John 10:24

Came round about him

(εκυκλωσαν αυτον). Aorist active indicative of κυκλοω, old verb from κυκλος (cycle, circle). See Acts 14:20 for the circle of disciples around Paul when stoned. Evidently the hostile Jews cherished the memory of the stinging rebuke given them by Jesus when here last, particularly the allegory of the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-19), in which he drew so sharply their own picture.How long dost thou hold us in suspense?

(εως ποτε την ψυχην ημων αιρεισ;). Literally, "Until when dost thou lift up our soul?" But what do they mean by this metaphor? Αιρω is common enough to lift up the eyes (John 11:41), the voice (Luke 17:13), and in Psalms 25:1; Psalms 86:4 (Josephus, Ant. III. ii. 3) we have "to lift up the soul." We are left to the context to judge the precise meaning. Clearly the Jews mean to imply doubt and suspense. The next remark makes it clear.If thou art the Christ

(ε συ ε ο Χριστος). Condition of first class assumed to be true for the sake of argument.Tell us plainly

(ειπον ημιν παρρησια). Conclusion with ειπον rather than the usual ειπε as if first aorist active imperative like λυσον. The point is in "plainly" (παρρησια), adverb as in John 7:13; John 7:26 which see. That is to say "I am the Christ" in so many words. See John 11:14; John 16:29 for the same use of παρρησια. The demand seemed fair enough on the surface. They had made it before when here at the feast of tabernacles (John 8:25). Jesus declined to use the word Χριστος (Messiah) then as now because of the political bearing of the word in their minds. The populace in Galilee had once tried to make him king in opposition to Pilate (John 6:14). When Jesus does confess on oath before Caiaphas that he is the Christ the Son of God (Mark 14:61; Matthew 26:63), the Sanhedrin instantly vote him guilty of blasphemy and then bring him to Pilate with the charge of claiming to be king as a rival to Caesar. Jesus knew their minds too well to be caught now.