Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
John 11:8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
the Jews
In the Gospel of John, "the Jews" often refers to the Jewish religious leaders and authorities rather than the Jewish people as a whole. These leaders are portrayed as being in opposition to Jesus throughout the Gospel. Their reaction is rooted in their understanding of the Law and their perception of Jesus' claims as a threat to their religious authority and traditions.
again picked up stones
The word "again" indicates that this is not the first time the Jewish leaders have attempted to stone Jesus. A previous instance is recorded in John 8:59, where they reacted similarly to Jesus' claim of divinity. Stoning was a prescribed method of execution for blasphemy according to Levitical law (Leviticus 24:16). This action reflects their belief that Jesus has committed blasphemy by equating Himself with God.
to stone Him
Stoning was a common form of capital punishment in ancient Jewish law for certain offenses, including blasphemy. The act of picking up stones signifies their intent to carry out this punishment immediately, without a formal trial. This reflects the severity of their reaction to Jesus' claim and their understanding of the law. Theologically, this moment foreshadows the ultimate rejection and crucifixion of Jesus, fulfilling the prophecies of the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53).
Jesus has just said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30). That simple, majestic claim lands with explosive force.
• Earlier, when Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He was already “making Himself equal with God” (John 5:18).
• Moments before, He declared that no one can snatch His sheep from His hand or the Father’s hand (John 10:28-29), language reserved for God alone (Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 43:13).
• The unity of Son and Father foretold in Psalm 2:7 and Proverbs 30:4 now stands in living flesh before them.
The phrase identifies the religious leadership gathered in Solomon’s Colonnade (John 10:23).
• These men know the Law, yet their hearts mirror the stiff-necked forefathers who “always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51).
• They have already agreed that anyone confessing Jesus as Messiah will be put out of the synagogue (John 9:22).
• Their response fulfills Isaiah 6:9-10—seeing but not perceiving, hearing but not understanding.
The word “again” reaches back to John 8:59, where they tried the same tactic after He used the divine name “I AM.”
• Stoning is the prescribed penalty for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16).
• Their readiness with stones reveals willful blindness: instead of examining His works (John 10:25), they grasp weapons.
• This escalating hostility foreshadows the council’s later plot in John 11:53 and the raging mob in Acts 7:57-58.
Their motive is crystal clear: silence the claim of deity.
• They soon admit it outright—“because You, a man, declare Yourself to be God” (John 10:33).
• Yet the very act of attempting to stone the Cornerstone (Psalm 118:22; Acts 4:11) advances God’s redemptive plan (Acts 2:23).
• The Lamb will not die by stoning; Scripture points to the cross (Psalm 22:16; John 3:14). Jesus remains in sovereign control, “for His hour had not yet come” (John 7:30).
John 10:31 captures a pivotal flash of hostility: confronted with the unmistakable claim of Christ’s deity, the religious leaders choose stones over faith. Their reaction exposes hardened hearts, fulfills prophecy, and sets the stage for the cross. The verse reminds us that Jesus is indeed one with the Father, and every attempt to silence Him only magnifies His glory and advances God’s sovereign plan.
(31) Then the Jews took up stones again.--Better, The Jews therefore . . . Their action follows as an effect caused by His words. The word "again" reminds us that they had done this two months before, at the Feast of Tabernacles (8:59). The words for "took up" are not the same. There the sense is, "they lifted up stones," and we are told that Jesus hid Himself; here the meaning is, "they carried stones," there being none in the cloister where they were. During this process their first burst of anger expended itself, and our Lord further disarms it with a question.Verses 31-39. -(3) Resented and challenged, but vindicated by word and sign. Verse 31. - That the Jews supposed him to speak of an essential unity is obvious from what follows. The Jews (then) took up - should rather be carried or bore in their hands - stones again, huge pieces of marble lying around in the public works then proceeding. There is an increase of malice over and above what was involved in simply lifting stones from the pavement (cf. John 8:59), and the alteration of the word is another hint of the eye-witness. The word "again" reminds the reader that this was a second and more desperate attack upon the life of Jesus.
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