”The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,“How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.My sheep hear my voice;I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one."
REFLECTION
Shalom!
What is the Festival of Dedication? Why was Jesus visiting the temple during this time?
The Festival of Dedication or Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights is a Feast according to Jewish custom which is celebrated in late November or early December and it begins on the 25 day of Kislev (the ninth month in the ecclesiastical year on the Jewish Calendar). This feast is observed in celebration of the victory by the Maccabees over the cruel Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV 'Epiphanes' and who sought to force Greek culture and Syrian paganism onto the Israelites. He was an evil ruler. He desecrated the temple by sacrificing pigs to their pagan gods. The Jewish people believed that blood and pigs were unclean. After the take over, the Israelites were persecuted if they refused to worship the Greek and Syrian pagan gods. They were not allowed to practice Judaism or else they would be put to death.
An elderly priest, Mattityahu, living on the outskirsts of Jerusalem in Mode'in, told his people to honor God's covenant and refuse to worship the pagan gods. He was zealous for the Lord and inspired his town to kill the Greek and Syrian soldiers.
Mattityahu and his sons left the town and went into the hills and from their they waged war against the Syrians. Little by little they were successful. Even after Mattityahu's death, his sons continued to fight until Judas 'Maccabee' recaptured Jerusalem on the 25th Kislev, 164 B.C. They rededicated the second Temple (rebuilt during the Persian rule). They celebrated for 8 days. The legend goes that they found one jar of oil to light the menorah which they thought would only last a day. The oil burned for 8 days. Therefore the Festival is for 8 days.
There are three themes used during the celebration: dedication, deliverance, and light.
So in the Gospel, John makes note that Jesus is in the Temple area during the Festival of Dedication.
What was Jesus doing there with His disciples?
Was He just enjoying the festival with the other Jews?
Does Jesus have a purpose for choosing this particular time to walk through the Temple area other than to observe the Festival of Dedication?
The Jews are following Jesus and asking, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus replies, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. "
Even though these Israelites have seen His miracles, they refuse to accept Jesus as the Messiah. They can not even see that He is there during this particular Festival of Dedication, this Festival of Lights to reveal that He is the Light of the World, He is the Deliverer, and He is the One to whom the Temple was dedicated. Therefore, they are not the sheep that would recognize Him as the Messiah. His sheep hear Him and they will follow Him like His disciples.
If we are the sheep who hear His voice, then we must share His light, His Gospel.
If we are the sheep who hear His voice, then we must recognize that His words are truth and believe that they will deliver us from our enemies.
If we are the sheep who hear His voice, then we must dedicate our minds, bodies, souls and our hearts as temples of His Holy Spirit and worship our God.
Let us listen to His Words and follow His voice. Join us in Face ZBS (Face Zoom Bible Study) and learn from a theologian. We meet weekly check it out.
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