tament, and calls it "the law." By saying "your law," ouf Lord reminds His hearers that He appeals to their own honoured sacred writings.
The expression, " I said ye are gods," is drawn from the 82d Psalm, in which Asaph is speaking of princes and rulers, and their position and duties. Their elevation above other men was so great, and their consequent responsibility for the state of nations so great, that compared to other men, it might be said, " You are as gods." A king is called " the Lord's anointed. " (2 Sam. i. 14.) So " Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord." (2 Chron. xix. G.) Princes and magistrates are ordained of God, derive their power from God, act for God, and stand between the people and God. Hence, in a sense, they are called " gods." Those who wish to see this subject fully worked out, will see it in Hall and Swinuock's Exposition of the 82d Psalm.
We should observe how our Lord appeals to Scripture as the judge of controversy : " Is it not written? " A plaiu text ought to settle every disputed point. He might have argued : He sim- ply quotes a text. By so doing He puts peculiar honour on Scripture.
It is worth noticing that the Hebrew word rendered "judges" in our version of Exodus xxii. 8, 9, might have been rendered " gods." (Compare Exodus xxii. 28 ; xxi. 6.)
35. — [If he called them gods.~] Here our Lord proceeds to show what was the edge and point of His argument. All turned on the use of the single word "gods" in one single verse of a Psalm.
It is not very clear what governs the word we render " called,' in this sentence. Our translators evidently thought it meant " God." But why should it not refer direct to "your law " in the last verse : " If your own book of the law in the Psalm has called certain persons gods."
Chrysostom observes: " What He saith is of this kind: ' If those who have received this honour by grace are not found fault with for calling themselves gods, how can He deserve to be rebuked who hath this by nature.' " Theophylact says the same.
\To whom the word of God came. ,] This is a rather difficult expression. Some, as Bullinger and B'irgon, think that it re- fers to the commission from God, which rulers receive: "they are persons to whom God has spoken, and commanded them to rule for Him." — Some, as Alford, think it simply means, "if He called them gods, to whom God spake in these passages." But it may justly be replied that it does not say " God spake ; " but, " There was the word of God." Of the two views the former seems best. The Greek is almost the same as that of Luke iii. 2 : " The word of God came to John," — meaning a special com- mission.