John 10:22

And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's porch, and it was winter.

As Robertson noted:

There is a considerable time-lapse between the events in John 10:1-21 and John 10:22-39, possibly nearly three months (from just after tabernacles John 7:37 to dedication John 10:22) ... Jesus had apparently spent the time in between in Judaea (Luke 10:1-13:21).[19]

The feast of dedication was begun by Judas Maccabeus B.C. 164 to commemorate the cleansing and rededication of the temple after the defilement through pagan worship under Antiochus Epiphanes, and was celebrated every year for eight days beginning on the 25th of the Jewish month Casleu.1 Maccabees 4:59 (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1942). Douay Version of the Holy Bible.">[20] It was not one of the great feasts handed down from Moses; but it was popular among the people who called it: the feast of lights. Hunter said, "It was held at the winter solstice (Christmas) ... and was called `The Feast of the New Age.'"[21]

It was winter ... explains Jesus' seeking the shelter of Solomon's porch; our Lord preferred to preach outdoors as in the Sermon on the Mount.

Johnson described Solomon's porch thus:

It is generally supposed to have been in the southeast part of the temple enclosure, overlooking the valley of Kedron. Josephus describes it as a stadium in length, and as having three parts, two of them thirty feet wide each, and the middle one forty-five feet. He contends that it was built by Solomon, which is doubtful.[22]

A stadium was twice the length of a football field (582 feet by 600 feet) according to Peloubet's dictionary. Johnson's doubt of Solomon's building it seems strange, because it is hard to imagine anyone else having done so and then naming it after Solomon. Josephus not only attributed it to Solomon but stated that he built it before the temple itself.[23] The roof was terraced, some portions of it being 120 feet in height.

[19] A. T. Robertson, Harmony of the Gospels (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1922), p. 184.

1 Maccabees 4:59 (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1942). Douay Version of the Holy Bible.">[20]; 1 Maccabees 4:59 (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1942). Douay Version of the Holy Bible.

[21] A. M. Hunter, op. cit., p. 106.

[22] B. W. Johnson, The New Testament Commentary (Cincinnati, Ohio: Christian Standard Publishing Company, 1886), p. 164.

[23] Flavius Josephus, Life and Works (New York: Rinehart and Winston), p. 244.