St John wrote his gospel for a particular purpose. He chose to comment on 7 of the signs that Jesus had performed during his ministry. It was to get people to trust in Jesus as the Christ and as the Son of God. As he wrote, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30-31. “Sign” in the Greek is [sēmeion; σημεῖον] meaning a sign which pointed beyond itself to a truth about the person who performed it. So the 7 signs are recorded by John to show that Jesus is the Christ and also the Son of God. We look briefly at the seven signs.
1]. John 2:1-11. Jesus Turned Water Into Wine
No one ever wants to be seen as being inhospitable. Yet that was the situation the bridegroom faced at his own wedding reception. When His mother told Jesus they had run out of wine He told the servants to fill the jars with water and to take some to the master of the banquet. The latter told the bridegroom that he seemed to have saved the best wine to the end. An embarrassing situation was averted, and John wrote, “This was the first of the signs through which He [Jesus] revealed His glory and his disciples believed in Him.” 20:30.
This sign revealed a truth about Jesus, namely His glory. The transformation of the water into wine showed Jesus’ power over nature and pointed to the glory of His divine being. It was a step in the disciples’ faith journey even though they may not have fully realised just who Jesus was.
2]. John 4:46-54 – The Healing Of The Nobleman’s Son
John records that an official in Capernaum went to Jesus and asked him to come down and heal his son. John 4:46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was at the point of death. It seems that Jesus tested him by saying to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 4:48. However the official was not put off by this and said to Jesus, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Somehow, he believed that Jesus could heal his son. Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. His servants met him on the way and told him that his son had begun to recover the day before at the seventh hour. He realised that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” He and his whole household trusted in Jesus.
We see here Jesus’ power in healing at a distance through the power of His spoken word. No wonder the father and his household put their trust in Jesus. This was beyond human resources or power.
3]. John 5:1-15 – Healing At The Pool Of Bethesda.
When Jesus was going up to Jerusalem He passed by a pool called Bethesda where many invalids lay, who were blind, lame and paralysed. One man there had been an invalid for 38 years. “When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?’” John 5:6. One might wonder why Jesus asked such a question seeing the man’s need was so obvious. However the sick man replied, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going, another steps down before me.” He had been proactive in seeking healing but had always been unsuccessful. Then came the words from Jesus’ lips which would transform his life, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” The man was immediately healed, took up his bed and walked.
Some of the Jews said to him, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” John 5:10. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” He answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” When they asked him who it was who had said these words to him, he was unable to answer, for he did not know who Jesus was. Later Jesus found the man in the temple and said to him “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” John 5:14. The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.
John recorded that was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. Jesus told them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 5:17. God could heal people whenever He wanted to and Jesus had broken the restrictions of the man-made laws about the sabbath and had healed too.
Jesus showed in what He did that he had divine power to bring healing. His words also indicated that they had seen God acting through Him. It was a sign that they ignored.
4]. John 6:1-14 – Feeding The 5,000.
Jesus’ ability to heal the sick had attracted a crowd which followed Him as He crossed to the far shore of the sea of Galilee. When Jesus saw a great crowd coming towards Him He asked Phillip “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Phillip’s reply indicated that he saw the situation as impossible. However Andrew spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” When the crowd had sat down Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed to those seated who received as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. Jesus commanded His disciples to gather up what was left over and they filled 12 baskets.
John wrote, “When the people saw the sign that He had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” John 6:14. The crowd recognised it as a sign but interpreted it incorrectly. Jesus recognised that they wanted to make Him king by force, so He withdrew from their midst.
5]. John 6:15-21 – Jesus Walks On Water.
Jesus’ disciples have gotten into a boat to cross the lake, when a strong wind arose and the waters became rough. They saw Jesus walking towards them on the water and they became frightened. He told them “It is I, don’t be afraid.” They took Him aboard the boat and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. There were two parts to this sign. One was the picture of Jesus walking on the surface of the water which was beyond any human ability. The other was that when He got into the boat immediately they arrived at their destination. Both parts of the sign indicated the divine power behind His actions.
6]. John 9:1-12 – Healing Of The Man Born Blind.
When Jesus’ disciples were walking along with Him they saw a man who had been born blind. They asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
It was unfortunate as we see, as the story continues, that the Pharisees could not accept that Jesus had healed the man. When they spoke evil of Jesus, the man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” The blind man recognised that his healing was a sign from God that Jesus was God’s instrument in bringing him his sight. We see the utter blindness of the Pharisees who answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” Then they cast him out. They had physical sight but their spiritual eyes were blinded to the sign Jesus had performed.
7]. John 11:1-44 – Lazarus Raised From The Dead.
Lazarus who was the brother of Mary and Martha became seriously ill. When the sisters told Jesus about Lazarus He told them that the sickness would not end in death. However, Lazarus did die and when Jesus came to the tomb He said “Take away the stone.” Martha protested but Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they rolled away the stone. Jesus prayed, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” Then he cried out, “Lazarus, come out.” Lazarus did come out with his hands and feet still bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus then said, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
This was indeed another sign and it led many of the Jews to believe in Jesus. The Pharisees also recognised what had happened as being a sign but they were threatened by it, saying, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” John 11:47-48. How sad to read what followed, “So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.”
SUMMING UP
How tragic that people can see the signs of God at work among His people in His healings and miracles with some choosing to believe in Him and others turning their backs to the truths revealed in those signs.
People today as they read the scriptures or hear them expounded [especially these seven signs in John’s gospel] have to choose whether to see them as signs pointing to the truth about Jesus, or choose to ignore their meaning. Ignoring the truths behind the signs means rejecting the Christ [the Messiah] who is THE way and THE truth and THE life and THE only way to the Father. John14:6.
Blog No.496 posted on Tuesday 05 September 2023
holbeck 
496. John Wrote His Gospel To Enable People To Trust In Jesus. John 20:30-31
St John wrote his gospel for a particular purpose. He chose to comment on 7 of the signs that Jesus had performed during his ministry. It was to get people to trust in Jesus as the Christ and as the Son of God. As he wrote, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30-31. “Sign” in the Greek is [sēmeion; σημεῖον] meaning a sign which pointed beyond itself to a truth about the person who performed it. So the 7 signs are recorded by John to show that Jesus is the Christ and also the Son of God. We look briefly at the seven signs.
1]. John 2:1-11. Jesus Turned Water Into Wine
No one ever wants to be seen as being inhospitable. Yet that was the situation the bridegroom faced at his own wedding reception. When His mother told Jesus they had run out of wine He told the servants to fill the jars with water and to take some to the master of the banquet. The latter told the bridegroom that he seemed to have saved the best wine to the end. An embarrassing situation was averted, and John wrote, “This was the first of the signs through which He [Jesus] revealed His glory and his disciples believed in Him.” 20:30.
This sign revealed a truth about Jesus, namely His glory. The transformation of the water into wine showed Jesus’ power over nature and pointed to the glory of His divine being. It was a step in the disciples’ faith journey even though they may not have fully realised just who Jesus was.
2]. John 4:46-54 – The Healing Of The Nobleman’s Son
John records that an official in Capernaum went to Jesus and asked him to come down and heal his son. John 4:46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was at the point of death. It seems that Jesus tested him by saying to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 4:48. However the official was not put off by this and said to Jesus, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Somehow, he believed that Jesus could heal his son. Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. His servants met him on the way and told him that his son had begun to recover the day before at the seventh hour. He realised that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” He and his whole household trusted in Jesus.
We see here Jesus’ power in healing at a distance through the power of His spoken word. No wonder the father and his household put their trust in Jesus. This was beyond human resources or power.
3]. John 5:1-15 – Healing At The Pool Of Bethesda.
When Jesus was going up to Jerusalem He passed by a pool called Bethesda where many invalids lay, who were blind, lame and paralysed. One man there had been an invalid for 38 years. “When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?’” John 5:6. One might wonder why Jesus asked such a question seeing the man’s need was so obvious. However the sick man replied, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going, another steps down before me.” He had been proactive in seeking healing but had always been unsuccessful. Then came the words from Jesus’ lips which would transform his life, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” The man was immediately healed, took up his bed and walked.
Some of the Jews said to him, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” John 5:10. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” He answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” When they asked him who it was who had said these words to him, he was unable to answer, for he did not know who Jesus was. Later Jesus found the man in the temple and said to him “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” John 5:14. The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.
John recorded that was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. Jesus told them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 5:17. God could heal people whenever He wanted to and Jesus had broken the restrictions of the man-made laws about the sabbath and had healed too.
Jesus showed in what He did that he had divine power to bring healing. His words also indicated that they had seen God acting through Him. It was a sign that they ignored.
4]. John 6:1-14 – Feeding The 5,000.
Jesus’ ability to heal the sick had attracted a crowd which followed Him as He crossed to the far shore of the sea of Galilee. When Jesus saw a great crowd coming towards Him He asked Phillip “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Phillip’s reply indicated that he saw the situation as impossible. However Andrew spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” When the crowd had sat down Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed to those seated who received as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. Jesus commanded His disciples to gather up what was left over and they filled 12 baskets.
John wrote, “When the people saw the sign that He had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” John 6:14. The crowd recognised it as a sign but interpreted it incorrectly. Jesus recognised that they wanted to make Him king by force, so He withdrew from their midst.
5]. John 6:15-21 – Jesus Walks On Water.
Jesus’ disciples have gotten into a boat to cross the lake, when a strong wind arose and the waters became rough. They saw Jesus walking towards them on the water and they became frightened. He told them “It is I, don’t be afraid.” They took Him aboard the boat and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. There were two parts to this sign. One was the picture of Jesus walking on the surface of the water which was beyond any human ability. The other was that when He got into the boat immediately they arrived at their destination. Both parts of the sign indicated the divine power behind His actions.
6]. John 9:1-12 – Healing Of The Man Born Blind.
When Jesus’ disciples were walking along with Him they saw a man who had been born blind. They asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
It was unfortunate as we see, as the story continues, that the Pharisees could not accept that Jesus had healed the man. When they spoke evil of Jesus, the man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” The blind man recognised that his healing was a sign from God that Jesus was God’s instrument in bringing him his sight. We see the utter blindness of the Pharisees who answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” Then they cast him out. They had physical sight but their spiritual eyes were blinded to the sign Jesus had performed.
7]. John 11:1-44 – Lazarus Raised From The Dead.
Lazarus who was the brother of Mary and Martha became seriously ill. When the sisters told Jesus about Lazarus He told them that the sickness would not end in death. However, Lazarus did die and when Jesus came to the tomb He said “Take away the stone.” Martha protested but Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they rolled away the stone. Jesus prayed, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” Then he cried out, “Lazarus, come out.” Lazarus did come out with his hands and feet still bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus then said, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
This was indeed another sign and it led many of the Jews to believe in Jesus. The Pharisees also recognised what had happened as being a sign but they were threatened by it, saying, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” John 11:47-48. How sad to read what followed, “So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.”
SUMMING UP
How tragic that people can see the signs of God at work among His people in His healings and miracles with some choosing to believe in Him and others turning their backs to the truths revealed in those signs.
People today as they read the scriptures or hear them expounded [especially these seven signs in John’s gospel] have to choose whether to see them as signs pointing to the truth about Jesus, or choose to ignore their meaning. Ignoring the truths behind the signs means rejecting the Christ [the Messiah] who is THE way and THE truth and THE life and THE only way to the Father. John14:6.
Blog No.496 posted on Tuesday 05 September 2023
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.