Jesus answered them,
Is it not written in your law, I said, You are gods?
All Commentaries on John 10:34 Go To John 10
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your1aw ( Psalm 82:6), I said, Ye are gods? The word in Hebrew is plural. God is called Elohim, as ruling and governing the world, and as the judge and punisher of evil-doing. Whence angels and judges who share this power are called gods, not by nature or by hypostatical union (as Christ), but by participating in the Divine judgments (see Ex. vii1 , xxii28; Psalm 8:6, in the Hebrew Elohim). But there, as S. Hilary observes (Lib. vii. de Trinit.), the word Elohim is limited by the context, so as to make it clear that the word does not signify God, but angels or judges. And so in Ps. lxxxii, "God standeth in the congregation of princes. He is the judge among gods." The gods who are judged are men or angels, He who judges them is the One True God. "Just as Christ here," says S. Augustine, "judges as God the Pharisees and rulers of the Jews, who were gods, so to speak, upon earth." On this account He quotes this psalm which is in Hebrew Elohim, judges. Elohim, the highest of all, judges the earthly rulers who are under Him. This is supported by the Chaldee Targum, which explains, "Ye are gods, and are all the children of the Highest;" "ye are the angels of the high God." And that which is properly said of angels is extended to all Israelites and the faithful, for they are the sons of God. But when the word "Elohim" is used "absolutely" (without limitation) it signifies the One and True God.
Christ therefore, instead of overthrowing the opinion of the Jews, rather confirms it.
