John 10:22-33 · Bible study

John 10:22-33 Commentary: Jesus Declares Oneness with the Father

Greek · 11 what the commentators say

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Meaning in one sentence

John 10:22-33: Jesus' claim of oneness with the Father at the Feast of Dedication sparks a charge of blasphemy.

Research Summary

Meaning: Jesus claims unique unity with the Father during the Feast of Dedication, provoking a charge of blasphemy.
Key words: ‘one’ (ἕν), ‘sheep’ (πρόβατα), ‘snatch’ (ἁρπάζω), ‘blasphemy’ (βλασφημία), ‘good works’ (καλά).
Main debate: Whether ‘I and the Father are one’ denotes unity of essence or primarily unity of will/action.
Theological theme: Divine identity of Jesus; eternal security of believers in the Father’s and Son’s hand.
Best use: Comfort for believers facing doubt; defense of Christ’s deity; small-group study on assurance.

Translation Comparison

BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020

²²At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,

²³and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade.

²⁴So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

²⁵“I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf.

²⁶But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.

²⁷My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.

²⁸I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.

²⁹My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

³⁰I and the Father are one.”

³¹At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.

³²But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”

³³“We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.”

WEB World English Bible 2000

²²It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem.

²³It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.

²⁴The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

²⁵Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me.

²⁶But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.

²⁷My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

²⁸I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

²⁹My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

³⁰I and the Father are one.”

³¹Therefore the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

³²Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?”

³³The Jews answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

KJV King James Version 1769

²²And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

²³And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

²⁴Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

²⁵Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.

²⁶But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

²⁷My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

²⁸And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

²⁹My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

³⁰I and my Father are one.

³¹Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

³²Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

³³The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

ASV American Standard Version 1901

²²And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem:

²³it was winter; and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

²⁴The 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.

²⁵Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, these bear witness of me.

²⁶But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.

²⁷My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

²⁸and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.

²⁹My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

³⁰I and the Father are one.

³¹The Jews took up stones again to stone him.

³²Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from the Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

³³The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898

²²And the dedication in Jerusalem came, and it was winter,

²³and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the porch of Solomon,

²⁴the Jews, therefore, came round about him, and said to him, `Till when our soul dost thou hold in suspense? if thou art the Christ, tell us freely.'

²⁵Jesus answered them, `I told you, and ye do not believe; the works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me;

²⁶but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep,

²⁷according as I said to you: My sheep my voice do hear, and I know them, and they follow me,

²⁸and life age-during I give to them, and they shall not perish--to the age, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand;

²⁹my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father;

³⁰I and the Father are one.'

³¹Therefore, again, did the Jews take up stones that they may stone him;

³²Jesus answered them, `Many good works did I shew you from my Father; because of which work of them do ye stone me?'

³³The Jews answered him, saying, `For a good work we do not stone thee, but for evil speaking, and because thou, being a man, dost make thyself God.'

Darby Darby Bible 1890

²²Now the feast of the dedication was celebrating at Jerusalem, and it was winter.

²³And Jesus walked in the temple in the porch of Solomon.

²⁴The Jews therefore surrounded him, and said to him, Until when dost thou hold our soul in suspense? If thou art the Christ, say [so] to us openly.

²⁵Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye do not believe. The works which I do in my Father's name, these bear witness concerning me:

²⁶but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep, as I told you.

²⁷My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me;

²⁸and I give them life eternal; and they shall never perish, and no one shall seize them out of my hand.

²⁹My Father who has given [them] to me is greater than all, and no one can seize out of the hand of my Father.

³⁰I and the Father are one.

³¹The Jews therefore again took stones that they might stone him.

³²Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewn you of my Father; for which work of them do ye stone me?

³³The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899

²²And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: and it was winter.

²³And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.

²⁴The Jews therefore came round about him and said to him: How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

²⁵Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me.

²⁶But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.

²⁷My sheep hear my voice. And I know them: and they follow me.

²⁸And I give them life everlasting: and they shall not perish for ever. And no man shall pluck them out of my hand.

²⁹That which my Father hath given me is greater than all: and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father.

³⁰I and the Father are one.

³¹The Jews then took up stones to stone him.

³²Jesus answered them: Many good works I have shewed you from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?

³³The Jews answered him: For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy: and because that thou. being a, man, makest thyself God.

Verse in Context

20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane! Why do you listen to him?”

21 Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It isn’t possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”

22 It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem.

23 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.

24 The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me.

26 But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.

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

28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

29 My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and the Father are one.”

31 Therefore the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?”

33 The Jews answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?

35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken),

Original Language (Koine Greek)

New Testament · Koine Greek · John 10:22

Ἐγένετο Egeneto G1096 Took place

τότε tote G5119 at the time

τὰ ta G3588 the

ἐγκαίνια egkainia G1456 Feast of Dedication

ἐν en G1722 at

τοῖς tois G3588 <the>

Ἱεροσολύμοις· Hi'erosolumois G2414 Jerusalem;

καὶ kai G2532 And

χειμὼν cheimōn G5494 winter

ἦν, ēn G1510 it was,

Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.

Scholars' Consensus

Commentators agree that in John 10:22-33 Jesus makes his most direct claim to divine identity. The setting at the Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah, commemorating the temple's rededication after pagan defilement, intensifies the confrontation. The Jews demand a clear answer about whether he is the Christ (v.24). Jesus replies that his works already testify, and the real barrier is their unbelief: they are not his sheep (vv.25-26). The core of the passage, verse 30's 'I and the Father are one,' draws the charge of blasphemy. Vincent notes that the Greek neuter ἕν indicates unity of essence, not merely of will. Wesley highlights that the verb 'are' (ἐσμεν) shows distinct persons while 'one' declares identical nature. Calvin sees Jesus asserting divine power to protect his own. The opponents understood exactly what Jesus claimed, they try to stone him for making himself God (v.33).

How settled is the interpretation?

Interpretive difficulty: Low

What is clear: Jesus explicitly claims a unity with the Father that his hearers understood as a claim to deity, and the passage offers strong assurance of God's protection for his followers.

What Scholars Agree and Debate

Topic	Agreed	Debated
Meaning of 'I and the Father are one'	Jesus claims a profound unity with the Father, which his hearers understood as a claim to deity.	Barnes notes the neuter term may allow for various kinds of union, while Vincent and Wesley insist it denotes unity of essence, not merely of will.
Security of believers	Jesus assures that no external power can snatch his sheep from his hand or the Father's hand.	Some (Reformed) see this as unconditional perseverance; others (Wesleyan) stress the condition of hearing and following (v.27) so the promise holds for those who continue in the flock.
Role of the Feast of Dedication	The feast commemorates the rededication of the temple under Judas Maccabeus.	Some interpreters see it as a theological backdrop (Jesus as the true temple); others view John's mention as primarily a historical and chronological marker.
The charge of blasphemy	The Jewish leaders understood Jesus' claim as making himself God, and they considered this blasphemy.	Orthodox Christians see this as an accurate recognition of Jesus' deity; the leaders' rejection is based on their refusal to accept his identity.

Historical & Cultural Context

The Feast of Dedication, also called Hanukkah in later Jewish tradition, was instituted by Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C. after he recaptured Jerusalem and cleansed the temple from the defilement of Antiochus Epiphanes (1 Maccabees 4:59). The eight-day festival began on 25 Kislev (our December) and involved lighting lamps, which is why Josephus calls it the 'Festival of Lights.' Vincent notes that the Greek word for the feast (egkainia) means 'renewal,' pointing to the restored worship at the altar.

Jesus walked in Solomon's Porch, a covered colonnade on the east side of the outer temple court. According to Josephus (Antiquities 20.9.7), this portico was a remnant of the original Solomonic structure, preserved through the Babylonian destruction. Barnes and Clarke note that this spot offered shelter from winter weather, John explicitly says 'it was winter' (v.23). The porch later became a gathering place for the apostolic community (Acts 3:11; 5:12).

The feast commemorated a time when God delivered his people and restored true worship. Against this backdrop, Jesus stands in the very temple whose rededication they celebrate, and he claims an even deeper unity with God. The leaders, proud of the Maccabean victory, demand a clear statement: 'If you are the Christ, tell us plainly' (v.24). Their question echoes earlier challenges (Luke 22:67). The setting turns a national monument into a theological courtroom.

Textual Notes

The consulted sources note a few textual variants. In verse 26, the phrase 'as I said unto you' (καθὼς εἶπον ὑμῖν) is omitted by the best manuscripts (Westcott-Hort, Tischendorf). Vincent mentions this. In verse 29, some manuscripts read a neuter construction: 'That which my Father has given me is greater than all,' while others have the personal reading 'My Father ... is greater than all.' The textual evidence supports the personal reading, though the ambiguity does not affect the core meaning. These variants do not change the passage's message about Jesus' unity with the Father and the security of his flock.

Reception History

This passage has been central in Christian tradition for articulating Christ's divinity. In the early church, verse 30 was used to counter Arian claims that Jesus was a created being; it became a cornerstone for Nicene orthodoxy. The Reformers, especially Calvin, found in verses 28-29 a strong ground for the assurance of salvation. Eastern Orthodox hymnody for the Feast of Dedication often weaves in themes of Christ as the true temple. Both Catholic and Protestant catechesis have used this text to teach the relationship between Jesus and the Father. In hymns of comfort, the image of being held in the Shepherd's hand has given believers confidence for centuries.

Preaching This Verse

Three-point outline

The Setting of the Feast (vv22-24): A festival celebrating national deliverance becomes the stage for a demand for clarity. The leaders want a direct answer, but Jesus redirects them to his works.
The Security of the Sheep (vv25-30): Jesus explains that genuine belief comes from belonging to his flock. His sheep hear, know, follow, receive eternal life, and are held securely in the hand of both Son and Father.
The Stoning Attempt (vv31-33): The claim of oneness with God is met with stones. The charge of blasphemy shows they understood his claim but refused it.

Five-point outline

The Historical Moment: Feast of Dedication, winter, Solomon’s Porch (vv22-23)
The Pressing Question: “Tell us plainly if you are the Christ” (v24)
The Shepherd’s Response: I told you, my works testify, but you are not my sheep (vv25-26)
The Promise to the Flock: eternal life, never perish, secure in the Father’s and Son’s hand (vv27-30)
The Climax: stones and the charge of blasphemy (vv31-33)

Illustration hooks

A child holding a parent’s hand tightly in a crowded space, the parent’s grip is stronger than any threat.
A press conference where a public figure is pressured to declare something plainly, while the evidence of their actions already speaks.
The paradox of celebrating a temple’s rededication while rejecting the One who is the true temple (John 2:19-21).

Questions your congregation is asking

How can I know if I am one of Jesus’ sheep? Does this passage imply that some people are not meant to believe?
If Jesus promises that no one can snatch believers from his hand, does that mean someone who stops following was never truly a sheep?
Why doesn’t God always answer our requests for clarity as plainly as we want?

Leading a Discussion

This passage records a pivotal moment when Jesus directly claims unity with God. It invites us to consider what it means to belong to him and how we respond to his identity. The context of the Feast of Dedication, a celebration of God’s deliverance, reminds us that Jesus himself is the ultimate deliverer and the true place of God’s presence.

Discussion questions

What stands out to you about the setting, the Feast of Dedication and Solomon’s Porch? Why might John include these details?
Why do you think the Jews demand a plain answer from Jesus? What might have been their motives?
Jesus says that his works testify about him (v25). In what ways do his miracles and teaching reveal his identity?
What does it mean to be one of Jesus’ sheep, according to verses 27-30? How does he describe the relationship?
Verse 30 is short but weighty: “I and the Father are one.” How does this statement shape what we believe about Jesus?
The Jews understood this as blasphemy (v33). How do people today react to Jesus’ claim to be God?
What comfort does the promise of security in verses 28-29 bring to you? What questions about that security remain for you or your community?

What the Commentators Say

4 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832

Barnes argues that when Jesus said "I and my Father are one," he intended a claim to equality with God, not merely unity of purpose. The Jews understood this as blasphemy and tried to stone him, and Jesus did not correct their interpretation, confirming they had understood him rightly.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871

JFB notes that the phrase "I and my Father are one" uses the masculine "we are" to preserve two distinct persons, and the neuter "one" to mean a single essence or interest. He stresses that true believers cannot be lost because their security rests on God's almighty power, not on human faithfulness.

Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857

Lange insists that Christ's oneness with the Father expresses unity of power and will that rests on unity of essence. The Jews rightly understood this as a claim to divinity, and Jesus never corrected their ontological interpretation. The neuter "one" refutes Arianism while the plural "we are" refutes Sabellianism.

Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887

Vincent highlights that the Feast of Dedication mentioned here is unique in the New Testament. He explains its origin in the cleansing of the temple after Antiochus Epiphanes and the Jewish tradition of a miracle where a single day's oil burned for eight days. The festival was marked by lights in every home.

Word Study

The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.

γίνομαι ginomai to be G1096 · Greek → ἐγκαίνια egkainia Feast|Festival of Dedication G1456 · Greek → εἰμί eimi to be G1510 · Greek → ἐν en in/on/among G1722 · Greek → Ἱεροσόλυμα Hierosoluma Jerusalem G2414 · Greek → καί kai and G2532 · Greek → ὁ ho the/this/who G3588 · Greek → τότε tote then G5119 · Greek → χειμών cheimōn winter G5494 · Greek →

Cross-References

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)

Acts 3:11	As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
Acts 5:12	By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
I Kings 18:21	Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people didn’t say a word.
Matthew 11:3	and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”
Luke 3:15	As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,
Luke 22:67	“If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe,
Luke 22:70	They all said, “Are you then the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say it, because I am.”
John 1:19	This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.

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