John 10:22-30
22 At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
A Thread of Hope, Then and Now
The festival of the Dedication of the Temple (Hanukkah), though it doesn't appear in the Old Testament, still has special significance in Israel's past and present. It is a Tri-fold celebration that includes spiritual, historical, and political dimensions.
The spiritual commemorates the sanctity of the Temple. It celebrates its purification from the desecration committed by the Romans in 168 BC and its rededication in 164 BC that restored its sanctity as the dwelling place of God among His people.
The historical dimension refers to the victory of a minority over a powerful Syro-Greek army achieved by the Maccabees in 164 BC. It was a victory that restored the nation's freedom, dignity and independence.
The political aspect refers to the people's need for liberation from occupation and slavery. Thanks to God's power, the Maccabees achieved that freedom. Centuries before, Moses, who led the people out of the slavery in Egypt, prophesied about the coming of a Prophet like him in Deuteronomy 18:15. "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him."
Based upon this national memory and expectations, the crowd asked Jesus, who shares their legacy and their expectations, "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly" (v. 24). Jesus' answer invites them to listen to Him, as Moses asked them, to acknowledge His divine nature, and to realize that He and the Father are One.
If they don't believe His words, His works prove what He says and testify to Him. Those who listen to Him become His sheep and He has the power to grant them eternal life (vv. 27-28).
They want Him to be their Almighty political and military leader. Jesus shows them that He shares their aspirations for freedom and national dignity, but His Messianic mission lies in liberating humanity from sin.
When humans accept His mission, all kinds of evil will be uprooted, and all nations will live in peace and harmony. How much do people in our time need to hear Jesus' voice, follow Him and renew the face of the earth? Let us think about our how willing we are to hear His voice and spread His message.
