22At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; 23it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 24The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30“I and the Father are one.”
31The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” 34Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’? 35“If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37“If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp. 40And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 41Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” 42Many believed in Him there.
Interesting Words
Feast of the Dedication
An eight-day winter festival celebrated by the Jews in the month of December (aka. Feast of the Maccabees), Feast of Dedication. Today, this festival is called Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights and celebrates the Maccabean victory over the Seleucid king Antiochus Ephiphanes who profaned the Jewish temple.
suspense
(αἴρω Greek) – airó ► raise, take up, lift, take it out of the way, remove, [leave it up in the air] – Col 2:14; John 11:41;
testify
(μαρτυρέω Greek) – martureó ► bear witness, give evidence, testify – John 5:39, 15:27; John 19:35;
know
(γινώσκω Greek) – ginóskó ► come to know, learn, especially through personal experience (first-hand), sexual intimacy – Luke 1:34 KJV; John 10:14-15; 14:7; 17:7;
Cross References
▪︎ 1Cor 2:14; Jesus transforms our lives.
▪︎ 1Cor 2:15-16 – We have the mind of Christ.
▪︎ John 5:19, 14:10, 11 – Believe because of the works Jesus did.
▪︎ Ps 82:6-7 – Sons of the Most High.
Discussion Questions
1. What affect, if any, did the current feast have on the Jews’ attitude toward Jesus?
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2. What was the intent of the Jews questioning Jesus?
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3. How didJesus respond? What was His defense?
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4. What are some charactistics of true sheep?
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5. How does the relationship from Jesus-to-God effect/transfer to our relationships?
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6. This time when the Jews picked up stones to stone Jesus, He responded differently. How did He respond?
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7. How would you interpret John 10:34 and Ps 82:6?
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