Summary of passage: The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) arrives in Jerusalem and Jesus is questioned again. He tells the Jews they do not believe him because they are not his sheep. His sheep know him and no one can take them away from him. The sheep are God’s as well and he and God are one. They tried to stone Jesus and he asked them again why they don’t believe in him and in the miracles. They tried to seize him and Jesus fled across the Jordan where many came to him and believed in him.
Questions:
11) The miracles he performed. The Jews did not know Jesus.
12) Part personal Question. My answer: Eternal life because they follow him. All the difference.
13) They want to stone him or seize him. Most today want to punish Christians. He again tries to convince them who he is, using biblical and here irrefutable evidence, but then he flees. We are to persevere, but not engage in violence.
Conclusions: Question 12 is wearing on me. It’s so broad I just keep it simple. I love how Jesus tries to convince others of who he is but knows when it is hopeless and he’s done all he can so he focuses on those he knows will convert. Great lesson for us with stubborn people in our lives.
End Notes: The Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah celebrated the cleansing and re-dedication of the temple after three years of desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria (in 164 or 165 b.c.). He instituted terror upon the Jews by emptying the temple treasury, instituting laws against Jews laws such as banning circumcision and the bible, and turning the altar into one for the Greek god Zeus. Thousands of Jews were killed or sold as slaves.
The Greek for “winter” really connotes “stormy weather” here.
Solomon’s Colonnade was the name given to the portico which ran along the east side of the outer court of Herod’s temple. It is mentioned in Acts as the place where Peter addressed the crowd the congregated to see the man who had been cured of his lifelong lameness at the Beautiful Gate, and again as the place where the Jerusalem believers regularly gathered for their public witness to Jesus as the Christ (Acts 3:11; 5:12).
Jesus was not teaching. Simply, he was ambushed by the religious leaders who were blaming him for their unbelief (personal responsibility, anyone?). They hoped to get him to say he was the king of the Jews so then they could accuse him to the Romans of a coup against the emperor.
Jesus said “I told you and you do not believe” (I’d insert the word idiots afterwards). He must be getting extremely taxed by these people. He often didn’t call himself the messiah because it had such weighty political and even military implications. When he does reveal himself, it’s to non-Jews (such as the Samaritan woman) because it was safer.
Just read all Jesus had told them who he was so far in our study of John:
I am the one who came from heaven (John 3:13, 6:38)
whoever believes on Me has eternal life (John 3:15)
I am the unique Son of God (John 5:19-23)
I will judge all humanity (John 5:19-23)
all should honor Me just as the honor God the Father (John 5:19-23)
the Hebrew Scriptures all speak of Me (John 5:39)
I perfectly reveal God the Father (John 7:28-29)
I always please God and never sin (John 8:29, 8:46)
I am uniquely sent from God (John 8:42)
before Abraham was, I Am (John 8:58)
I am the Son of Man, prophesied by Daniel (John 9:37)
I will raise Myself from the dead (John 10:17-18)
I am the Bread of Life (John 6:48)
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
I am the Door (John 10:9)
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
Pretty cool, huh? If they don’t understand by now, they never will. Their hearts will never turn. Hence, we see Jesus retreat.
Earlier in chapter 10, Jesus tells them they are false shepherds. He goes one step further here by saying they aren’t even sheep!
Great picture: we are in both Jesus’ hands and God’s hands.
God and Jesus are one in essence. “one” here has no gender. It’s not a person. Equally God (divine being), distinct in person.
Jesus wanted us to be one as He and the Father are one (John 17:11, 17:21). Such oneness cannot exist without an equality of essence, and all believers have this equality (Galatians 3:26-28), even as the Father and Son have this equality.
The Jews could not refute Jesus so instead they decide to stone him even though there has been no trial. This is how much of a threat Jesus posed to the rulers.
Jesus answers the religious leaders with the law and an argument from the lesser to the greater. The judges of Psalm 82 were called “gods” because in their office they determined the fate of other men. In Exodus 21:6 and 22:8-9, God called earthly judges “gods.” This is a metaphor and Jesus attempts to show them their fallacy in light of his works and who he is.
He testified as to the complete authority of the Old Testament.
Across the Jordan lay Perea. There the Jews had no power.
John the Baptist did no miracles but was still a great man. Great lesson for us as well. Most of us won’t perform a miracle. But we can make an impact on others. Jesus’ work still goes on.
