John 10:24

Then came the Jews round about him, &c.— As our Lord was walking in Solomon's porch, the Jews came and required him to put them out of doubt, whether or no he was the Messiah. He well knew that they came not for real information: as it was not lawful for them to put any man to death, all they wanted was sufficient matter to accuse him before the ruling power: for this they watched, of this they were so anxiously desirous, and this made them so earnest for a declaration in express words from his own mouth, that he was the Messiah. It was not that they would have believed in him any more for such a declaration of himself, than they did for his miracles, or other ways of making himself known, which it appears they understood very sufficiently. But they wanted plain direct words, such as might support an accusation, and be of weight before a heathen judge. If thou be the Messiah, tell us plainly; that is, in direct words, such as express the thing without a figure, and without any reserve; for, that St. John used the word rendered plainly in that sense, we learn from chap. John 11:11.