Jesus asked what good deed they are stoning him for and they say it is not for his deeds, but for blaspheme.
John 10:34 Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
John 10:34 Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”
No, is it? Having been written in that law of yours that "I myself say you are gods."
We are eternal beings learning to be human and human beings learning to be eternal.
This is one of those "voila" moments where Jesus surprises his accusers using their own evidence. There is nothing in the Greek source indicating that this is a question. The initial "is" does not act as a helper verb making "written" passive. Greek doesn't use helper verbs like this. This "is" verb is active. Jesus defends himself directly by saying, "No, it isn't!" denying the charge of blaspheming. It doesn't begin with the negative used in negative questions that are meant to be denied.
Jesus defends his statement by quoting Psalms 82:6. He quotes the Septuagint (Greek OT) exactly. What is funny is the Jesus doesn't finish the Psalm but just start it. They have to finish it for themselves, but Jesus knows that the psalm goes on to define the term "gods" as "sons of the highest," which is precisely what Jesus claimed. He never say it and the never admit it. The biblical verse applied to "the mighty" with God exhorting them to help the needy which is what Jesus established himself as doing in John 10:32 by saying he did "great deeds...from the Father." This psalm echoes an idea in Exodus 7:1 that God has made Moses a god to pharaoh by performing miracles.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "is" is not a helper verb, but the active verb in the sentence.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The English verb "written" is the present tense, but Greek is in the past perfect, a completed action, "have seen."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "law" is not shown in the English translation.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "that" didn't existed in the KJV Greek source but does in the one we used today.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "is" is not a helper verb, but the active verb in the sentence.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The English verb "written" is the present tense, but Greek is in the past perfect, a completed action, "have seen."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "law" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "that" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
Is - (CW) The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions. This is an active verb, not the helping verb making "written" passive that it is translated as here."
it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
written -- (WT) "Written" is the Greek verb that means "to mark," "to express by written characters," "to write a letter," "to write down [a law]," and so on. The form is passive participle of an action completed in the past, "having been written."
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "during" (time), or "among" with a dative object as the one here. With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."
your -- The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so the possessive "of yours."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article,"the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
law, -- The Greek word translated as "law" describes the social norms, which can be from "tradition," "common practice," or the "laws." Jesus uses it to refer to the first five books of the OT written by Moses. He did not use it to refer to civil or Roman law. See this article.
missing "that" -- (OS) The untranslated word "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore." The source the KJV translators used did not have this word.
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since, as the subject of the sentence, it is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
said, - The word translated as "speak" means "to say" and "to speak." It is one of the two most common words translated "speak," "say" and "tell," but it has more a sense of addressing and proclaiming.
Ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
are -- The verb "are" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.
gods? -- The word translated as "gods" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God," "the Divine" or "the divine one." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. It is plural.
Is - (CW) The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions. This is an active verb, not the helping verb making "written" passive that it is translated as here."
it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
written -- (WT) "Written" is the Greek verb that means "to mark," "to express by written characters," "to write a letter," "to write down [a law]," and so on. The form is passive participle of an action completed in the past, "having been written."
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "during" (time), or "among" with a dative object as the one here. With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."
your -- The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so the possessive "of yours."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article,"the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Law, -- The Greek word translated as "law" describes the social norms, which can be from "tradition," "common practice," or the "laws." Jesus uses it to refer to the first five books of the OT written by Moses. He did not use it to refer to civil or Roman law. See this article.
missing "that" -- (MW) The untranslated word "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since, as the subject of the sentence, it is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
said, - The word translated as "speak" means "to say" and "to speak." It is one of the two most common words translated "speak," "say" and "tell," but it has more a sense of addressing and proclaiming.
You -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
are -- The verb "are" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.
gods? -- The word translated as "gods" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God," "the Divine" or "the divine one." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. It is plural.
Οὐκ [269 verses](partic) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
ἐστίν.[614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." It can also mean "must" with a dative. -
γεγραμμένον [34 verses](part sg perf mp neut nom) "Written" is grapho which means "to mark," "to express by written characters," "to write a letter," "to write down [a law]," "to proscribe," "to ordain," "to write for oneself," "to enroll oneself," "to draw signs," "to describe a figure" "to brand," and "to indict."
ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with a dative object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during," and "with." With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during."
τῷ [821 verses](article sg masc dat) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -
νόμῳ [16 verses](noun sg masc dat) "Law" is nomos, which means "anything assigned," "a usage," "custom," "law," "ordinance," or "that which is a habitual practice." It is the basis of the English words "norm" and "normal."
ὑμῶν [168 verses](pron 2nd pl gen) "Your/you" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." It is either a possessive pronoun or the object of a preposition.
ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) Untranslated is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
“Ἐγὼ [162 verses](pron 1st sg masc nom) "I" is ego, which is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I." It also means "I at least," "for my part," "indeed," and for myself.
εἶπα [162 verses](1st sg aor ind act) "Said" is eipon, which means "to speak," "to say," "to recite," "to address," "to mention," "to name," "to proclaim," "to plead," "to promise," and "to offer."
Θεοί [144 verses](noun pl masc nom) "Gods" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity."
ἐστε;” [614 verses] (2nd pl pres ind act) "Are" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." It can also mean "must" with a dative.