The Gospel of John presents a unique and profound portrait of Jesus Christ. Unlike the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), which document numerous miracles, John selectively presents seven specific miracles, which he terms “signs” (Greek: sēmeion). These are not merely displays of supernatural power; they are carefully chosen events that function as windows into Jesus’ divine identity and mission. Each sign is a deliberate act of revelation, pointing beyond the miracle itself to a deeper theological truth about who Jesus is.
The Signs Over Nature: Demonstrating Divine Sovereignty
The first category of signs reveals Jesus’ authority over the natural world, an attribute ascribed to God alone in the Hebrew Scriptures. These miracles show that the Creator has entered His creation, possessing the power to suspend, alter, and command its fundamental elements.
1. The Transformation of Water into Wine (John 2:1-11)
- The Narrative: The first sign occurs at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. The celebration is threatened when the hosts run out of wine, a significant social and symbolic failure. Jesus’ mother, Mary, brings the problem to his attention. Despite his initial reluctance (“My hour has not yet come”), Jesus instructs the servants to fill six large stone water jars—used for Jewish ceremonial purification—with water. When the master of the banquet tastes the water, it has become the finest wine. This act, John notes, was the first time Jesus “revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.”
- Theological Significance: This sign is rich with symbolism. On a basic level, it demonstrates Jesus’ power over the physical elements, transforming water into wine. More profoundly, it signifies the beginning of a new spiritual reality. The water of the old Jewish purification rites is transformed into the rich wine of the new messianic age, symbolizing joy, abundance, and the new covenant that Jesus brings. He replaces the old forms of religious observance with something new, vibrant, and life-giving. This first sign establishes a key theme: Jesus is the fulfillment and replacement of old structures, bringing a superior “vintage” of God’s grace to the world.
2. The Feeding of the 5,000 and Walking on Water (John 6:5-13, 16-21)
- The Narrative: This section contains two linked nature miracles. First, seeing a large crowd, Jesus tests his disciples by asking how they will feed so many people. With only five barley loaves and two fish, Jesus gives thanks and distributes the food. Miraculously, all 5,000 men (plus women and children) are fed, with twelve baskets of leftovers collected. Later that evening, the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, struggling against a strong wind and rough waves. They are terrified when they see Jesus walking on the water toward them. He calms their fears with the words, “It is I; do not be afraid,” and when he gets into the boat, they immediately reach their destination.
- Theological Significance: The feeding of the 5,000 is a powerful sign pointing to Jesus as the divine provider. It deliberately echoes the story of God providing manna in the wilderness for the Israelites (Exodus 16). Jesus is presented as the new and greater Moses, providing not just physical bread but the “true bread from heaven.” This miracle serves as the preface to Jesus’ famous discourse where he declares, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), signifying that he provides ultimate spiritual sustenance. The subsequent miracle of walking on water demonstrates his sovereignty over the forces of chaos, represented by the stormy sea. In the Old Testament, only God has dominion over the chaotic waters (Psalm 77:19). By walking on the sea, Jesus reveals his divine nature and his ability to bring peace and safety amid life’s storms.
The Signs of Healing: Revealing Power Over Life and Law
These signs move from the realm of nature to the human body, demonstrating Jesus’ authority over sickness, suffering, and even the religious laws established to govern human life.
1. Healing the Official’s Son (John 4:46-54)
- The Narrative: A royal official from Capernaum travels to Cana to beg Jesus to heal his son, who is near death. Jesus challenges the man, noting that people often seek signs and wonders. However, he then tells the official, “Go; your son will live.” The man takes Jesus at his word and heads home. On the way, his servants meet him with the news that his son has recovered. When he asks when it happened, he learns it was at the exact moment Jesus had spoken the words of healing.
- Theological Significance: This second sign, as John explicitly calls it, highlights the power of Jesus’ word and the nature of true faith. Unlike others who needed to see a miracle, the official believed based solely on Jesus’ declaration. The healing occurs from a distance, proving that Jesus’ authority is not limited by physical proximity. His word alone carries the power to create life and health. This sign teaches that faith is not about witnessing a spectacle but about trusting the authoritative word of Jesus.
2. Healing the Man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-18)
- The Narrative: In Jerusalem, Jesus encounters a man who has been an invalid for 38 years, lying by the Pool of Bethesda in hope of a healing. Jesus asks him, “Do you want to get well?” and then commands him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” The man is instantly healed. However, this act incites controversy because it was performed on the Sabbath, and carrying a mat was considered “work” under rabbinic law.
- Theological Significance: This sign reveals Jesus’ authority over both long-term human suffering and religious law. By healing the man, he demonstrates his life-giving power. By doing it on the Sabbath, he makes a profound claim about his identity. When confronted, Jesus declares, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). This statement equates his work with God’s work, claiming a divine prerogative to give life and act with authority, even over the Sabbath. The sign becomes a catalyst for conflict, revealing Jesus as the Lord of the Sabbath who brings true rest and restoration.
3. Healing the Man Born Blind (John 9:1-7)
- The Narrative: Jesus and his disciples see a man who was blind from birth. The disciples ask a common theological question: who sinned, the man or his parents? Jesus corrects them, stating the blindness is an occasion to display God’s work. He then makes mud with saliva, applies it to the man’s eyes, and instructs him to wash in the Pool of Siloam (which means “Sent”). The man obeys and returns, able to see.
- Theological Significance: This is a pivotal sign about spiritual illumination. The physical healing is a metaphor for the spiritual sight that Jesus offers. The narrative that follows is a masterful depiction of faith and unbelief. The formerly blind man grows in his understanding of Jesus, eventually worshipping him as the Son of Man. Conversely, the Pharisees, who claim to have spiritual sight, are revealed to be spiritually blind, refusing to accept the evidence before them. Jesus concludes the episode by stating, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (John 9:39). This sign powerfully illustrates Jesus’ identity as “the light of the world” (John 9:5).
The Climactic Sign: The Raising of Lazarus
This final sign is the most dramatic and significant, serving as the culmination of all previous signs and the direct cause of the plot to have Jesus killed.
The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:1-44)
- The Narrative: Jesus hears that his friend Lazarus is sick, but he intentionally delays his journey for two days. By the time he arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead and in the tomb for four days—a period after which, according to Jewish belief, the soul had departed and decomposition had set in, making resuscitation impossible. Jesus has deeply emotional encounters with Lazarus’s sisters, Martha and Mary. He comforts Martha with one of his most famous declarations: “I am the resurrection and the life.” Deeply moved by their grief, Jesus weeps. He then goes to the tomb, commands the stone to be removed, and calls out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man emerges, still wrapped in his burial cloths.
- Theological Significance: The raising of Lazarus is the ultimate sign. It is not just a healing but a reversal of death itself. By waiting four days, Jesus ensures that the miracle cannot be dismissed as a mere resuscitation. He demonstrates absolute power over death, the final enemy of humanity. This act is the ultimate validation of his claim to be “the resurrection and the life,” showing that he does not just bring life but is life itself. This sign foreshadows Jesus’ own resurrection, proving that the one who can raise others from the grave has the power to take up his own life again. It is so powerful and undeniable that it galvanizes the religious authorities to finalize their plans to kill him, ironically setting in motion the events that will lead to his own death and resurrection.
In conclusion, the signs in the Gospel of John are a masterfully constructed theological narrative. They progressively reveal Jesus’ identity, moving from his power over nature, to his authority over human suffering and religious law, and culminating in his absolute sovereignty over death. Each sign is an invitation to move beyond the physical act and to see the divine glory it reveals, ultimately leading the reader to the conclusion articulated by the evangelist himself: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
References
- Brown, R. E. (1966). The Gospel According to John (I-XII). The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries. Yale University Press.
- Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel According to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
- Keener, C. S. (2003). The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Baker Academic.
- Kostenberger, A. J. (2004). John. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Baker Academic.
