SIGNS

     “Miracles represent God’s unusual actions, detectable against a backcloth of uniformity.” (Denis Alexander) Each of the four gospels describes miracles by Jesus, events that simply do not occur during the normal, run of the mill, activities of life. The Gospel of John uses a specific word to identify these activities, the word “sign.” This different perspective shifts the focus from the one whose circumstances are altered by Jesus, to indicate that this unusual action of God is precisely that–an action by God. A “sign” depicts those activities reserved for the divine and indicates divine interest that is detectable against our backdrop of uniformity, in the midst of our run of the mill events of daily living.

In the Old Testament

     In the accounts of Genesis the word, sign, is used in reference to the lights in the heavens which distinguish day from night (1:14) and for the rainbow as a sign of the covenant with Noah (9:12, 13, 17). However, signs are most prominent after God announces to Moses a way to confirm the presence and activity of God.

“I will be with you, indeed this will be my sign for you
so you might know that I sent you; you will lead the
people out of Egypt and worship God on this
mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)

Moses is given two more signs to demonstrate to the people that God sent him as their deliverer in response to their cry for help (Exodus 2:23-25); turning his staff into a snake and transforming Moses’ hand to leprosy and back to normal again. If these two were not sufficient, a third sign was granted; turning water from the Nile into blood. (Exodus 4:1-9) When Moses arrives back in Egypt with Aaron, he performs these signs. As a result the people believed and worshipped God. (4:30-31)

Elsewhere in John

      When Jesus provides wine at the wedding feast in Cana, the Gospel writer indicates this is the beginning of his signs. Significantly, it is noted that his disciples believed in Jesus. Given the background we have from the Old Testament, this sign served as a demonstration of the direct association of Jesus’ actions with God. After Jesus goes to Jerusalem and returns by way of Samaria, the Gospel writer draws our attention once again to the divine activity of Jesus by noting “Now this was a second sign Jesus performed after coming to Galilee from Judea.” (John 4:54) Within Jesus’ ministry, there will be signs, indeed signs like no one has ever seen before.

     Yet, not all of Jesus’ signs are described in detail. While in Jerusalem after the wedding feast Jesus performs many other signs which were seen by the people.

When he was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast,
many people believed in his name when they saw
the signs which he was performing; (John 2:23)

In fact, when Nicodemus visits Jesus he says, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher from God; for no one can work the signs you accomplish unless God is with him.” (3:1) The signs of Jesus are not always described, but they always have an impact on those who observe what is happening and recognize these signs signify the reality of the relationship between Jesus and God.

     In the Gospel of John the signs which Jesus performs do not always lead to faith. As the gospel progresses, the signs lead to lengthy discussions by Jesus which then lead to conflict over his words. As John 6 opens, the crowd is following Jesus because they saw what he was doing for those who were sick, which they associated with signs of God. As John 6 closes, many of those he dialogued with in Capernaum are upset and many of those following Jesus as disciples choose to leave him. (6:52, 66)

     During the following episode in John 7, there is great division among the crowd. Some of those in the crowd wish to seize Jesus and the Jewish leaders send their assistants to seize Jesus. Yet, some in the crowd are supportive because of the signs which he demonstrated.

Many from the crowd had decided to believe Jesus
and were saying, “Whenever the Messiah should come,
he surely won’t perform more signs than this man has
accomplished, will he? (7:31)

This episode during the Festival of Tabernacles or Booths in the fall escalates in both the statements by Jesus and the agitation by the crowd. Finally, Jesus makes mention of Abraham’s support and the crowd seeks to kill Jesus by stoning him. (8:56-59)

     Although the relationship between seeing signs and believing Jesus is complex in the Gospel, the gospel writer provides a clear rationale for including them.

Now, to be sure, Jesus did many different signs in the
presence of his followers which have not been written
in this account, but these signs have been written so
that you can trust that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Son
and so that those who trust in his name may experience
life. (20:30-31)

The signs included in the gospel are similar to the signs described in the book of Exodus. As signs of the activity of God, they should result in belief on the part of those who are looking for God to make a difference in their life. The accounts of the Exodus were recounted to the many generations living prior to Jesus in order that they could believe in the God who makes a difference in their lives. In the case of the Gospel of John, the signs are recounted for a new generation so that they, too, might believe in this same God.

Concluding Thought

     When Jesus enters the public sphere at Cana and reveals his glory (Episode 10) by performing a sign, this is only the beginning. Many signs are summarized while a few are described specifically. These signs are not merely miracles–as in the other three gospels–but signify and demonstrate a reality concerning Jesus, the Word at the Beginning with God, the Word with God. Jesus does what can only be attributed to the divine. The question and concern for the observer then, as well as for the one who hears of them ever since, is how he or she might respond. Will there be a recognition like Nicodemus that God is with Jesus? Will there be an initial state of believing that must be nurtured to prevent, as happened at times, a rejection of Jesus? While not written in neon colored, flashing lights and broadcast to draw the attention of each and every passerby, these signs are far more substantial. They indicate the means for those who read and heed to experience life of the ages.

Take 5 Minutes More

     In the past 200 years it has become common for the scientific approach of Western Europe, Canada, and the USA to discount signs. Other places around the globe continue to acknowledge work by the divine, either the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or some other gods. It is not uncommon to hear someone dismiss “folklore” or “old wives’ tales.” The willingness to dismiss God from the world we live in seems by many to be the wise thing to do. But, is this the right thing to do?

     Are you skeptical of miracles because of training received in your school systems? Do you think everything must be “seen” to be “believed?” The end result of such a mindset is a type of fatalism and pessimism because our normal, run of the mill activities of life become quite repetitious. The Gospel of John says that those who believe these signs indicate Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Son will experience life.

     Try to remember, and then write down to share with someone else, the last time something happened in your daily living that was unexpected, something that was unexplainable. Did such a moment provide you with a spark of life, or did it move you toward despair? God’s actions provide us with life!


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