John 10:20

20 A lot of them were saying, "He's crazy, a maniac - out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?"

John 10:20 Meaning and Commentary

John 10:20

And many of them said, he hath a devil, and is mad
It was a notion of the Jews, that madness or distraction was from the devil, and therefore these two are here joined together, having a devil, and being mad: there is a spirit which they call Tazazith, and which, they say ^F26, is an evil spirit that takes away the understanding of men; and under the influence of such a "demon", the Jews thought Christ to be: and therefore say,

why hear ye him?
he is a lunatic, he is distracted, he is a madman; how can you bear to hear such ranting blasphemous stuff, which no man in his, senses would ever utter? nor is anything he says to be regarded, since he is not in his right mind; but is under the power and influence of some evil spirit, which instills these wild and frantic notions into him, and puts him upon venting them; but surely no sober man will ever heed to them.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F26 R. David Kimchi, Sepher Shorash rad. (Nzt) .

John 10:20 In-Context

18 No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father."

19 This kind of talk caused another split in the Jewish ranks.

20 A lot of them were saying, "He's crazy, a maniac - out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?"

21 But others weren't so sure: "These aren't the words of a crazy man. Can a 'maniac' open blind eyes?"

22 They were celebrating Hanukkah just then in Jerusalem. It was winter.