The Jews surrounded Him and, seemingly out of a certain zeal for Him and a desire to learn the truth, asked Him to tell them "whether He is the Christ"; but in reality their question was idle and malicious. For while His works proved that He is the Christ, they demanded words for persuasion. This is more characteristic of pranksters and mockers. Nevertheless, their question, full of ingratitude and pretense, reveals their corruption.
They say: "Tell us plainly." Yet He had said so plainly many times when He came to the feasts, and He said nothing in secret, calling Himself the Son of God and the Light, and the Way, and the Door, and appealing to the testimony of Moses.
Jn. 10:25. Jesus answered them: I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in the name of My Father, they bear witness of Me.
Therefore, exposing them for asking with evil intent, the Lord answers them: "I have told you many times, and you do not believe."
And in another sense: "Why do you pretend that you would obey a simple word? You do not accept the works which I do not as an opponent of God, but in the name of My Father. How then will you believe a simple word?" For it is undeniable that works are far more convincing than words. Even the most moderate among them expressed this: "A sinful man cannot do such miracles" (John 9:16).
Jn. 10:26. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
"You," He says, "do not believe in Me because you are not of My sheep." I, as the good shepherd, for My part have fulfilled everything that I was supposed to do; but if you do not follow Me, it is not I who am unworthy of the title of shepherd, but you who are unworthy of the title of sheep.
Jn. 10:27. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them; and they follow Me.
Having told them that they are not of His sheep, He now inclines them to become His sheep. For this reason He also adds: "My sheep hear My voice, and they follow Me."
Jn. 10:28. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.
Then, urging them on, He also tells what those who follow Him will receive. "I," He says, "give them eternal life, and they shall never perish" and so forth. Of course, with such words He rouses them and instills in them zeal and desire to follow Him, since He bestows such gifts.
How then does He say "My sheep will follow Me, and they will not perish"? Yet we see that Judas perished. But he perished because he did not follow Jesus and did not remain a sheep to the end. The Lord speaks of His true followers and sheep, that they will not perish. But if anyone strays from the flock of sheep and ceases to follow the Shepherd, that one will soon perish.
What happened with Judas can also be used against the Manichaeans. Judas was holy and a sheep of God, but fell away: he fell away precisely by his own choice and free will. Therefore, evil or good exists not by nature, but appears and ceases by free volition.
Jn. 10:29. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.
Why will they not perish? Because no one can "snatch them out of My hand; for My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of His hand," and therefore not out of My hand either.
But someone may ask: "How did the Lord say that no one shall snatch them out of My Father's hand, when we see that many perish?" To this one may answer that no one can snatch from the Father's hand, but many can deceive. For no one can forcibly and by their own authority draw them away from God the Father; but through deception we stumble every day.
Jn. 10:30. I and the Father are one.
For My hand and the Father's hand are one; I and the Father are one, that is, in authority and power. By "hand" He means authority and power. So then, I and the Father are one in Nature and in Essence, and in authority. The Jews also understood it this way, that by these words He declares Himself Consubstantial with God, and because He makes Himself the Son of God, they picked up stones to stone Him.
Jn. 10:31. Then the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
Since the Lord said that I and the Father are one, namely in authority and power, and showed that His hand and the Father's are one, the Jews considered this blasphemy and wanted to stone Him for making Himself equal to God.
Jn. 10:32. Jesus answered them: I have shown you many good works from My Father; for which of them do you want to stone Me?
The Lord, reproving them and showing that they have no reasonable cause for their fury against Him, but rage in vain, reminds them of the miracles He performed and says: "I have shown you many good works; for which of them do you wish to stone Me?"
Jn. 10:33. The Jews answered Him, saying: it is not for a good work that we want to stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a man, make Yourself God.
They answer: "We want to stone You for blasphemy, because You make Yourself God." He does not deny this, does not say, I do not make Myself God, I am not equal to the Father, but even further confirms their opinion. And that He is God, He proves this by what is written in the law.
Jn. 10:34. Jesus answered them: Is it not written in your law: I said: you are gods?