There are several Greek words in the New Testament that are used to describe miracles. While the synoptic Gospels prefer the word dunamis (to emphasize the power of Jesus), John employs the word sēmeion some seventeen times to point out the spiritual significance of eight miracles in the (John’s) Gospel.[1] While the Gospels teach that the significance of all the miracles of Christ is that they are prophetic works of the Messiah[2], there is a distinction to be recognized between a miracle described by the Greek word dunamis and a miracle described by the Greek word sēmeion. To understand this distinction one must begin by understanding the meaning conveyed by the words in the original Koine Greek. The Greek word δύναμις, transliterated as dunamis, can be defined as power, might, strength, or force,[3] while the Greek word σημεῖον, transliterated sēmeion, can be defined as the distinguishing mark by which something in known, a token, or an indication.[4] The use of dunamis to describe a deed performed by Jesus carries with it the idea that the work was done to display His mighty power and the use of sēmeion conveys the idea of an outward indication of something deeper. Therefore, the use of the term sēmeion in John’s gospel then is very important; for John it is a way of drawing attention to the hand of God in the ministry of Jesus.[5] Each of the miracles in John’s gospel reveals the deity of Christ in one way or another. Here we will examine each of the “sign” miracles performed by Christ as recorded in the Gospel of John.
The first “sign” miracle recorded by John, and the earliest recorded in any of the gospels, is the turning of water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee, found in John 2:1-11. Here Jesus and His disciples were in attendance at a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee when it was brought to Jesus’ mother that the wine was running out. Jesus then miraculously change the water into wine. This miracle point to Jesus as the source of all the blessing of God’s future,[6] and demonstrated His power over creation.[7] Little information on the wedding in included in John’s account, which itself is a significant fact. Weddings of the day were focused, much like weddings today, on the bride, while in this account the focus is on Jesus, perhaps symbolizing that Christ is love and is the fountainhead of love that is usually manifested at weddings.[8] It is also important to note that Christ chose to change into wine the water that was contained in pots used for ceremonial cleansing. The symbolism of this detail should not be lost on the reader, for the water used for purification was replaced by wine, that which would come to symbolize the blood of Christ.[9]
The next “sign” miracle recorded in John’s gospel is the healing of an official’s (nobleman’s) son, recoded in John 4:46-54. Through this miracle Jesus reveals that His is the master over distance,[10] that His power is not limited by physical space. Here an official comes and begs Jesus to return with him to his home and heal his son, who was sick to the point of death (v.47). Jesus, instead of accompanying the official to his home, simply speaks a word and heals the boy. Thus, Christ demonstrates that He is the source of healing power, and not limited by distance.
The account of Jesus’ healing of the official’s son closes out the fourth chapter of John’s gospel and the fifth chapter opens with John’s account of the next “sign” miracle, the healing of a invalid at the pool of Bethesda. The man at the pool had been an invalid for thirty eight years (v.5) when he met the Lord. Jesus showed compassion on the man and healed him. The healing of a man who had been an invalid for such a long time points to the fact that Jesus is master over time. John points us to the divine characteristics of Christ by emphasizing His special knowledge. Of the great multitude, Jesus saw one man and knew that he had been by the pool a long time.[11] Jesus also revealed His deity by stating that He and the Father are working together to accomplish the Father’s goals.
The next “sign” miracle observed in John’s account is the feeding of the five thousand people who had gathered to hear Jesus, recorded in John 6:1-14. In this narrative five thousand people had gathered to hear the teachings of Jesus. As they gathered, the Lord had compassion for their human needs and from provided food enough to feed the entire crowd from two small fish and five barley loves, with enough pieces of bread left to fill twelve baskets. Through the feeding of the five thousand Jesus prepares the hearts of the people to receive His teaching on the bread of life that follows.[12] Jesus also demonstrates that He is master over food with this miraculous multiplication of the bread and fish.[13]
The next demonstration of Christ’s deity occurs the evening following the feeding of the five thousand and is found in John 6:15-21. After the multitude tried to take Jesus by force and make Him king, He withdrew to the mountain by Himself. That evening the disciples boarded a boat destined for Capernaum, leaving Jesus behind. During the trip the weather began to deteriorate and after the disciples were about four miles off shore, in the midst of the storm, they observed Jesus walking on the water up to the boat. This “sign” pointed to the divine nature of Jesus, demonstrated by His power and authority over the natural, created world.[14]
This gospel then records the next “sign” miracle of Christ in John 9:1-12, the healing of the man whom had been born blind. In yet another example of Christ’s compassion, He brought sight to a man who had been blind from birth by anointing the blind man’s eyes with a mixture of salvia and dirt. When Jesus and His disciples first came upon this man the disciples asked if the man or his parent’s sin had caused him to be born blind (v.2). Jesus responded that it was not sin that had caused the man’s blindness, but that the man was blind so that Jesus’ power could be manifested and God glorified. God sent His blessed Son to him at just the right time to make him a wonderful witness to His delivering power.[15] In this “sign” Christ demonstrated His power over natural laws.[16] He also revealed another facet of His divine nature by providing an illustration of the fact that He was the light of the world.[17]
The next “sign” miracle is found in John 11:1-44 and is perhaps the most spectacular, the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The raising of Lazarus from the dead was not Christ’s last miracle before the cross, but it was certainly His greatest and the one that aroused the most response from His friends and His enemies.[18] In John’s account of this event Jesus raises Lazarus, who had been in the tomb four days (v.17), from death back to life. Jesus demonstrates He possess power even over death in the performance of this miracle.[19] Also, note that the raising of Lazarus serves as something of a foreshadowing of the power to resurrect all believes one day to fellowship and eternal life in Christ.[20]
Finally, in John 21:1-11 is recorded the last of the “sign” miracles, the miraculous catch of fish. Here Jesus appears, post-resurrection, to His disciples from the shore as they are fishing, but they do not recognize Him. Jesus asks them if they have any fish and they reply that they don’t. He then instructs them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat and when they do they catch so many fish that they are unable to pull the net into the boat. In this event Christ displays His power over the created world and uses the events on the lakeshore to instruct His disciples.[21]
By and through these eight events Jesus of Nazareth revealed Himself as the Christ. As signs the miracles serve as symbols of the true significance of Jesus. However, while many marveled at Christ’s supernatural exploits, only true believers saw the spiritual implications of the signs.[22] While signs can and do point to God and to Christ, they are inadequate to bring anyone to saving faith.[23] The production of saving faith in a person is a work of the Father, as evidenced by Jesus’ own words recorded in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”
[1] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John: Believe and Live (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2002), xiii.
[2] J. D. Spiceland, “Miracle,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Baker Reference Library) 2nd ed., ed. Walter Elwell (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2001), 779.
[3] William Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature: A Translation and Adaptation of the Fourth Revised and Augmented Edition of Walter Bauer's Griechisch-Deutsches Wörterbuch Zu Den Schriften Des Neuen Testaments Und Der Übrigen Urchristlichen Literatur (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), 207.
[4] Ibid., 747.
[5] Leon Morris, Jesus Is the Christ: Studies in the Theology of John (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989), 13.
[7] Townes, The Gospel of John: Believe and Live, xiii.
[8] Ibid., 18.
[10] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Handbook (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003), 341.
[11] Towns, The Gospel of John: Believe and Live, 49.
[13] Towns, The Gospel of John: Believe and Live, xiii.
[15] H.A. Ironside, John (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2006), 229.
[16] Towns, The Gospel of John: Believe and Live, xiii.
[17] MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Handbook, 341.
[18] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary Vol. 1. New Testament (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2008), 333.
[19] MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Handbook, 341.
[21] Towns, The Gospel of John: Believe and Live, 212.
[23] Chad Owen Brand, Charles W. Draper, and Archie W. England, “Sign” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 1501.ndbook, 621
