John 10:22-30

The Jews at this time celebrated the Feast of Dedication, or Renewal, because Judas Maccabeus had cleansed and rededicated the temple (164 b.c.) after atrocities committed in it by Antiochus Epiphanes (167 b.c.), and the celebration of this rededication continued each year to Jesus’ time. Jesus was in Jerusalem for the celebration, and the Jews gathered around Him, asking Him directly whether He was the Christ.

 

Jesus’ answer begins by sounding as if He is avoiding the answer. “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness of me.” They could easily have been thinking, “Jesus, if you had actually told us plainly, we would know the answer, wouldn’t we? We know how amazing your works are; that’s why we are asking you just to give us the answer – Are you the Christ?”

 

Of course, many people have described the kind of Christ the Jews were looking for. They were looking for a savior – but they wanted a savior to overthrow the Romans so that they could be an unoppressed Jewish nation once again. Jesus was the Christ, the Savior – but He had a much greater goal in mind. Rather than freedom from Roman oppression, Jesus wanted to set men free from Satan’s kingdom so that they could be free from their sins, free to serve God. Perhaps this is why He doesn’t answer the people merely by saying, “Yes, I am the Christ.” They would have gotten the wrong message.

 

Regardless, Jesus points the people back to His works – works He has done in His Father’s name. And then He tells the people that they do not believe because they are not His sheep. He repeats some of what He taught earlier: His sheep know His voice; He knows them; they follow Him; He gives eternal life to them; they will never perish; and no one will ever snatch Jesus’ sheep out of His hand (though at times of danger the sheep might wonder whether they are being snatched away and give up hope!). This is the relationship between Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and His sheep. So these people are not Jesus’ sheep!

 

But then Jesus continues in such a way that He will both answer the question, “Are you the Christ?” and keep people from believing He’s there to save them from the Romans. He begins to identify Himself more closely with the Father. No one can snatch the sheep from Jesus’ hands. But then Jesus adds, “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all (the Jews, understanding that He meant God, would agree with this!); and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand (and they would agree with this, too).”

 

But then the bomb – “I and the Father are one.” Period. Psalm 2 is a psalm describing the Christ. And in it, God says to the Christ, “Today I have become your Father, I have begotten You.” Jesus is claiming to be the Messiah by claiming to be that Son. The only-begotten Son of God. He does the Father’s works. He guards the Father’s sheep. He and the Father together protect them. He was claiming to be the Christ – yes, Yes, YES! That’s Jesus’ answer. I am the Christ! But more than that, I am God!

 

Father, thank You for sending Jesus, Your only begotten Son, the Christ. We trust Him, and we trust You, to guard us – Your sheep. We hear and believe that Jesus is the Anointed One, sent to save His people. Thank You for saving us. Thank You for saving me through Jesus Christ.