seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 10:22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about 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 will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “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”’[d]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 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 the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, 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.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
b. John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
c. John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
d. John 10:34 Psalm 82:6
There is some Jewish history in the commentary that explains the Festival of Dedication.... or as we know it now... Hanukkah.
“Feast of Dedication” is the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, which celebrates the Israelite victory over the Syrian leader Antiochus Epiphanes, who persecuted Israel. In 170 B.C. conquered Jerusalem and desecrated the Jewish temple by setting up a pagan altar to displace the altar of God.
Under the leadership of an old priest named Mattathias (his family name was called the Hasmoneans), the Jews fought guerrilla warfare (known as the Maccabean Revolt, 166-142 B.C.), against Syria and freed the temple and the land from Syrian dominance until 63 B.C. when Rome (Pompey), took control of Palestine.
It was (in 164 B.C.), on 25 Chislev (Dec. approximately), that the Jews liberated the temple and rededicated it. The celebration is also known as the “Feast of Lights” because of the lighting of lamps and candles in Jewish homes to commemorate the event.
“It was winter”: John indicated by this phrase that the cold weather drove Jesus to walk on the eastern side of the temple in the sheltered area of Solomon’s porch, which after the resurrection became the regular gathering place of Christians where they would proclaim the gospel.
This Feast of Dedication is the same as the Feast of Lights, which began on the 25th day of Chislev (December), and continued for eight days. This Feast did not require attendance at Jerusalem.
I want to go to verse 34 first.... Jesus quoted Psalm 82.... where the author says humans are like "little gods" because they are in a position to "judge" other humans. In my humble opinion.... Jesus nailed it. They were acting like little gods every time Jesus healed someone. I read in one of the commentaries [I can't find it now} that they couldn't comprehend the "Evolution of God". I think that's a really interesting thought.
Scientists agree that animals evolve. Even the COVID-19 virus has evolved... making everything so confusing about opening schools and getting vaccines ready. Humans have evolved too.... we have set foot on the moon. We've gone from discovering the wheel to rocket ships capable of going to the moon and back.
Why wouldn't God Evolve too? Do we all figure God just stopped knowing everything when He finished creation? Why isn't it possible that God evolved Himself so that He could become a human to enjoy the human psyche that He created? He is, after all, God. He created humans who are perfectly happy to run around every Sabbath pretending to be "gods" telling people they can't be healed on that day because "they" say it is against the rules, regulations, policies and procedures they came up with to keep humans in line. If God gave them the desire to be like Him.... why couldn't He evolve to be like them but still be God? If God created their procreation.... why couldn't God procreate? Why wouldn't God Evolve too?
They say this Feast of Dedication, this Feast of Lights.... now know commonly as Hanukkah..... started on December 25th. And then it lasted for 8 days..... and they didn't have to go to Jerusalem to celebrate... they lit up their own homes. So most people stayed home for this holiday. Jesus was at the Temple in Jerusalem... but the crowds weren't as huge has when the had been celebrating Purim [Festival of Booths].
The Pharisees and the Sadducees were ready to stone Jesus to death right there and then.... but Rome was in charge. Rome reserved the sole right to handle Capital Punishment cases. They couldn't stone Jesus to death because they would be in trouble with Rome. It would cause an international event. That's ok though... because Jesus had this uncanny ability to "disappear" into the crowd. {I still think it's mind control.]
I have a little thing on my dresser that one of my daughters made when she was in elementary school. It looks like she made a circle of clay that she shaped around her thumb and then hardened and painted. It's about the size one of those 18" dolls would use for a cereal bowl! A dolly cereal bowl.... so innocent..... right? I also have a piece of her wire art.... it looks like a person sleeping.... but she calls it "a dead supermodel". She evolved.
When that same child was about 3... she was laying on the sofa across from me... taking a nap. I looked over and watched her grow. The clothes she was wearing just got smaller and she grew bigger.... only a couple of inches... but enough for me to actually see. Her ankles weren't showing when she went to sleep... but when she got up... there they were. She was evolving.... into the woman she is today.
So.... evolution.... the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form. In the Beginning God created everything, including time. As the Creator of Time... He controls time. He can look forward as well as backwards..... and He knew Eve would get Adam in trouble.... so He figured out how to solve that issue... and He evolved to the task. Is that so hard to believe?
The commentaries... the priests... the preachers... everyone calls Him the One True Living God..... Since God is Living... then He is constantly developing into a more complex form. He already created the whole universe before He created man.... Why would we even question His Godly Evolution?
This is about the Evolution of God....
