The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." (Then) they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true." And many there began to believe in him. (Jn 10:31-42)
Jews picked stones to throw at Jesus. They tried earlier and now again. Jews threw stones and killed people as a punishment for blasphemy. Identifying oneself with God was the worst type of sin. God was one and there was no another. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deut 6:4). When compared with the other religions (in Ancient Near Eastern religions) Jewish religion was unique in its belief in one God. Anyone who tried to deny this or propose another was committing a very serious sin.
When Jesus said ‘You are gods’ he quotes from Psalms. “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” (Ps 86:2). We also see a similar idea in Ex 21: 6 (then his master shall bring him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life) where a Judge is considered to be God for the works he does. Humans are considered Gods for the work they render or they are children of the most high.
Jesus presents himself as the son of God because he performs the works of God. People have seen the works of Jesus and they consider the works as good but to believe that he is the son of God demands faith from the part of the people. People do not have the faith to accept Jesus as the son of the Father.
