Signs and Believing in the Fourth Gospel

The Fourth Gospel: "Signs" and "Believing"
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

I. "Miracles" in the Synoptic Gospels vs. "Signs" in the Fourth Gospel

.	Synoptics	John
Number & Type:	dozens of specific narratives and general summaries; exorcisms, nature miracles, healing miracles, restoration miracles	only few individual events; no summaries or exorcisms; only a few "nature" and "healing" miracles and one "raising dead"
Character of the Narratives:	emphasize extraordinary elements of the actions; people often praise God afterward	downplays "miraculous" aspects; but followed by controversy dialogues
Function of Jesus' Actions:	powerful deeds related to Kingdom of God and authority of Jesus, esp. over Satan	symbolic actions that reveal Jesus' origin, identity, and relationship with God
Role of Faith / Believing:	faith is usually a prerequisite for Jesus being able to perform miracles	people (should) come to believe as a result of seeing the "sign" that Jesus performed

II. Terminology

There is no single Greek word for "miracle" (despite KJV and some other translations!):

Greek term	English transl.	Mark	Matt	Luke	John	Acts	rest of NT
du/namij (dynamis)	"power; mighty deed"	10	12	15	0	10	72
shmei/on (semeion)	"sign"	7	13	11	17	13	16
te/raj (teras)	"wonder" [always w/ "sign"]	1	1	0	1	9	5
e)/rgon (ergon)	"work" or "deed"	2	6	2	27	10	122

III. Number of Signs in the Fourth Gospel?

Traditional list of seven (or eight?) signs:

a) 2:1-11 Water into Wine at Cana - "Jesus did this, the first of his signs... and manifested his glory" (2:11)

b) 4:46-54 Official's son near death at Capernaum - "the second sign that Jesus did" (4:54)

c?) 5:1-9ff Healing of a sick man at Pool of Bethesda - called a "work," not a "sign" (7:21; cf. 5:17)

d) 6:1-14ff Feeding of the 5000 - "When the people saw the sign which he had done..." (6:14)

e?) 6:16-21 Walking on water (never called a "sign", nor does it function as one!)

f) 9:1-7ff Healing of a man born blind - "How can a sinner do such signs?" (9:16)

g) 11:1-45 Lazarus raised from the dead - "they heard he had done this sign" (12:18)

h?) 21:1-14 Resurrection Appearance at Sea of Tiberias (not called a "sign", but closely related)

"Many other signs" mentioned, but not narrated: 2:23; 3:2; 6:2; 7:31; 9:16; 11:47; 12:37; 20:30-31; cf. 4:45

IV. The Main Texts of the Fourth Gospel mentioning "Signs," "Works," etc.

2:1-11	5:2-18	6:25-33	10:25	Ch. 13-20??
2:13-16	5:19-21	7:1-9	10:31-38	14:10-13
3:19-20	6:2	7:25-31	10:40-42	15:24
4:34	6:3-14	8:39-41	11:1-44	17:1-5
4:46-54	6:16-20	9:1-40	12:37,42	20:30-31

See also "work," "glory/glorify," "the hour," "will of God"

V. The Last and Greatest "Sign" is the Cross!

a) the last mention of "signs" comes after the passion narrative (20:30-31)
b) "sign" refers to the death and resurrection of Jesus in 2:18-22
c) so does the related verb "to indicate, signify, to show by sign" in 12:31-33; 18:32 (cf. Exod 4:8-9; Num 14:11, 22)
d) verb "lifted up" implies crucifixion in 3:13-15; 8:28-30 (cf. Num 21:8-9; Isa 43:10-13; etc.)
e) in the passion narrative, the cross functions to bring people to believe (19:35-37; cf. Zech 12:10 - 13:1)
f) the death of Jesus is the "completion" of his "work" (cf. 4:34; 5:36; 17:4, 23; and 19:28, 30)

VI. Definition & Function of the Johannine Signs

Four possible reactions to Jesus; four levels or types of believing:

1) Rejection / Unbelief / Sin (1:10-11; 3:18; 5:16; 6:36, 64; 7:5; etc.)
2) Partial / Beginning / Secret Believing (3:2; 8:31; 19:38-39)
3) Seeing and Believing (2:11, 23; 9:35-38; 11:45; 20:24-28)
4) Believing without Seeing (4:50; 5:24; 11:23-27; 20:29)

Note: The noun "faith" is never mentioned in John's Gospel; but the verb "to believe/trust" is very common (used 98 times)!

Reflection: What is the result of "believing" (see 20:31; cf. 1:12)? How is this related to "knowing" and "abiding"?

Return to the Introductory Materials for the Fourth Gospel

Return to the Johannine Literature Homepage

a)	2:1-11	Water into Wine at Cana - "Jesus did this, the first of his signs... and manifested his glory" (2:11)
b)	4:46-54	Official's son near death at Capernaum - "*the second sign* that Jesus did" (4:54)
c?)	5:1-9ff	Healing of a sick man at Pool of Bethesda - called a "work," not a "sign" (7:21; cf. 5:17)
d)	6:1-14ff	Feeding of the 5000 - "When the people saw *the sign* which he had done..." (6:14)
e?)	6:16-21	Walking on water (never called a "sign", nor does it function as one!)
f)	9:1-7ff	Healing of a man born blind - "How can a sinner do such signs?" (9:16)
g)	11:1-45	Lazarus raised from the dead - "they heard he had done this sign" (12:18)
h?)	21:1-14	Resurrection Appearance at Sea of Tiberias (not called a "sign", but closely related)