Replies

What other reason could they have possibly had for immediately wanting to stone Him than for claiming to BE God?

How many times do you believe the words of Jesus were misunderstood, even by the Apostles?

How many times do you believe the words of Jesus were misunderstood, even by the Apostles?

How many times did you consider that perhaps he never uttered those words?

The Germans assumed no one could ever break their Enigma Code. But they never considered the possibility that someone might steal it! Think outside the box.

Happy New Year everyone!

FK: What other reason could they have possibly had for immediately wanting to stone Him than for claiming to BE God?

How many times do you believe the words of Jesus were misunderstood, even by the Apostles?

The Apostles misunderstood Jesus several times, such as when He spoke of the Temple being destroyed and built again in three days. However, in every such example I can think of the context shows us this plainly. In the case of Jesus' claim of being "I AM" there is no indication whatsoever that the listeners were misunderstanding. Further evidence would be that Jesus said nothing to correct them. Why would Jesus not have corrected them and stopped them from trying to kill Him if He didn't really mean to be making the claim?

Just two chapters later we have this:

John 10:31-39 : 31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

I would think that given this golden opportunity to clear the air by clarifying that He was not claiming to be God He would have taken it. Instead, He does nothing of the sort, claims to be God again, and they try to stone Him again.

To support the idea that He was indeed claiming to be God we have the positive evidence of the OT reference, plus the reaction of the unbelieving Jews wanting to stone Him for blasphemy, plus other NT scripture showing that Jesus did not attempt to repair any misunderstanding. To support the idea that Jesus was not claiming to be God, but that the Jews misunderstood we have no evidence whatsoever from the context and have to make a baseless assumption.