12.18.2009

But you shall die like men

Just read Psalm 82. Verses 6-7 always blow me away as one of the most shocking examples of "remez," where the teacher quotes a text, hinting on another level at what is before or after what he actually quotes. In John 10:34, Jesus quotes Ps 82:6 to counter their charge against Him of blasphemy. But beyond His countering that charge He is making another point. "He called them gods, to whom the Word of God came," meaning the original audience of Ps 82. And to whom did the ultimate Word of God come? Those Jesus is arguing with!

Now, what happened to those "gods" in the Psalm? Verse 7: "But you shall die like men." And so it would be with Jesus' critics. Though they were temple rulers, the "gods" of Israel, they would die, because they did not judge justly or defend and deliver the poor (see rest of the Psalm).

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