Sermon: John 10:22-39, "Light on the Messiah"

Light on the Messiah

December 24, 2011
 A pdf of this sermon, with endnotes, can be found here.

 

If I asked you to repeat Luke's account of the Christmas story, you could probably reproduce most of it, although you might miss some small details. 

A NY journalist was in a small Alabama town to write a Christmas report. As he entered the town square, he saw a Nativity scene with figures of Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, and the three wise men. One thing puzzled him though... the wise men were all wearing firemen's hats. He went back to the motel and asked the girl at the front desk if she knew why the wise men were wearing firemen's hats. "City folk," she replied, "Ya think ya know ever'thang, don't ya? Y'all ain't nuthin' but city folk who don't read the Bible!" "Pardon me," he replied, "but I do read the Bible, and there is nothing in it about firemen's hats!" Muttering under her breath, she pulled out a well-worn Bible from under the desk, flipped it open, and said, "Looky right here. It says... 'They came from afar'!"

Details are important, some more than others. Our story this morning also underscores the importance of paying attention to details and of what people miss by not doing so when God sheds Light on the Messiah.

In 175 BC, King Antiochus of Syria attempted to dominate Israel by abolishing the religion of its inhabitants. He outlawed the observance of Torah in all sectors of Jewish life:

• The nation could not offer sacrifices in Jerusalem,
• Local communities could not keep the Sabbath, and
• Parents could not circumcise their new born sons.

Antiochus even went so far as to profane the temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and by sacrificing a pig there. Eventually, under the leadership of Judah Maccabee, Jews revolted against this foreign oppressor. In 165 BC, they defeated Antiochus's army and regained control of the temple. The people saw their deliverance as evidence of God's presence in their midst, and the first book of Maccabees records their primary concern after winning their independence.

1 Macc 4:36 Then said Judas and his brothers, "Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it." ...44 They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned. 45 And they thought it best to tear it down.. .for the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar... 47 . . .and built a new altar like the former one.... 50 Then they.. .lighted the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple.... 56 . . .they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness....

The Hebrew word for dedication is hanukkah, which became the name of an annual holiday commemorating this deliverance from gentile oppression?¹ According to tradition, God also performed a miracle at that time...

b Shab 21b . . . when the Hasmonean dynasty [under the leadership of Judah Maccabee] prevailed.., they made a search [of the temple] and found only one cruse of oil.., sufficient for one day's lighting only: yet a miracle was wrought.. .and they lit [the lamp] for eight days [until more oil could be prepared].

This Sabbath is the fifth day of the festival that forms the backdrop for an incident we will examine from Jesus' ministry.²

Many years have passed since Antiochus's repressive rule, and another foreign power, Rome, has since taken over Israel. This current regime also attempted to abolish Judaism, and the Jewish historian Josephus records two such measures (Gowen 1982:135-136, 139). The first incident was when Pilate brought pagan images into Jerusalem at night. When residents realized what he had done and sent representatives to protest this affront, he threatened to execute them if they did not disperse.

Ant 18.3.1 [= 59] But they, casting themselves prostrate and bearing their throats, declared that they had gladly welcomed death, rather than... transgress the wise provisions of [God's] laws. Pilate, astonished at the strength of their devotion.., removed the images from Jerusalem....

In a later violation of Jewish law, Emperor Caligula ordered the erection of his statue in the Jerusalem temple and the institution of emperor worship. Providentially, the emperor's death prevented the implementation of his orders and averted the bloody riots that surely would have followed?³ Nevertheless, the hostile political climate increased unrest in the Jewish community,⁴ and it is against this backdrop that John writes...

John 10:22 Then came the Feast of Dedication [Hanukkah] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade.

The Feast of Dedication reminded people about what God had done in the past. It recalled a time of God's presence, a time of Jewish independence, a time of miracle. The holiday raised hopes of another revolt, perhaps led by the messiah himself, who would win a permanent victory for Israel. Expectation was especially high in the temple itself, for that was the place of God's presence, the place where Jews could exercise some independence, the place of the miracle of lights.⁵ It is also where...

I. The Leaders⁶ Request an Admission of Royalty (vv. 24-30).

...from Jesus.

John 10:24 The Jew[ish leader]s gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."

Jesus has been ministering for almost three years, long enough for people to become aware of his healing and familiar with his preaching. He is in Jerusalem for the festival and in the temple, perhaps to teach. Some of the Jewish leaders approach him and ask directly...

A. Their question: "Tell us, are you the messiah?"

Given what is on people's minds at this time, it is natural that they are looking for the one who will "restore the kingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:6), and they know what to expect from this individual.

1. He will perform miracles. 
2. He will bring deliverance. 
3. He will represent God.

Jesus' response, though, is not as direct as they want....

B. His answer: "I told you, but you do not believe."

They want a simple yes or no. Instead, he addresses their general view of the messiah. First, he says...

1. "I perform miracles, but not the ones you expect."

Traveling to Jerusalem, Jesus had healed a blind man on the Sabbath, which some Pharisees considered inappropriate on the day of rest. Consequently, they ignored the miracle and concluded, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath" (9:16). Whether or not some of those Pharisees are part of the group now questioning Jesus, his response suggests that their attitude is the same: "The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe" (v. 25b).⁷ Jesus says...

You ask if I am the messiah. Well, just as the messiah is to perform miracles, so I perform miracles, but not the ones you expect... or are willing to accept.

Second, he says...

2. "I bring deliverance, but not the kind you expect."

The popular desire to be free from Roman rule is growing. There is an insurgent movement of Jews called Zealots, intent upon ousting the occupation forces. They currently employ guerrilla tactics against Roman troops and Roman sympathizers but hope to expand their campaign to full-scale military action. They are looking for a leader, like Judah Maccabee, to help deliver Israel from Roman oppression. Jesus could be that leader, but he has a more far-reaching goal in mind that goes beyond the people's immediate concern. "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish" (v. 28)."⁸ Jesus says...

You ask if I am the messiah. Well, just as the messiah is to bring deliverance, so I bring deliverance, but not the kind you expect.

Third, he says...

3. "I represent God, but not the way you expect."

The religious leaders are responsible to evaluate self-proclaimed prophets and messianic claimants, to prevent charlatans from misleading the people. Their scrutiny of Jesus, therefore, is appropriate. It is one thing for a person to claim he is doing the will of God. There are other prophets in Jesus' day, and they certainly present themselves as working for God. It is quite another thing, though, for a person to claim such a close relationship with God as to say, "I and the Father are one" (v. 30).⁹ Jesus says...

You ask if I am the messiah. Well, just as the messiah is to represent God, so I represent God, but not the way you expect.

The religious leaders want Jesus to confirm what much of the public suspects—that he is the messiah. "[T]ell us plainly," they say. It seems like a reasonable request: "Yes or no, Jesus." He cautions them, however, "I am not what you expect."

There is a note of caution here for us as well.¹⁰ We must not grow so confident or complacent in our own understanding about God's ways that we miss a vital piece of information. For example, in v. 28, Jesus affirms the eternal security of the believer: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."

It is one of the precious things about the Christian faith that our continuance in eternal life depends not on our feeble hold on Christ, but on His firm grip on us. We should notice that the teaching of this verse is not that believers will be saved from all earthly disaster, but that they will be saved, no matter what earthly disaster may befall. (Morris 1971:521)

Some Christians, however, attempt to make this verse mean more than Jesus actually says. They claim that a person's eternal fate is secure even from his own unfaithfulness.

[W]e must be careful to distinguish between the certainty of God's promises and [of] His infinite power on the one hand, and the weakness and variableness of man's will on the other. If man falls at any stage in his spiritual life, it is not from want of divine grace, nor from the overwhelming power of adversaries, but from his [own] neglect to use that which [is at his disposal]. We cannot be protected against ourselves in spite of ourselves.... The sense of the divine protection is at any moment sufficient to inspire confidence, but not to render [our own] effort unnecessary. (Westcott 1881:158-159)

God is able to protect a person from any adversary, but He does not hold a person against his will.¹¹ In other words, no force can wrest you from God's care, but you can leave His care, if you so choose. That is why Jesus says elsewhere, "he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matt 10:22b [= Mark 13:13b]; 24:13). It is not enough to be religious once a year. You must serve God all year.

Jesus' answer to their question is not what they expect, and it incites a violent reaction similar to an earlier incident, also in the temple, when Jesus declared, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (8:58). Here, too...

II. The Leaders Receive an Assertion of Deity (vv. 31-39).

from Jesus.

John 10:31 Again the Jew[ish leader]s picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 33 "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jew[ish leader]s, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." 34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods' [Ps 82:6]? 35 If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

These leaders display an almost visceral reaction to Jesus.¹² It does not matter what miracles he has done. As far as they are concerned, he has crossed the line of acceptable discourse. There is but one avenue open, and they let him know...

A. Their reaction: "You should die."

When he asks what has incensed them so, they explain the unforgivable nature of his assertion....

1. "You have blasphemed against God."

More than that...

2. "You have claimed to be God."

That they would stone Jesus for his remarks seems a bit extreme. What about free speech? ... There are all sorts of kooks with flaky ideas that most people chalk up to eccentricity. Why should Jesus be any different? So, he has a god-complex; just ignore him.

One reason they cannot ignore Jesus is that his assertions go beyond what the law permits any Jew to make. Claiming to be God is blasphemy against God, and the penalty as well as the method of punishment is clear.¹³ According to...

Lev 24: 16a-b [A]nyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him.

Although "the Jewish leader]s picked up stones to stone him," they hold back (v. 31). This is a mob action, not what the law requires, and to execute someone in the temple court would defile God's sanctuary.¹⁴ Moreover, they are under Roman law, which prohibits the prosecution of a capital crime without consent of the regional governor. For whatever reason, their delay allows Jesus to respond. Rather than beating a hasty retreat, Jesus addresses their accusation, berating them for ignoring the obvious.

B. His response: "You should pay attention."

They are dismissing the evidence that points to the very one they are seeking. If their first reaction is to stone anyone who claims to be the messiah, they will likely miss the messiah or kill him when he comes. Jesus is not asking them to accept his assertion on his word alone....

1. "The miracles I perform support the truth of my claims."

By this time in his ministry, Jesus has complied an impressive record to which many are witness, even there in Judea.¹⁵ When Jesus asks, "For which of these do you stone me?" (v. 32b), he forces them to respond with more than their emotions. Their minds are made up, though, so he resorts to a different tack....

2. "The scriptures you have support the truth of my claims."

In Ps 82, Asaph, one of the Levitical choir directors, extols the Lord's sovereignty.

Ps 82:1 God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the "gods": 

The term "gods" is a reference to earthly magistrates, judges who represent the Lord in settling disputes between members of the community. That becomes clear in the following verses, as God scolds them.

Ps 82:2 "How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? . . .3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. 4 Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

By quoting this psalm, Jesus is saying to these leaders, "If it is permissible for you to be called gods, because you represent God in a single (judicial) function, how much more appropriate is the title for me, God's son—'whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world'—because I represent Him in all functions" (Morris 1971:527-528).

Jesus does not rely on this bit of sophistry, though, but returns to the most compelling evidence supporting the truth of his messianic claim: "[E]ven though you do not believe me, believe the miracles" (v. 38). "The crux of the argument is the character of Jesus' works" (Barrett 1978:386). Who he is, his divine sonship and messianic position, rests ultimately on what he does. Alas, his appeal is to no avail. "[T]hey tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp" (v. 39)¹⁶

These Jewish leaders had 'tunnel vision' concerning the messiah. They had a clear picture in their minds of what he would be like and were unwilling to accept any deviation from that expectation. As a result, they missed what God sent for their good.

Is your vision of what God would or could do ever so narrow that you miss what He may intend for your good?

• Is your interpretation of scripture so restrictive that it cuts you off from fellowshipping with or befriending anyone who does not believe exactly as you do?
• Are you convinced that Jesus will return at a certain time or in a certain way, and are you rendering yourself ill prepared for an alternative?
• Have you taken a stand on what you regard as an absolute moral issue, ignoring biblical information that seems to support another view?

You can understand the problem of having too little faith,¹⁷ but you may not always see the problem of having too little flexibility.

Some aspects of your belief system are and should be fixed, unwavering no matter what the challenge:

• The unchanging character of God, 
• The reliability of His word,
• The certainty of your salvation,
• The importance of living obediently.

Such things have the clear and consistent testimony of scripture. Other things are not as clear or as certain, and if you insist upon making them so, you place yourself in the difficult position of defending the indefensible, or you risk disappointment when they prove to be different from what you expect.

These religious leaders were unable to adjust their expectations to the evidence Jesus' ministry presented. It was easier for them to dismiss Jesus' claims and to hold their position. As a result, they missed what God sent for their good. Do not be so sure of yourself that you miss what God may send for your good.

When God enters history in the person of Jesus and makes contact with humanity, it is on His terms.

• He announces his qualifications, not with signs of man's choosing (e.g., miracles of military conquest) but with signs of His choosing (i.e., miracles of merciful concern).
• He achieves his purpose, not by supplying what man thinks is most pressing (e.g., physical deliverance from the oppression of Rome, a life free from foreign domination) but by remedying what God knows is most pressing (i.e., spiritual deliverance from oppression of sin; a life free from dying, see Morris 1971:521, n. 72).
• He asserts his character, not according to man's theological expectations (e.g., with a man who represents God) but according to God's actual nature (i.e., with a man who is God).

Those who see this Light on the Messiah and welcome him are his people (his sheep), and he knows them (v. 27).

• They accept his qualifications and recognize him as God's anointed;
• They accept his provision and receive deliverance that is certain;
• They accept his character and revise their theological expectations accordingly.

You, too, have seen this Light on the Messiah. May your response be similar, ever attentive to what God may send for your good, be it at Christmas time or any time.

Bibliography 

• Barrett, C.K., 1978, The Gospel According to St. John. 2d ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.
• Gowen, Donald E., 1982. Bridge Between the Testaments: A Reappraisal of Judaism from the Exile to the Birth of Christianity. 2d ed. Pittsburgh Theological Monograph Series. No. 8. Edited by Dikran Y. Hadidian. Pittsburgh: The Pickwick Press.
• Morris, Leon, 1971, The Gospel According to John. NICNT. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
• Westcott, B.F., 1881, The Gospel According to St. John. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint ed.

Endnotes 

(1) This miracle may be why Hanukkah is also called the Festival of Lights, although Josephus says
it was because... 

Ant 12.7.7 [= 325j. . .the right to worship appeared to us at a time when we hardly dared hope for it..

(2) There is no such thing as totally objective history. In any recounting, the events are selected (limited) and evaluated (interpreted). Besides, total objectivity is not necessarily desirable. We could not assimilate all the details (even if they were available), and bare facts are often of little value in understanding the significance of an event. This does not mean that we blindly accept everything we read. On the contrary, we collect material from several sources, look for patterns, and formulate an interpretation that is consistent with the data at our disposal. Likewise, as we examine the accounts of Hanukkah (biblical and non-biblical), we look for an interpretation of the events and try to discern their significance for those involved (and for those who come later).

(3) "Petronius (governor of Syria), who delayed execution of the order as long as possible,

Ant 18.8.9 [= 308-3091 . ..rejoiced at the coincidence that Gaius' disaster came when it did, and marveled at the providence of God, who swiftly and punctually had paid him his reward for showing honor to the temple and coming to the rescue of the Jews.

(4) The religious climate was also contrary to Jewish law, for the high priest was a political appointee, an arrangement that drew opposition from Pharisees, Essenes, and Zealots.

(5) John's notice that this exchange takes place "in Solomon's Colonnade" may indicate an even greater expectation, for some thought that section had been part of the first temple (Morris 1971:518). It became a favorite place for the disciples.

Acts 3:11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade.

Acts 5:12b And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade.

(6) John, the author of this gospel, often refers to "the Jews" (59x) in his account of Jesus' life. While John sometimes uses this term to designate the nation of Israel, of which he himself is a part, it usually has a narrower referent—to the religious establishment, especially to those leaders who oppose Jesus, which is how John uses it in this passage. These verses contain theologically significant declarations on...

• Eternal security (vv. 28-29) 
• Jesus' deity (vv. 30, 38) 
• Biblical inerrancy (v. 35)

(7) This response contrasts with that of his sheep, who hear (recognize) and heed (respond).

(8) Jesus makes three observations in this verse. 

• What he gives: eternal life 
• What they get: eternal confidence 
• What none removes: eternal security

Note also the believers' dual security ("no one can snatch them"), which lies not in himself but in the Son (who is implicitly great) and in the Father (who is explicitly "greater").

(9) The term John employs for "one" is neuter, signifying one thing; that is, the same essence, not the same person. "The thought springs from the equality of power (my hand, the Father's hand); but infinite power is an essential attribute of God; and it impossible to suppose that two beings distinct in essence could be equal in power" (Westcott 1881:159).

Rev 20:6c . . . they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Rev 22:3b The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

(10) Despite what God has revealed, despite what we may think we know about Him, He is not what we expect. It is not that He misleads us but that we misread Him.

Isa 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Just as first century conditions shaped the expectations of these leaders, so twenty-first century expectations shape our expectations; and just as they missed the significance of what God was doing then, so we can miss the significance of what God is doing now-if we so not pay attention.

(11) Related passages include:

Heb 6:4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Heb 10:26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

(12) At this point, he may be taunting them a bit. Having already identified them as sheep not from his fold, he 'messes with their head.' He makes a brazen claim to deity ("I and the Father are one" v. 30), then 'walks it back' by including them ("you are gods" v. 34).

(13) Other passages include:

Num 15:30 But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemes the LORD, and that person must be cut off from his people. 31 Because he has despised the LORD's word and broken his commands, that person must surely be cut off; his guilt remains on him.

Deut 21:22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree,

(14) The sanctuary compound was generally safe ground.

1 Kgs 1:51 . . . Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.'

2 Kgs 11:13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the LORD. 14a She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was....

15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders...: "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the temple of the LORD."

Nevertheless, an obstinate person was not, thereby, immune.

1 Kgs 2:29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, "Go, strike him down!" 30 So Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, "The king says, 'Come out!" But he answered, "No, I will die here." Benaiah reported to the king, "This is how Joab answered me." 31 Then the king commanded Benaiah, "Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my father's house of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.... 34a So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him....

(15) Relevant passages include:

John 2:23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.

John 5:1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.... 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.... 8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9a At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.... 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

John 7:31 Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?"

John 9:1 ...he saw a man blind from birth.... 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.... 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind.... 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.

(16) This was not the first threat to his life because of something he said. 

John 5:17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

(17) Some assumed insufficiency was their problem.

Mark 9:24 . . . the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"