Note 4 at Jn. 10:34: As stated in the previous footnote at verse 30, Jesus was clearly emphasizing His oneness with the Father or His deity (see ref. l on p. 281 for notes on the deity of Jesus). These Jews sought to stone Him because they considered this blasphemy. Indeed, it would have been if Jesus had been just a man.

Some people have tried to take this instance and say that Jesus was disclaiming deity by associating Himself with the gods spoken of in Psalm 82:6. However, Jesus is not saying that He is a god only in the sense that the scriptures spoke of men with divine authority as gods (Examples: Ex. 4:16; 7:1; 22:28; Ps. 82:1). The verses before this where Jesus proclaimed His oneness with the Father (v. 30) and His statements after this where He says that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father (v. 38) make clear His claim to deity. Also, the Jews were not pacified by His answer but they tried again to stone Him (v. 39). If they would have understood His statements to mean that Jesus wasn't proclaiming His deity, then they would have left Him alone.

The comparison that Jesus is making is between the scriptures clearly stating that the Christ was God (Example: Isa. 9:6) and the scriptures saying that rulers were gods (this refers to having divine authority--not deity). Jesus accepted their position and authority because of the infallibility of the scriptures and they should have done the same with Him. The scriptures prophesied His coming and the works that He would accomplish; and He had fulfilled these prophecies as no one else could. His works proved He was the Messiah prophesied through scripture.

Jesus had already manifested supernatural power in just walking through the midst of those who were trying to kill him (Lk. 4:30; Jn. 7:30; 8:20,59) and He eventually does that same thing here (v. 39). But first, He refers back to Psalm 82:6. In this passage, God was speaking to the rulers of His covenant people, the Jews, and He called them gods. Jesus was saying, "If those in authority were called gods, how can you fault me for claiming to be the Son of God when I have fulfilled so many scriptures?"