Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long do you make us to doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.
All Commentaries on John 10:24 Go To John 10
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Then came the Jews, &c. How long dost thou keep us in suspense? We wish to see the Messiah, and hope that Thou wilt declare Thyself to be He. They pretend this, in order to draw a confession from Christ, on which to accuse Him. For as says S. Augustine, "They do not desire the truth, but are getting up a charge, to accuse Him of making Himself the Messiah." So also S. Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Euthymius. But Christ so guarded His reply as not to give room for a false charge, and yet made it clear to the faithful that He was Christ the Son of God.
If thou art Christ, tell us plainly. That we may all be able to worship Thee openly as the Messiah. So did these hypocrites fulfil the predictions of David ( Psalm 22:16 and Psalm 118:12). For, as S. Chrysostom says, "Christ spake everything openly, and said nothing secretly." And S. Augustine, "They sought to hear from Him that He was Christ, that so they might accuse Him of claiming kingly power."
