was winter;
and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's porch. The 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.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not: the works that
I do in My Father's name, these bear witness of Me. But ye believe
not, because ye are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I
know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My
hand. My Father, which hath given them unto Me, is greater than all;
and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and
the Father are one. The Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from the
Father; for which of those works do ye stone Me? The Jews answered
Him, For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy; and
because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God. Jesus answered
them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If He
called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the Scripture
cannot be broken), say ye of Him, whom the Father sanctified and
sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son
of God? If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I
do them, though ye believe not Me, believe the works: that ye may
know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.
They sought again to take Him: and He went forth out of their hand.
And He went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John was
at the first baptizing; and there He abode. And many came unto Him;
and they said, John indeed did no sign: but all things whatsoever
John spake of this man were true. And many believed on Him
there."--JOHN x. 22-42.

After our Lord's visit to Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles, and
owing to His collision with the authorities in regard to the blind man
whom He healed, He seems to have retired from the metropolis for some
weeks, until the Feast of the Dedication. This Feast had been instituted
by the Maccabees to celebrate the Purification of the Temple after its
profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes. It began about the 20th December,
and lasted eight days. As it was winter, possibly raining, and certainly
cold, Jesus walked about i