The Feast of Dedication, also known as Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights, is an 8-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the 2nd century BCE. Here is an overview of the biblical background and traditions associated with this special festival:
Biblical Background
The events behind the Feast of Dedication took place during the intertestamental period between the Old and New Testaments. In the 2nd century BCE, the Seleucid Empire ruled over Judea and sought to impose Greek culture and religion on the Jews. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king, outlawed Jewish religious practices such as circumcision and Sabbath observance, and in 167 BCE erected an altar to Zeus in the Jerusalem Temple, desecrating it.
This sparked a revolt led by Judah Maccabee and his brothers, known as the Maccabean Revolt. After 3 years of fighting, the Maccabees succeeded in driving the Seleucids out of Jerusalem in 164 BCE. They cleansed and rededicated the Temple, an event commemorated in the book of 1 Maccabees:
“They celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the festival of booths, remembering how not long before, during the festival of booths, they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals. Therefore, carrying ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place. They decreed by public edict, ratified by vote, that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year” (1 Maccabees 4:56-59 ESV).
The Feast of Dedication was thus established to commemorate the cleansing and rededication of the Second Temple after its desecration by Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
When is the Feast of Dedication Celebrated?
The Feast of Dedication is celebrated on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which falls in November or December on the secular calendar. The holiday begins on the 25th of Kislev and continues for eight days, through the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet. In 2023, the dates are December 17-25.
The Talmud explains the eight-day duration as a delayed celebration of Sukkot, which the Jews had been unable to properly observe earlier that year due to the Temple’s desecration (Shabbat 21b). The eight days mirror the eight days of Sukkot, allowing them to make up for the missed festival.
Traditions and Customs
The Feast of Dedication incorporates several key traditions and customs:
– Lighting the hanukkiah – Each night of Hanukkah, a nine-branched candelabrum called a hanukkiah is lit to commemorate the miracle of the oil. According to tradition, when cleansing the Temple, the Maccabees only found enough purified oil to burn for one day, but it miraculously lasted for eight days. An additional candle called the shamash is used to light the other eight candles, one added each night.
– Reciting blessings – On each night of Hanukkah, two blessings are recited before lighting the hanukkiah. The first blessing thanks God for the commandment to light the Hanukkah lights. The second recalls the miracle of the oil when the Temple was rededicated.
– Eating fried foods – It is customary to eat fried foods such as potato pancakes (latkes) and jelly donuts (sufganiyot) to commemorate the miracle of the oil.
– Playing dreidel – Children traditionally play a game of dreidel, a four-sided spinning top marked with Hebrew letters. Players use coins, chocolate coins or other tokens as betting chips for this Hanukkah game.
– Giving gelt (money) and gifts – In modern times, it has become customary to give children gelt, or money, and exchange gifts to commemorate the holiday. This mirrors gift-giving traditions of Christmas, which occurs around the same time.
In addition to lighting the hanukkiah, celebrating Hanukkah typically involves family gatherings, singing Hanukkah songs, and the consumption of special foods fried in oil. Synagogue services include the recitation of the Hallel prayer and readings from the Torah and prophets. Themes of religious freedom, persecutions overcome, cleansing, and rededicating oneself to God run throughout the holiday.
Jesus and the Feast of Dedication
The New Testament contains one significant reference to the Feast of Dedication in John 10:22-39. This passage describes Jesus being in Jerusalem for the Feast and engaging in heated dialogue with the Jews about his identity as the Son of God:
“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. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep…If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’ Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.” (John 10:22-39 ESV)
This account demonstrates that Jesus observed the Feast of Dedication along with the Jewish people of his day. However, as reflected in the hostile reaction he received, Jesus challenged the status quo and religious establishment just as the Maccabees had centuries earlier. While visiting the Temple during this festival commemorating its rededication, Jesus asserted his own authority over the Temple and essentially rededicated it through his presence, actions and words.
Beyond this passage, the New Testament does not provide further information about early Christian observance of Hanukkah. The holiday gained significance centuries later in Medieval times as Christians began incorporating some Hanukkah traditions. But for the most part, Hanukkah remains a distinctly Jewish holiday not celebrated by mainstream Christianity.
Significance for Today
For today’s Jews, the Feast of Dedication remains an important religious and cultural celebration. The lighting of hanukkiah, recitation of blessings, fried foods, and other traditions bring the history of the Maccabees’ struggle and God’s provision to life. Synagogues host special observances of the festival. Families light their menorahs together and commemorate the heroes of the past. The holiday represents victory over persecution and the ongoing fight against forces that would eradicate Jewish faith and practice.
For Christians, the Feast of Dedication holds significance as a reminder of Jewish heritage and Old Testament history pointing toward Jesus the Messiah. Jesus’ observance of the holiday links him with God’s work through the Maccabees. And his words at the Temple signify his messianic fulfillment of its intended purpose. Christians can appreciate Hanukkah as part of the biblical story leading up to Christ’s coming. While not observed as a Christian feast day, it merits value as part of our shared Judeo-Christian history.
Conclusion
The Feast of Dedication provides rich spiritual meaning for both Jews and Christians. For Jews, it commemorates the miraculous rededication of the Temple after a time of great trial. The Maccabees’ stand for religious freedom and identity inspires Jewish observance today. For Christians, Jesus’ celebration of this feast reminds us of God’s faithfulness to His people throughout challenging times, and points to the Messiah who would spiritually restore and rededicate not just the Temple, but the people themselves. As the lights of the hanukkiah shine forth, may we reflect on God’s mighty acts on behalf of His people, and rededicate our own hearts to Him.