“A JOURNEY THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JOHN” ST. JOHN 10:22-42

Jesus’ Confrontation with Jewish Leaders

Feast of Dedication

The occasion for this most sublime section of John’s Gospel (St. John 10:22-42) is the Feast of Dedication, or commonly called today Hanukkah or Feast of Lights.  The Feast of Dedication was the time of celebration for the Jews in their commemoration of the temple being purified.  As they reflected about this dedication, they recalled in the past when the temple was defiled by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B.C. and it was purified by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B.C.  The time for this grand occasion took place in the winter during the month of December, and it also followed the commemoration of the Feast of Tabernacles which took place in October.  Citing the significance of the time taking place in the winter, it was noteworthy that the window of opportunity for the Jews’ acceptance of Jesus was closing.

Jesus had wrought miracles after miracles that attested to His claim that He was indeed the Messiah who came to save people, but the Jewish leaders remained callous in their rejection of Him who saves!  Isn’t that worth pondering!  Jesus Christ, the matchless Lamb of God, came down as a missionary gift from the Father to His own people, and they rejected His person and works!  As verses 22 and 23 state, the time of the eight day occasion was in the winter, with Jesus walking on the east side of Solomon’s porch or colonnade.  The persistent unbelieving Jewish leaders presented themselves in verse 24, with a probing question that plagued their hearts, for they uttered: “How long dost thou make us to doubt?  If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.”  Although Jesus had not openly declared His Messiahship to the Jewish leaders nor to the multitudes at large, yet these Jewish leaders had ample proof that He was the Messiah because of His mighty works (miracles) He had demonstrated (Isaiah 35:5-6).

The nation at large (the Jewish nation) should have known that Jesus is the Messiah because of one great miracle which He wrought – the healing of the blind man (St. John 9:1-7).  The prominence of Jesus’ healing blind men in the gospels is an attestation that He is the Messiah.  In retrospect, I know that He is the Messiah and the Savior of mankind because He healed my spiritual blindness, for now I can see clearly!  In verses 25 and 26, our blessed Lord responded to these Jewish leaders that His miracles point to the fact that He is from the Father.  However, the reason for their unbelief is that they are not His sheep.  The Lord goes on to say in verse 27 that His sheep will respond to His teaching and will follow Him, which evidence a wonderful intimacy.  Yes, those who are truly sheep of Christ will follow Him in loving obedience to His command.

Two of the most beautiful verses that convey the eternal security of the believer are found in verse 28 and 29.  These two verses emphatically teach that a believer will never be lost.  As believers, we are always under the secure custody of God; and it is impossible for one believer to be lost because of God’s awesome promises found in His Word.  Some of the awesome promises found in John’s gospel are: St. John 3:16; 36; 5:24; 6:37; 10:28-29; 11:25-26.  As believers, we are safe and secure in the protective hands of the Father and the Son (v. 29).  In verse 30, our blessed Lord affirmed His absolute equality in nature and unity with the Father.  Both the Father and the Son are in unison in nature, perfection and glory.  As a result of Christ’s emphatic claim in verse 30, the Jewish leaders evidence their rejection of His claim to be equal with the Father by taking up stones to stone Him (v. 31).  Their violent response of His dynamic claim indicated the depravity of their hearts.

In verse 32, our Lord appeals to these leaders that during the course of His entire ministry it met the full appraisal of His Father.  Of course, in verse 33, the Jewish leaders rejected Him because of His claim to be equal with the Father – thus accusing Jesus of blasphemy.  In verses 34-36, Jesus responded to these Jewish leaders by citing Psalm 82:1, 6 in reference to the fact that in certain instances men were “gods,” that is, human judges and that the scripture cannot be broken.  If men can be called “gods” or human judges, then the Jewish leaders could not accuse Jesus of blasphemy for calling Himself the Son of God.  Thus, with the scripture, Jesus logically defended Himself.

Although the Jews did not believe Christ’s word, the miracles that He wrought served as signs that indicated His oneness with the Father (v. 37-38).  In verse 39, another attempt was made to capture Jesus, but He supernaturally escaped because “His time had not yet come.”  Finally, in verse 40-42, our blessed Lord removed Himself from the hostile leaders, and went across the Jordan to Perea which was one location John the Baptist ministered.  In this region, Jesus’ ministry was well received.  May God bless!