The cool thing about this text from John’s Gospel is that this is “the only reference” in the Early Christian writings to Hanukkah.
It is good that it is here. It is good for continuity and good for a sense of history. It is good for Judeo-Christian relationships.
So, Jesus was at the Temple for the celebration of Hanukkah. He was a faith – practicing religious Hebrew man.
Hanukkah – you may remember is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple. We are talking about the Second Temple – the Temple of Ezra and Nehemiah.
The celebration is observed for eight nights and days (usually celebrated during our months of late November to late December.) And sometimes…even being simultaneously held and celebrated with our celebration of Christmas…
It is also known as being the “Festival of Lights” or as the “Feast of Dedication.”
I am sure you are probably at least “somewhat familiar” with the nine-branched candelabrum – known as being the “Menorah.”
You may even have witnessed public menorah lightings in open public areas that are held in many, many places.
A menorah is actually lit and visible in the common area of the building where I live.
Or you may have heard of the “dreidel” (or gambling toy), the dreidel song and of eating such oil based foods such as donuts or latkes (a potato pancake.)
Well, Jesus is present. He is there. He is a part of the celebratory event.
It is here that he is asked the question: “If you are “the Christ,” the “Messiah,” the “Anointed One of God,” tell us plainly.”
It has been stated that there is no malice in this text, there are no ulterior motives, this is not about the entrapment of Jesus. It is just a heartfelt inquisitive kind of question. Perhaps…
But…just so you know and are aware, calling yourself the “Messiah” – “the Christ” – “the Anointed One” was considered to be blasphemous. The penalty for which was stoning…until dead.
Others could say it about you, but it was not a title or a term that you could use for you, yourself.
It goes back to that “honor/shame” society thingy, it would not be honorable to say such a thing – about yourself. It would indeed be dangerous, to do so. But apparently it was ok, for others to question it, or to say it “about you.” There was great “honor” in that!
Jesus’ response is simple, direct and straightforward enough – “I have told you, but you would not believe…or you would not “trust” in my words.”
And he goes on to say, that “his actions” testify as to who he is…
Which is to say…check out where I go…check out what I do…check out where my feet take me…consider what “others” have to say about me…inquire for yourselves…
And of course, we also need to keep in mind that the “Messiah” was commonly thought to be a political figure, even somewhat military, who would defeat Israel’s enemies and usher in a “Great Golden Age of Prosperity.”
Jesus would not be that.
Instead Jesus answered the question as it related to his believers, to those who followed him.
“They” he goes on to say are the ones who are safe in God’s hands. “They” are the ones who follow God’s voice. “They” are the ones who will one day be his body in the world.
“They” are the ones who will inherit eternal life.
And all of it is based on “their relationship” with Jesus…their “relationship with God. “ They know him. They follow him. They listen to him. They his hear his word gladly and obey it. They belong to him. They are his own. There is a relationship an on-going relationship here.
All throughout the fourth gospel, the same “mutual indwelling” between “the Father and Jesus” is also reflected in the “mutual indwelling” — the intimacy, the affection, the closeness, the tie, the binding together between Jesus and his community, as well.
John uses the language of abiding, of staying with, of being with, of being together…in the Jesus community…
They are forever enmeshed, entangled, involved and intertwined. There is a lasting, a longing and a together-ness, a being together, a mutual trusting and a caring for one another, that exists and takes place.
And this it would seem, is John’s definition of the “Church” – You and Me!