Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
20. He hath a devil. They employ the most offensive reproach which they can devise, in slandering Christ, that all may shudder at the thought of hearing him. For wicked men, that they may not be forced to yield to God, in a furious manner, and with closed eyes, break out into proud contempt of him, and excite others to the same rage, so that...
We have here an account of the people's different sentiments concerning Christ, on occasion of the foregoing discourse; there was a division, a schism, among them; they differed in their opinions, which threw them into heats and parties. Such a ferment as this they had been in before (Joh 7:43; Joh 9:16); and where there has once been a division again. Rents are sooner made than made up or mended.
Commenting on John 10:19-21
And many of them said, he hath a devil, and is mad,.... It was a notion of the Jews, that madness or distraction was from the devil, and therefore these two are here joined together, having a devil, and being mad: there is a spirit which they call Tazazith, and which, they say (z), is an evil spirit that takes away the understanding of men...