A Little Hanukkah...

Read John 10:22-39. After Christ finishes his Good Shepherd Sermon, Christ finished up his ministry in Jerusalem. John doesn't mention anything for the next three months until Christ returns to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication (also called Hanukkah).

So, a little background: Judas Maccabeus instituted the Feast of Dedication in 165 B.C. when the altar was rebuilt and the temple was purified during a very brief period of Jewish independence. So, this was an 8 day feast that occurred during the winter (around our Christmas).

 

Picking up in verse 22, Christ is in the temple, specifically in Solomon's Porch, and the Jews (think religious leader) rush there again to ask him if He truly was the Christ. And Christ begins to lay out his credentials for them to prove his deity.

 

Starting in verse 25, Christ states that his sayings prove his deity. In addition, his message is matchless. There is no one else who can offer what Christ does (think John 3:16).  Staying along the lines of John 3:16, Christ also never wasted a word.  John 3:16 is exactly 25 words (in both Greek and English!) and it is the full message of salvation.

 

Also, Christ has always shown in all of his sermons that his wisdom is matchless. If you look at Luke 20, the Jewish leaders try to catch him with the issues of taxes. And Christ gives them the perfect answer. Verse 26 even says that they were amazed at his answer! Luke 4:22 says that the Jewish leaders were amazed at Christ and his words and the wisdom behind them, especially considering he was just a simple carpenter.

 

Christ's words are also powerful. Only Christ had the power to raise men from the dead with his words, heal diseases with words, bring men to conviction and salvation with his words. He also had control over his words. He never spoke out of anger and he never spoke unwisely. Christ spoke in ways that everyone could understand. And lastly, Christ's words were pure.1 Peter 2:22-23 says that Christ did not sin and no wickedness was found in his speech. Those are all ways that Christ's words alone proved his deity. And of course Christ's miracles prove His deity.

 

Christ not only has the credentials to prove His deity, but also the dignity of person, power, and position that accompany the deity of God. He has the power to save and to keep (vs. 28-29), he is the Father's equal (vs. 30-33), he is bold and honest (vs. 32), he is wise and intelligent (vs. 34-39), he is sent by God the Father (vs. 36), and he is the Father's Son (vs. 36). All these are qualities of someone who is truly God and shares in God's characteristics. Yet again, we see John highlighting the words of Christ to reveal his deity.