My sheep hear my voice

Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. Then the Jews surrounded him and said to him, "How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand."

- John 10:22-28

My study bible says that this encounter with the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem takes place approximately three months after the Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths. (For the important teaching and events of the Feast of Tabernacles, see the following sequence of readings: My time is not yet fully come, The glory of God, Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, Go your way, I am the light of the world, You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free, If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed, and Before Abraham was, I am.) In today's reading, Jesus is once again in Jerusalem for another important religious festival. This time, he is at the Feast of Dedication (also known as Hanukkah), which is the festival of lights. My study bible notes: "This Feast commemorates the rededication of the temple to the God of Israel after the Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the temple in 167 B.C. (see 1 Macc. 1-4)." In this festival, the leaders of Israel's past are commemorated, many of whom were literal shepherds. We recall that in the past several readings, Jesus has given his sermon and teachings on the Good Shepherd. (See I am the door of the sheep, and I am the Good Shepherd.)

Jesus continues his dialogue with the religious leadership (we recall that in this gospel, the term "the Jews" is used to denote those in the leadership who reject him). They have previously sought to condemn and arrest or stone Jesus on various grounds, notably for violating the Sabbath by acts of healing (the paralytic and the man blind from birth - here and here) and for declaring himself one with God, an act of blasphemy. This time they ask, "How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

In the recent readings of the dialogue following the healing of the man blind from birth, it's clear that not all the leadership is in agreement about Jesus. They debate among themselves. So, here we have a continuation of that turmoil and division. "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." But Jesus has preached repeatedly and openly about his identity, declaring himself in a number of ways, which has enraged many in the leadership. Here, he repeats himself again, "I told you, and you do not believe." He notes the works that he has done, the "signs" (we have read of six so far in John's gospel), such as feeding the multitudes, and the healings referred to earlier in this commentary. We understand at this point, these miracles not to be "proofs" but signs, like a witnessing, events of grace by virtue of his presence and his works which he does that are of the Father's will. "The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me."

"But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Once again, we return to the themes of the sheep and the Good Shepherd, of recognition and relationship, nurture and care, and loyalty and love. They simply don't hear him, don't recognize him. The "signs" are read by those who do; they function as a form of witnessing to those with eyes to see and ears to hear - the ones who hear his voice, and follow.

And then Jesus turns to themes of life in abundance, which he has mentioned in the previous discourse, in which he said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Today he takes that one step further, as he says, "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish." Not only does life in abundance include an eternal life, but that eternal life is, once again, brought about in love, "Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand." If we are his sheep, we remain with him forever. It is an abiding love, this eternal life, in which we remain with him, "in his hand." Not only will he lay down his life for the sheep, but he will also give them eternal life - keeping them with him forever. All things that he teaches come out of love, and relationship, be they about judgment, truth, the Cross, or life in abundance. We always go back to love and relationship. There is no escape, no getting away from it. And it is through love that we hear him and realize who we are. So, how do you hear these words? What do they mean to you? Do you feel that you are one of the sheep? Do his words burn in your heart within you?