John 10:24-25 -- The Jews then surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.
Thank you Lord, for allowing me to make it to my 45th birthday. Thank You Lord, for being with me in the next year of life ahead and for walking me through it one day at a time.
As we follow Jesus in today's verses we come to another confrontation with the Pharisees. So far almost every encounter has been the religious authorities reacting to something Jesus said or did. Today we find them ambush Jesus with a heinously deceitful plan.
First, Jesus is walking along, and the religious authorities appear, then surround Him. The term used in the verse "surrounded" or some translations say, "gathered around", has a bit more weight to it in the Greek. Surrounded in the Greek is kykloō and is used in a militaristic way meaning to surround, encircle, encompass, by people or besiegers.
So, they didn't just gather around, they fully encircled Him to make sure He could not get away. Definitely a premeditated plan of attack for this confrontation.
Next is something interesting that jumped out when I looked at the Greek. In verse 24 we see most translations say, "How long will you keep us in suspense?". However, in the original Greek their question is actually: heos pote ten psychen hemon aireis, which translated literally says "How long will you lift up our souls?"
Their actual question was meant to entrap Him into thinking they were excited that He was the Messiah, and if only He'd just tell them ever so plainly, they'd be joyous. This was, as Clarke puts it, a question asked with extreme perfidiousness. I had to look that word up too. Perfidiousness is betrayal of trust, treachery, insidiousness, being designed to entrap.
So basically: "Hey Jesus, how's it going? I'm so excited about you. How long are you going to keep my hopes up? I mean the possibility you are the Messiah has my soul leaping for joy. Just tell me plainly, are you the Christ?"
They were trying to draw a confession so they could have Him executed. However, they knew the Romans would not kill Him for religious differences; but if they could get Him to plainly say He was the Christ, the King of the Jews, it would give them something political to use. They could tell the Romans He was trying to take Caesar's authority.
Jesus, knowing their deceitful hearts, responds by pointing them to all He has already said, and they refused and continue to refuse to believe. I came across this from Guzik's commentary.
"c. I told you, and you do not believe: Jesus did not often specifically refer to Himself among the Jews as the Christ, the Messiah. He did this because messiah was a word with political and even military implications that Jesus wished to avoid. Yet Jesus could rightly say that in many ways, I told you and you do not believe.
· I told you, I am the one who came from heaven (John 3:13, 6:38).
· I told you, whoever believes on Me has eternal life (John 3:15).
· I told you, I am the unique Son of God (John 5:19-23).
· I told you, I will judge all humanity (John 5:19-23).
· I told you, all should honor Me just as the honor God the Father (John 5:19-23).
· I told you, the Hebrew Scriptures all speak of Me (John 5:39).
· I told you, I perfectly reveal God the Father (John 7:28-29).
· I told you, I always please God and never sin (John 8:29, 8:46).
· I told you, I am uniquely sent from God (John 8:42).
· I told you, before Abraham was, I Am (John 8:58).
· I told you, I am the Son of Man, prophesied by Daniel (John 9:37).
· I told you, I will raise Myself from the dead (John 10:17-18).
· I told you, I am the Bread of Life (John 6:48).
· I told you, I am the Light of the World (John 8:12).
· I told you, I am the Door (John 10:9).
· I told you, I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)."
What a list of things Jesus has said to these authorities. Yet they willfully chose to ignore, not just His words, but all His actions, miracles, and signs as well.
Christian, Jesus says in John 15:20 "Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they followed My word, they will follow yours also.". If this is the level of deception they used on Jesus, then You'd better make sure you are walking with Him in His Word and in Prayer every day so you will not be caught up in this world's traps and snares.
Side Note: For those who don't know today's art is of the Imperial deflector shield on Endor, from 'Return of the Jedi'. It was part of Palpatine's trap to destroy the rebel alliance. Now you know and that makes you nerdy like me. LOL. Kidding.
Well, this is where the journey went today. Don't take my word on anything, be the Berean, get into your Bible and see for yourself!
You are loved. You are prayed over. You are not alone.
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