The Gospel according to John Signs Believing Felix
The Gospel according to John Signs & Believing Felix Just, S. J. , Ph. D. Loyola Institute for Spirituality, Orange, CA http: //catholic-resources. org
“SIGNS” in the Fourth Gospel p There n are NO “Miracles” in John! Word dynamis (”miracle”) is never used! p Jesus only does “Works” & “Signs” Works: what the Father gives Jesus to do n Signs: point the way to something n p Purpose of “Signs”? Get you to DO something! n Consider modern “Street Signs” n p Not art-works to be admired p But instructions to be obeyed!
What are “Signs”?
What are “Signs”?
“Signs” vs. “Miracles”? p Synoptic Miracles Dozens, of four different types n Emphasize the “extraordinary”: Wow! n Jesus’ Authority over Satan n Prerequisite: Some people have faith n p Johannine Signs Few healings; no exorcisms n Downplay the “miraculous”: Huh!? n Jesus’ Relationship with God n Result: Some people come to believe n
PURPOSE of “Signs” in John p Intended Result: To bring people to BELIVE in Jesus n See his identity thru his words & works n p But do they actually “work”? Do people heed the signs, or not? n People must freely decide: how to respond: obey? ignore? reject? n Various reactions: positive, negative, or in between? n
“Signs” in John: How Many? (7? ) p p p 2: 1 -11 4: 46 -54 ? ? 5: 1 -9 ff p Sick man at pool of Bethesda ? ? 6: 1 -14 ff Feeding of 5000 ? ? 6: 16 -21 9: 1 -7 ff p 11: 1 -45 p ? 19: 17 -37 p ? 21: 1 -14 p Water into wine at Cana Official’s son at Capernaum Walking on water ? ? Giving sight to man born blind Lazarus raised from the dead Crucifixion/Exaltation of Jesus Appearance at Sea of Tiberias “Many other signs”: 2: 23; 3: 2; 6: 2; 7: 31; 9: 16; 11: 47; 12: 37; 20: 30 -31; cf. 4: 45
SIGNS: Water into Wine at Cana
SIGNS: Official’s Son at Capernaum
SIGNS: At Pool of Bethesda? ? ?
SIGNS: Feeding of 5000
SIGNS: Walking on Water? ? ?
SIGNS: Sight for Man Born Blind Also Manuscrit Grec 74, Bibl. Nationale, Paris – 5 Scenes
SIGNS: Raising Lazarus to Life
Last Sign? Appearance at Tiberias
Greatest Sign? Crucifixion of Jesus!
Last/Greatest Sign: The CROSS! a) Last mention of “signs” comes after the passion narrative (20: 30 -31). b) In 2: 18 -22, “sign” refers to death and resurrection of Jesus. c) Verb semaino (“to indicate, signify, show by sign”) refers to his death (12: 31 -33; 18: 32; cf. Exod 4: 8 -9; Num 14: 11, 22). d) Verb “lifted up” implies crucifixion (3: 13 -15; 8: 28 -30; cf. Num 21: 8 -9; Isa 43: 10 -13; etc. ) e) Cross functions to bring people to believe (19: 35 -37; cf. Zech 12: 10— 13: 1) f) Jesus’ death is “completion” of his “work” (cf. 4: 34; 5: 36; 17: 4, 23; 19: 28, 30)
Discipleship in John: “Believing” p Biblical Vocabulary n “Faith” (pisti. V; noun) – esp. in Paul p n “Have Faith” sounds like possessing an object “Believe” (pisteuw; verb) – esp. in John p Action: to trust, entrust oneself to, believe in
“Believing” in the Fourth Gospel p John never uses the noun (“faith, belief”), but always/only the verb (“to believe”) n n p Believing involves relationship n p Even better translation: “trusting someone” or “entrusting oneself to someone” Synonyms for “believing”: n p Believing is an action one does Not an object one possesses (not “having faith”) knowing, seeing, receiving, coming to, accepting, remaining, etc. Opposites of “believing” n “not believing, rejecting, denying, not receiving, going away, etc. ”
Possible Reactions to Jesus in FG 1. Refusing to believe, despite seeing/hearing p 2. Beginning to believe, but not fully knowing p 3. Ex. : Nicodemus, Joseph Arimathea; some “Jews” Seeing and believing; becoming a disciple p 5. Ex. : “crowds”; some early “disciples”; some “Jews” Believing, but being afraid to profess publicly p 4. Ex. : “world”; “chief priests”; most “Jews” Ex. : “disciples”; Samaritans; blind man; Thomas Believing even without seeing, just
Dynamics of Believing (John 9) Increasing Faith p p p p Man Born Blind: 9: “the man called Jesus…” 12: “I do not know” 17: “He is a prophet” 27: “Do you also want to become his disciples? ” 30: “He opened my eyes” 33: “If this man [Jesus] were not from God, he could do nothing” 38: “Lord, I believe. ” And he worshiped him. Decreasing Faith p p p p Pharisees/Jews: 12: Ask where Jesus is. 16: Jesus is “not from God”; he breaks the Sabbath. 22: Anyone who confesses Jesus as Messiah is put of the synagogue. 24: Jesus is a sinner. 29: They are disciples of Moses; don’t where Jesus comes from 34: Formerly blind man is a sinner; they throw him out
Results/Effects of Believing p Becoming "children of God" (1: 12) p Having "eternal life" (3: 15 -16, 36; 5: 24; 6: 40, 47) p p p p Not "perishing" (3: 16); not "being condemned" (3: 18) Not "coming under judgment" (5: 24); never being "hungry/thirsty" (6: 35) "Knowing" Jesus and the Father (4: 42; 6: 64, 69; 10: 38) Passing from death to life (5: 24); living and never dying (11: 25 -26) Having "living water" flow out of one's heart (7: 38) Receiving the Spirit (7: 39) Being "disciples" of Jesus (8: 31); being Jesus' "friends" (15: 14 -15) Seeing the "glory of God" (11: 40); seeing "greater things"
Texts with “Believe” in John p Believe! n w/o direct object; “You just gotta trust”! p Believe IN God / IN me / IN… NT Greek lit. says “believe INTO…” n “put your trust in/into God & Jesus” n “entrust yourself to God & Jesus” n p Believe n Trust God/Jesus; believe what he says p Believe n ME/HIM/… THAT… Doctrines/beliefs about God & Jesus
More on “Signs” & “Believe” p “Signs” in the Fourth Gospel n http: //catholic-resources. org/John/Themes- Signs. htm p “Believe” in the Fourth Gospel n http: //catholic-resources. org/John/Themes- Believe. htm
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