Paper 164 Overview: At the Feast of Dedication

Jesus secretly went to Jerusalem with Nathaniel and Thomas to attend the feast of dedication. The trip was dangerous because the Jewish leaders were trying to arrest Jesus, but he wanted to give them another chance to see the light before his time was finished. While in Jerusalem, Jesus taught about being a neighbor through the story of the Good Samaritan and healed a man who was born blind, which caused much discussion among the Jewish leaders.

Jesus stayed at the home of Nicodemus where he met with Jewish leaders who believed in his teaching. He used the healing of the blind man as a way to bring his message to the notice of the Sanhedrin. When the blind man was questioned by the Jewish leaders, he bravely defended Jesus, which got him thrown out of the synagogue but led to him becoming a follower of Jesus.

Jesus, Nathaniel, and Thomas secretly went to Jerusalem for the feast of dedication. The two apostles only realized Jesus was going to Jerusalem when they crossed the Jordan River. They tried to stop Jesus from going because it was dangerous, but Jesus insisted on giving the teachers in Israel another chance to see the light before his hour came.

They reached Jericho and stayed there for the night. The next morning they continued to Jerusalem despite the apostles' warnings about the danger. The Jewish leaders had been looking for Jesus to arrest him, but he was determined to visit Jerusalem again.

One evening in Jericho, a group gathered around Jesus and the apostles to ask questions. A lawyer tried to trap Jesus by asking what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked him what was written in the law, and the lawyer answered correctly about loving God and your neighbor. Then the lawyer asked who was his neighbor, hoping to trick Jesus.

Instead of falling into the trap, Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. A man was robbed and beaten on the road to Jericho. Both a priest and a Levite passed by without helping, but a Samaritan stopped to care for him. Jesus asked the lawyer which person was a neighbor to the injured man. The lawyer had to admit it was "he who showed mercy," avoiding even saying the word "Samaritan" because Jews disliked Samaritans.

Jesus had attended the feast of tabernacles to proclaim the gospel to pilgrims from all parts of the empire. Now he went to the feast of dedication for one purpose: to give the Sanhedrin and Jewish leaders another chance to see the light. The main event during these days was a meeting at Nicodemus' home with twenty-five Jewish leaders who believed Jesus' teaching.

At this meeting, Jesus amazed everyone with his knowledge and understanding of both religious and worldly matters. After the meeting, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives with Nathaniel and Thomas. He still had not decided how to bring his work to the attention of the Sanhedrin again. Jesus told the Jewish leaders that if they joined him before the seventy, it would only make things worse for them without changing the hatred others had for him.

The next morning, Jesus and the two apostles went to Bethany for breakfast and then to Jerusalem. Near the temple, they met a man who had been born blind. Jesus saw this as an opportunity to bring his mission to the notice of the Sanhedrin. Nathaniel asked whose sin had caused the man's blindness, as many Jews believed blindness was punishment for sin.

Jesus said neither the man nor his parents had sinned to cause his blindness. He made clay with spittle, put it on the man's eyes, and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam. When the man did this, he could see! This miracle on the Sabbath was a direct challenge to the Pharisees, and it was done to bring these matters before the Sanhedrin.

By midafternoon, there was so much discussion about the healing that the Sanhedrin called a meeting, even though it was against their rules to meet on the Sabbath. They called for Josiah, the formerly blind man, to question him. Josiah told them that Jesus had put clay on his eyes and told him to wash in Siloam, and now he could see.

Some Pharisees said Jesus couldn't be from God because he broke the Sabbath by making clay and healing. Others asked how a sinner could do such miracles. When they questioned Josiah, he bravely said he thought Jesus was a prophet. The Sanhedrin called Josiah's parents, who confirmed he was born blind but were afraid to say more because anyone who followed Jesus would be thrown out of the synagogue. In the end, they cast Josiah out of the synagogue because he defended Jesus.

While the Sanhedrin was meeting, Jesus was teaching people in Solomon's Porch, hoping to be called before the Sanhedrin. The Jewish leaders were afraid to bring him in or arrest him. When Jesus heard that Josiah had been cast out of the synagogue, he went to find him, revealed himself as the Son of God, and Josiah became a believer.

At Solomon's Porch, Jesus taught the people that he was the light of the world. He said those who followed him would not walk in darkness but would have the light of life. When some people tried to stone him, Jesus escaped. He and the apostles then found Josiah, who had been thrown out of the synagogue. Jesus asked if he believed in the Son of God, and when Josiah asked who that was, Jesus said it was he who was speaking to him. Josiah believed and worshiped him.