Musing – Some Miracles were Signs; of what?

Hebraic Musing – Some Miracles were Signs; of what?

John’s Gospel was written to reveal Jesus’ divinity as stated in John 20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God…”  The seven miracles John records were significant signs which defined Jesus.  Look closely at the “divinity” messages in each of these seven signs:

1.   Changing water into wine (Jn.2:1-11):  This first sign reminds us of Jesus’ mission, to be glorified upon the cross.  So He said “my hour has not yet come.”  However, by responding Jesus launches himself on the path to that hour.  He performed the miracle because there was a significant need – ran out of wine at a wedding.  The issue is not the volume that was changed, but the sign that He was bringing ‘New Wine”.   Weddings are important because we’ve all been invited to “the wedding supper of the Lamb”!   And in  John 2:5, Mother Mary gave us good advice -- "Do whatever he tells you."

2.   Healing the royal official’s son (Jn.4:46-54):  All Jesus did was to tell the man: “You may go. Your son will live.”  This shows that Jesus’ word alone has power and reminds us that he is God, as the John’s prologue says: “the Word was with God and the Word was God”.   Even the greatest and most powerful men come to God as beggars and paupers; world strengths and possessions are meaningless. 

3.   Healing the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem (Jn.5:1-15):  healing the paralyzed man born blind happened on a Sabbath, which lead Jesus into controversy with the religious leaders of his time. Through these signs we see Jesus as “the Lord of the Sabbath.”  The man at the pool waited 38 years for a physical healing; but Jesus reveals the more important healing.  The man was sinning and needed healing from spiritual blindness.  We are all born Spiritually blind, from birth.  And Christ delights in helping the helpless. Observe the process:  (1) Christ addresses the man;  (2) he then commands;  (3) the man obeys, the obedience of faith;  (4) In the act of obedience he is healed.  This lame man represents all men; we all need Spiritual healing by obedience and faith in Jesus.

4.   Feeding the 5,000 (Jn.6:5-14):  To the Jews, this is a powerful reminder of how Jesus can and does do what God was credited with doing by feeding mana to the Israelites in the wilderness journey.

5.   Walking on water (Jn.6:16-24):  Again, Jesus fulfills the promises of the Old Testament when God parted the waters of the Red Sea to save the Israelites.  So, the fourth and fifth signs are both connected to, the Passover narrative, and symbolize a new exodus.”  All four Gospels indicating that all of mankind can be miraculously saved if they only place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

6.   Healing the man born blind (Jn.9:1-41):  The man born blind was persecuted by the officials but then confesses in John 9:38 “Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.”  John is writing of the physical cure in such a way that it reflects and calls to mind the cure of spiritual blindness — from birth.  We are all born blind of Godly truth, and we do not see the light until that precious day when we acknowledge Jesus as Our Lord.  He is the only light source, and once you believe in Him and make Him your Lord, then your eyes will be opened.    Interesting -- The clay made of Christ's spittle was much more precious than any balm or medicine from a physician. BTW - God originally formed man out of clay!

7.   Raising Lazarus from the dead (Jn.11:1-45):  Jesus tells us the significance of this miracle in verse 25 -- "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"   Only then does Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead.  The resurrection of Lazarus showed that only through Jesus can we have victory over death and thus obtain eternal life. “He that believes in me will never die.”      

Do these seven signs in John’s Gospel confirm that Jesus is the LORD; “the way, the truth and the life”?

 Points to ponder

Do signs, wonders and miracles today point people to Jesus?

♫  “Only believe, only believe; All things are possible, only believe;… ♫  

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               October 17, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”