Joh 10:22 | TNotes | STEP | 10:22 Hanukkah was a winter festival that commemorated the rededication of the Temple after it had been defiled by Antiochus IV (175–163 BC ). Two hundred years before Christ, Greek soldiers captured and pillaged the Jerusalem Temple, took its treasures and artifacts, and made it unusable for worship. In the winter of 165–164 BC , a Jewish army led by Judas Maccabeus reclaimed the Temple and rededicated it to the Lord. The Festival of Hanukkah (“dedication”) marked this dedication (see 1 Maccabees 3–4; 2 Maccabees 8:1–10:8). During the festival, priests examined their commitment to service, using Ezek 34 as their principal text for reflection (also Jer 23:1-4 ; 25:32-38 ; Zech 11 ). At this Hanukkah celebration, Jesus used the shepherd theme from Ezek 34 to distinguish between himself as the good shepherd (John 10:11 ) and Israel’s current religious leaders as bad shepherds (10:10 , 12-13 ).

a10:22►

bEzek 34►

cJer 23:1-4►

d25:32-38►

eZech 11►

fEzek 34►

gJohn 10:11►

h10:10►

i12-13►

‏ John 10:22

10:22 ^a Hanukkah was a winter festival that commemorated the rededication of the Temple after it had been defiled by Antiochus IV (175–163 BC). Two hundred years before Christ, Greek soldiers captured and pillaged the Jerusalem Temple, took its treasures and artifacts, and made it unusable for worship. In the winter of 165–164 BC, a Jewish army led by Judas Maccabeus reclaimed the Temple and rededicated it to the Lord. The Festival of Hanukkah (“dedication”) marked this dedication (see 1 Maccabees 3–4; 2 Maccabees 8:1–10:8). During the festival, priests examined their commitment to service, using Ezek 34 ^b as their principal text for reflection (also Jer 23:1-4 ^c; 25:32-38 ^d; Zech 11 ^e). At this Hanukkah celebration, Jesus used the shepherd theme from Ezek 34 ^f to distinguish between himself as the good shepherd (John 10:11 ^g) and Israel’s current religious leaders as bad shepherds (10:10 ^h, 12-13 ⁱ).