Lesson 31

An Unhappy Hanukkah

John 10:22-41

The incident recorded in John 10:22-41, our text for today took place in Jerusalem (v.22), at the temple, at a place called Solomon's porch (v. 23). It happened during the winter at the "feast of the dedication." The setting is significant. Two months have passed between verses 21-22. John apparently ties things together because in both messages, Jesus uses the imagery of the shepherd and his sheep.

The Jewish term for the feast of dedication is Hanukkah. This is a non-biblical Jewish feast, that is, it is not established and commanded under the law. There were 7 feasts which the Lord had commanded the Jews to celebrate in Leviticus 23 - Passover, Unleavened Bread, First fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles.

However, during that time between the Old and New Testament a dreadful man by the name of Antiochus Epiphanes had overrun Jerusalem and totally desecrated the Temple. He had ruled over Jerusalem for about three years and had erected a pagan altar on top of the divine altar. Finally, a Jew named Judas Maccebeus liberated Jerusalem from A.E., reclaimed the temple area and cleansed the temple. The dedication (actually, the re-dedication) of the temple had taken place on December 14 and was annually commemorated by the Jews as a joyous feast - Hanukkah, the feast of the dedication.

It would seem that Jesus is observing Hanukkah. He has traveled to Jerusalem. He is visiting the temple. And at a courtyard where students discussed and debated hot theological issues with the rabbis, under the protective awning of Solomon's porch protected perhaps from the harshness of a winter day, Jesus is suddenly surrounded by the Jews (v. 24).

The Confrontation, v. 24.

"How long dost thou make us to doubt?" they ask. "If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." What motivated this confrontation? Were they genuinely, wanting to know who Jesus is, wondering if He is indeed the Christ, the Messiah? Were they seeking instruction or just information? Were they minds already made up that Jesus had to be stopped so that this was simply a way of adding to their evidence that Jesus was a demon-possessed mad man? Their words almost have an edge to the them that Jesus is a poor teacher, that if only He would speak more plainly, they might believe. This in not a group of interested investigators. This is a group of ill-willed interrogators.

The Claims, vs. 25-30.

Had Jesus failed to clearly identify himself as the Messiah? Let's take a moment and retrace the claims of Jesus just in John's gospel up to this point. See John 4:25-26; 6:51; 8:58; 9:35-37. If they had been listening they would have heard what Jesus had said about himself, about who He is. The problem was not that they hadn't heard. It was that they wouldn't believe. "I told you, and ye believed not." If their ears were blocked then Jesus would appeal to their eyes, v. 25b. It was not jus the words that they had heard from Jesus but it was also the works that they observed.

The reason why they had not believed in stated in verse 26. "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." In fact, in verse 26-27, Jesus divides all of mankind into two flocks, "not my sheep" and "my sheep."

Notice, the assurance and security that Christ's sheep have. First, assurance. How do you know that you are one of Christ's sheep and that He knows you? Because you hear his voice and because you follow Him. Listen, the greatest source of assurance of salvation is his obedience to hearing and following Jesus Christ. Disobedience will lead you to doubt your salvation. Obedience brings with it assurance. See I John 2:3-5. Jesus gives us a clear source for assurance that we are his sheep - we hear his voice and we follow him.

Notice also the security that Christ's sheep have. We are secure because salvation is a gift, it is by grace not by works. "I give unto them". We are secure because salvation is eternal - "I give unto them eternal life." Salvation cannot be conditional and be eternal at the same time. If it is conditional and you could somehow leave it or lose it by your own doing, then it wasn't really eternal life, was it? We are secure because Jesus is holding onto us (v. 28) and Almighty God himself is holding onto us (v. 29). Our security is like a vault inside of a vault. "They shall never perish ... no man is able to pluck them out of my hand or my Father's hand." Christians can backslide but never perish. they can lose their joy, their usefulness, their fellowship, their eternal rewards, but never will they lose their eternal life. Christians can become prodigal children, that waste their life and soil their garments and ruin their reputation but nothing can change the fact that they are sons of the Father.

And then in verse 30, Jesus gave the plain answer that the Jewish leaders had sought for - "I and the Father are one." It was a statement that had to startle them. It is as clear a statement of the deity of Christ as you will find in the scriptures. Now there are those who seek to deny the deity of Christ who must explain away this verse. They attempt to do so by saying that a husband and wife become one in marriage. They would have us believe that Jesus is only saying that He and God are in unity. But the word "one" means "of the same essence."

If you want to know what Jesus meant, look at how those Jews reacted to His words.

The Charge, vs. 31-33.

There was an immediate and violent react against Jesus. The took up stones to kill him. Jesus had done many mighty and marvelous miracles in Israel. For which miracle were they stoning Him? For turning water to wine at a wedding? For feeding fish to the multitudes? For giving steps to a paralyzed man at a pool or sight to eyes that had never seen?

The charge was blasphemy - because Jesus claimed to be God. It is clear then that when Jesus said, "I and the Father are one", He was claiming to be equal and of the same essence as God. That's how those who heard his words interpreted them. In truth, it was the opposite of what these Jews were saying. Jesus was not a man who became God, but God who became a man! Christ's claim to deity had antagonized the Jews all along, see John 518. Eventually, it would be the charge for which Jesus was tried and crucified, see John 19:7.

The Challenge, vs. 34-38.

From Jesus we have a voice, an appeal of objectivity and reason in the midst of a storm of emotion and subjectivity. First, Jesus appeals to them to look at their law, vs. 34-36. Jesus quotes Psalm 82:6. The picture in Psalm 82 is of a court where God has assembled the judges of the earth to warn them that they too will one day be judged. The Hebrew word "gods" is the word Elohim which is also translated "judges" in Exodus 21:6 & 22:8-9. Elohim is also one of the Hebrew names for God. These Jewish leaders certainly knew their own language and so they knew that Jesus was speaking the truth. Jesus is saying, If the Lord referred to human judges as gods in the Old Testament then how can what I have said about myself be a capital crime? Let me state it a different way. Jesus is not saying Psalm 82 speaks of men as gods, therefore, I in common with other men apply this term to myself. Rather, He is saying, if in any sense the psalm can apply this term to men, then much more may it be applied to Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world?

Not only did Jesus challenge them to look at their law but He also called upon them to look at His life, vs. 37-38.

Christianity is a reasonable faith. It is not necessary, as some seem to believe, to commit intellectual suicide in order to be a Christian. The heart cannot rejoice in what the mind cannot accept. Jesus appeal is not on the basis of emotion but on the basis of reason and logic and facts.

The passage concludes with ...

The Consequences, vs 39-42.

It was, for these Jews, a very unhappy Hanukkah. The people were polarized. Some rejected Christ's claims, v. 39. But some received, vs. 40-42. In fact, with this the public ministry of Christ was concluded. Jesus left Jerusalem and even crossed the Jordan River and abode there. He did not return to Jerusalem until the week of His crucifixion.

(With this I, too conclude studies in the Gospel of John for several weeks. When we return in February it will be to the resurrection of Lazarus and then to the personal ministry of Jesus to His disciples).

The message of John's gospel is plain - Jesus is the Son of God, equal and of the same essence of God. Have you trusted Him as your Savior and Lord? Do you have assurance that you are one of His sheep and that you have been given eternal life?