What does the Bible mean when it says “you are gods” and “ye are gods” in Psalm 82:6 and John 10:34?
Let’s start by reading Psalms 82:1-8, “A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.”
Now let’s read John 10:32-36, “Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?”
Psalm 82 was written by Asaph. The context of the psalm shows us that this was written to the judges and rulers. We see that the Lord declares that these men had judged unfairly and showed partiality to the wicked. In verse 1, we see that the Lord, “judgeth among the gods.” The judges and rulers were called gods because they acted with the Lord’s authority. They acted as His representatives among the people. However, these men had no knowledge or understanding. They walked in darkness. The poor, the fatherless, and the needy were neglected. These men did not show the merciful character of the one they were suppsed to represent. In verse 6, the Lord reminds them that he had called them gods, but warned them that they would die like the mere mortal men that they were.
In John 10:32-36, we see that the Lord was accused of calling Himself the Son of God. They gathered stones so that they might kill him. The Lord Jesus points out that the leaders and judges had been called gods as we just read in Psalm 82. The Lord makes the point that if those commissioned by God to represent Him in the world could be called gods, how much more should the one that was sanctified and sent into the world be called the Son of God.
It is so important to realize that the Lord Jesus did not become the Son of God at birth. He is eternally the Son of God. Proverbs 8:22-30 tells us, “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.”
So, in the times of the writing of the book of Psalms, and in the times when the Lord Jesus walked the earth, there were leaders who acted with authority, but had no knowledge or understanding; who walked in darkness. Could that be true in our day? Could there be those today who seek to act under God’s authority, but teach things contrary to the Word of God? Could there be any among us that declare to know and teach the truth, but only teach the traditions of men? Absolutely! Dear ones, it is so important that we all “search the scriptures” so that we may test all things by the Word of God. We have a grave admonition in 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” We need to take on the responsibility of learning the Word of God so that we can be equipped to discern the truth. The Apostle Paul commended the Bereans because after he preached unto them, they searched the scriptures to make sure what he told them was consistent with the Word of God, as we read in Acts 17:11, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”