MANY BELIEVED

John 10:37-42 If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I in Him. Therefore they sought again to take Him: but He escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there He abode. And many resorted unto Him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this Man were true. And many believed on Him there. (Also See John 10:31-36)

At the feast of the dedication in the temple, Jesus once again confronted the Jewish religious leaders that continued to question Him in order to find sufficient cause, in their minds, to accuse Him of blasphemy. In His defense, Jesus told them of the miracles performed in the midst of many Jewish witnesses that continually gathered around Him. This miraculous power, which healed the sick, blind, lame, and demon possessed, He attributed to God, Whom He referred to as His Heavenly Father. He also admitted that, as sheep hear, obey, and follow the voice of their shepherd, so do many of the Jews believe Him to be the Savior, hear and believe His teaching as He offers God's promise of eternal life, and follow Him as His disciples. Jesus closes His defense of His deity with this assuring comment: I and My Father are one.

Having rejected Jesus as the promised Messiah, when Jesus spoke these words, Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him (Vs. 31). Without trial or any other judicial proceedings requiring testimony from others, these Jewish religious leaders accused and convicted Jesus of committing the sin of blasphemy and sentenced Him to death by stoning. As they were gathering stones, Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from My Father; for which of those works do ye stone Me (Vs. 32)? They answered that their condemnation of Him was not for His good works, but for blasphemy; and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God (Vs. 33a). Their assertion was that Jesus spoke words that insinuated this fact, or openly professed to be the Son of God (Vs. 33b), making Himself equal with God (See John 5:18).

Quoting the meaning of Psalm 82:6, Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods (Vs. 34)? All translators that I have used to explain this verse tell us that the "law" refers to the Old Testament as well as other so called "sacred" historical and commentary writings of Jewish elders. Also, the term "gods" carries the meaning of Jewish magistrates and judges, rather than referring to God, their Heavenly Father. Using this quotation, Jesus told these Jewish leaders that their law called judges gods. That being so, Jesus asked them why they accused Him of blasphemy for saying that He was the Son of God (See Vss. 35-36).

Jesus continues reasoning with these Jewish leaders by telling them that If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. Jesus wasn't asking them to believe the things He taught without proving the authoritative power of God to say them. No one can deny the miraculous powers of Almighty God, yet when Jesus performs the same or similar omnipotent miracles that no other earthly being possesses the power to accomplish, they deny Him as being God's Son. To deny the deity of Jesus is to deny that He was sent by God to do His will on earth. Although they didn't believe Jesus to be the promised Messiah, Jesus asked these Jews to believe the works that He compassionately performed in their presence. In other words, Jesus told them to let His miraculous works speak for themselves. In doing so, they would come to the right spiritual conclusion, they would accept Him as the Savior, and they would believe Him when He said that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.

These inspired words of the Son of God fell on deaf ears, self-righteous hearts, and minds that had been misled and corrupted by the wisdom of men. Therefore they sought again to take Him. Only a few moments previous to this, these Jews were proceeding to stone Jesus, but for some reason, possibly fear of mob reaction, they now desired to capture, imprison, and hold Him for trial. At this point it is evident that God intervened once again allowing Him to escape out of their hand. Jesus departed Jerusalem and sought refuge beyond the River Jordan. Continuing His teaching, many believed on Him there.