Jerusalem at the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22-39)

Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication, what we call Hanukah today. It celebrated the re-dedication of the Temple in 165 BC, which the Seleucid Emperor Antiochus Epiphanes had half destroyed and desecrated. Judas the Maccabee was the leader of the rebellion against the Seleucid Empire, no relation to Judas Iscariot!

Jesus was in the Temple when a number of Jews surrounded him and told Him to say plainly if He was the Christ or not. So he did. They tried to stone Him for it but He “escaped their grasp.”

North to Samaria (John 10:40-43)

Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and followed the Jordan north to the site of John the Baptist’s baptizing ministry, which was in Samaria. Many people there still revered John the Baptist and believed in Jesus because of what John had said about him. There was probably a mix of Samaritans and Jews. Contrast this with the reaction of the Jews in Jerusalem!

While there, Lazarus – the brother of Mary and Martha – was sick. The family lived all the way back down near Jerusalem in the town of Bethany. They must have know where Jesus was because they sent a messenger to Jesus to come and heal Lazarus. It took 1 day travel on foot for the messengers to reach Jesus.

In fact, Lazarus was already dead by then as we find out later on in the story. He must have died shortly after the messengers left, but there was no way to catch the messengers and tell them that.

When they gave Jesus the message he replied “This sickness will not end in death.” His listeners thought he meant Lazarus would not die; instead he meant that he would raise Lazarus from the dead.

Knowing Lazarus was already dead, Jesus waited for 2 more days to set out on his journey. He told the disciples he was returning to Judea, or central Israel whose capital city is Jerusalem. He told the disciples that Lazarus has died but that Jesus was going to raise him. The disciples were more interested in the fact that the Jews had just tried to kill Jesus in Jerusalem and now he’s going back?! Bethany was just a couple of miles from the great city.

Thomas – who we sometimes call “Doubting Thomas” – told the others “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” I changed my opinion of Thomas after reading this.

It took 1 travel day for Jesus to reach Bethany. So 4 days passed since Mary and Martha sent the messengers to Jesus. Note that Jesus did NOT wait around for Lazarus to die! Lazarus was already dead by the time the messengers reached him.

Bethany (John 11)

Jesus arrived in Bethany. Martha greeted him (Mary and the other mourners stayed in the house) and Martha told him that her brother would not have died had Jesus been there. Jesus told her that her brother would live, and Martha confirmed that she believed he would be resurrected  at the last day. This was true of course for believers, but Jesus went a giant step further – he reminded her that “I am the resurrection and the life.” Martha answered in faith and trust and went to get her sister Mary. Mary and the mourners now join them and both women are crying. And…

“Jesus wept.” The word means quiet tears running down his face, in contrast to the shouts and cries of the mourners. Jesus knew he was going to raise Lazarus but he also fully felt his friends’ pain and agony. God doesn’t shrug when bad things happen to us and tell us to get over it because it’ll end up OK. It will end up great – but God cares about our pain and helps us through it.

Jesus approaches the tomb, which was a cave in a hillside with a stone rolled in front of it to keep predators out. This is similar to what Jesus’ tomb would look like! In fact, Jesus knew EXACTLY what he was doing!

Now we find out why Jesus got there 4 days after Lazarus’ death. He told the bystanders to roll away the stone but Martha told him that the corpse would smell after 4 days. Get this: in Jewish tradition, the spirit of the dead lingers about its body for 3 days. Then it goes to the afterlife. Lazarus was dead, dead, dead!

And Jesus responds “Didn’t I tell  you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” Then he prayed out loud to the Father so the people could hear and know where Jesus’ power came from.  Then Jesus shouted “Lazarus, come out!” I’ll bet that was a shout that shivered the earth!

And Lazarus came out!

Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem. Many of the witnesses believed in Jesus because of the resurrection of Lazarus. Others ran back to Jerusalem and told the Pharisees what had happened. So the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin, which consisted of the Pharisees and Sadducees, some of whom were also priests.

Caiphas was the high priest at that time, serving from 18-36 AD. He was the son-in-law of Annas who had been deposed by the Romans in 15  AD. The high priesthood was supposed to be for life but the Romans often deposed the high priest. If Caiphas lasted as long as he did, it was because he got along just fine with the Empire!

People complained that “everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” Note that the Sanhedrin were more worried about losing their positions, that came first on their list of fears.

Now Caiphas speaks and he prophesies without knowing it! “Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”  He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life. (John 11:49-53)

In spite of his personal evil and sin, Caiphas prophesied through the power of the Holy Spirit — even though he didn’t know it! God is sovereign.

Ephraim

Jesus however was on his own timetable and knew that he would come back to Jerusalem during the Passover to die on His own terms. So he and his disciples withdrew to the desert town of Ephraim to wait. I’ll bet the disciples thought they’d dodged a bullet, not dreaming that Jesus would shortly return to Jerusalem again – this time to die.

Personal Application

Study: What are the parallels in this story and Christ’s coming passion?

Meditation: Picture yourself lying in that tomb. See your body covered with graveclothes. Silent. Cold. Alone. Then hear the stone scrape and fall aside and a strong and loving voice call out your name — “Come out!”

Blessings!

Command to Physically Leave

(Gen 12:1)  The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

(Gen. 31:13)  [God said to Jacob] “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.’”

(Ex. 33:1)  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’

(Jer. 10:17)  [To Judea about Babylon] Gather up your belongings to leave the land, you who live under siege.

(Is. 48:20)  [To exiled Jews in Babylon] Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians! Announce this with shouts of joy and proclaim it. Send it out to the ends of the earth; say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob.”

God Will Not Leave

(Deut. 31:8)  [Moses to Joshua] “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

(Josh. 1:5)  [God to Joshua after Moses’ death] “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

(John 14:18)  “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

(John 14:27)  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

What Is God Saying to Us?

What are the things that God might tell us to leave behind? (Places, sins, attitudes, jobs, volunteer work, relationships, etc.)

Leaving because of someone else’s sin and mistakes

If you are being opposed in your witness, you may need to stay like Jesus stayed for His Passion in Jerusalem – but don’t assume this is the case. Jesus also said to leave in some circumstances.

(Matt. 10:14)  “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.”

(Matt. 15:14)  “Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Leaving to find something that was lost

We may be content where we are, but if you have lost something important you may need to leave to go look for it. “Leaving” in this case may mean giving up your comfortable devotions and wrestling with God in prayer, or starting to go on personal retreats when you haven’t done it for years, or experimenting with listening prayer.

(Matt. 18:12)  “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”

Leaving behind sinful ways

There is always leaving behind our besetting sins and attitudes! We leave behind active sins of pride, anger and greed; we also leave behind attitudes of mistrust and despair.

(John 8:10-11)  Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Leaving paid or volunteer work for different work

Sometimes we’re doing a perfectly fine job in our paid or volunteer work – and God tells us to go do a different work.

(Acts 16:9-10)  During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

An End to Leaving

And then one day we will come home and will never have to leave again.

Rev. 3:12  “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”

Oh, this is me! Noticing the strong wind all the time and sinking down. Crying out for Jesus and Jesus comes! But how more blessed it would be — how much more blessed I would be — if I kept my eyes on Him and only Him, not in fear of my surroundings but in faith.Isn’t this the same message in Mark? “Peace, be still!… Why are you frightened? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:39-40) Also Matt. 8:24-27!

The storms on the Sea of Galilee are horrific! The winds howl without warning down from the ravines onto the lake with terrifying force. Peter climbing out of that boat was really something! This wasn’t a few whitecaps, this was the Perfect Storm!

So here’s the thing. Peter did start in faith, and Jesus saved him even when he was afraid. But notice that Peter didn’t lose his faith completely. He still cried out to Jesus to save him, and Jesus did. But when he “noticed the strong wind” that’s when he was afraid and started to sink. It is better to keep believing by focusing on Jesus and His nature than looking at our problems and starting to sink. If we are afraid we cry out to Jesus for help and he does it, but how much more powerful it would be to walk in faith. How much stronger we would be the next time because we keep our eyes trained on Jesus and his strength He is the lord of the storm and the sea, we do not have to be afraid.

I do this all of the time! I do believe and I am constantly crying out to Jesus to save me. Why? Because pretty much all I am noticing is the strong wind! But when something is big to me it sure as heck isn’t big to God. He understands — but it isn’t threatening Him. He’s walking on the water. And if I keep my attention on Him and Him alone, then I can walk on the water too. And you know what? This isn’t just a matter of solving my problems and being blessed. It’s a matter of putting Him first in my life. Not other pleasures, not other desires, and certainly not problems. Him.

Your Prayer

Click here to learn how to use your senses in prayer.

In prayer, picture yourself walking on the water with Jesus beckoning you. Taste the salt water, feel the screaming wind, hear the roar of the waves. Now concentrate on Jesus’ face and Jesus’ face alone. Let your other senses fall silent. Watch Jesus hold out his hands to you, his nail-scarred hands. Close the distance looking at nothing but him. Reach out your hands and feel his strong carpenter’s hands close around yours and pull you in close. What does Jesus say? What does He do? How do you respond?

Reflection

When you have finished your meditation, ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you focusing on Jesus in spite of your problems?
2. Are you sinking but crying out for Jesus’ help?
3. How will you turn over your problems to Jesus from now on?
4. What would it look like if you stopped worrying and really trusted Him instead?

• What do I see? (Jesus, a crowd, a temple)
• What do I hear? (wind, voices, silence)
• What do I touch? (clothes, stone, skin)
• What do I smell? (spices, blood, ocean)
• What do I taste? (wine, food, salt tears)

Now that you sense what’s around you as you enter the gospel story, let the story run itself. Don’t try to direct it (this gets easier with time). The story will often surprise you by changing from the way you read it — because you are really there with Jesus. Jesus transcends time and space and he is meeting you here and now!

For example, someone may come up and talk to you. You may feel compelled to approach Jesus yourself, or he may be looking for you (will he find you?) or you may just watch as the paralytic decides if he wants to be well, or as Zacchaeus climbs a tree, or as the woman with the issue of blood merely touches Jesus’ robe and she is healed. Who knows what you’ll see?

For example, prayerfully imagine yourself at the garden after Jesus’ resurrection. You may be Mary Magdalen, or a gardener, or yourself. See the burial garden slowly take shape as the early sun rises. Look at the mist on the ground, smell the wetness of the morning air and the faint hint of burial spices mixed in the green growing things. Hear the heavy silence and feel the feeling of a great waiting, of unseen presences waiting for the rising of the sun and with it the Resurrection of God.

Then Jesus appears, just as He did to Mary Magdalene. Hear what He says to you. 

Let’s  take an example of one of my own meditations, I imagined that I was the paralytic by the pool in John 5:2-9. In this story, many sick people literally lived by the pool of Bethesda because every so often the water began to bubble. The first person who flung himself into the pool was healed. (They believed an angel was stirring the water and so diving power had passed into the pool.) This paralyzed man had waited by the poolside for many years but had never been the first in the water.

During the first part of my imaging prayer, things happened just as they were recorded in the Bible. I entered the story and imagined myself as the paralytic, and the story began to move. In walked Jesus. He looked around the room filled with the crippled and the sick, and then spotted me. He walked over to me, looked down, and was silent. I was getting awfully uncomfortable under that steady look. Then he asked, “Do you want to get well?” I panicked! Did I want to get well? I literally had no idea what I was going to say. It would have been very comfortable to stay the way I was — a procrastinator, a discomfort-dodger, a victim of circumstances. To want to be healed — to really want it — meant to accept and practice responsibility for living.

I hesitated. He waited. Then I gathered up all my courage and said, “Yes, I want to get well.” This meditation helped me to understand some of my own reluctance about being healed and opened a new door in my life.