Today we are halfway through the Jewish celebration of
Hanukkah, or “The Festival of Lights.” It is a time when Jews commemorate the re-dedication
of the temple in 165 BC following the Maccabean revolt. Though the story of Hanukkah is not found in
the Bible, we do find reference to it in John 10 and we see that it was on such
an occasion that Jesus made most plain His claim to be God in the flesh.
First some history: Following the death of Alexander the
Great, the Kingdom of Greece was divided among four princes. The nation of
Israel lay on disputed territory between the Ptolemys (Egypt) and the Seleucids
(Syria). The land exchanged hands a time or two and I the 2nd
Century BC was under the rule of the Seleucids.
Antiochus IV was ruler at the time, and he sought to expand
he kingdom by attacking Egypt. After suffering as humiliating defeat, Antiochus
IV stopped off in Jerusalem. He blamed
the Jews and their worship of Yahweh for his defeat, and thus he looted the
temple, massacred the Jews, and outlawed Judaism. A year later, 167 BC,
Antiochus IV had an altar to Zeus erected in the temple. This triggered the revolt, the eventual
overthrow of the Seleucids, and the establishment of a Jewish state that lasted
until 66 BC.
In 165 BC the Maccabees had recaptured the temple and sought
to restore temple worship. The candlestick (menorah) in the temple was supposed
to burn non-stop. As the story goes, when
they went to relight the menorah they discovered they only had one day supply of
oil, and it would be several days before more oil would be ready. The decided
to light the menorah anyway, and the oil lasted not one, not two, not three,
but eight days and night until the new oil was ready. This event took place on the 25th
day of the month of Kislev. To this day
the Jews celebrate this miracle in a celebration known as The Festival of
Lights.
Now, what does the Scripture say?
At
that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and
Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews
gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? 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 bear witness about me, but
you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will
never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has
given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of
the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.”
The
Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown
you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone
me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to
stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” John 10:22-33
It was at the Feast of Dedication that Jesus delivered the
clear message, “I and the Father are one.”
The Jews knew just what he meant by that, as they prepared to stone him
for what they said was blasphemy as he was making himself out to be God.
At that time they sought to arrest Him and execute Him, but
His hour had not yet come. Before long the Jews would have their way a Christ
would lay down His life for His sheep.
But what is the significant of this revelation at this time? Well, Antiochus IV went by another name. He
called himself, “Antiochus Epiphanes.” This
literally means, “Antiochus, God Made Manifest.” Antiochus, a man, made himself out to be
God. It was at the celebration of the
overthrow of the man who claimed to be God that Jesus declared Himself to be
God. In fact, “very God of very God.”
There was, of course, a difference between Antiochus and
Jesus, for Jesus was indeed God Made Manifest, and he had the works and the
words to prove it. Antiochus, however, was no more than a madman. In fact, his
subjects did not refer to him as “Antiochus Epiphanes”, but as “Antiochus
Epimenes,” which means, “Antiochus the mad (crazed).”
While Christians do not commemorate Hanukkah by lighting the
menorah, when we see our Jewish friends commemorating the overthrow of a madman,
we should pause to remember and celebrate the truth that the Word truly became
flesh, dwelt among us, and we can behold his glory, full of grace and truth.
