Commemorated cleansing and rededication of Temple by the ..

1
John 9-10

• Jesus at Hanukkah Light of Life and Shepherd of
  Life

2
Broad Outline of Fourth Gospel

• Ch. 1 Introduction Prologue and Witness of John
• Ch. 2-12 Jesus Before the World ("Book of Signs")
• Theme Through signs and discourses, Jesus
  reveals himself as the Son of God, sent to save
  the world, but is rejected by the world.
• Ch. 2-4 Images of New Salvation
• Ch. 5-10 Growing hostility
• Christological claims become more explicit.
• The Jews become increasingly hostile.
• Organized around Jewish festivals, which Jesus
  fulfills
• w Sabbath (ch. 5)
• w Passover (ch. 6)
• w Tabernacles (ch. 7-8)
• w Hanukkah (ch. 9-10)
• Ch. 11-12 Final rejection
• Ch. 13-20 Jesus Before the Disciples ("Book of
  Passion/Glory")
• Ch. 21 Appendix Appearance in Galilee

3
John 9-10Jesus at Hanukkah Light of Life and
Shepherd of Life

• Feast of Hanukkah (Dedication)
• Some take ch. 9 with ch. 7-8 at Tabernacles.
• Hanukkah comes in winter (1022).
• Commemorated cleansing and rededication of Temple
  by the Maccabees in 164 B.C. after defilement by
  Antiochus IV.
• Legend of lamp oil that miraculously lasted 8
  days.
• Celebration featured prominent use of lamps and
  candles.
• Popularly called Feast of Lights.
• Ezek. 34 was read (false shepherds vs. God the
  Good Shepherd).

4

• 91-41 Sixth Sign Healing a Man Born Blind
• Healing a blind beggar (v. 1-12).
• Who sinned, this man or his parents?
• Presupposes traditional assumption that suffering
  is caused by sin.
• Neither cannot assume direct linkage (see
  discussion on ch. 5).
• Sign demonstrates that Jesus is light of world
  (v. 5).
• Method uses saliva to make ointment of clay
  sends to wash in pool of Siloam (cf. Lk. 134)
  comes back seeing.
• Controversy over the healing (v. 13-41).
• Pharisees question the blind man (v. 13-17).
• Accuse Jesus of Sabbath violation (kneading the
  clay anointing the eyes healing a chronic
  condition sending to wash).
• Pharisees dilemma how can a sinner perform
  such cures?
• Pharisees put the blind man on trial.
• Blind man progressively comes to sight.
• Pharisees, who claim to see, reveal themselves
  to be blind.
• Here the blind man opines that Jesus is a
  prophet.

5

• 91-41 Sixth sign Healing a man born blind
  cont.
• 2. Controversy over the healing (v. 13-41)
  cont.
• Pharisees question the parents (v. 18-23).
• Confirm blindness but refuse to give opinion
  about Jesus Ask him he is of age. He will
  speak for himself (v. 20-21).
• Afraid of the Jews, because they had already
  agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the
  Messiah would be put out of the synagogue (v.
  22).
• Anachronistic reflects conflict between church
  and synagogue at time of Evangelist (cf. Martyns
  two-level drama interpretation).
• Pharisees question blind man again (v. 24-34).
• Blind man refuses to call Jesus a sinner and
  says, though I was blind, now I see (v. 25)
  AMAZING GRACE!
• Pharisees declare him a disciple of Jesus,
  which means he cant be disciple of Moses
  (anachronistic Johns readers forced to choose).
• Blind man rebukes Pharisees for not recognizing
  that one who opens the eyes of the blind must be
  from God (v. 30-33).
• Pharisees declare him a sinner and cast him out
  (v. 34).

6

• 91-41 Sixth sign Healing a man born blind
  cont.
• 2. Controversy over the healing (v. 13-41)
  cont.
• Jesus questions the blind man (v. 35-38).
• Cast out by Pharisees found by Jesus (cf.
  Johns readers).
• Confesses Jesus is Son of Man calls him Lord
  and worships him.
• Blind mans progressive insight
• the man called Jesus (v. 11).
• a prophet (v. 17).
• from God (v. 33).
• Son of Man (v. 35).
• Lord, I believe and worships him (v. 38).
• Fullest confession comes only after being cast
  out of synagogue (are readers called to separate
  in order to make full confession?).
• Jesus confronts the Pharisees (v. 39-41).
• Jesus revelation brings salvation and judgment
  that those who do not see may see, and those who
  do see may become blind.
• Blind man has come to sight.
• Pharisees reveal their blindness Surely we
  are not blind, are we?
• 2) If you were blind, you would not have sin.
  But now that you say, We see, your sin
  remains.
• Jesus can heal only those willing to acknowledge
  their blindness and open their eyes to the light
  of revelation.
• To cling to blindness and call it sight is to
  remain in darkness.

7

• 101-42 Jesus the Shepherd of Life
• Background Reading of Ezek. 34 during Hanukkah.
• Israels rulers are depicted as false shepherds
  (Ezek. 341-10).
• God is the Good Shepherd who gathers and protects
  the sheep (Ezek. 3411-22).
• Shepherd becomes symbol for Messiah (Ezek.
  3423-31).
• For John, Jesus is the Good Shepherd in contrast
  to Jewish leaders, who are false shepherds.
• Figure of the thief and the shepherd (v. 1-6).
• Jewish leaders are like thieves who break in.
• Jesus is the Shepherd, authorized to use the
  gate.
• Jesus knows his sheep they recognize and
  follow him.
• Imagery of sheepfold shared by several shepherds.
• Calls sheep by name, leads them outthey know his
  voice, follow.
• Verb for brought out (v. 4) is same as cast
  out (934).
• Follow alludes to Christian discipleship.
• Readers are called to leave synagogue and follow
  Jesus.

8

• 101-42 Jesus the Shepherd of Life cont.
• Figure of the gate/door for the sheep (v. 7-10).
• I am the gate for the sheep.
• Third I am with a predicate.
• May be image of shepherd sleeping across entrance
  into sheepfold.
• As the Gate, Jesus provides access to shelter and
  pasture.
• Protects against thieves (messianic pretenders
  Jewish leaders?).
• Gives access to nourishment (pasture symbolizes
  life).
• I came that they may have life, and have it
  abundantly.
• For readers excluded from synagogue, sheepfold
  of Jesus offers greater security and abundance.

9

• 101-42 Jesus the Shepherd of Life cont.
• Figure of the Good Shepherd (v. 11-18).
• I am the good shepherd.
• Fourth I am with a predicate.
• Applies to Jesus an OT image of God and Messiah
  (Ezek. 34 cf. Ps. 23).
• Contrasts owner-shepherd with hired hand.
• Hireling runs away and lets wolf devour the
  sheep.
• Jewish leaders allow people to wander into danger
  (cf. Ezek. 341-10).
• Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
• Jesus willingness to die proves his care for the
  sheep.
• Emphasizes voluntary nature of Jesus
  self-sacrifice (v.18 cf. Passion Narrative in
  FG).
• Willingness to die exceeds both OT imagery and
  pastoral reality (a real shepherd probably
  wouldnt be so willing).
• Other sheep not of this fold must be
  incorporated into one flock (v. 16).
• Probably refers to Gentile Christians.
• Incorporated into Israel through death of Jesus.

10

• 101-42 Jesus the Shepherd of Life cont.
• Response to Jesus (v. 19-42).
• The Jews are divided over Jesus (v. 19-21).
• Cf. separation of good and bad sheep in Ezek.
  3417-34).
• Some think he has a demon and is out of his mind
  (cf. Mk. 321-22).
• The Jews interrogate Jesus at Hanukkah (v.
  22-30).
• They do not believe because they do not belong
  to his sheep.
• Jesus gives his sheep eternal life no one can
  snatch them from his hand nor from the
  Fathers hand.
• The Father and I are one.
• The Jews attempt to stone him for blasphemy (v.
  31-39).
• Jesus uses Ps. 826 (I said, you are gods) to
  justify calling himself Gods Son.
• Refers to scripture as your law (anachronistic
  reflects church-synagogue disputes at time of
  Evangelist).
• Jesus escapes and withdraws to the Transjordan,
  where many come and believe (v. 40-42).