Miracles/Signs

Miracles/Signs

Jesus performed many signs and wondrous miracles that were supernatural indeed. The Apostle John writes of only about eight for a specific purpose. This specific conclusion is found in John 20:30,31 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: (31) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (Scofield, 1909). Within the Morris text this verse appears on page 1 and a very important point that is made is that of, “The demand for such a sign is basically a demand that God should act in accordance with the ideas of the scribes and Pharisees, that God be a god made in the likeness of humankind. So Jesus calls those who asked for this kind of sign “an evil and adulterous generation” (Morris, Pg. 3, 4)

The first miracle is the turning of water into wine in Cana. “And both Jesus and his disciples were called, to attend a marriage ceremony” (John 2:2). Although according to Dr. Towns, he notes that “the focus is on Christ, speculating the symbology, that Christ is love and the fountainhead of love that is usually manifested at weddings. Towns goes on to say that the miracle also symbolizes the Church’s (the bride’s) relationship to Christ (the bridegroom). This could very well be, however Morris brings about an important point in this first miracle at Cana. “The changing of the water into wine is surely meant to bring out the power of Jesus to bring about new beginnings. John is showing that Jesus “changes the water of Judaism into the wine of Christianity, the water of Christlessness into the wine of the richness and the fullness of eternal life in Christ, the water of the law into the wine of the gospel” (Morris, Pg. 24). I am inclined to believe that both Towns and Morris are correct and yet we have the New Covenant being introduced in Hebrews chapters 7 through 10 with the old Mosaic covenant being abolished as a result of the coming of Jesus Christ and his ministry, death and resurrection.

The healing of a nobleman’s son (2^nd miracle) which is found in John 4:48, Jesus challenged the man by stating that “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe” (Scofield, 1909). The man displayed faith with persistence and did believe. The man’s servants met up with up with the man and told him “Thy son liveth” (Scofield, 1909). The servants and the man put together the details of when the fever left the boy and determined that it was in the hour that he had spoken with Jesus. According to Towns, “Jesus was demonstrating the first example of salvation” (Towns, Pg. 44) Within the Morris text, there is no real elaboration or suitable emphasis on this sign/miracle of the nobleman’s son. I would then be more inclined to hold the view pointed out by Dr. Towns noted just above.

In Jesus’ third miracle, he heals a lame man that is thought to be full of excuses and with but a little bit of hope in a speculated false belief that an angel stirs the water for healing. This man “has been lame for thirty eight years” (Scofield, 1909) (John 5:5). Jesus asserts his deity by disregarding man’s law concerning the Sabbath. The Jews persecute the healed man and condemn Jesus for his actions that went against the Jewish law. Is this not a beautiful example of the statement in John 15:18 and 19? “If the world hate you, ye know it hated me before it hated you” (Scofield, 1909). (Verse 19) “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (Scofield, 1909).  Jesus also asserts his deity within John chapter 5, verses 16-20. Jesus identifies his relationship to the Father, making himself equal with God. Dr. Towns makes the very same point on Pg. 50-51 of his book.

Within the fourth miracle that Jesus performed, this would be the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus did this because he knew that the Jewish festival was empty and without meaning. Jesus was also in the process of proving his disciples faith such as Phillip. He wanted the people that he was feeding to be filled. He wanted to show everyone that there was nothing too great for him to accomplish

The fifth miracle Jesus performed was walking on the water and calming a storm. This miracle shows us that Jesus is indeed in control of creation. He also paints a picture for us and that is one of having faith and believing in him, for he is our Saviour, Jesus will deliver us through any storm in life. Dr. Towns states that “the disciples were now learning He would not forsake them in the storm” (Towns, Pg. 62).

The sixth miracle is the healing of a blind man and teaching his disciples about sin, noting that the works of God must be made manifest in the man while it is still daylight. In John 9:5 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Scofield, 1909). In the commentary by Tenney, he points out that “this human misery is divine opportunity” (Tenney, 1975).

The raising of Lazarus was the seventh miracle; Lazarus had been dead for four days already. Jesus then commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave. Jesus demonstrated his deity by giving life to those who believe in him. In speaking to Martha, John 11:25 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (Scofield, 1909). (Tenney, 1975).

Miracle number eight was performed after the death and resurrection. Jesus was still teaching obedience to his disciples and still demonstrating his deity by giving the disciples a great catch of fish. A miracle of this nature as that of the great commission. The graduation dinner “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17 partial quote). Within the Judean realm of Christianity, they don’t seem to recognize this great catch of fish and the third meeting of Christ and his disciples since the resurrection. They only recognize the 7 miracles listed above and according to the title on their page “The Seven Miracles in John” (Kelley, 2003). Unknown as to why this might be. But one must not ignore that final one of the disciples being great fishers, but now they have become fishers of men.

   

Bibliography

Kelley, Jack. The Seven Miracles in John. July 2, 2003. http://gracethrufaith.com/selah/spiritual-life/the-seven-miracles-in-john/ (accessed April 25, 2011).

Morris, Leon. Jesus is the Christ. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989.

Scofield, C.I. The Holy Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, 1909.

Tenney, Merrill C. "Topics from the Gospel of John, The meaning of the Signs." http://faculty.gordon.edu. April 1975. http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/NTeSources/NTArticles/BSac-NT/Tenney-TopicsJohnPt2-BS.pdf (accessed April 25, 2011).

Towns, Elmer. John Believe and Live. Canada: AMG Publishers, 2002.