John 10:22-30
22 At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
"My works testify to me!"
St. John describes the place, the occasion, the timing, and even the weather. We are at the Temple, on the feast of the re-dedication (Hanukkah) of the Temple.
The occasion of the feast, which was not prescribed in the Old Testament, refers to the victory of the Maccabees over the Hellenistic Army in 163 BC. This freed Israel from occupation. That release was crowned by the purification and the reuse of the Temple. Candles were ignited, giving the nickname “the feast of light.”
In Jesus’ time, Israel was experiencing the same political situation of occupation. They expected the Messiah to defeat the Roman army as the Maccabees defeated the Hellenistic one earlier. This is why the crowd gathered around Jesus saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly" John 10:24.
It is winter time. It seems that it was raining because Jesus and the crowd were taking shelter under under the portico of Solomon.
John reports about the dialog between Jesus and the crowd about His person and their unbelief. They expect a political Messiah to free them from the Roman yoke, but Jesus speaks about another kind of liberation which they are not ready to endorse, even worse for which they try to stone Him! " We are not stoning you for any good work, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” John 10:33.
John invites us to reflect about how to receive Christ today in our different religious and national feasts.
Do we expect Him to grant us our desires or do we accept to follow as His sheep that no one can snatch from His heart or His hands?
Do we believe today in the Eternal life that Jesus provides for His faithful?
Christ is Risen indeed, Alleluia!