I said, "You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High.
KJV
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
Commentary
Commentary
I have said, ye are gods,.... In the law,
Exo 21:6
or they were so by his appointment and commission; he constituted them judges and magistrates, invested them with such an office, by which they came to have this title; see
Rom 13:1
, and so our Lord interprets these words, that they were gods "to whom" the word of God came, which gave them a commission and authority to exercise their office,
Joh 10:35
, or rather "against whom" it came, pronouncing the sentence of death on them, as in
Psa 82:7
, to which the reference is; declaring, that though they were gods by office, yet were mortal men, and should die. The Targum is, "I said, as angels are ye accounted"; and so judges and civil magistrates had need to be as angels, and to have the wisdom of them; see
Sa2 14:20
. Jarchi interprets it of angels, but magistrates are undoubtedly meant:
and all of you are children of the most High; the Targum here again renders it,
"the angels of the most High:''
and so Aben Ezra explains it of them who are called the sons of God,
Job 38:7
but men in power are meant, who, because of their eminency and dignity, their high office, post, and place, are so called; see
Gen 6:2
.
Commentary
Commentary