INTRODUCTION
John
is one of the four Gospels, but there are some major differences. John omits
many events used in the Synoptic Gospels such as the temptation of Jesus, the
Transfiguration, and the institution of the Lord’s Supper. John does not
mention instances of Jesus casting out demons, the sermon on the mount or the
Lord’s Prayer. While much material is omitted there are other materials that
appears in John that are not in the synoptics such as Jesus’ Galilean ministry
and the raising of Lazarus. John also has a farewell discourse not read in the
synoptics.
The
length of Jesus’ ministry varies from the synoptics to John. Using John’s
Gospel His ministry would appear to be between three and four years while the
synoptic Gospels describe only Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem which shortens
his ministry considerably.
The Gospel of John gives a compelling case for the deity of
Christ. The first verse tells us that He is the Word, that is, God, and He
became man (John 1:14). John documents evidence in the form of Christ’ ‘I Am’
statements and the signs that He performed within His three-year ministry.
Christ was God, and yet fully man. He grew weary (John 4:6). He was troubled
(John 123:27). He groaned in His Spirit, and yet He was the Messiah. John tells
us to believe on Him, because He is the way to eternal life.
In Leviticus
23 the Feasts are referred to as the ‘feasts of the Lord.’ John refers to them
as the ‘feasts of the Jews’ in John 5:1, 6:4, and 7:2. The NIV just says that
Jesus went up for a Jewish festival, and the KJV as well as several other
versions refer to it as a feast of the Jews. They had become superficial in
practice instead of spiritual. The Jews were refusing the one who was sent to
be the fulfillment.
When John speaks of ‘the
Jews’ one gets the feel of the entire nation, but one must remember that
Christ, the disciples and the early Christians were Jews. Paul was sent to the
Gentiles to bring them to Christ. Christ died for all. He uses these feasts to
proclaim who He is, and what He came to do. I will look at each feast and their
significance, and Jesus’s words and actions in response to each one.
JESUS AS WORD
John begins his book
with the deity of Christ. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1). John
takes us back to our beginning not God’s beginning. The Word was right there
from the first. He was the very essence of God but retained His personal
distinction. I like to think of it this way; I am the mother of my children and
the daughter of my mother, and the wife of my husband. Each position carries
with it certain responsibilities, and I fulfill these responsibilities in each
position. I am me, but I am a distinct personality in each of these roles. In verse
2 one finds that all things were created through God the Son, so this makes him
the creator God. We see the deity of Christ.
In this first chapter,
we find the testimony of John the Baptist as he says,” And I have seen and
testified that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). Jesus begins to call his disciples,
and then one finds him at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. This was His first
miracle. He turned the water into wine, “and manifested His glory, and His
disciples believed in Him” (John 2: 112b).
PASSOVER
The Passover’s meaning
was two-fold. It was a time to remember when God delivered them from slavery in
Egypt, but also to point to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It was
celebrated on the fourteenth through the twenty-first of Nisan. “The Torah differentiates
between the Passover as the first day of the celebration, and the Feast of
Unleavened Bread as the seven days that follow.” [1]It
celebrated the transition of winter into spring. It also celebrates the
liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. God redeemed them from bondage in
Egypt. The Passover centered around the Paschal Lamb. The lamb was sacrificed,
and the blood was put over the door posts with a hyssop plant. “The Passover
ritual includes the slaughter of an unblemished one-year-old lamb or goat
(Exodus 12:5) that had been set aside on the tenth day (Exodus 12:3).[2]
It had to be roasted with head and entrails intact. When the lamb was killed,
roasted and eaten none of the bones were to be broken. The shophar or ram horn
was blown as. as the lamb was killed, and all the people were to recognize this
as a sacrifice that was being made for their sins. Only circumcised males and
their family could eat the meat, and what was not eaten had to be burned with
fire by morning.
“For the Jewish people,
Passover does not simply celebrate ritually a “freedom from” but also a
“freedom to”: a freedom to worship their God in the wilderness and become God’s
own people.”[3]
They were to tell and retell the story to their children and their children’s
children, so it would never be forgotten. The mighty God of Israel triumphed
gloriously, and delivered them, rolling back the red sea, so they passed over
on dry land.
FIRST PASSOVER DURING MINISTRY
Christ
had attended Passover throughout His life, but it was the first Passover of His
ministry that he proclaimed Himself to be Messiah. The adage that says, “action
speak louder than words” would apply here. Christ went to Jerusalem, because
the Passover was at hand. All males were commanded to appear before the Lord
three times a year for the Passover, and the feast of unleavened Bread, the
Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:16-17). They
were not to come empty handed but with an offering as they were able, according
to the blessings God had given them. “Motivation for these festive pilgrimages
was not simply a sentimental attachment to a place or kinsman. The chosen
people sought their way to the Holy City in response to a higher directive.
Their desire was born of a biblical injunction.”[4]
Matthew
21:12-13 places the cleansing of then tabernacle at the last Passover of His
ministry while John places it at the first Passover of His ministry. The two
events differ considerably, so it is possible that they are two different
events. The law of Moses required an unblemished animal, and all males over
nineteen had to pay a temple tax. This set the stage for tax collectors and
inspectors to be present. They would not accept coins with the image of the
Roman Emperor, so money changers were present. Many of those that came to the
temple had to travel great distances, so this arrangement was convenient for
them. The tax collectors, inspectors, those who sold animals and money changers
charged exorbitant prices for their services. Christ made a whip of cord and
drove them out of the temple. His actions showed his authority and judgement.
He claimed Messiahship by calling the temple “His Fathers’ house.”
When he changed the water into wine the disciples saw
his deity and power, but when he drove out the money changers he showed his
authority and judgement.
Psalm
69:9 says,” The zeal for your house has eaten me up.” The disciples remembered that quote which
David proclaimed, and was fulfilled in Christ. The Jewish leaders understood
what he was claiming and asked for a sign. “Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Christ
did not come quietly on the scene trying to hide His identity but came into His
ministry with authority and a proclamation of His Messiahship. His death and
resurrection were the sign he gave them. This was done with the Passover as the
backdrop. “Although at this first public Passover feast he was deliberately
laying the foundation for all that was to follow, He resolutely resisted the
obvious opportunity to exploit their uncomprehending belief in order to promote
His divine cause.”[5]
At
some point in Israel’s history, on one of the festive occasions, a singular historical
event was to take place. From among the heirs of Abraham, the promised Messiah
would step forward and present His credentials before Jehovah, priests and
people.”[6]
It happened on that fourteenth day of Nisan. Jesus proclaimed His authority by
driving out the moneychangers, and the Jewish leaders asked for a sign to prove
He was endowed with this authority. The sign he gave they did not grasp. The
sign would be His death and resurrection.
From
here John goes to the meeting of Nicodemus with Christ in the cover of night.
It is in this passage that we see the first reference to eternal life, and the
much-memorized passages of John 3:16 and 17. These passages leave no doubt that
Jesus is claiming to be the Son of God.
John the Baptist is the next witness to the identity
of Jesus. The law stated that there had to be two or three witnesses for a
statement to be considered true, and John’s Gospel goes above and beyond the two
or three witnesses.
THE UNNAMED FEAST
The
unnamed feast is referred to as “a feast of the Jews” and Christ went up to
Jerusalem (John 5:1). It has been argued that it was the Passover, but John
referred to the Passover as such in John 2:13; 6: 4; and 11:55. Since Christ
went up to Jerusalem it may have been Pentecost or the Feast of Tabernacles,
because all males were to attend these feasts. The fact is that after stating
it was a feast of the Jews it is not discussed further, but we find a
description of the sheep gate that was near the temple where sheep were brought
in to be used as sacrifices. There was a pool there that an angel would stir, and
when this happened the people would try to get there in time to receive their
healing.
We
are told that it was the sabbath, and this is the reason that an issue arises. The
Sabbath was consecrated to God. “The Sabbath is a “sign” of God’s “perpetual covenant”
with the people. The Sabbath becomes the visible symbol of God ‘s enduring
relationship with Israel, a covenantal relationship that began at the time of
creation itself.”[7]
The Sabbath allowed not only people to rest, but also the animals. Gale A. Yee
points out that there was a humanitarian reason as well as theological reason.
“You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord
your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore,
the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath” (Deuteronomy 5:15).
The
question arose as to what was meant by “Work”. The rabbis created thirty-nine
categories of work that could not be done on the sabbath. The Jewish leaders
created thousands of rules and regulations concerning the sabbath. What Christ
told the man to do violated three of the traditions that had been developed
with the law as its center. Christ healed the man, told the man to carry his
bed, and to walk. One could only walk a specified distance without sitting
down. It was not that Christ violated the law of God, but the regulations of
man. Christ spoke of this in Mark. “Then He said to them, “The sabbath was made
for man, not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
Jesus
withdrew from the crowd, but later meets the man in the temple where he tells
him “to sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (John 5:14b). The man than
reports to the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus that healed him. The Jewish leaders sought to kill Him, because
of what he had done on the sabbath. Christ made Himself equal with God in nature,
power and authority. He left no doubt about who He was, but they rejected Him,
and sought the more to kill Him. Jesus’ discourse runs from 5:17-47. “Jesus
justifies the legality of his Sabbath healing by stating that he is doing the
same redemptive work as his Father…. For these Jews Jesus’ defense condemns him
on two counts; “because he not only broke the sabbath (an offence punishable by
death) but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God
(blasphemy)” (Jn 5:18).”[8]
THE SECOND OR THIRD PASSOVER DEPENDING ON WHAT THE UNNAMED
FEAST WAS
The Passover was near
(John 6:44). It is against the backdrop of the Passover that Christ will feed
the five-thousand. This miracle of Jesus is repeated in all four of the
gospels. There are details in John’s eyewitness report that are missing from
the others. “That John does not depend on the Synoptic Gospels here (or in
general) adds value to John’s gospel as independent apostolic eyewitness
testimony.[9]
The first Passover after
the beginning of Christ’ recorded ministry was spent in Jerusalem. Now he will
again reveal himself in Galilee where Nazareth was located. Andreas J.
Kostenberger points out that John makes the connection between Jesus’s signs
and the ministries of Elijah and Moses. Jesus turned water to wine in Cana and
multiplies bread and fish in Galilee. “Bread and wine, in turn, symbolize the
eschatological messianic banquet.”[10]
The people now proclaim
that Jesus is a prophet (14), and he realizes that they will attempt to make
him king by force. He leaves to go to the mountain to be alone (15). Moses had
led the people out of bondage in Israel, and God had provided manna for their
sustenance. The people may have felt Jesus could free them from Roman bondage
even as Moses had led them out of Egypt. The Passover was at hand, and this
would turn the minds and hearts of the people to the thoughts of the Messiah. The
problem that existed was not that they believed Christ was the Messiah, but
what they believed about their Messiah. “The Messiah was expected to attain for
Israel the idyllic blessing of the prophets; he was to defeat the enemies of
Israel, restore the people to the land, reconcile them to God, and introduce a
period of spiritual and physical bliss. He was to be a prophet, warrior, judge,
king, and teacher of Torah” (cited by Gerald J. Blidstein in Judaica, vol. 11, p. 1411 ).” [11]
Basically, they did not expect their Messiah to be divine. He was to be God
empowered, but more of a warrior king like David.
Christ will reveal
himself on another level to his disciples as they become fearful as the winds
rise on the Sea of Galilee. Once again, we see symbolism that can connect the
Passover with these events. Christ will walk on the water, calm the sea, and
the troubled hearts of his disciples, and bring them instantly to land. Christ
walked on the water while God separated the Sea of Reeds so the Israelites
could walk across on dry land. The
disciples went from what must have been an exhilarating experience to an
experience that led them to the fear of helplessness as the storm arose. This
would bring most of us back to earth with a thud.
This brings us to “the
bread of life discourse”. The people were actively seeking Jesus, and he knew
the motives behind their seeking his out. It was not because of the sign, but
because they had their stomachs filled. “Do not labor for the food which
perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life, which the Son of
man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6:27).
They saw Jesus as a provider of physical needs not spiritual needs. Manna was
significant in the Passover tradition. In verse 35 Jesus tell them “I AM” the
bread of life. Jesus tries to turn them from the works of the law to believing
in the Messiah the Son of God that they might have eternal life. He lays out
for them the way of salvation, but they are offended by the idea of eating his
flesh and drinking his blood, and many of his disciples followed Him no more.
Jesus leaves no doubt about His identity. Through the book of John, we see the
deity of Christ. Jesus proclaims Himself the Messiah in no uncertain terms, but
as we discussed earlier it was what they believed about their Messiah that
distracted them from the truth. Against the backdrop of the Passover which he
would fulfill he told them the truth, but they could not receive it. Christ
came to fulfill the law (Matt. 5:17-20).
THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
The
Feast of Tabernacles was also known as the Feast of Ingathering or the Feast of
Booths. It was a fall festival and celebrated the harvest of grapes and olives,
and they would drink the new wine from the presses. There was dancing and music
and great joy. “And you shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees,
branches of palm trees, and boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook;
and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days” (Lev. 23:40). Moreover,
by Old Testament standards the Feast of Tabernacles itself lasted seven days:
it seems odd to refer to the eighth day as the ‘last and greatest day of the
Feast.’ [12]
It was a day to rest and dismantle booth, sing and rejoice.
The Feast of
Tabernacles was celebrated in the fall usually between the end of September to
the end of October or the first of November. It is called Sukkot, and is
celebrated from the 15th to the 22nd of Tishri. They would build
booths in which they would live and eat meals throughout the feast. The booths
were lived in by harvesters, so they would not have to make trips home. The feast was to be an act of worship towards
God because of His provision during their exodus from Egypt into the promised
land. It looks at the past, but also towards the future when the Messiah would
come and deliver them. For the Gentiles as well as the Jews it included the New
Covenant that is for all people. The Messiah would provide all things. God does
supply all things. All that we have comes from the hands of God.
One symbol was of Jesus as
the light of the world. “Men of piety and good works danced through the night,
holding burning torches in their hands and singing songs and praises.”[13]
The Levitical orchestra would play all night with the lights filling Jerusalem.
It was in this atmosphere that Christ announced that he is the light of the
world. It is this light that fills the heart of the Christian that shines forth
and draws men to Christ. D.A. Carson points out that this is the second “I Am”
statement. The sun may light our physical world, but the Son lights our
spiritual world.
Jesus said, “I AM the bread of life.” God gave them everything to sustain their
life, and this feast celebrated the harvest. Christ death, burial and
resurrection provided all that is needed for eternal life.
The water ceremony was the
most joyful occasion one could ever imagine. There were two pitchers one with
water from the Siloam where Christ sent the blind man to wash the clay from his
eyes, and the other pitcher was filled with wine. They would be singing Psalms
118. “His faithful love endures forever”
The water from Siloam was used to anoint kings
from the Davidic line. It was symbolic of the outpouring of Holy Spirit
when the Messiah would come and set them free. On the last day of the feast
Jesus said: “On the last and greatest day of
the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is
thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said,
rivers of living water will flow from within them." (John 7: 37-38). This
was not said in private, but Christ stood, and said it with a loud voice so all
could hear. “Some of the Old Testament passages that link water and Spirit
probably hark back to the water-from-the-rock episodes (e.g. Is 44:33). That
the water in John:37-38 is ‘living’ (i.e. running; cf. notes on 4:10) may owe
something to Ezekiel 47:1-12, where the river flows from eschatological temple
to bring life wherever it goes.”[14]
THE
FEAST OF DEDICATION
The Feast of Dedication is
also known as Chanukah. It was an eight-day celebration in December (Kislev).
Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem in 167 B.C. Daniel
prophesied of this in Daniel 11:31. “There is no cessation of work, except
briefly for the women of the household, who cease their labors during the short
time each evening when the Chanukkoh lights burn.”[15] Unlike
some feasts its origin has not been lost from sight, but has retained its light
through history. It commemorates the “revolt and victory of the
Hasmoneans.” On the first day of
Chanukkoh schools are only open half day, and everyone plays games and enjoys
themselves. The most popular game is spinning dreidels, which is a leaden top.
They are made some weeks before the day. The boys would carve the forms from
wood and pour lead into the form to make the tops. They have four sides which
tell that there was a great miracle. “The day before Chanukkoh the teacher
tells the children the story of the flask of oil and other Chanukkoh tales as
well. He tells of the battles of Mattathias and his sons against the Greeks,
and the story of Hannah and her seven sons. The children listen intently,
breathlessly.”[16]
“The story of the miracle of the oil, the focal point of
Chanukah, as related to Shabbat (21b) and Megillat Taanit (chapt. 9), was
based, as I, previously mentioned, on the Scroll of Antiochus… When the house
of the Hasmoneans [Bet Chashmonai] became strong they found only one jar of oil
with the seal of the high priest on it which was not defiled…the following year
they designated an eight-day holiday.”[17]
The miracle of the oil begins the lighting of the menorah. The lighting of the
menorah which is very festive. The middle candle is lit first, and one is lit
each night until all eight are lit. Scriptures are read, and three prayers are
recited. There is a legend that when they wanted to light the candles there was
only enough oil for one night, and so they decided to burn it, but God gave a
miracle, and the oil lasted for eight days. It gives them hope, because the
light of the Messiah should burn brightly in their hearts. There were lights
lit everywhere during Chanukkoh. The light was representative of the shekinah
glory of God. They looked forward to the coming of the Kingdom of God. In John
10: 24b they asked” How long will you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ
tell us plainly.” In verse 25 he tells them that he has spoken plainly to them,
but they did not believe. They are not his sheep, because his sheep hear his
voice and follow him. In verse 30 Christ tells them plainly “I and my Father
are one.” In verse 31 they pick up stones to throw at him, because what Christ
said they considered blasphemy, because he made himself equal with God. The
Jewish people remember their religious freedom, and their history and that
Yeshua is a God of light. The light of the world.
It was against the backdrop of Chanukkoh that Jesus
declared who he was, but they did not believe him. One must wonder what answer
they wanted. He told them the truth, but the truth was unacceptable to them.
THE
LAST PASSOVER OF JESUS MINISTRY
Jesus came to Jerusalem
five days before the lamb was sacrificed for the sins of the people riding on a
donkey. This is what we call Palm Sunday. The people came out with Palm
branches, and laid them in the road before him singing “Hosanna! Blessed is He
who comes in the name of the lord! The King of Israel” (John 12:13b). Once
again there is the issue of their understanding of the Messiahs purpose. They
want a political savior not a spiritual savior.
The lamb that would be
sacrificed for the sins of the people was chosen five days before the sacrifice
occurred. Christ entered Jerusalem on that day. Christ was that lamb that God
had chosen to be sacrificed for the sins of the world.
Before the Passover when
Jesus knew His time had come, and he was going to the Father “having loved His
own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1b). Christ
washed his disciple’s feet teaching humility and servanthood. He announces that
one of them will betray Him, and that he will soon depart. He does not leave
them unprepared. He prepares them for what is to come even Peter’s denial. He
comforts them by assuring them that they will be with Him. They know the way.
“I AM” the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me.” He expounds upon the relationship of the believer with Him, with
each other, and with the world, and promises the Holy Spirit. He spends time in
prayer for himself, his disciples, and all believers.
There is some disagreement
on whether Christ was crucified as the Passover lamb was sacrificed or if His
death occurred as the evening offering of the Tamid occurred. Christ was tried
before Annas and then Caiaphas, the Sanhedrin, and Pilate. The Jewish leaders
were determined to have him killed, and the Roman government did not allow them
to put anyone to death. They had to get someone else to do their dirty work. Pilate
ordered his death, and Christ died as the Passover lamb was sacrificed. Through
Christ blood we are redeemed. “It can be used to expiate sin because it is the
means of life: ‘the life of flesh is in its blood.”[18] He
was the perfect Lamb of God, and he fulfilled and satisfied the law. “We recall
that the Jews reckon their days from evening to evening. Pilate condemned Jesus
at the sixth hour, or noon of the 13th of Nisan (19:14). Jesus is
crucified and left to die during the preparation for the Passover meal, which
will be celebrated that evening which begins the 14th of Nisan.
Jesus’ death would coincide with the priestly slaughter of the Passover lambs
in the temple.”[19]
John does not leave us grieving at the tomb, but leaves us rejoicing at Christ’
resurrection. We serve a risen Savior. Matthew Henry points out that from
Christ’ side flowed blood and water. Blood for our atonement and water for our
purification. “He who the Son sets free is free indeed” (John 8:36).
CONCLUSION
John presents Christ’
ministry against the backdrop of the Jewish Festival seasons. Each Feast had
significance in Christ fulfilling of the law. With each festival Christ
revealed more about himself as the Messiah. He never minced words with them as
he claimed to be the Messiah, but they did not believe. Their idea of what the
Messiah would be did not align with reality. John shows us the Messiah. He
reveals Christ as the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophesies. He
illuminates Christ’ deity. The “I Am” statements reveal Christ as God, and if
this is not clear enough he gives us the revelation of Christ as the “I Am” of
the Old Testament.
Reading the Gospel of John is to
come face to face with God.
“And there are many other things that Jesus did, that if they were written
one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books
that would be written, Amen” (John 21:25).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bloch, A. P. The Biblical and Historical background of
the Jewish Holy Days. Jersey City, New Jersey: Ktav Publishing Inc., 1978.
Carson, D. A. The Gospel According to John. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: William B Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991.
DeVaux, Roland and John
McHugh. Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
William Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997.
Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (2nd
Ed.). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic. 2001.
Kostenberger, Andreas J.
Encountering John. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.
McQuaid, Edward. The Outpouring: Jesus In the Feasts of
Israel. Westville, New Jersey: Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry Inc.,
1990.
Schauss, Hayyim. The
Jewish Festivals: A Guide to Their History and Observance. New York: Schocken
Books Inc., 1962.
Yee Gale A. Jewish Feasts and the Gospel of John. Wilmington,
Delaware: Michael Glazier Inc., 1989.
[1] W.A. Van Gemeren.
“Feast and Festivals, Old Testament”. Walter A. Elwell. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker
Academic, 2001, 441.
[3] Gale A. Yee. Jewish Feasts and the Gospel of John. Eugene,
Oregon: Wipf & Stock Publishers,1989,48.
[4] Elwood McQuaid. The Outpouring: Jesus In the Feasts of
Israel. Bellmawr, NJ: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, INC. 1990,12.
[11] Elwood McQuaid. The Outpouring. Bellmawr, NJ: The Friends
of Israel Gospel Ministry, INC. 1990, 81.
[12] D.A. Carson. The Gospel According to John. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: William Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991, 321.
[17] Abraham P. Bloch.
The Biblical and Historical Background of
the Jewish Holy Days. New York: KTAV Publishing House, Inc. 1978, 72.
[18] Roland De Vaux. Ancient Israel. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Willian B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1997, 419.
[19] Gale A. Yee.Jewish Feasts and the Gospel of John. Eugene,
Oregon: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 1989, 68.
Copyright 2017
Kathleen Hadley
