John 10:22-30

The challenge for most mainline Christians is not following Jesus. We've been taught pretty well about that. The challenge for us is recognizing Jesus' voice.

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

Year C
Easter 4
May 8, 2022

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: John 10:22-30, The Message   or   John 10:22-30, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials. Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required. Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

The historical background below is derived from Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh. (See footnote below.)

The context for the question posed in Verse 24 is given in verses 19-21 - controversy among Judeans over who Jesus is. What are they to make of his deviant behaviour? His behaviour must either be caused by an evil spirit or the spirit of God. Jesus' challenging and provoking of the authorities and upsetting social harmony suggest he is possessed by an evil spirit. But on the other hand, "can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

It can never be stressed too many times that while John was writing at a time when the followers of Jesus were in open hostility with Jews who were not part of John's inner circle, Jesus was not.

Jesus was a Jew, his followers were Jewish. His opponents were the authorities, some of whom were Roman and some of whom were Jewish. The challenges and opposition represented in this text is NOT between Jesus and ALL Jews. It is between Jesus and his Jewish followers and other Jews - most especially those with authority and privileged status.

Thus the distinctions in verse 26 and following is NOT between ALL Jews who do not believe / do not belong to my sheep, and non-Jews who do believe. It is a distinction among Jews who are trying to discern the spirit of Jesus without 2,000 years of hindsight to guide them.

Verse 22. The Festival of the Dedication - refers to Hanukkah.

In my limited understanding of Jewish faith, the request posed in Verse 24:
            If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.
is THE pivotal question as the promised Messiah will actually bring God's reign on earth as it is in heaven.

Therefore to falsely claim to be the Messiah, or falsely raise expectations of the imminent return of the Messiah, is a most serious blasphemy.

As usual Jesus does not answer the request directly, but puts the onus back on the challengers - my works speak for me - and by implication, since you are publicly asking this question, you are publicly admitting that you don't see / hear / get what my works are making clear.

As the antagonism between Jesus and the authorities escalates, we read in John sharper and sharper divisions between the in-group of Jesus' followers and the opposing out-group. Unless you are trying to create a group based on external threats and conspiracies to have you arrested and executed, not too much theological significance should be read into this aspect of the text.

The theologically significant heart of the text is Verse 27:
            My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

Jesus' sheep don't just "hear" his voice - they recognize it. Think of the people whose voice you recognize on the phone simply from them saying "Hello."

The challenge for most mainline Christians is not following Jesus. We've been taught pretty well about that. The challenge for us is recognizing Jesus' voice.

We have not been taught very well how to listen and how to recognize the voice of Jesus. We have not been taught very well how to have a relationship with Jesus in which we feel secure, protected and personally known.

In Jesus' day, real sheep were in constant danger of being snatched away by thieves and wild animals.

So the assurance that the metaphorical sheep of Jesus' followers - us - will not be snatched away is powerful.

The implication that there are "snatchers" should not be overlooked. We face many real internal and external threats to our relationship with God. But NOT from God.

Contrary to John, I think the plain message of Jesus is that this assurance is extended to all of creation with no one and nothing left out. We may screw up, others may harm us, accidents and disease may take our life, but nothing will snatch us out of the caring, restoring, life-giving hand of God.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Note: Historical background information is primarily from Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh, Social Science Commentary on the Gospel of John, pages 183-191; and the writings of Amy-Jill Levine, et. al. See below.

John 10:22-30 (NRSV)

   ²² At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. ²⁴ So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." ²⁵ Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; ²⁶ but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one." 

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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John 10:22-30 (The Message)

   ²² They were celebrating Hanukkah just then in Jerusalem. It was winter. ²³ Jesus was strolling in the Temple across Solomon's Porch. ²⁴ The Jews, circling him, said, "How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you're the Messiah, tell us straight out."

   ²⁵ Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. ²⁶ You don't believe because you're not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. ²⁹ The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. ³⁰ I and the Father are one heart and mind." 

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Comments

[David Ewart]

In my view, discernment is always a perilous and provisional process. What human - or human community - could ever claim to fully know the mind of God?

The things we've listed are all helpful safe guards, but not guarantors.

Nonetheless, coming from, and being, a dyed-in-the-wool very liberal, social activist denomination (the United Church of Canada), I think we have tended to distort hearing / seeing Jesus in a couple of ways:

1. We tend to ignore our own fundamentalism and rigidity when it comes to "What the Bible says about justice ..."

2. We tend to let the very real issues re: interpretation / discernment block us from having ANY personal relationship with Jesus.

My ego constantly gets in the way of me truly knowing everyone and everything.

But I have learned from history, from friends, and from mistakes to trust - for the time being - that the relationship I am in will be self-correcting and inwardly-formative.

As you will notice from my posts here, I am impatient with the liberal assumption that we can only have IDEAS about Jesus and not have a relationship with Jesus.

[Brad]

One word: Ego.
Where and what role does the ego play in the "discernment" process?
Does anyone ask what role our egos play in pursuing a degree that reads "Master of (the) Divinity"?
Do other voices, like Buddha, count?
I am inclined to think that we can discern the voice by, as said in the text, "the works" (praxis) "that testify" to the voice! There are a lot of "voices" in the world claiming authenticity and, hence, authority in the name of Jesus and, obviously, other names. I will hedge my bets with the voices that do the works of/like Jesus (healing, empowering, inclusion, truth telling, etc.)

[May, MDiv]

Hubby & I talked this out-loud a little last night... my thoughts were similar, that our discernment must be prayerful, & within the community of faithful. Avoiding isogesis vs. exogesis, perhaps. And yet... so many denominations w/n the US & Canada claim to faithfully discern & understand God's wanting-to-be, Jesus' voice in their mission & ministry. On the outside some, to us mainliners, even look like cults, inasmuch as they proclaim to be faithful to the Gospel.
A hard one to wrangle with... to discern!
Thank you so much for your helpful thoughts & perspectives.

[David Ewart]

So thanks back to you all.

As to the "how" ... Well I can't really say much more than it is not any more difficult than learning to "hear" the voice of a friend. First. Read the scriptures as being addressed to oneself, personally. Do NOT read them as information to learn about Jesus - read them as conversation to hear Jesus.

And secondly - talk to Jesus in prayer. If you are not familiar with it - Google "lectio Divina" and use that as a prayer practice.

Third, it helps to have friends who are friends of the Friend. That way you can gossip about him. Find out what they know about him. Talk with them about what he has said to you - find out what is similar or different to what he has been saying to them.

Have fun, relax, and trust the process of God's presence already present in your seeking to know him.

[Mark]

So how do we hear & recognize Jesus' voice?

[peter]

Thank you very much! Your article has helped clarify my own understanding on this section!

[mark alba escobar]

This is a good reflection on Jesus, the Good Shepherd. His imagery speaks volumes about our relationship with him and with one another. True to form, he is the source of life and grace, the fountain of mercy and love. And being with him, I'm confident I'm one of his sheep in his flock. Kudos and more power to David Ewart. Thanks brother. Mark Escobar