At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. (John 10.22-23)
The Feast of Dedication is a holiday observed by Israelites today. You can read of why this holiday is created, what is being celebrated, and why- but, not in the Bible.
Originally called the feast of the Maccabees, this is the celebration of the cleansing of the temple during the period of Greek rule (between the OT and NT). Today the feast is observed as Hanukkah. John records for us that during the feast of the dedication (cleansing) of the Temple that this is where Jesus has gone.
I wonder; does Jesus stand in that courtyard and think about that event? An excerpt from 1 Maccabees 4.38-40, “And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast ashes upon their heads, And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven”. Now, the book of Maccabees is not an inspired work, but the revolt did take place. Jesus would have known the hearts of those men willing to fight and die for their relationship with His Father. So, I must believe, the humanity of my Savior would stand in a place and reminisce about a time when leaders of His people fought valiantly to come and sacrifice to the One True God.
Then, He turns and is face to face with the spineless leaders of the day. “I told you…The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about Me” (John 10.25). I wonder if Jesus has come here, not only to enjoy the festivities, but also to use the ambiance of the setting to make His point.
Jesus sees the worship is desolate; the leaders profaned; the gates corrupted; and evil grows openly in His Father’s House. He will stand and cleanse it. He will restore true worship. His sacrifice will be enough, even more than enough! Jesus will stand up and prevail.