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
 There

are NO “Miracles” in John!
Word dynamis (”miracle”) is never used!
 Jesus
only does “Works” & “Signs”
Works: what the Father gives Jesus to do
 Signs: point the way to something

 Purpose
of “Signs”?
Get you to DO something!
 Consider modern “Street Signs”

 Not
art-works to be admired
 But instructions to be obeyed!
What are
“Signs”?
What are “Signs”?
“Signs” vs. “Miracles”?
 Synoptic
Miracles
Dozens, of four different types
 Emphasize the “extraordinary”: Wow!
 Jesus’ Authority over Satan
 Prerequisite: Some people have faith

 Johannine
Signs
Few healings; no exorcisms
 Downplay the “miraculous”: Huh!?
 Jesus’ Relationship with God
 Result: Some people come to believe

PURPOSE of “Signs” in John
 Intended
Result:
To bring people to BELIVE in Jesus
 See his identity thru his words & works

 But
do they actually “work”?
Do people heed the signs, or not?
 People must freely decide:
how to respond: obey? ignore? reject?
 Various reactions:
positive, negative, or in between?

“Signs” in John: Exactly SEVEN?





2:1-11
4:46-54
?? 5:1-9ff

Sick man at pool of Bethesda ??
6:1-14ff Feeding of 5000
?? 6:16-21
9:1-7ff

11:1-45
 ? 19:17-37
 ? 21:1-14

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”

Biblical Vocabulary

“Faith” (pistiV; noun) – esp. in Paul


“Have Faith” sounds like possessing an object
“Believe” (pisteuw; verb) – esp. in John

Action: to trust, entrust oneself to, believe in
“Believing” in the Fourth Gospel

John never uses the noun (“faith, belief”),
but always/only the verb (“to believe”)



Believing involves relationship


Even better translation: “trusting someone” or
“entrusting oneself to someone”
Synonyms for “believing”:


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”

“not believing, rejecting, denying, not receiving,
going away, etc.”
Possible Reactions to Jesus in FG
1.
Refusing to believe, despite seeing/hearing

2.
Beginning to believe, but not fully knowing

3.
Ex.: Nicodemus, Joseph Arimathea; some “Jews”
Seeing and believing; becoming a disciple

5.
Ex.: “crowds”; some early “disciples”; some “Jews”
Believing, but being afraid to profess publicly

4.
Ex.: “world”; “chief priests”; most “Jews”
Ex.: “disciples”; Samaritans; blind man; Thomas
Believing even without seeing, just hearing

Ex.: royal official; Martha; readers of Gosp.John
Dynamics of Believing (John 9)
Increasing Faith








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







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 out
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
 Becoming "children of
God" (1:12)
 Having "eternal life" (3:15-16, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47)










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" (1:50)
Becoming "children of light" (12:36); not "remaining in darkness" (12:46)
Doing the works that Jesus does, or even greater works (14:12)
 Having "life in his name" (20:31)
Texts with “Believe” in John
 Believe!

w/o direct object; “You just gotta trust”!
 Believe
IN God / IN me / IN…
NT Greek lit. says “believe INTO…”
 “put your trust in/into God & Jesus”
 “entrust yourself to God & Jesus”

 Believe

Trust God/Jesus; believe what he says
 Believe

ME/HIM/…
THAT…
Doctrines/beliefs about God & Jesus
More on “Signs” & “Believe”
 “Signs”
in the Fourth Gospel
 http://catholic-resources.org/John/Themes-Signs.htm
 “Believe”
in the Fourth Gospel
 http://catholic-resources.org/John/Themes-Believe.htm