John 10:20

And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

And {G1161} many {G4183} of {G1537} them {G846} said {G3004}, He hath {G2192} a devil {G1140}, and {G2532} is mad {G3105}; why {G5101} hear ye {G191} him {G846}?

Many of them said, “He has a demon!” and “He’s meshugga! Why do you listen to him?”

Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”

And many of them said, He hath a demon, and is mad; why hear ye him?

John 10:20 records the sharp division among the Jewish listeners in Jerusalem as they reacted to Jesus' profound teachings about His identity and relationship with God the Father. Many of them, unable or unwilling to accept His claims, dismissed Him as being possessed by a demon and insane, questioning why anyone would bother to listen to Him.

Context

This verse immediately follows Jesus' powerful discourse where He declares Himself the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, and asserts His divine unity with the Father, stating, "I and my Father are one." Such radical claims challenged the established religious understanding and were deeply offensive to those who did not believe in His divine origin. The accusation of having a devil and being mad was a common tactic used by His opponents to discredit Him and His message, rather than engaging with the substance of His words.

Key Themes

  • Profound Division: Jesus' words consistently created a clear separation among His hearers. Some were drawn to His truth, while others were repulsed and sought to silence Him. This highlights the transformative, and often divisive, nature of divine truth.
  • Misunderstanding and Rejection: The accusers either genuinely misunderstood Jesus' claims or deliberately rejected them, choosing to attribute His power and wisdom to malevolent forces or mental instability rather than divine authority. This reflects a spiritual blindness to the truth of who Jesus is.
  • Accusations as Discredit: Labeling Jesus as demon-possessed and mad was an attempt to undermine His credibility and influence, suggesting His teachings were not worthy of consideration. Similar accusations appear elsewhere, such as in Mark 3:21 and John 8:48.

Linguistic Insights

  • "He hath a devil": The Greek word used here is daimonion (δαιμόνιον), which refers to a demon or an evil spirit. This was a grave accusation, implying that Jesus' actions and words were inspired by demonic powers rather than God.
  • "and is mad": The Greek term is mainomai (μαίνομαι), meaning to be mad, insane, or out of one's mind. This accusation suggested that Jesus' teachings were irrational and incoherent, a sign of mental derangement. Together, these accusations aimed to completely delegitimize Jesus in the eyes of the public.

Practical Application

The reaction to Jesus in John 10:20 serves as a timeless reminder that divine truth often provokes strong, polarized responses. Throughout history, and even today, those who boldly proclaim biblical truth or live counter-culturally according to Christ's teachings may face similar accusations of being irrational, deluded, or even evil. This verse encourages believers to:

  • Discern Truth: To not be swayed by popular opinion or dismissive labels, but to carefully examine the claims of Christ and the Scriptures.
  • Stand Firm: To remain steadfast in faith even when confronted with opposition, misunderstanding, or ridicule from those who reject the Gospel.
  • Understand the Spiritual Battle: Recognizing that the rejection of Christ is often rooted in spiritual blindness and opposition to God's truth, rather than purely intellectual disagreement.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 7:20

    The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

  • Mark 3:21

    And when his friends heard [of it], they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

  • John 8:47

    He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God.

  • John 8:48

    Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

  • John 8:52

    Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

  • Acts 18:14

    And when Paul was now about to open [his] mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O [ye] Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

  • Acts 18:15

    But if it be a question of words and names, and [of] your law, look ye [to it]; for I will be no judge of such [matters].

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