At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,
English Standard Version (ESV)
While the text mentions it was winter, it's not just about the cold; it subtly highlights Jesus seeking shelter in Solomon's Porch, suggesting He wasn't just passively present but actively moved to a place of cover as the confrontation with the hostile Jews began to close in around Him. This detail underscores His awareness and measured response to the escalating tension and danger.
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication, a festival commemorating the temple's rededication after its desecration. The cooler winter weather prompts Him to walk in Solomon's Porch, an area within the temple complex. Here, hostile Jewish leaders confront Him, demanding a plain answer about whether He claims to be the Messiah.
Why did John mention it was winter during the Feast of Dedication? It wasn't just a detail about the weather, but a backdrop for Jesus' profound claims.
The Feast of Dedication, also known as Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights, commemorated the rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus after its desecration. This event, occurring in mid-December, signifies a renewal and restoration. John’s mention of 'winter' sets a stark, cold scene, making Jesus' presence and message within the Temple, specifically in the shelter of Solomon's Porch, all the more significant. It contrasts the physical darkness and cold of the season with the spiritual light Jesus claimed to bring, preparing the stage for His bold declarations of identity amidst opposition.
The Jews demanded a plain answer: 'If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.' Jesus' response wasn't a simple yes or no, but a profound unveiling of His divine identity.
The Jews surrounding Jesus at the Feast of Dedication were impatient, demanding a clear, unambiguous declaration of His messianic identity. Jesus, however, doesn't offer a simple 'yes.' Instead, He points to His works as evidence and then makes claims that go far beyond a mere human Messiah. He states, 'I and the Father are one,' a claim interpreted by His audience as blasphemy, leading them to attempt to stone Him. This moment is crucial: Jesus isn't just claiming to be the promised king; He is asserting a unity with God the Father that implies divinity. The ensuing conflict highlights the radical nature of His self-understanding and the profound theological chasm between Jesus' claims and the Jewish leaders' expectations.
Ask a follow-up
The Jews wanted to stone Jesus, not just for claiming to be the Christ, but for something far more serious. What was the ultimate accusation?
The immediate reaction of the Jews to Jesus' claim 'I and the Father are one' was to pick up stones to kill Him. Their explanation reveals the core of their fury: 'It is for no good work we stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.' This highlights a key distinction: while claims to be the Messiah were debated, claims to divinity were met with immediate, violent condemnation due to their strict monotheism. Jesus, in turn, uses Scripture (Psalm 82:6) to argue that if 'gods' were called by that name because the word of God came to them, then He, whom the Father sanctified and sent, has a legitimate claim to be called the Son of God. However, the ultimate accusation that drove their violent response was the perceived blasphemy of claiming equality with God.
Understand the original words
enkainia · Greek Noun
An annual Jewish festival (Hanukkah) commemorating the rededication of the Temple in 164 B.C. after its defilement by Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
This passage places Jesus' teaching in a specific historical context: the Feast of Dedication, commemorating a time when the Temple was reclaimed from pagan defilement. This resonates with Jesus' own claims of being sent by the Father and His confrontation with religious authorities who questioned His divine authority in the very place that symbolized God's presence.
c. 167 BC
Temple Desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes
The Syrian ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes, seeking to Hellenize the Jews, desecrated the Jerusalem Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and forbidding Jewish practices.
c. 164 BC
Temple Purified and Rededicated
Judas Maccabeus and his forces recaptured Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple, and rededicated it to God, instituting the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) to commemorate this event.
c. October - December AD 27
Jesus' Ministry Between Feasts
Jesus likely ministered in Galilee and Judea during this period, with His teachings and miracles occurring between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication.
c. December AD 27— this verse
Jesus Attends the Feast of Dedication
Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication, walking in Solomon's Porch during the winter. He engages with Jews who question His identity, leading to a confrontation about His claims to divinity.
This passage describes the historical event that the Feast of Dedication commemorates – the cleansing and rededication of the Temple. It provides the crucial context for why this particular feast was significant.
This verse speaks of the Word becoming flesh and 'dwelling among us.' The Feast of Dedication celebrates God's dwelling among His people in the Temple, and John 1:14 points to Jesus as the ultimate dwelling place of God.
Psalm 82:1-8Jesus directly quotes from this Psalm when defending Himself against the charge of blasphemy for calling Himself the Son of God. This passage shows how the Old Testament itself uses the term 'gods' for those given divine authority, highlighting Jesus' argument about His unique divine identity.
John 14:9-11Jesus tells Philip, 'Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.' This echoes the core of Jesus' defense during the Feast of Dedication, where He points to His works as proof that the Father is in Him, and He is in the Father.
Hebrews 10:10-12This New Testament passage contrasts Jesus' one-time, perfect sacrifice with the repeated sacrifices of the Old Covenant. It implicitly connects to the idea of dedication and renewal, showing how Jesus' offering is the ultimate fulfillment of any temple dedication.
expositorsJohn 10:22: "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter."
Chapter 22JESUS, SON OF GOD. “And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: it was winter; and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s porch. The Jews therefore came round about Him, and said unto Him, How long dost Thou hold us in suspense? If Thou art the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not: the works that I do in My Father’s name, these bear witness of Me…
bensonJohn 10:22: "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter."
John 10:22-23 . And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication — Or, as εγενετο δε τα εγκαινια may be rendered, Now the feast of dedication came on at Jerusalem: for it does not appear that the preceding discourses, from John 7:14 , were delivered at this feast, but at the feast of tabernacles. Dr. Campbell reads, Once, when they were celebrating the feast of dedication, it being winter, as Jesus walked,…
While the text mentions it was winter, it's not just about the cold; it subtly highlights Jesus seeking shelter in Solomon's Porch, suggesting He wasn't just passively present but actively moved to a place of cover as the confrontation with the hostile Jews began to close in around Him. This detail underscores His awareness and measured response to the escalating tension and danger.
Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication, a festival commemorating the temple's rededication after its desecration. The cooler winter weather prompts Him to walk in Solomon's Porch, an area within the temple complex. Here, hostile Jewish leaders confront Him, demanding a plain answer about whether He claims to be the Messiah.
Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication, a festival commemorating the temple's rededication after its desecration. The cooler winter weather prompts Him to walk in Solomon's Porch, an area within the temple complex. Here, hostile Jewish leaders confront Him, demanding a plain answer about whether He claims to be the Messiah.
"At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter," — While the text mentions it was winter, it's not just about the cold; it subtly highlights Jesus seeking shelter in Solomon's Porch, suggesting He wasn't just passively present but actively moved to a…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026