The Good Shepherd
But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” John 10:21 · Berean Standard Bible
But others push back: 'These aren't the words of someone possessed by a demon. And can a demon open the eyes of the blind?'
They bring up the healing from chapter 9 as evidence. The miracle of the blind man is still fresh in everyone's mind.
Defenders in the crowd argue that Jesus' words and miraculous works prove He is not demon-possessed.
Good logic from the crowd: a demon doesn't teach about sacrificial love, and a demon certainly doesn't heal blind people. The evidence points in only one direction.
Others defend Jesus by noting the incompatibility of His words with demonic speech and pointing to His ability to heal the blind—circling back to the sign of chapter 9.
The defense is twofold: the quality of Jesus' teaching (not demonic) and the evidence of His works (opening blind eyes). This represents sound theological reasoning from evidence to conclusion.
The sympathetic faction responds by defending Jesus on grounds of both His words and His works.
The debate produces a counter-argument that links Jesus' teaching to His healing works, suggesting that the coherence of word and deed proves divine rather than demonic origin.
19Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message.
20Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
21But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
22At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,
23and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade.
Read all of John 10 — Jesus describes a shepherd who knows every sheep by name and lays down his life for them. The hired hand runs; the good shepherd stays.
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