John 10:19

10:19-21 Satan ruins many, by putting them out of conceit with the word and ordinances. Men would not be laughed out of their necessary food, yet suffer themselves thus to be laughed out of what is far more necessary. If our zeal and earnestness in the cause of Christ, especially in the blessed work of bringing his sheep into his fold, bring upon us evil names, let us not heed it, but remember our Master was thus reproached before us.

John 10:19-21 . There was a division among the Jews — These sayings of our Lord “affected the minds of the Jews differently, for some of them cried out that he was possessed and mad, and that it was folly to hear him; others, judging more impartially of him and his doctrine, declared that his discourses were not the words of a lunatic, nor his miracles the works of a devil. Moreover, they asked his enemies if they imagined any devil was able to impart the faculty of sight to one that was born blind alluding to the astonishing cures which Jesus had lately performed.” — Macknight.

There was a division (σχίσμα ἐγένετο) Rev., more correctly, there arose. The word σχίσμα, division, from σχίζω, to cleave, describes a fact which continually recurs in John's narrative. See John 6:52, John 6:60, John 6:66; John 7:12, John 7:25 sqq.; John 8:22; John 9:16, John 9:17; John 10:19, John 10:24, John 10:41; John 11:37 sqq.; John 12:19, John 12:29, John 12:42; John 16:18, John 16:19. Words (λόγους) Or, discourses.

19-21. There was a division … again among the Jews for these sayings—the light and the darkness revealing themselves with increasing clearness in the separation of the teachable from the obstinately prejudiced. The one saw in Him only "a devil and a madman"; the other revolted at the thought that such words could come from one possessed, and sight be given to the blind by a demoniac; showing clearly that a deeper impression had been made upon them than their words expressed.

Christ by his words often caused a division amongst the Jews, so as they could not agree in their sentiments and censures about him; which was either caused through the mixture amongst them of such as truly believed with those who believed not; or else from the mixture of a more considering part amongst them with others who were more brutish, irrational, and full of passion. We met with much the same, John 7:43 , and again, John 9:16 . It is one method of God’s providence for the deliverance of his servants from unreasonable men, to cause divisions among them, so as they cannot agree among themselves.

19–21 . Opposite Results of the Teaching 19 . again ] As about the man born blind ( John 9:6 ) among the Pharisees, and at the Feast of Tabernacles ( John 7:43 ), among the multitude. ‘Therefore’ should be omitted here as wanting authority; and ‘there arose’ would be more accurate than ‘there was’ (see on John 1:6 ); there arose a division again . See on John 7:43 . among the Jews ] Some even among the hostile party are impressed, and doubt the correctness of their position: comp. John 11:45 .

(19) There was a division therefore again . . . —The words carry us back to those of John 9:16 , where a like division was noted. Among the Jews.—The Pharisees are mentioned before, and they are the persons who have been present all through this discourse. (Comp. John 9:40.) The wider word is here, and in John 9:18, applied to them. They were identifying themselves with, and becoming leaders of, the party who were the enemies of Christ. (Comp. Note on John 1:19.)

No man taketh it from me - That is, no one could take it by force, or unless I was willing to yield myself into his hands. He had power to preserve his life, as he showed by so often escaping from the Pharisees; he voluntarily went up to Jerusalem, knowing that he would die; he knew the approach of Judas to betray him; and he expressly told Pilate at his bar that he could have no power at all against him except it were given him by his Father, John 19:11 . Jesus had a right to lay down his life for the good of people. The patriot dies for his country on the field of battle; the merchant exposes his life for gain; and the Son of God had a right to put himself in the way of danger and of death, when a dying world needed such an atoning sacrifice. This shows the special love of Jesus. His death was voluntary. His coming was voluntary - the fruit of love. His death was the fruit of love. He was permitted to choose the time and mode of his death. He did. He chose the most painful, lingering, ignominious manner of death then known to man, and thus showed his love. I have power - This word often means authority. It includes all necessary power in the case, and the commission or authority of his Father to do it. Power to take it again - This shows that he was divine. A dead man has no power to raise himself from the grave.

And as Jesus had this power after he was deceased, it proves that there was some other nature than that which had expired, to which the term "I" might be still applied. None but God can raise the dead; and as Jesus had this power over his own body it proves that he was divine. This commandment - My Father has appointed this, and commissioned me to do it.