John 10:22-42 – Jesus at the Festival of Dedication
Introduction: Jesus at the Festival of Dedication (John 10:22–42)
In John 10:22–42, Jesus stands in the temple during the Festival of Dedication—better known today as Hanukkah or the Feast of Dedication. The celebration remembered the rededication of the Jerusalem temple after its desecration under Antiochus Epiphanes in 164 B.C. It was a time for Israel to recall God’s faithfulness and the cleansing of sacred space. Against this backdrop, Jesus speaks about his unity with the Father and his role as the Good Shepherd. His words spark division: some accuse him of blasphemy, while others believe.
This passage forces a decision. Who is Jesus? Is he merely a teacher walking in Solomon’s portico, or is he the one in whom God’s presence truly dwells? John presents Jesus as the fulfillment of what the temple and its festivals pointed toward.
What Is the Festival of Dedication in the Bible? (Also Called the Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah)
The Festival of Dedication (John 10:22) is not one of the Mosaic feasts but arose from Israel’s later history. After the temple was defiled by pagan sacrifices, Judas Maccabeus and his followers retook Jerusalem, cleansed the temple, and rededicated it (1 Maccabees 4:36–59). The rededication was commemorated annually and came to be called Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, remembered with the lighting of lamps and the hope of God’s ongoing presence.
For John’s Gospel, the setting is crucial. The temple, once rededicated, was still only a shadow. Jesus now claims to be the one consecrated and sent by the Father—the true temple where heaven and earth meet, a theme you can trace from the sign at Cana (John 2:1–11) through the cleansing of the temple (John 2:13–22).
John 10:22–23 – The Setting at the Festival of Dedication
“It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.” (John 10:22–23)
John sets the scene carefully: winter, temple courts, the Portico of Solomon—a colonnade on the east side that offered shelter and served as a public teaching space. By locating Jesus here, John places him in the heart of Israel’s worship life. During a feast that celebrated the cleansing of the temple, the true dwelling place of God’s presence walks within its courts. The thread goes back to Jesus’ earlier declaration about the temple of his body (John 2:19–21).
John 10:24–26 – Tell Us Plainly
“If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus replies, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.” (John 10:24–26)
The leaders demand a slogan; Jesus offers evidence. His words and works already reveal who he is: from signs like Cana’s wine and the healing of the lame man (John 5:1–18) to opening the eyes of the man born blind (John 9). Their issue is not information but unbelief. They cannot hear because they are not his sheep.
John 10:27–30 – “My Sheep Hear My Voice” and “I and the Father Are One”
“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand… The Father and I are one.” (John 10:27–30)
These lines gather the Good Shepherd themes from earlier in the chapter (John 10:1–21). Jesus’ flock is marked by recognition (they know his voice), obedience (they follow), and security (no one can snatch them). Eternal life is his gift and the Father’s promise together, aligning with John’s wider teaching on life in the Son (1 John 5:11–12).
The climactic claim—“I and the Father are one”—signals more than agreement of purpose; it points to an intimate unity of action and identity already sounded in the Prologue (John 1:1–14).
John 10:31–33 – Accusation of Blasphemy
“It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” (John 10:31–33)
They grasp the implication of Jesus’ words and reach for stones. Ironically, they acknowledge the goodness of his works while rejecting what those works reveal. The Feast of Dedication commemorated purifying the temple; now the leaders reject the one in whom God’s presence truly dwells.
John 10:34–38 – Scripture Cannot Be Broken
“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?” (John 10:34)… “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works.” (John 10:37–38)
Jesus mounts a scriptural and empirical defense. Citing Psalm 82:6, he argues from the lesser to the greater: if human judges could be called “gods” as agents of divine authority, how much more the one whom the Father sanctified and sent. Then he directs them to the evidence—his works—which embody the Father’s presence and power. Even if they struggle with his words, the works should lead them toward faith.
John 10:39–42 – Across the Jordan: John’s Testimony Vindicated
“He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier… ‘John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.’ And many believed in him there.” (John 10:39–42)
Rejected in Jerusalem, Jesus is received beyond the Jordan. The memory of John the Baptist’s witness—without signs—now converges with Jesus’ visible works. The contrast is striking: entrenched religious power resists, while those on the margins believe. This dynamic runs throughout John and links back to the pattern of recognition and rejection in chapter 1.
Meaning of John 10:22–42 for Today
The Festival of Dedication celebrated a purified building; Jesus offers permanent belonging in himself. His sheep are held in the Son’s and the Father’s hands together—security grounded in divine unity. The invitation is simple and searching: do you hear his voice? Following Jesus is not about slogans but about trusting the Shepherd who gives life and will not let his own be snatched away.
This passage also warns us about spiritual hardness. It is possible to admire good works and still reject what they reveal. The leaders in Solomon’s portico wanted clarity, yet when clarity came, they reached for stones. Wisdom listens to the voice, considers the works, and yields to the Son.
FAQ: Festival of Dedication & John 10
What is the Festival of Dedication called today?
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. It begins on the 25th of Kislev (late November or December) and lasts eight days.
Is the Festival of Dedication in the Old Testament?
No. It arises from the Maccabean period (2nd century B.C.) and is recorded in 1 Maccabees 4:36–59. John mentions it because the setting sharpens Jesus’ claim to be the true locus of God’s presence.
What does “I and the Father are one” mean?
It signals a profound unity of will and action—and, in John’s larger frame, divine identity. The crowd understood this as a claim to equality with God, which is why they attempted to stone him.
Why the Portico of Solomon?
It was a well-known teaching space in the temple complex, sheltered in winter. John’s detail underscores that Jesus makes his claims in public, at the center of Israel’s worship life.
Sources / Further Reading
Raymond E. Brown, John (AYB), John 10
D. A. Carson, John (PNTC), John 10
Gail R. O’Day, John (NIB), John 10
Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of John, John 10
Andreas J. Köstenberger, John (BECNT), John 10
