John 10:24

“Then came the Jews round about him, etc.] Who might be walking there on the same account, and seeing Jesus, took this opportunity, and got about him in great numbers, and hemmed him in; having a design upon him to ensnare him, if possible: and said unto him, how long dost thou make us doubt? or as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions literally render it, “how long dost thou take away our soul?” that is, deprive us of the knowledge of thee; Nonnus renders it, “wherefore dost thou steal away our minds with words?” so Jacob when he went away privately, without the knowledge of Laban, is said to steal away the heart of Laban, as it is in the Hebrew text, in (<013120>Genesis…”

“Then came the Jews--the rulers. (See on Joh 1:19). How long dost thou make us to doubt?--"hold us in suspense" (Margin). If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly--But when the plainest evidence of it was resisted, what weight could a mere assertion of it have?”

“Tell us plainly - The Messiah was predicted as a shepherd. Jesus had applied that prediction to himself. They supposed that that was an evidence that he claimed to be the Messiah. He also performed miracles, which they considered as evidence that he was the Christ, John 7:31. Yet the rulers made a difficulty. They alleged that he was from Galilee, and that the Messiah could not come from thence, John 7:52. He was poor and despised. He came contrary to the common expectation. A splendid prince and conqueror had been expected. In this perplexity they came to him for a plain and positive declaration that he was the Messiah. return to 'Top of Page'”

“10:24 The people who surrounded Jesus might have been seeking clarity, or they might have been hostile. In Luke 21:20 and Heb 11:30, the same word describes how Jerusalem and Jericho were surrounded before being destroyed; in Acts 14:20 it refers to Paul’s disciples rallying around him after he was injured.”

“How: Kg1 18:21; Mat 11:3; Luk 3:15 make us to doubt: or, hold us in suspense If: Joh 1:19, Joh 8:25, Joh 8:53, Joh 9:22; Luk 22:67-70; Co2 3:12 John 10:25”