What is Hanukkah?
All across the Jewish Diaspora, both Orthodox and Messianic Jews celebrate the “Feast of Dedication” or the “Festival of Lights”, more commonly known as Hanukkah! Interestingly enough, the Holiday of Hanukkah, known around the world as a Jewish Celebration, is only mentioned one time in the whole Bible. Most people, rightfully so, would assume that this celebration is recorded in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), however, much to our surprise, it is only recorded in the Gospel of John found in the New Testament. But what exactly is this celebration and what does it point to? Why is this Jewish Holiday found in the New Testament and more importantly, what does this celebration mean for Messianic Jews and Christians?
The History of Hanukkah
In order to understand the significance of Hanukkah to the Jewish people, and to further understand why Jesus made sure He was in Jerusalem for this Feast of Dedication, it is pivotal to know how this Holiday came to be. Unlike the other Biblical Feasts (Passover, Sukkot, Yom Kippur, etc.), the Feast of Dedication is not explained or commanded in Leviticus 23 as one of the Lord’s Appointed Feasts. This is simply because the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) commemorates the rededication to the Second Temple in what is commonly known as “The Silent Years.” The Silent Years, also known as the “Intertestamental Period” is the 400-year gap between the prophet Malachi and John the Baptist, or, the period between the Old and New Testaments. During these years, God was certainly not silent or inactive, however, there were no Holy Spirit-inspired writings that would be written and included in the Canon of Scripture (the 66 scrolls of the Bible). So what was occurring during these years?
Approximately 200 years before the arrival of Jesus, the Jewish people were under intense oppression by the Seleucid (Syrian) Empire. This empire was under the authority of King Antiochus IV and Hellenistic Pagan practices. This dynasty demanded full assimilation to the Hellenistic way of life; language, arts, lifestyle – everything was to conform to the Greek way of life. After a series of harsh decrees were enforced by King Antiochus IV, Jewish worship was forbidden, the scrolls of the Tanakh were confiscated and burned, and circumcision, sabbath, and dietary practices were forbidden under penalty of death. In 164 BC, Antiochus even desecrated the Temple: the altars, the utensils, and the golden Menorah were all defiled.
Maccabean Revolt
When the Seleucid oppression reached its max, the Jews began to retaliate in an attempt to keep their culture and allegiance to the one true God, YHWH! This retaliation became better known as the Maccabean Revolt, led by the zealous Jews under the leadership of Judah. Realistically, the Maccabees had absolutely no chance of winning. The Syrian army consisted of more than 40,000 men – it was another David vs. Goliath scenario – but, as in the story of David, God performed a miracle, and after a series of battles, the war was won.
The Menorah
Once the Maccabees reclaimed their Temple and aimed to restore it, they cleared the Temple of its idols and reinstituted the Holy artifacts that they repossessed. As is commanded in the Torah, they wanted to light the Temple’s Menorah that they found, but could not do it according to the commandment of the Torah. The Talmud tells us that the large golden menorah with seven lamps was found and returned to its place. However, there was only enough properly pressed oil for one day. The process to make this holy oil was a week long. It involved beating (not pressing) the olives, then allowing them to sit, to naturally drain the oil:
And you shall command the sons of Israel that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. Exodus 27:20
According to the records, out of desperation and obedience to God’s Word, the Jews lit the Menorah with the resources that they had and miraculously, eight days later, the Menorah was still found burning as the new oil was finally prepared. This is the miracle of Hanukkah, which in Hebrew means “dedication”, which commemorates the miraculous works of God when we turn back to Him and rededicate our lives and allegiance to Him. God takes the little that we have and multiplies it.
Jesus and Hanukkah!
As mentioned prior, the only place that Hanukkah is mentioned in all of Scripture is in the Gospel of John. Just prior to John’s mention of the Feast of Dedication, the scene is deliberately set to see a correlation between what this Holiday commemorates and who Jesus says He is. In the 6th chapter of John, we see Jesus multiplying the loaves and fish in what we call the feeding of the 5,000. Similar to the Hanukkah commemoration, Jesus is found taking what little the disciples had and miraculously multiplying it to meet the needs of the people turning back to God!
Subsequently, as we get to John 8, we see Jesus in Jerusalem again just days before Hanukkah, when the Pharisees attempt to trap Jesus in what is seemingly an unanswerable problem. The Pharisees bring a woman to Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery, claiming that according to the Law of Moses, she must be stoned. Jesus famously answers them: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” As the Pharisees left one by one, convicted by their conscience, Jesus addressed them again saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” This phrase would have had a significant impact on the listeners as their famous Holy City was being prepared to celebrate the Festival of Lights!
As we continue to read, in John 9, even closer to the celebration of Hanukkah, we see Jesus restore sight to a man born blind. Similarly to the woman caught in adultery, this man’s sins were brought into question by Jesus’ disciples. They asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Again, Jesus is approached with an either/or scenario and responds with a third, alternative option. Jesus replies, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Again Jesus identifies Himself as the Light of the World, now hours before the Festival of Lights.
Through these three events (the feeding of the 5,000, the woman caught in adultery, and the man who received his sight), we see Jesus touching on the very themes of Hanukkah leading right up to the Holiday itself. Jesus was found multiplying the meager resources of the disciples, and now we see Him as the deliverer of both the spiritually and physically broken. Hanukkah was the season to remember and commemorate the victory of a righteous, priestly deliverer (Judah) during the time of the Seleucid Oppression. Here we see Jesus doing the same thing with “apparent” sinners, and the people began to recognize the connection.
John sets the scene for us, reminding us that Jesus and His disciples are in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah):
At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area, in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” John 10:22-24
The following discourse that Jesus provided them was the last thing they expected. As He was exhibiting based on chapter 6 (the feeding of the 5,000), chapter 8 (delivering the woman caught in adultery), and chapter 9 (the healing of the blind man), the Pharisees we’re under the impression that Jesus was providing a salvation as an earthly deliverer from earthly problems, much like Judah during the Maccabean Revolt. Much to their surprise, Jesus responds with, “I and My Father are one.” This obviously led to the Pharisees attempting to stone Jesus for blasphemy. He was the Deliverer they were looking for, but for a life far beyond the earthly troubles. While being fully engaged in this world, there is another world that we are a part of. Jesus was celebrating with Israel the rededication of the Temple, but not the Temple that they were thinking. Jesus was rededicating Himself as the Temple.
Hanukkah Today
As we see in John, Jesus was an advocate and celebrator of Hanukkah and what it stood for. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple, God’s miraculous provision, and the return of the people to the Torah. In John’s Gospel, we see Jesus not only celebrating these by journeying to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication, but by exemplifying these unique characteristics right up to the Feast itself. Jesus encouraged a return to God and in John chapter 10, He gave us the parable and “I Am” statement of the sheep and the Shepherd. He spoke of knowing His sheep and following His voice on a day that celebrated the return to the Torah.
Should Christians Celebrate Hanukkah?
As a Christian, celebrating Hanukkah as a Jewish military victory over an oppressive nation may seem a bit odd and misplaced. However, celebrating God’s provision and having a season to rededicate our focus to God’s word is never a bad idea. From this side of the Gospel Message, we can celebrate this Holiday from multiple vantage points. We can celebrate how this Feast of Dedication was fulfilled in Jesus as the true Temple to whom we dedicate our lives. We can also celebrate how this Festival of Lights pointed to the true Light of the World, who has called us to be lights as well.
Today, the Menorah is lit every Hanukkah to remember the eight days that God miraculously provided oil for the Temple’s Lampstand. Unlike the Temple Lampstand which had seven lights, the Hanukkah Menorah has eight smaller candles and one larger candle in the middle. This larger candle, called the Shamash, has a unique and exclusive job. Shamash in Hebrew means “servant”, and rather than lighting each candle with only a match, only the servant is lit in the raised position. Subsequently, the servant, or Shamash, is then used to light the remaining eight candles respectively. Unsurprisingly, many recognize the role of Jesus in the special servant candle on the Hanukkah menorah. In doing so, we remember His words:
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16