The Beloved Son of God is in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple. This Temple, planned by King David and built by his son Solomon, had seen many changes and additions over the years. But it was only after the Syrians had built an altar to Zeus over the altar of holocausts, and offered Sacrifices to Zeus, that this feast day was set. Their ‘desolating sacrilege’ triggered the successful revolt led by Judas Maccabee, after which the Temple was rebuilt and re-dedicated to God.
It is the right setting and the right Feast for Jesus. The new Temple is walking in the old Temple – in the portico of Solomon, on a feast of spiritual renewal. The replacement has arrived. How will He be received?
Well, because of what happened on His previous visit with the money changers, Jesus is encircled by a nervous crowd. They know that the Messiah has the right to restore and rebuild the Temple. But Jesus does not seem to have the right credentials. He is confusing them and they want plain talking. But when Jesus tries to illumine their minds they don’t get it. And, as far as they are concerned, He is the problem. He will not play the game by their rules. He will not give a direct answer to their questions.
On the other hand, Jesus thinks they are the problem. He has spoken plainly about who He is and why He has come. But they will not believe Him. They are unable to hear the Word or read his actions as revelation.
But there are those who do hear his voice and understand that He is God’s revelation of all that is Sacred. To ‘hear’ Jesus voice means much more than attending to the words He speaks. The hearer must have the wisdom to discern who the speaker is. Jesus invites insight into His identity with every word and action. When His ‘sheep’ hear his voice they begin to see His unique relationship with God and they begin to speak of Him as Messiah, Son of God etc.
To hear Jesus voice is to share his consciousness. Now they know themselves as Jesus knows them. Believing in Jesus’ name means they can now believe in their own.(Jn 1:12-13). Knowing who Jesus is means that I now know who I am – a beloved daughter or son of God. His identity and our identity are interwoven eternally. The revelation of who Jesus is, and who we are, will continue in ways we do not yet understand. But one taste is enough to know that more is to come. From Him we receive eternal life, death can never destroy us and those who seek to snatch us out of Jesus’ hand are thwarted.
They wanted plain talking and they got it, but they cannot accept it. If we discern that Jesus is the very presence of God and know that we are children of God who are safe because of the eternal life He pours into us, we will not be surprised when He declares “The Father and I are One.” This declaration strengthens us to find our own voice. When we start out we may be unsure. But as our trust in Him grows, the miracles happen.
Here is a wonderful story from Jewish spirituality which is worth reflection. When Rabbi Zusya grew old and knew that his time on earth was nearing a close, his students gathered around him. One of them asked him if he was afraid of dying. ‘I am afraid of what God will ask me’, the Rabbi said. “What will he ask you?” ‘He will not ask me, Zusya, why were you not like Moses? He will ask me , Zusya, why were you not Zusya?’
