to the truth and facts of the matter.
5. His statement in vs.37 is used in a negative sense and is clear and to the point, "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me".
6. His works again refer to the body of miracles that He has done publicly over the past 3 years.
7. His Miracles were the likes of which no one had ever seen and the sheer numbers of which would have boggled the mind.
8. He again equates His works as being "of My Father" and presses home the point that they of necessity have God’s authority and stamp of approval placed upon them.
9. In other words, He is challenging their thinking to consider the fact that in His claim of Person as God that God would not endorse nor support miracles of this nature from anyone who is other than what they claim to be.
10. Do they think that God the Father would bless and allow this "man" to manifest His attributes of power to this degree, while claiming this unique relationship with Him and yet not be truthful in His claims and lying to everyone around them?
11. His statement could be inferred as saying, "If you can honestly conclude that the miracles I have performed are from any other source than God, then do not believe Me".
12. In vs.38a, Jesus presents the opposite side of the argument, "but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works".
13. The phrase, "but if I do them" is designed to focus their thinking on one fact.
14. And that is, no matter what rational of conclusion they may come too in denial, the one thing that can’t deny is the fact that "I, My Person, is the one that has performed all these miracles".
15. This is the force of the second phrase, "though you do not believe Me".
16. This points to the Jews complete hostility towards His teaching about His Person.
17. Under their –V and total STA capitulation to blind anger towards Him, they have lost any ability to be objective with regard to Jesus’ teaching, but they could still objectively examine His actions and consider their significance.
18. Even though they consider His Person as heretical and blasphemous, they can’t deny His works and therefore at least believe them.
19. Jesus points to the fact that God does not ask for "blind faith", but a reasoned understanding of the facts that yields the only true conclusion that Jesus Christ is His unique Son.
20. There was always more than one witness to the claims of Jesus and He never insisted that they take Him only at His word.
21. He stresses the importance of the attesting miracles and states that if such things were not present they could not be logically expected to believe Him.
22. The reality is that His works, the miraculous things He did, were continually present with these men and they did not come to the point of faith in Christ.
23. –V can find many ways to reject the truth and the presence or absence of miracles does not convince people to believe.
24. Miracles tend to attract those that are excited by the supernatural and those that come to any ministry for the spectacular will quickly disappear when it is over.
25. Miracles in and of themselves, do not make people positive and they do not convince –V to change their minds.
26. They serve primarily as a true witness of the claims of Christ’s Deity and do encourage faith among those that are +V.
27. Miracles serve to stimulate +V that exists, but otherwise only condemn –V in their unbelief.
28. Jesus suggests that if they would at least approach the aspect of His miracles honestly and openly, then the purpose of their manifestation might have its desired affect, "that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father".
29. The use of "ginw,skw" twice demonstrates the mental process by which one first recognizes something and then through further contemplation comes to a clear understanding or knowledge of that object.
30. In other words, if they would just focus solely on His works, analyze their magnitude and the nature necessary for them to be performed and just be honest before God "once in their lives", they would realize that not only was God behind them, but God was being manifested through Christ.
31. These men could have recognized that these miracles were outstanding in nature and could have then reasoned until they figured out the true nature of Jesus Himself.
32. Jesus refers to the mutual indwelling of the Father and the Son to once again point to the unique relationship between them. Joh.14:10,11; 17:21
33. His descriptive assertion encompasses all that He has been teaching from vs.27 on i.e., that because the Father and Christ have perfect reciprocal harmony in Person/will, they also enjoy complete unity in essence.
34. Being that these men were –V, the words of Jesus in no way causes them to reconsider their position and John tells us that "therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp".
35. The inferential conjunction "Therefore" denotes that they refused to accept the truth of facts presented and again took issue with His claims of equality with God.
36. The imperfect tense of "were seeking" indicates an ongoing action of physically trying to apprehend Jesus on the spot.
37. It implies a time of re-coordinating a group effort of arresting Jesus after He had said these things, during which time Christ eluded their attempts.
38. It reveals a picture that Jesus’ words were of such a nature that they caused a momentary reflection by this group and by the time they returned to their initial hatred sufficient as a group to grab Him, Jesus was gone.
39. Though John does not say specifically how Jesus eluded them, he seems well content to simply record the fact that they were not successful.
40. John points out again that Jesus was immune from all human plots, plans and treasons until such time as the Father was ready for Him to be taken.
41. Not until His hour comes will they be successful in their plans.
42. This serves as encouragement for all that are His sheep, in that God will not allow anything to happen to us by others that would otherwise neutralize God’s plan for our lives.

GNT John 10:40 Kai. avph/lqen pa,lin pe,ran tou/ VIorda,nou eivj to.n to,pon o[pou h=n VIwa,nnhj to. prw/ton bapti,zwn kai. e;meinen evkei/Å

NAS John 10:40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. Kai. kai, (cc) avph/lqen avpe,rcomai (viaa--3s) pa,lin (adv.) pe,ran (pg; "beyond/the farther side of") tou/ o` VIorda,nou VIorda,nhj (d.a. + n-gm-s) eivj (pa) to.n o` to,pon to,poj (d.a. + n-am-s; "the place/geographical location") o[pou (conj.; "where/in which place") VIwa,nnhj (n-nm-s; "John the Baptist") h=n eivmi, (viIPFia--3s+) to, prw/ton prw/toj (d.a. + ord. adj./an-s; "at the first" i.e., when he was working in Joh.1:19ff) bapti,zwn bapti,zw (subs. ptc./p/a/nm-s) kai, (cc) e;meinen me,nw (viaa--3s; "remained/was staying") evkei/Å (adv.; "there/in that place")

GNT John 10:41 kai. polloi. h=lqon pro.j auvto.n kai. e;legon o[ti VIwa,nnhj me.n shmei/on evpoi,hsen ouvde,n( pa,nta de. o[sa ei=pen VIwa,nnhj peri. tou,tou avlhqh/ h=nÅ

NAS John 10:41 And many came to Him and were saying, "While John performed no sign, kai, (cc) polloi. polu,j (ap-nm-p) h=lqon e;rcomai (viaa--3p) pro,j (pa) auvto.n auvto,j (npam3s) kai, (cc) e;legon le,gw (viIPFa--3p; "were saying") o[ti (conj.; intro. indir. disc.) me,n (part.; when used with de, ; on the one hand....on the other hand; translated "while") VIwa,nnhj (n-nm-s) evpoi,hsen poie,w (viaa--3s) ouvde,n( ouvdei,j (a-can-s; "no/not even one") shmei/on (n-an-s) yet everything John said about this man was true." de, (ch; "yet/on the other hand") pa,nta pa/j (ap-nn-p; "all things" +) o[sa o[soj (rel. pro./an-p; "as many things as"; these two words together = "everything") VIwa,nnhj (n-nm-s) ei=pen le,gw (viaa--3s) peri, (pg; "about/concerning") tou,tou ou-toj (near dem. pron./gm-s; "this one/man") h=nÅ eivmi, (viIPFa--3s) avlhqh/ avlhqh,j (a--Pred.nn-p; "true/accurate/correct)

GNT John 10:42 kai. polloi. evpi,steusan eivj auvto.n evkei/Å

NAS John 10:42 And many believed in Him there. kai, (cc) polloi. polu,j (ap-nmp) evpi,steusan pisteu,w (viaa--3p) eivj (pa) auvto.n auvto,j (npam3s) evkei/Å (adv.; "there")

1. The hostility of the Jews has become so intense that Jesus leaves Jerusalem, and He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there.
2. It is the Father’s will that Jesus separate Himself from the corporate –V there and reestablish Himself geographically.
3. This is an example of moving away from a situation that inevitably would result in a premature conclusion of His ministry and in effect diffuses the murderous intentions of His antagonizers for the time being.
4. His leaving is not due to cowardice or fear, but points to the principle that when one is sensitive to God’s will for their life, He will clearly show what application(s) one is to make in what ever circumstance we are facing.
5. It teaches the fact that even with whatever supernatural means God may provide for deliverance’s in our lives, applications of common sense reasoning and logic are an expected function.
6. In this case, Jesus knows His ministry is not yet to be concluded and to remain on in Jerusalem under the current hostile atmosphere would be detrimental in fulfilling His ministry and tantamount to "testing" God.
7. It points to Jesus’ number one priority before God to fulfill His ministry according to God’s will, not His.
8. It would also be remiss to not note the following:

1. It is not always God’s will for one to perpetuate circumstances with hostile –V, just in the name of martyrdom. Ex. David and Saul
2. The deliverance from religious reversionists is effectuated through the application of separation.
3. The very act of separation effectuates diffusion of hostile situations. Rom.16:17
4. The primary issue in life is not to prove one is right at all costs, God will prove His own word, but to give a faithful witness of the truth and in the face of blatant rejection, move on. Mat.7:6
5. God knows where +V exists or not and by maintaining your MPR in life, He will guide and direct you regarding when, to what extent and where you are to espouse BD in your witness.

1. Only by having one’s spiritual priorities intact, BD in the soul and maintaining fellowship with God can we be clear as to God’s timing and will in all situations.
2. The time frame is still late Dec.31 AD or Jan.32 AD.
3. Jesus had spent some 3-4 months in and around Jerusalem, since the feast of Tabernacles in Sep. 32 AD. Joh.7:2ff
4. The area He chose now to set up operations was to the East side of the Jordan river in the area of Perea.
5. This move initiated the early stages of His Perean ministry as recorded in the synoptics. Luk.13:22ff; Mat.19ff; Mar.10:ff
6. He will remain predominately in this locale, North and East of Jerusalem, for some 3-4 months, until the Monday before the crucifixion, when He will reenter Jerusalem Mar.30, 33 AD. Joh.12:12
7. The closest He ventured towards Jerusalem during this period is to Bethany, where He raises Lazarus from the dead. Joh.11:1-46; 12:1-11
8. The reference to John the Baptist immediately places Jesus in the same vicinity where John began His public ministry some six months prior to his meeting with Jesus in 29 AD. Joh.1:15ff cp. vs.28
9. The author John’s focus on JTB has gradually dwindled in the gospel to the point that this final note about him is quite succinct and very commending.
10. As JTB had said, and has proved to be true, "He must increase, but I must decrease". Joh.3:30
11. As noted previously in our notes, John was killed just prior to Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee, as recorded in Joh.6:1 some ~ 10 months earlier in Mar.32 AD.
12. However, it is obvious that he has thoroughly canvassed this area in his teaching and evangelizing as vs.41 makes clear.
13. The people of this region began resorting to Jesus, "And many came to Him and were saying, ‘While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true’".
14. As they became privy to Jesus’ teaching and continued application of miracles, they were comparing notes regarding John’s ministry and what they were seeing and hearing with regard to Jesus.
15. They note that John not one time engaged in any miraculous signs to validate his message.
16. In this regard, he was not like Elijah, that did miracles during his lifetime and will perform signs before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. Mal.3:1 cp. Rev.11:3-6
17. However, the most important aspect regarding Elijah is the emphasis of the witness of the witnesses (Rev.11:3) and not the plagues that will strike negative volition.
18. And it is this importance to the witness of the truth that these people pay John the highest compliment that one could give a communicator.
19. And that issue is the issue of the veracity of his teaching.
20. Vs.41 points to the fact that even though JTB did not perform miracles to validate his ministry, the very miracles and ministry of Messiah validated it for him.
21. This points to the fact that no matter what people may think initially regarding the truth of BD, the evidence of the truth immutably will be revealed.
22. The language is clear that JTB in his ministry taught accurately the doctrine necessary for anyone that listened to be able to clearly identify Jesus as the Messiah, "and many believed in Him there".
23. It is intriguing to note that some had believed in Jesus long before, such as our author, based on the testimony of JTB, and others such as these, did not believe until they saw Jesus Himself, the fulfillment of JTB’s teachings.
24. This reality is a fitting closing to the parable of shepherding and sheep i.e., JTB is presented in this gospel as the ideal witness that never exalted himself but spent his time unrelentingly bearing witness to the truth.
25. It points to the primary responsibility for all under-shepherds in their charge to study and teach, knowing that those that are ultimately +V, the teaching will have impact sooner or later.
26. John obviously didn’t know all that would be or would not be +V, but understood fully that it was the issue of the truth that all +V would ultimately respond to.
27. It points to our #1 priority of witnessing in life and that is being able and faithful in articulating the truth to those around us.
28. In so doing, we are assured that those that are +V will see evidence to that truth and exercise the appropriate faith in that regard.
29. Vss.40-42 as a whole, closes this chapter by design to contrast the –V of the previous Jews that rejected all evidence to the truth, to the +V of these now that employ intellectual honesty and come to the knowledge of Christ.
30. These verses serve to prove that the witness of JTB and the miracles of Christ were sufficient evidence provided to Israel for anyone to come to believe that Jesus was Who and What He claimed. Joh.5:31-36
31. And lest we forget, the Jews of Jerusalem also had the witness of JTB. Joh.1:19 cp. 5:33
32. THE PRINCIPLE IS CLEAR: -V REJECTS THE TRUTH; +V BELIEVES AND APPLIES THE TRUTH, AND THAT GOES FOR WHATEVER CATEGORY, PRINCIPLE, PRECEPT, ETC., OF TRUTH THAT IS REVEALED IN BD.