This week’s readings are all from John chapters 10-11. Click here to see a full listing of each day’s reading and the full chapters for this week. Full readings of each day’s smaller segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week.
Today's Reading
22 Then came the feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem. 23 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s Portico. 24 The Jewish leaders surrounded him and asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus replied, “I told you and you do not believe. The deeds I do in my Father’s name testify about me. 26 But you refuse to believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
31 The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone him to death. 32 Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jewish leaders replied, “We are not going to stone you for a good deed but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are claiming to be God.”
34 Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If those people to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ (and the scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform the deeds of my Father, do not believe me. 38 But if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” 39 Then they attempted again to seize him, but he escaped their clutches.
The earlier conversation and conflict with Judean leaders (John 7:1-10:22) had taken place during the Festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot) which occurs for one week in the month of Tishri (typically falling in late September or early October). Now the narrative has shifted to another holiday, Ḥanukkah, which occurs on the 25th of Kislev (the dates fall in December) and is celebrated for 7 days prior (8 total days). Ḥanukkah is a post-biblical holiday commemorating the temple's liberation from Selucid oppression on the 25th of Kislev during the Maccabean revolt of 167- 160 BCE. In the Ḥanukkah miracle story, there was enough oil to keep the menorah candles of the temple lit for only one day, but the oil lasted 8 full days. Both Sukkot and Ḥanukkah are celebrated with a focus on lights (candles and torches).
Solomon's collonade was on the temple's east side and was part of the large columned and covered areas that surrounded all sides of the temple.
Here is a model example of what that covered area would have looked like:
Ḥanukkah being in winter, the weather could have ranged from fair and clear to bitterly cold and raining or snowing. The covered areas would have provided shelter and warmth for pilgrims gathered for the holiday.