As Jesus discussed differing worldviews of who the Messiah is with the Jewish authorities, he mentioned that both he and the Father are one (John 10:30). The Jewish authorities correctly understood Jesus’ words to mean he was saying God was his own Father in a unique way, not in the sense in which they claimed God as their Father (John 8:41). They, therefore, believing they had heard what they needed to destroy Jesus, they took up stones to cast at him and kill him (John 10:31), because they took his words as blasphemous, and blasphemy was a sin punishable with death by stoning (Leviticus 24:10-16).
While the Jewish authorities looked and reached for the stones to cast at him, Jesus recalled to their attention that he had done many good works among them, which were miracles his Father had done through him. Then, he asked for which of these miracles did they wish to slay him (John 10:32). One can’t help but note the incongruity of the event. If God did miracles through Jesus, obviously God approved of what Jesus said and did. By wishing to stone Jesus, they publicly announced their desire to destroy the Lord’s Messenger, and this they were doing, because they wished to honor the name of God, which they were claiming Jesus blasphemed!
The authorities responded by saying they weren’t killing him for the good works they agreed he did. Rather, they were about to slay him for blaspheming the name of God, by saying that he, a mere man, was God (John 10:33). Thus, right doctrine took precedence over what they couldn’t otherwise deny that they knew was of God (cp. John 3:1-2).
In response to their charge of blasphemy, Jesus asked them if it wasn’t written in their Law that God actually called them gods, who were mere men? And, if this were true (and the scripture cannot be contradicted; John 10:34-35), why did they call Jesus a blasphemer, vis-à-vis the very one whom the Father had set apart and sent into the world? Am I a blasphemer, because I claimed I am the Son of God, vis-à-vis the Messiah (John 10:36)?
At this point some conclude, because Jesus said he was the Son of God and not actually God, that either he was recanting his claim or they misunderstood what he was saying. But, is this true? Where does it say in the word of God that men are gods? The Lord refers to men as gods in Psalm 82. There God stands in the congregation of the rulers, the mighty gods, and asks how long they will be so unjust that they do not defend the poor and the fatherless against the wicked (Psalm 82:1-4). Because they do such things the whole course of world events are in darkness and in chaos (Psalm 82:5). Then God says: “You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High, but you will die (judgment cp. Psalm 82:1) as mere men” (Psalm 82:6-7). The Psalm then concludes in verse-8 with “Arise, O God, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations.”
In the context of Jesus claim to being Messiah (John 10:36), is that the Psalmist calls for **God** to arise and judge the earth, because he, vis-à-vis **God** will inherit all nations! The two big questions behind Psalm 82:8, then, are: to whom has the Lord committed all judgment, and who will inherit all nations? Jesus told the Jewish authorities that the Father as committed all judgment to him, the Messiah (John 5:22). To answer the second question, we need to read Psalm 2.
Psalm 2 begins with Israel and all nations coming against the Messiah (Psalm 2:1-3), something the disciples claimed referred to what the Jewish authorities had done to Jesus (Acts 4:25-27). Then the Lord says he will laugh at them from heaven (Psalm 2:4), saying “I have set my King on my holy hill, Zion.” And, he declares: “You are my Son, this day have I begotten you. Ask of Me, and I shall give the nations for your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession” (Psalm 2:6-8).
Therefore, when the Psalmist calls for God to arise and judge the earth, for he will inherit all nations, the Psalmist is referring to God, the Messiah, the Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lord. In other words, Messiah, the Christ, is Deity (God), and Son of God (John 10:36) equals God (Psalm 82:8).
Then Jesus offered the only proof necessary that would support his claim to be the Messiah. If he had not done the works, vis-à-vis the miracles, of God, then don’t believe him. However, if it is true that he does the works of God (miracles) then, although you find it difficult to change your worldview and believe me, believe me for the very sake of the miracles that can be done only by God, himself, or in other words “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 10:37-38).
Nevertheless, the Jewish authorities refused to believe and tried to seize him. However, he escaped out of their hand (John 10:39) and went on the other side of the Jordan River and stayed there, where John the Baptizer began his ministry. Many folks came to him, there, and received him as their Messiah, saying that everything John had said about Jesus was true (John 10:40-42).
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6 responses to “Why Would You Stone the Messiah?”
Why would the authorities want to stone the Messiah? One reason would be to satisfy the Leviticus Code. But the question still remains. Why would God command stoning someone who has made a serious mistake or offence? One reason would be to make an example of that person. However, “perfect” role models are great idols and terrible teachers. Teachers who live and teach, learning from their mistakes and those of others can be made into living stones, examples, lights, others can follow, relate to and learn from by the faith of those who follow and believe in them.
Greetings Linda, and thanks for reading and for your comment. Lord bless you.
I am not certain I understand you completely, but the Leviticus thing, I allowed for in my posting, albeit, the authorities misunderstood (willingly?) who the Messiah actually was. Why would God command stoning? He did so in harmony with man’s choice in Eden. He was in the state of rebellion, and God told them eating of the forbidden fruit led to death. Whether we like it or not capital punishment often involves execution. As for the idols and role models, I’m not certain that I follow you, so I’ll let that be.
I’m thinking the Messiah’s role was to bring people back to the Spirit of the Law. Yes the Fall angered God and expelled Adam and Eve. But was God perpetuating sin, the separation of Himself from His Spirit by suggesting disobedient humans be put to death by stoning? Or was God’s Spirit working within the Law to turn all humans into living stones? By that I mean to kill the sin of idolatry by killing the finite fallen view in them and re-uniting them with the eternal wisdom that they were created in the eternal image and eternal likeness of God the ROCK, the building stone of all life, to learn and repent from their anger and their mistakes. Thus (ritually) stoned, the sinner would die to sin and to other sinners and be given an opportunity to learn how one’s particular sin impacted others. Those who were impacted and faithful would be given an opportunity to grow too by asking how they caused the offender to sin. Yes boulders have been hurled and people have been thrown over cliffs because people fell into sin in the Garden. Expelled, they think eternal life is for “good” souls only. Many also fell into the belief that people who break laws and rules need corporal punishment and or Capital Punishment. Thus when a boulder comes to kill the sin, the finite thinking, in a person that sees God as an enforcer of Capital Punishment, you’d think the person would welcome this death by such a boulder, such a huge Stone…and say Here I am Lord, I’m ready to go and sin no more and take up a new chapter of my eternal life, learning from the mistakes I’ve made in the past and teaching others what I have learned. Further to this…count me and my sins in this living boulder as a light for others. Forgive and use my sins which are many to help you thresh the grain…do not count my sins against me and create an immovable boulder keeping the son of God in the Grave.
Okay, I think for starters we embrace different worldviews about Christianity and salvation. While I’m not trying to be offensive, I am saying the two of us hold to very basic differences here.
Under the New Covenant, the practice is WWJD, it has nothing to do with the Law, or the spirit of the Law, and I’m speaking about religious faith, not political rule.
Was God angry? I’m not sure he was, but the man and the woman rebelled, not simply sinned. Sin can be forgiven outright, but rebellion cannot. Adam lied to his wife, and that didn’t get him expelled from the garden. The rebellion did.
The man and the woman chose to separate themselves from God’s Presence. That’s why God came looking for them. They ate the forbidden fruit, wanting to know good and evil without God’s input. They didn’t want God to instruct them (cp. Romans 1:28).
You seem to be mixing up your covenants here. There could be no “reuniting” mankind to the ‘eternal wisdom’ because they weren’t united to God in the first place. That would have occurred, if they chose the Tree of Life, but they chose the tree that brought their deaths.
Dying to sin involves embracing Christ in his death, receiving his death as just payment of our sins and especially our rebellion. Learning to live with one another involves following the example of Christ in his resurrection—raised to new life (in the Spirit) we are now able to love others as ourselves, even our enemies.
The innocent caused no one to sin. The sinner needs to take responsibility for what he or she does, and confess it to be cleansed and to be led by the Spirit of God. God has taken responsibility for our sins. He did this in Genesis 1:1 under the Old Covenant, and in John 1:1 under the New Covenant. He did a new thing (physical creation) under the Old Covenant, and took responsibility for everything that occurred afterward (paid for it in Christ). He did another new thing (spiritual creation) under the New Covenant and has taken full responsibility for its success. The two covenants shouldn’t be mixed together, because one can’t blend ‘law’ with ‘grace’ – it can’t be done.
They were expelled, because it would be wrong to permit them to partake of the Tree of Life in their rebellious state and live “that way—without God—forever. First, they need to return to God via Christ. Then they could live forever.
A covenant of Law demands corporal punishment. It doesn’t work any other way. If Law, then punishment must be enforced upon the lawbreakers. Otherwise, the covenant means nothing. As for coming to the Lord saying: “Here I am! I’m ready to sin no more!” while that may be a nice thought, I haven’t met anyone who sins no more. I’ve met folks who are reformed thieves, alcoholics and abusers of drugs etc., but I’ve never met the perfect man or woman who can say s/he is ready to sin no more.
I think we can agree to this final portion. I don’t see much to disagree with. Once again, I don’t mean to be offensive or disrespectful, Linda, but we have enough history together to know we believe differently about many things. I hate to constantly disagree with you, and I’ve thought about simply posting your comments without a reply, but I think discussion is better, even when we both know neither one of us will change what we believe. If this doesn’t suit you well, and you would rather me post your comments without a reply, let me know, and I’ll do that.
Eddie, as long as you only see Jesus as male, we will disagree and disagree on many points of scripture as well as our world views.
Although I think we can agree. Those caught in adultery must repent and stop committing adultery if they want to be “salt and light” in their faith communities. Thus they are to go and sin no more. However, many people believe. A woman caught in adultery is guilty and the persons she sins against…her husband and her children and the “other” woman are innocent victims.
However, a husband who offers no love or affection or works and travels all the time or looks at other women with lust in his heart is not an innocent. He didn’t actually commit the sin of adultery. But he is guilty of sinning against his wife and leaving her emotionally and spiritually weak. He’s caused her to stumble (Luke 17:2). So is the wife who turns a blind eye and does not rebuke her husband when he is being unfaithful in small or larger ways that could put their marriage at risk for adultery. By not working together at their marital or their spiritual relationship, they are setting a poor weak example for their children. “It would better for him/her to have a millstone hung around his/her neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.”
As Paul says we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23). Now you may be saying to me. Linda you are guilty of sin (because everyone is) and you can never go and sin no more because you Linda, like other human beings are not perfect because you are human and weak willed. You are not an eternal being. You have not lived before. You have a mortal body and when you die, your soul will live on if you believe in Jesus. But your soul will never occupy another body and come back to life.
Although I believe otherwise because 1 Thessalonians 4:14 and Psalm 90: 3-4 suggest otherwise. So of course the idea of resurrection being similar to rebellious people being let out of prison and given a second chance if they promise to stop being disrespectful, stop cheating on their taxes, stop cheating on their spouses, stop stealing etc. seems foolish to many. People are human.
People will continue to do these things (called sins) until they realize God has faith in them and is calling them to repent of their sins to be Salt and Light and to believe Jesus when Jesus says. “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though “he” dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.
Where we largely differ Eddie, is in our belief that Christ the Son of God is the Bride who belongs to the Bridegroom (John 3:29). Her love for Christ the Everlasting Father is what brings her to life, creates life, gives life and resurrects all those who believe in HER. Because her Love for the Father and his Love for her brings her and all those who believe in her to life and gives them eternal life, releasing them from the prison of death, she is therefore Christ the Father’s only begotten, SON. She is his spiritual offspring who physically attached and clinging to the Cross says. “Father into thy hands I commit My Spirit.”