Tag: Old Testament

How Did We Get the Bible? Exploring the Formation of the Biblical Canon – with Shane Angland

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In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Shane Angland about the question of how we got the Bible in its current form.

Shane has been a recurring guest on the podcast, and he has a keen mind and knowledge of historical theology. Shane lives in Ennis, Ireland where he serves at Ennis Evangelical Church. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Dallas Theological Seminary, and has served as a missionary in Ukraine.

From the formation of the Old and New Testaments to the question of the Apocrypha, to the impact of the Council of Trent, this conversation offers clarity on why the Bible is trusted as God’s inspired Word.

Key Topics Discussed

  • What is the Canon?
    • Definition: The canon is the list of inspired, authoritative Scriptures distinguished from other valuable writings.
    • Theological foundation: Scripture is “breathed forth” by God, carrying unique authority for the church (2 Timothy 3:16).
  • Old Testament Canon Formation
    • Begins with God’s redemptive acts, particularly after the Exodus and Sinai covenant (Exodus 24, Deuteronomy 31).
    • Jewish recognition of inspired texts from Moses to Malachi, with a prophetic silence post-Persian era.
    • Josephus and first-century Jewish consensus on 22 books (equivalent to the 39 books in modern Old Testaments).
    • No explicit criteria articulated, but guided by the Holy Spirit and covenantal context.
  • The Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical Books
    • Includes books like Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Baruch, and additions to Esther and Daniel.
    • Historical debate: Some early Christians (e.g., Augustine) accepted these books, while others (e.g., Jerome) did not, aligning with Jewish tradition.
    • Council of Trent (1546): Roman Catholic Church dogmatically defined these books as canonical, partly in response to Reformation emphasis on scriptural authority (e.g., for doctrines like purgatory).
    • Eastern Orthodox churches maintain an open canon, avoiding infallible rulings.
  • New Testament Canon Formation
    • Tied to the new covenant and apostolic authority, with writings by or connected to apostles (e.g., Mark linked to Peter, Luke to Paul).
    • Criteria: Apostolic origin, Christ-centered message, and widespread church use in worship.
    • Early recognition: By the late first century, apostolic writings were distinguished (e.g., Clement’s letters vs. Paul’s epistles).
    • By the second century, 22–23 of the 27 books were widely accepted, with minor debates on smaller texts (e.g., 2 Peter, 3 John).
  • Misconceptions Addressed
    • Myth: The Council of Nicaea (325 CE) decided the canon. Reality: Nicaea focused on church governance, not canon selection.
    • Myth: Early Christians chose from hundreds of gospels. Reality: The four canonical gospels were the earliest, apostolic, and widely used.
    • Gnostic “gospels” (e.g., Gospel of Judas) lack historical or apostolic credibility and were not serious contenders.
  • Why the Delay in Formal Canon Lists of the New Testament?
    • The early church was decentralized, persecuted, and lacked centralized authority to compile lists.
    • Canonical texts were illegal, and possession could lead to martyrdom (e.g., 180 CE Carthage trial).
    • Earliest clear list: Athanasius’ Easter Letter (367 CE), reflecting existing church consensus.
  • Confidence in Scripture
    • The Bible’s unity across 66 books, three languages, and 1,500 years testifies to its divine inspiration.
    • The early church’s careful discernment reflects wisdom, not uncertainty.
    • Romans 3:2 affirms the Jewish role in preserving the Old Testament oracles, reinforcing trust in the canon’s reliability.

Resources Mentioned

  • Michael Kruger’s work on the canon (e.g., Canon Revisited).
  • Josephus’ Against Apion for first-century Jewish canon insights.
  • Augustine’s On Christian Doctrine.

Quotable Moments

  • “The canon begins with God’s work of redemption, not human decisions.” – Shane
  • “The church doesn’t establish the canon; it recognizes it through the Holy Spirit.” – Shane
  • “The Bible’s coherent message across 1,500 years is a miracle of God’s inspiration.” – Shane

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

How Did We Get the Bible? Exploring the Formation of the Biblical Canon – with Shane Angland Th.M – Theology for the People

In this episode, Nick Cady and Shane Angland tackle the critical question: How did the Bible come to be? They explore the formation of the biblical canon, addressing misconceptions, historical processes, and the theological significance of Scripture. From the Old Testament’s roots in God’s redemptive work to the New Testament’s apostolic authority, this conversation offers clarity on why the Bible is trusted as God’s inspired Word. They also discuss the Apocrypha, the Council of Trent’s impact, and how early Jewish and Christian communities recognized canonical texts.Connect with Theology for the PeopleWebsite: theologyforthepeople.comFollow on X: @nickcady

Seeing Jesus in the Psalms through Hebrews – with Daniel Stevens

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In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Daniel Stevens, who is Assistant Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Boyce College (the undergraduate college of Southern Seminary) and author of Songs of the Son: Reading the Psalms with the Author of Hebrews. 

In this episode, Daniel shares how his accidental dive into Hebrews sparked a decade-long passion, revealing how the Psalms prophetically point to Jesus. 
We talk about the question of who wrote Hebrews, and why it matters — and we talk about how reading the Psalms through the lens of Hebrews can deepen our worship and appreciation of Jesus.

Notable Quotes:
• Daniel on Hebrews’ Use of Psalms: “When the author to the Hebrews wanted to make an argument about Jesus, one of the most common places that he goes is to the Psalms.”
• On Christological Reading: “It’s not reading something into it, it’s reading what’s there and reasoning from it.”
• On Hebrews’ Argument: “It’s not comparing bad to good… it’s good to better.”
• For Believers: “If these Psalms aren’t first about us, but about a thing that Jesus has done for us… we can worship Him in finding them.”

More Resources: Follow Daniel on X

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Seeing Jesus in the Psalms through Hebrews – with Daniel Stevens – Theology for the People

Daniel Stevens is Assistant Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Boyce College and author of Songs of the Son: Reading the Psalms with the Author of Hebrews. In this episode, Daniel shares how his accidental dive into Hebrews sparked a decade-long passion, revealing how the Psalms prophetically point to Jesus. We talk about the question of who wrote Hebrews, and why it matters — and we talk about how reading the Psalms through the lens of Hebrews can deepen our worship and appreciation of Jesus.Notable QuotesDaniel on Hebrews’ Use of Psalms: “When the author to the Hebrews wanted to make an argument about Jesus, one of the most common places that he goes is to the Psalms.”On Christological Reading: “It’s not reading something into it, it’s reading what’s there and reasoning from it.”On Hebrews’ Argument: “It’s not comparing bad to good… it’s good to better.”For Believers: “If these Psalms aren’t first about us, but about a thing that Jesus has done for us… we can worship Him in finding them.”More Resources: Follow Daniel on XConnect with Us:Subscribe to Theology for the People for more episodes.Visit the Theology for the People website and blog

Two Different Interpretations and Applications of David and Goliath

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This video is a clip from a message I presented at an Expositors Collective training event, on the topic of Christ-Centered Hermeneutics. I didn’t realize they had isolated this clip and turned it into a video, but I’m glad they did, and I’d love for you to check it out:

Reader Response: Is it Okay for Christians to Use Contraception?

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There is a page on this site where readers can submit questions or suggest topics. Recently I received the following question:

Are we as Christians allowed to practice contraception without sinning? I believe all Christians hold fast that abortion is always a sin, but can married people practice family planning (number of children, spacing)?

Creation and Stewardship

In the Book of Genesis, when God created the man and the woman, he gave them what is called “The Cultural Mandate”:

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 1:26-28

Part of this mandate included being fruitful, multiplying, and filling the Earth – as well as “subduing” it, i.e. managing and stewarding the use of its resources.

Just as God created, now we are called and empowered to thoughtfully bring more life into being. Obviously we can’t do this apart from God’s work, but it also requires our participation. Sometimes when someone says they are “praying for children,” it’s nice to remind them that it takes more than just prayer! 😁

However, it’s worth noting that God, in creation, at a certain point, ceased creating! He didn’t create everything He could; certainly God could have imagined and created many other creatures and plants than He did, but at some point, He deemed His creation complete and perfect in its design. This act of ceasing to create speaks volumes about God’s intentionality.

What this shows us is that God values not only the act of creation but also the stewardship of His creation.

He entrusts humans with the responsibility to co-create with Him, to participate in the unfolding of His divine plan for the world. Within the context of marriage, this stewardship extends to the realm of family planning. Just as God decided when to create, and when to cease creating, Christian couples are called to exercise discernment and responsibility in their reproductive choices. This includes considering factors such as physical health, emotional readiness, financial stability, and the well-being of existing children.

Contraception, when used responsibly and in accordance with a couple’s shared values and beliefs, can be a tool for fulfilling this stewardship.

Also worth keeping in mind is the fact that not all contraception is equal in nature. It’s worth considering whether the given method prevents conception, or terminates conception. Those forms of contraception that prevent contraception are ethical and can be used in good conscience by Christians.

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Reader Response: Does the New Testament Require Tithing?

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There is a page on this site where readers can submit questions or suggest topics. Recently I received the following question:

Do we still have to pay tithes in the New Testament?

Background: What is a “Tithe”?

The tithe (10% of income) was required by the Law of Moses (Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:21-24) to be given by Jewish people to support the ministry of the Levites and the Temple.

In addition to the tithe, other offerings were to be paid as well. The people of Israel were to be generous with their giving, both to support the ministry of the Temple, but also to care for the needs of the poor.

Jesus talked about Tithing

Jesus said:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

Matthew 23:23

Jesus’ primary aim was to criticize the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who tithed even off the herbs they grew in their garden, but neglected justice and mercy towards others. But notice, Jesus does say: “These you ought to have done without neglecting the others.”

In other words: Jesus is telling the Scribes and Pharisees that they should tithe! Jesus is saying that tithing is a good thing, and that people should do it!

This alone should be enough to say that tithing is taught in the New Testament, by Jesus himself.

Certainly Christians are required to be giving people, and generous people (see 1 Timothy 6:18).

Christians are encouraged to go above and beyond a Tithe

The most penetrating passage in the New Testament about giving is in 2 Corinthians 8-9. There we read about how the Corinthian Christians, though they were facing severe trials, “their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part” (2 Corinthians 8:2).

The Corinthians first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to others [through their giving].

Thus, perhaps Christians should aim for 20% in their giving rather than 10%. Why not 30%?

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 8:9

Maybe you’re asking the wrong question!

Many Christians unwittingly ask the question: “What is the LEAST amount that I can give, in order to make God happy/not break God’s rules?” Instead, the New Testament would encourage us to ask the question: “How can I rearrange my life, so that I can be more generous and give more to further the mission of God in the world?”

The tithe is not God’s way of raising money, it’s God’s way of raising kids.

An incredible thing that Paul writes to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 8, is that giving, or tithing “benefits you”! (2 Corinthians 8:10). Giving has a positive transformative effect on the person who gives.

Personally, I tithe because it is a matter of values, and it trains my heart. By making my tithe the first check (or automatic withdrawal) from my account ever month, I am making a clear statement of my priorities and values, which sends a message to my heart that it is more important to invest in the furtherance of God’s Kingdom, and the funding of God’s work in the world, than it is to be able to buy more stuff or do more things for recreation.

Tithing is a “keystone habit,” which means that it shapes the way that you live and affects all other areas of your life, when you make it a priority. In other words, choosing to tithe means that I will not be able to do certain things, which I would have been able to do if I didn’t tithe – and that’s good!

A sacrifice is only a sacrifice if it hurts.

David said, I will not sacrifice to the Lord that which cost me nothing (2 Samuel 24:24)  The woman who gave 2 mites, who Jesus pointed out to his disciples: that was a relatively insignificant amount of money to most people, but for her, it hurt!

Worship and sacrifice are very closely related. We all sacrifice for that which we worship. If you want to know what you truly worship, consider the things for which you are willing to sacrifice other things, especially things like time, family, or money.

God is looking for vessels He can pour into, who will then pour back out what He has given them in ways that He desires. If we show ourselves faithful stewards with the little things that God has entrusted to us, he may entrust us with more. Furthermore, God is a God who gives radically and generously; in fact he gave his all for the mission of bringing salvation to the world. To be like him and share his heart necessitates that we be willing to sacrifice for these same ends.

Do Christians Have to Tithe?

The New Testament does not explicitly state that Christians must tithe. However, it is a biblical principle, about which God invites and challenges us to test him! (see Malachi 3:10).

To Create Lines of Differentiation Between the Old and New Testament Risks Creating a False Dichotomy

To create a line of differentiation between the Old Testament and the New Testament risks creating a false dichotomy. There is only one mission and plan that God has been carrying out through the ages. The New Testament does not negate the Old Testament, but fulfills it. Thus, though we are no longer under obligation to keep the Law of Moses, Old Testament principles do not need to be restated in the New Testament to remain valid.

God loves a joyful giver. He doesn’t want people to give out of a sense of coercion or obligation. But this is a principle of which God says: “If you want to live the full life that I have designed for you, if you want to experience joy, then walk in this way,” – ‘the way everlasting’.

Related Post: Should I Tithe If I’m in Debt?

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500 Year Journey: How the Magi Knew When Jesus Would Be Born – with Cory Piper

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In this episode of the Theology for the People podcast, I speak with Cory Piper. Cory is a teacher who specializes in the Old Testament, theology, and history. He recently wrote a book called 500 Year Journey: How the Magi Knew When Jesus Would be Born

We discuss who the Magi were and why they came to Jerusalem at the exact time they did, when Jesus was born, and how it ties into the book of Daniel and other Old Testament passages.

Additionally, we talk about the history of why the church has celebrated the birth of Jesus on December 25, and whether that has any ties to paganism or not.

Click here to listen to the episode or listen in the embedded player below.

500 Year Journey: How the Magi Knew When Jesus Would be Born – with Cory Piper – Theology for the People

Cory Piper is a teacher who specializes in the Old Testament, theology, and history. He recently wrote a book called 500 Year Journey: How the Magi Knew When Jesus Would be Born We discuss who the Magi were and why they came to Jerusalem at the exact time they did, when Jesus was born, and how it ties into the book of Daniel and other Old Testament passages. Additionally, we talk about the history of why the church has celebrated the birth of Jesus on December 25, and whether that has any ties to paganism or not. Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Reader Response: What Does John 10:17-18 Mean?

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There is a page on this site where readers can submit questions or suggest topics. Recently I received the following question:

Please kindly explain John chapter 10 verses 17 and 18.

Here’s what those verses say:

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

John 10:17-18

Context: The Good Shepherd Discourse

In John 10:1-18, Jesus gives the Good Shepherd Discourse, which he spoke in response to the events that took place in John 9 and the actions of the “bad shepherds” of Israel: the religious leaders who had excommunicated a family because they refused to deny that Jesus had healed their son who had been blind from birth.

In response to the actions and attitudes of the “bad shepherds,” Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd.

Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecies

In Ezekiel 34:23 and 37:24, Ezekiel (writing hundreds of years after the death of King David), predicted a future day when “David” would rule over the people of Israel as their single shepherd.

Rather than having many shepherds (spiritual leaders), who were often bad, God was going to raise up a single shepherd, from the line of David. This was certainly a reference to the promise God made to David in 2 Samuel 8, called the Davidic Covenant, in which God promised that the Messiah would come from David’s family line.

Consider this passage from Jeremiah 23, which is clearly speaking of Jesus as the future, coming “Good Shepherd.”

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The LORD is our righteousness.’

Jeremiah 23:1-6

So, that’s the context for what Jesus says in John 10:17-18.

The Good Shepherd Lays Down His Life for the Sheep

In this section, in verses 11 and 15, Jesus says that, as the Good Shepherd, one of the things which differentiates him from the bad shepherds – or really from all other shepherds, is that he will lay down his life for the sheep, which he explains is motivated by his love for them.

But in verses 17-18, Jesus shows that another motivation for laying down his life, is that he is doing it in obedience to the Father.

The Connection Between Love and Keeping God’s Commands

Verse 17 should not be understood to mean that Jesus earns the Father’s love by laying down his life, rather that there is a relationship of mutual love between the Father and the Son. Jesus’s obedience to the Father’s authority and commands is a reflection of his love for the Father.

In John 14:15, Jesus told his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” And in John 15:10, Jesus explains that “abiding” in his love looks like, in practice: keeping his commands, just as he keeps the Fathers commands and thereby abides in the Father’s love:

Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

John 15:9b-10

Clearly there is a connection between love and keeping God’s commands. Jesus expressed his love for the Father by doing what the Father had called him to do, and there was a relationship of mutual love between them, which manifested itself in Jesus being willing and glad to submit to the Father’s authority.

Laying Down His Life, Only to Take It Up Again

In verses 17 and 18, Jesus explains that the plan of the Father, by which he would save his people from their sins (cf. Matthew 1:21) was not only that he would lay down his life, but that he would take it up again, i.e. resurrect from the dead.

This is one of the few places in the New Testament where Jesus’ resurrection is attributed as an action of Jesus himself. In most other places, God the Father is described as raising Jesus from the dead. This is important because it is one more example of the fact that the Bible teaches that Jesus is God: because Jesus does the works that are attributed to God alone, e.g. the creation of the world.

On a human level, Jesus’ life was taken from him by the actions of evil men. And yet, as we see in verse 18, those events were not outside of Jesus’ control. Jesus was not as a victim of circumstance, but the one who was in control of his destiny. Later on, during his trial, before he was crucified, Pontius Pilate said to Jesus, “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” (John 19:10). Jesus replied, “‘”You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11). These incidents show that Jesus was in control of his own destiny.

A good example of this two-fold understanding of why Jesus died is found in Acts 2:23, where Peter says to the crowd gathered on the day of Pentecost:

this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

Acts 2:23

In this verse we see both the human responsibility and the plan of God which were at work in the death of Jesus. Jesus laid down his life willingly; he certainly could have walked away from the Garden of Gethsemane on the night when he was arrested. He didn’t have to come to Jerusalem at all, actually – and many people urged him not to! But Jesus went, knowing what awaited him, intent on laying down his life BOTH as an act of loving obedience to the Father who sent him, and as an act of loving redemption for those whom he came to save.

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How Long, O Lord? – The Biblical Genre of Lament & Its Role In Our Lives Today

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In this first episode of Season 3 of the Theology for the People podcast, I speak with Michael Payne about the biblical genre of lament and its role in the life of a believer today.

Michael Payne is the Worship Pastor at White Fields Community Church in Longmont, Colorado. Previously he served as a missionary and worship pastor in Hungary at Golgota Budapest. Prior to that, he served in the US Marine Corps.

Listen to Mike’s original music on Spotify here, or see him in action on the White Fields Church YouTube page.

The books Mike recommends in this episode on the topic of the biblical genre of lament are:

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

How Long, O Lord? – The Biblical Genre of Lament and Its Role in Our Lives Today – Theology for the People

Welcome to Season 3 of Theology for the People! Michael Payne is the Worship Pastor at White Fields Community Church in Longmont, Colorado. Previously he served as a missionary and worship pastor in Hungary at Golgota Budapest. Prior to that, he served in the US Marine Corps. Listen to Mike's original music on Spotify here, or see him in action on the White Fields Church YouTube page. The books Mike recommends in this episode on the topic of the biblical genre of lament are: Michael Card, A Sacred Sorrow: Reaching Out to God in the Lost Language of Lament Mark Vroegop – Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy Walter Brueggemann – The Message of the Psalms For the Theology for the People blog, or to submit a question or suggest a topic, visit nickcady.org

Who are the “Other Sheep” in John 10:16?

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There is a page on this site where readers can submit questions or suggest topics. Recently I received the following question:

What does John 10:16 mean, where Jesus says: “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

In the Gospel of John, chapter 10, Jesus explains that, opposed to the bad shepherds (spiritual leaders) of Israel, he is the “Good Shepherd.”

The occasion for this message was that in chapter 9, the Pharisees were upset with a man whom Jesus had healed of blindness, because he refused to stop saying that Jesus had healed him. In response, the Pharisees excommunicated this man from the synagogue, and thereby the Jewish community (see John 9:35).

Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecies

However, by denouncing the bad shepherds and declaring himself to be the Good Shepherd, Jesus wasn’t just saying that he was a more caring spiritual leader than the Pharisees of that day – Jesus was actually identifying himself as the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies, that God was going to raise up ONE shepherd, a good shepherd, to lead his people.

In Ezekiel 34:23 and 37:24, Ezekiel (writing hundreds of years after the death of King David, predicted a future day when “David” would rule over the people of Israel as their single shepherd.

Rather than having many shepherds (spiritual leaders), who were often bad, God was going to raise up a single shepherd, from the line of David. This was certainly a reference to the promise God made to David in 2 Samuel 8, called the Davidic Covenant, in which God promised that the Messiah would come from David’s family line.

Consider this passage from Jeremiah 23, which is clearly speaking of Jesus as the future, coming “Good Shepherd.”

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The LORD is our righteousness.’

Jeremiah 23:1-6

A Flock of Seagulls Gentiles (Too)

The surprise twist that Jesus introduces to his Jewish audience, is that this flock that he will shepherd will not only be made up of Jews – who were traditionally referred to as the flock of God (see Psalm 100:3). Instead, Jesus was telling them, he was going to also bring “others” into the flock. The others he was referring to are: Gentiles (non-Jews).

These Gentiles, who would also come to believe in Jesus as their Savior, points to the fact that Jesus’ message and mission were not just for the Jewish people, but for all people, regardless of their ethnic or national background.

This idea of the universality of Jesus’ message is a central theme of the Gospel of John. Throughout the Gospel, Jesus is depicted as the Light of the World and the Savior of all people. This passage emphasizes that Jesus’ mission is not limited to a the Jewish people, but extends to all people who will listen to and follow Him.

This message is not unique to John’s Gospel. In Luke 4, when we read about Jesus’ first sermon in his hometown of Nazareth, this message of God’s love and grace extending to the Gentiles is something which causes an uproar, leading to people trying to throw him off a cliff.

Furthermore, this message was also an important part of the Old Testament, going all the way back to God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, that through his offspring (the Messiah), people of all nations would be blessed. It’s a theme that is found in the prophets, who spoke of God’s love for and care about the salvation of the nations.

In John 10:16, Jesus is likely alluding to Isaiah 56:8, which says: “The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”

Though many Jewish people in Jesus’ day were surprised to hear that God was interested in and cared about the Gentiles too, their surprise was due to their failure to read their own scriptures carefully enough.

The Fulfillment of Jesus’ Words

The fulfillment of this promise of creating “one flock” with “one shepherd” is realized in the New Testament in the Church. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus instructs his disciples to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul the Apostle talks about how Jews and non-Jews have now become ONE “flock” in Christ, who has torn down the wall of division between them.

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What Does It Mean When It Says “You are gods” in Psalm 82 & John 10?

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There is a page on this site where readers can submit questions or suggest topics.

Recently someone wrote in asking about the meaning of John 10:34-36, where Jesus, having been accused of blasphemy for claiming to be God, responds by saying:

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

John 10:34-36

There are two schools of thought on this, which are related and are not mutually exclusive.

Viewpoint #1: “gods” = judges

First of all, this passage is interesting because it shows that Jesus had a high view of the Old Testament scriptures. He says that it is written in the “Law,” but then proceeds to quote from Psalm 82:1 & 8, showing that He believed the Psalms to be the inspired Word of God in the same way as the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Bible). Some people at this time, e.g. the Sadducees, only accepted the Pentateuch as the inspired Word of God, but Jesus spoke of the Psalms as being part of the canon of Scripture, and just as much “the Bible” as the Pentateuch.

Jesus’ main argument is that he should not be accused of blasphemy for calling himself the “Son of God” (see: What Does It Mean that Jesus is the “Son of God”?) since God himself had used the word “gods” to refer to the Jewish people in His inerrant Word.

The word “gods” (Elohim in Hebrew) can also mean “judges.” An example of this is found in Exodus 21:6 & 22:8, where the word translated “master” in English (because it refers to a human master), is actually “Elohim” in the Hebrew text… but since it is referring to a human master, it is understood that though the word for “elohim” is used, it is not talking about Yahweh, but about human “masters.”

E.A. Blum explains, in his commentary on the Gospel of John:

“Psalm 82 speaks of God as the true Judge (Ps. 82:1, 8) and of men, appointed as judges, who were failing to provide true judgment for God (Ps. 82:2–7). “Gods” in Psalm 82:1, 6 refers to these human judges. In this sense, God said to the Jews, You are gods. In no way does this speak of a divine nature in man. Jesus was arguing that in certain situations (as in Ps. 82:1, 6) men were called “gods.” The Hebrew word for God or gods is ’ělōhîm. This word is used elsewhere (e.g., Exodus 21:6; 22:8) to mean human judges. Since the inerrant Bible called their judges “gods,” the Jews could not logically accuse Him of blasphemy for calling Himself God’s Son since He was under divine orders and sent into the world on God’s mission.”

Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 312). Victor Books.

Viewpoint #2: “Living like gods”

C.G. Kruse explains another viewpoint, based on the rabbinic exegesis of Psalm 82:6-7:

The full text of Psalm 82:6–7 reads: “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler.”

The statement ‘You are gods’ was understood in later rabbinic exegesis to be God’s word to the Israelites at Sinai when they received the law. God said to them, ‘You are gods,’ because in receiving the law and living by it they would be holy and live like gods. But because they departed from the law and worshipped the golden calf while still at Sinai, he said to them, ‘you will die like mere men’. The opening words of Jesus’ argument, ‘If he called them “gods”, to whom the word of God came’, suggest that he interpreted the quotation from the psalm in relation to the Sinai events as did later rabbinic scholars.

Jesus used the exegetical methods of his opponents to show they had no grounds for accusing him of blasphemy. 

Kruse, C. G. (2003). John: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 4, pp. 240–241). InterVarsity Press.

What Jesus is Not Saying

Jesus is not saying here that all human beings are divine – we are not.

Jesus is not downplaying his own divinity – he affirms it multiple times and in various ways throughout the Gospel of John.

Jesus is not saying that Psalm 82 was incorrect – just the opposite: he references one of the most confusing passages for modern non-Hebrew literate Bible readers, in order to make us dig in to seek understanding of that passage!

What Jesus was Doing

Jesus was masterfully diffusing a situation by using the very Scriptures and exegetical methods of his attackers, to show them they they were being inconsistent in their theological method.

For more on theological method, see: Theological Method: Sources of Theology and Why People Arrive at Different Conclusions About Matters of Faith & the Bible

At the same time, Jesus consistently claimed to be divine, in his seven “I Am” statements, for example.

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