Christ Derangement Syndrome: An Exposition Of John 10:22-42

Christ Derangement Syndrome: An Exposition of John 10:22-42

Jesus Christ is without question the most controversial person who has ever lived. He has been a source of conflict and division. But Jesus even said this about Himself. The result of His ministry would be that two would divide against three and vice-versa. No one has been the object of such devotion by some and the object of violent hatred and derision. But this was just as true in Jesus’ day as it is now.

The passage we are studying is set up by verses 19 through 21. The Jewish people we divided about Jesus. Many thought He was a demon possessed maniac. Others saw a disconnect with this. How could a demoniac speak such lofty words? Could a demoniac open the eyes of the blind? This group was at least open to faith. The former was totally blinded by their prejudices and rage. This is the work of Satan. There was indeed a divide here about Jesus. He was not the divider but was rather the object of division. The first group would need to be radically transformed if they were to be saved at all. But the emphasis of the Gospel of John deals with the doubting Thomas’s rather than outright unbelievers. Doubt if left unaddressed leads into the downward spiral of skepticism, despair, unbelief, derangement, death and eternal judgment. But doubt if properly challenged can be the window to faith as well.

This morning’s passage picks up with a new location. It is in a sense the outworking of what Jesus had said about being the Good Shepherd and the Door. In a wider context, this section of John begins with the healing of the blind man in chapter 9 which Jesus turns on the Pharisees to show what true blindness is. Here Jesus goes on to demonstrate what it means to be part of His flock as well as the implications of belief or unbelief.

Jesus shows up in the Porch of Solomon at the Temple. This is where rabbi’s assembled to teach their disciples. Jesus would not have been on the “approved” list of teachers who were allowed to teach there, but as Jesus is really the owner of all things including the Temple, He comes there anyway. John tells us two other details. First of all, it was the Feast of the Dedication. This feast is not in the Protestant canon of the Old Testament as the feast was established after the close of the canon in about 400 BC. It was occasioned by the desecration of the Temple under the Greek Emperor Antiochus IV on December 25, 165 BC who sacrificed a pig on the altar to Zeus. A revolt ensued, and after a bloody conflict, the Jews regained their autonomy. They cleansed the Abomination of Desolation from the Temple and rededicated it, but they had a limited amount of oil for the lamps. A one day supply lasted for eight days. This is still celebrated today by the Jewish Hanukah.

The light in the Temple represented the presence of God there. It is God who gives light. This light has an inner and outer aspect to it. We have the physical light of the sun as well as enlightenment. John, from the very beginning of the Gospel tells us that Jesus is this light, the very presence of God. Jesus Himself says: “I AM the light of the world.” So, this detail here that it was at the Feast of the Dedication is important. So is the other detail that it was winter. It was at the shortest day of the year. It was a time of the maximum darkness. Metaphorically, the scene is framed by light and darkness. People were in doubt about the person of Jesus. They would either turn to the Light or the darkness.

Verse 23 says that Jesus was walking around in the porch. The Greek actually uses the present tense “is walking.” This use of the historical present is designed to draw you into the scene and makes you a participant. The Greek word does mean “walk” in the physical sense of walking. But there is a philosophical use of “walk” as well. The Greek philosophers were called “Peripatetics” which is based on the Greek work “to walk.” The Hebrews have literature called “Halacha” which comes from the word for “walk” as well. We refer to our discipleship as “the Christian walk.”

The text then says that the “Jews” encircled Him. John often uses “Jews” in a negative light, applying it to the corrupt leadership in Israel. No doubt, some of these were there, but the context seems to indicate that this term is broader as it includes what we would call “seekers” today as well as opponents. They persisted in asking Him not to speak in riddles. “If YOU are the Messiah, tell us plainly!” they demanded. Some said this that they might accuse Him, but others were more sincere.