John 10:20

20 Many of them said, "He is possessed by a demon and is mad. Why do you listen 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 is taking it away from me, but I myself am laying it down. I am authorized to lay it down, and I am authorized to receive it back again. This is the command I received from my Father."
19 Again there arose a division among the Jews because of these words.
20 Many of them said, "He is possessed by a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to him?"
21 Others argued, "That is not the language of a demoniac: and can a demon open blind men's eyes?"
22 The Dedication Festival came on in Jerusalem. It was winter,
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