John 10:22-30

This passage is from the Revised Common Lectionary.  It appears during year C on the 4th Sunday of Easter, often called "Good Shepherd" Sunday.

Summary:  So much promise.  Jesus knows us, Jesus gives us life, the Father holds us in his hands.   Still dreaming on this passage...

I think the Greek in this passage is not complex.  You are likely work through it with a little help.  Go for it.  The verb tenses are worth paying attention to.

Key terms
εγκαινια  (Hanukah; 10:22)  Most translators call this the Festival/Feast of Dedication.  Which is true, but it would be known to most English readers, certainly in America, as the Hanukah!  Just a reminder that Jesus is a practicing Jew.  In fact, the action in John typically revolves around Jesus celebrating and interpreting anew the Jewish feasts.  The original Hanukah involved a miracle that allowed the temple to stay lit throughout worship...over and against occupation.  So when they ask Jesus if he is the Messiah/Christ, it is a very loaded question.

στοα του Σολομωνος (Solomon's Colonnade/Porch/Stoa; 10:23)  There is a portico that comes up a few times in the New Testament, where Jesus gathers.  Here is a website that does a nice job giving a quick summary:  https://www.gotquestions.org/Solomon-Porch.html

εργα (works; 10:25, 33)  The NIV translates this word as "miracle"; the NET Bible as "deed" and the NRSV as "work."  I like "work" because it allows for Jesus to say in vs 33 "good works", which has a more biblical ring.  I also think that miracles has a specific Greek word from which it is typically translated (dynamis) and in John's Gospel is related to "signs."  Question to ponder:  What is the difference in a work of God and a miracle?

Verb tenses

It is important to pay attention to the verb tenses in this passage

• εκυκλωσαν αυτον .... ελεγον αυτω (10:24) [Aorist verb followed by imperfect verb] 

They encircled him (aorist = one time event) and they were saying to him (imperfect = action not complete, therefore on-going and typically begun in the past)

εκυκλωσαν (encircled; 10:24)  The people have encircled Jesus, not gathered around him!  

Also, they are speaking (ελεγον, imperfect tense) repeatedly to him.  There is conflict brewing!

• ειπον και ου πιστευετε (10:25)  [Aorist verb followed by present tense verb]
  

I spoke (aorist = one time event) and you are not believing (present meaning repeated action).  

Jesus speaking was an event in the past; the not believing is an on-going state of affair 

• A number of verbs are significantly in the present sense, meaning they are on-going actions:
  

γινοσκω ("know"; 10:27)    This word is kind of boring in Greek:  Know, recognize.  But it likely is a translation of the Hebrew "Yada," which has a more intimate meaning.  Regardless, worth pondering -- what does it mean for Jesus to know us!!

ακολουθουσιν (follow; 10:27). If we are to follow, this means that Jesus is leading.

διδωμι (give; 10:28) Jesus indicates he is always be giving us eternal life.  It is not a) not simply a future gift and b) is not a one time gift!  Jesus is always giving us life.