“We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God.”
Parallel translations
- WEB The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
- KJV The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
- NKJV The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”
- NASB The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die, because He made Himself out to be the Son of God!”
- NLT The Jewish leaders replied, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Jewish leaders reveal their real charge: Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. By their law that was blasphemy deserving death.
Overview
Unable to make a political charge stick, the leaders appeal to the Mosaic law against blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), citing Jesus' claim to be the Son of God. The irony is that the charge is true in a sense they reject: Jesus truly is God's Son. Thus the very confession that condemns him in their eyes is the heart of the gospel they refuse to believe.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Lev 24:16Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD must surely be put to death; the whole assembly must surely stone him, whether he is a foreign resident or native; if he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.
- John 5:18Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
- Matt 26:63–66But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
- Rom 1:4and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Mark 15:39When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
- Mark 14:61–64But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
- Matt 27:42–43“He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
- John 10:36–38then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?
- John 10:30–33I and the Father are one.”
- Deut 18:20But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”
- John 8:58–59“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
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John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
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Original language
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