October 28, 2025
You won't believe unless you see signs and wonders? What does that mean?
John 4-6
Cathy Joseph
Big Book Idea
Written to the world, and full of doctrine, John shows us Jesus is the savior of the world.
Key Verse | John 4:48
So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."
John 4-6
Chapter 4
Jesus and the Woman of Samaria
1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 1 4:6 That is, about noon
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. 2 4:14 Greek forever The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.
Jesus Heals an Official's Son
46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you 3 4:48 The Greek for you is plural; twice in this verse see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants 4 4:51 Or bondservants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour 5 4:52 That is, at 1 p.m. the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
Chapter 5
The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic 6 5:2 Or Hebrew called Bethesda, 7 5:2 Some manuscripts Bethsaida which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 8 5:3 Some manuscripts insert, wholly or in part, waiting for the moving of the water; 4for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.
Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews 9 5:10 The Greek word Ioudaioi refers specifically here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed Jesus in that time; also verses 15, 16, 18 said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
Jesus Is Equal with God
18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
The Authority of the Son
19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father 10 5:19 Greek he does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
Witnesses to Jesus
30 I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
Chapter 6
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii 11 6:7 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Jesus Walks on Water
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, 12 6:19 Greek twenty-five or thirty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
I Am the Bread of Life
22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread 13 6:58 Greek lacks the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus 14 6:59 Greek He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
The Words of Eternal Life
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
Footnotes
[1] 4:6 That is, about noon[2] 4:14 Greek forever
[3] 4:48 The Greek for you is plural; twice in this verse
[4] 4:51 Or bondservants
[5] 4:52 That is, at 1 p.m.
[6] 5:2 Or Hebrew
[7] 5:2 Some manuscripts Bethsaida
[8] 5:3 Some manuscripts insert, wholly or in part, waiting for the moving of the water; 4for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had
[9] 5:10 The Greek word Ioudaioi refers specifically here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed Jesus in that time; also verses 15, 16, 18
[10] 5:19 Greek he
[11] 6:7 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
[12] 6:19 Greek twenty-five or thirty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
[13] 6:58 Greek lacks the bread
[14] 6:59 Greek He
Table of Contents
Introduction to John
Timeline
Author, Date, and Recipients
John the son of Zebedee wrote this Gospel. He was a Palestinian Jew, one of the 12 disciples, and a member of Jesus’ inner apostolic circle. He was referred to as the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (13:23). John also wrote 1–3 John and Revelation. He likely wrote his Gospel account between A.D. 70 (the date of the destruction of the temple) and A.D. 100 (the reputed end of John’s life). It was likely written from Ephesus in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire at the time. His original audience consisted of Jews and Gentiles living in the larger Greco-Roman world in Ephesus and beyond, toward the close of the first century A.D.
Theme and Purpose
The theme of John’s Gospel is that Jesus is the long-awaited, promised Messiah and Son of God. By believing in Jesus, people have eternal life (see 20:30–31).
As evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, John relies on several selected messianic signs performed by Jesus and a series of witnesses to Jesus. These include the Scriptures, John the Baptist, Jesus himself, God the Father, Jesus’ miraculous works, the Holy Spirit, and John himself.
Key Themes
- Jesus. Jesus is God, the “I am.” He existed before the creation of the world, and he has supernatural knowledge. He fulfills the Jewish festivals and institutions. As the sent Son of God, he reflects the Sender. Signs and witnesses demonstrate that he is the Messiah.
- The Trinity. Father, Son, and Spirit are united in their work of revelation and redemption.
- Salvation. God is sovereign in salvation. Jesus’ death is the basis of salvation, which is obtained through believing in the living Jesus as the Son of God
- Eternal Life. Jesus is the giver of eternal life. Believers can experience some of salvation’s benefits during this present evil age.
- Mission. Believers are called to continue Jesus’ mission.
Outline
- Prologue: The Incarnate Word (1:1–18)
- Signs of the Messiah, with Teaching about Life in Him (1:19–12:50)
- The Farewell Teaching and the Passion Narrative (13:1–20:31)
- Epilogue: The Roles of Peter and of the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved (21:1–25)
The Setting of John
The events of the Gospel of John take place in Palestine, incorporated into the Roman Empire in 63 B.C. Appointed by the Romans as king over the Jews in 37 B.C., Herod the Great ruled until his death in 4 B.C. The Romans divided his kingdom among his descendants.
Fact: Manna for Christians today?
Manna for Christians today? The manna that appeared each morning with the dew foreshadowed Jesus Christ, who is the true Bread from heaven (John 6:30–58).
Fact: The feeding of the 5,000
Each of the four Gospels records the feeding of the 5,000. In John, this is Jesus’ fourth sign showing that he is the Son of God (6:1–15). Just as God provided manna for Israel, Jesus provided food (see Numbers 11). Jesus wanted people to see that he is the bread of life (John 6:35).
Fact: Living water
Fresh water that flows from a spring or stream was known as living water in Palestine (2:12–13). It was the best and purest water. Jesus says that he is the source of true living water (John 4:10–14; 7:38).
Fact: The Samaritans
The Samaritans. When Israel fell to Assyria in 722 B.C., many of the people were taken into exile but others remained in the land. Assyria brought people from other nations to repopulate Israel, and many of the remaining Israelites intermarried with these Gentiles. In NT times, their descendants were despised, but Jesus brought them the good news of salvation (4:1–30).
Fact: Abide in Jesus
To abide in Jesus means living in a daily, close relationship with him, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy. The Holy Spirit’s presence and activity within Christians gives evidence that they are abiding in Christ (John 8:31, 6:56, 15:4; 1 John 2:6, 27–28; 3:6).
The Twelve Apostles*
| Matthew 10:2–4 | Mark 3:16–19 | Luke 6:14–16 | John (various verses) | Acts 1:13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Simon, who is called Peter | 1. Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter) | 1. Simon, whom he named Peter | Simon Peter (1:40–42) | 1. Peter |
| 2. Andrew his [Simon Peter’s] brother | 4. Andrew | 2. Andrew his [Simon Peter’s] brother | Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother (1:40) | 4. Andrew |
| 3. James the son of Zebedee | 2. James the son of Zebedee | 3. James | unnamed son of Zebedee (21:2) | 3. James |
| 4. John his [James’s] brother | 3. John the brother of James | 4. John | unnamed son of Zebedee (21:2) | 2. John |
| 5. Philip | 5. Philip | 5. Philip | Philip of Bethsaida (1:43–44) | 5. Philip |
| 6. Bartholomew | 6. Bartholomew | 6. Bartholomew | Nathanael of Cana (1:45–49; 21:2)** | 7. Bartholomew |
| 7. Thomas | 8. Thomas | 8. Thomas | Thomas called the Twin (11:16) | 6. Thomas |
| 8. Matthew the tax collector | 7. Matthew (Levi, son of Alphaeus, a tax collector, 2:14) | 7. Matthew (Levi, tax collector, 5:27) | 8. Matthew | |
| 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | |
| 10. Thaddaeus | 10. Thaddaeus | 11. Judas the son of James | Judas (not Iscariot) (14:22) | 11. Judas the son of James |
| 11. Simon the Zealot | 11. Simon the Zealot | 10. Simon who was called the Zealot | 10. Simon the Zealot | |
| 12. Judas Iscariot | 12. Judas Iscariot | 12. Judas Iscariot | Judas the son of Simon Iscariot (6:71) | 12. Matthias replaces Judas [who had died] (Acts 1:26) |
*Others in the NT are regarded as apostles besides the Twelve, notably James the brother of Jesus (Acts 15:12–21; 1 Cor. 15:7; Gal. 1:19), Paul (Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8–9), and Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14).
**Nathanael is probably Bartholomew, since he is closely associated with Philip. He is certainly not Levi/Matthew, who already has two names and who was from Capernaum. It is possible but unlikely that he is Thaddeus/Judas or Simon the Zealot.
The Work of the Trinity
Though the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, by presenting the Father, Son, and Spirit together, all doing what no one else ever does, the Gospel of John gives us the foundation on which this doctrine is based. Observing what God says and does helps us to know him, and observing which actions are done by which members of the Godhead helps us to see which roles they play.
| Action | Father | Son | Spirit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Give life | 5:21, 26; (6:33); 17:3 | 5:21, 25–26, 40; 6:33; 17:3 | 3:6, 8; 6:63 |
| Proclaim future | 1:33 | 13:19, 26, 36–38; 14:3, 29; 16:1–4, 16–28, 32; 20:18 | 16:13 |
| Indwell believers | 14:23 | 14:20, 23; (15:4–7); 17:23, 26 | 14:17 |
| Teach | 6:45; 7:16, 17; 8:28 | 7:14; (8:2); 8:20; 13:13–14 | 14:26 |
| Testify to Jesus | 5:32, 37; 6:27; 8:18 | 8:12–14, 18 | 15:26 |
| Glorify Jesus | 5:22–23; 8:50, 54; 13:31–32; 17:1, 22 | (1:14); 2:11; 13:31–32; 17:5, 24 | 16:14 |
Actions Common to Father and Son
| Action | Father | Son |
|---|---|---|
| Glorify the Father | 4:23; 12:28; 13:31–32 | (2:16); (9:3–4); 11:40; 12:28; 13:31–32; 14:13; 17:1, 4–5 |
| Give the Spirit | 3:34; 14:16 | (4:10–14); (7:37–39); 20:22 |
| Send the Spirit | 14:26 | 15:26; 16:7 |
Actions Common to Son and Spirit
| Action | Son | Spirit |
|---|---|---|
| Be given by the Father | 3:16 | (4:10–14); 14:16 |
| Be sent by the Father | 3:17; 4:34; 5:23–24, 36; 6:29, 57; 7:28–29, 33; 8:16, 26, 29, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:42; 12:44–45; 13:20; 15:21; 17:3, 8, 18, 23, 25; 20:21 | 14:26; 15:26 |
| Speak not from himself | (5:19); 5:30; (6:38); 7:16; 12:49–50 | 16:13 |
| Speak only what he hears | 3:32; (3:34); (5:30); 8:26, 40; 12:50; 15:15 | 16:13 |
| Convict | 3:19–20; 4:16, 18; (5:27); (8:7); 8:34, 40; 11:40; 12:7–8; 13:8 | 16:7–11 |
| Be received | 1:12 (see 1:10–11) | 7:39 (see 14:17) |
| Disclose what belongs to God | 1:18 | 16:13–14 |
Seven Signs Pointing to Jesus as the Messiah
The first half of John’s Gospel shows that Jesus is the Messiah by way of seven signs (see 20:30–31):
| Changing water into wine | 2:1–11 |
| Healing the official’s son | 4:46–54 |
| Healing the invalid | 5:1–15 |
| Feeding the multitude | 6:5–13 |
| Walking on the water* | 6:16–21 |
| Healing the man born blind | 9:1–7 |
| Raising Lazarus | 11:1–44 |
*John does not explicitly identify this event as a sign.
Physical Items Used by Jesus to Teach Spiritual Truths
Though often misunderstood by Jesus’ hearers, these tangible metaphors explain the gospel.
| Physical Item | Spiritual Truth | References |
|---|---|---|
| Light | true knowledge and presence of God; moral purity | 1:4–5, 7–9; 3:19–21; 8:12; 9:5; 11:9–10; 12:35–36, 46; see 1 John 2:8–10 |
| Jerusalem temple | Christ’s physical body | 2:19–22 |
| Physical birth | spiritual birth: being “born again” | 1:13; 3:3–8; see 6:63; 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 18 |
| Wind | the Holy Spirit | 3:8 |
| Water | the Holy Spirit within believers | 4:7–15; 7:37–39; see 1 John 5:6, 8 |
| Food | doing the will of God | 4:31–34 |
| Bread | Jesus himself, his life and death | 6:32–51, 58 |
| Flesh and blood | Jesus’ death | 6:53–56; see 1 John 1:7; 5:6, 8 |
| Door | path to eternal life in Jesus | 10:1–9 |
| Shepherd | Jesus’ self-sacrifice and care for his people | 10:11–18, 26–28; 21:15–17 |
| Vine | Jesus in relationship to his followers | 15:1–11 |
| Cup | God’s wrath toward sin | 18:11 |
| Breath | the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples | 20:22 |
The “I Am” Statements of Jesus
| Absolute “I am” statements | 6:20; 8:24, 28, 58; 18:5 |
| Metaphorical “I am” statements | |
| 1. I am the bread of life | 6:35, 48, 51 |
| 2. I am the light of the world | 8:12; 9:5 |
| 3. I am the door of the sheep | 10:7, 9 |
| 4. I am the good shepherd | 10:11, 14 |
| 5. I am the resurrection and the life | 11:25 |
| 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life | 14:6 |
| 7. I am the true vine | 15:1 |
Witnesses to Jesus
| 1. John the Baptist | 5:32–36; see 1:7–8, 15, 19, 32–34; 3:26 |
| 2. Jesus’ own works | 5:36; see 10:25, 32, 37–38; 15:24 |
| 3. God the Father | 5:37–38; 8:18 |
| 4. The Scriptures, especially by Moses | 5:39, 45–47 |
| 5. Jesus himself | 3:11, 32; 8:14, 18; 18:37 |
| 6. The Spirit | 14:26; 15:26; 16:8–11, 13–14 |
| 7. The disciples, especially John | 15:27; 19:35; 21:24 |
John 4:4 Jesus had to pass this way because it was the shortest route. The words may also indicate that God directed his journey (see 3:7, 14, 30; 9:4; 10:16; 12:34; 20:9). Through Samaria was the usual route taken by travelers from Judea to Galilee. However, although the OT does not teach this, some Jews thought the Samaritans were unclean; to avoid defilement, they bypassed Samaria by crossing the Jordan and traveling on the east side of the river. The Samaritans were partly Jewish and partly Gentile and were disdained by both Jews and Gentiles (see Luke 10:33; 17:16; John 8:48). Second Kings 17:24–31 describes how the king of Assyria brought foreign people to settle in Samaria after he defeated it in 722 B.C. Over time they intermarried with Jews who remained in the area. The Samaritans had their own version of the Pentateuch, their own temple on Mount Gerizim, and their own version of Israelite history. See note on John 4:20–21. Tensions often ran high between Jews and Samaritans.
John 4:5 The village of Sychar was probably on the slope of Mount Ebal near the OT city of Shechem. the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. See Gen. 33:18–19; 48:21–22; Ex. 13:19; Josh. 24:32.
John 4:6 That Jesus was wearied . . . from his journey shows that he was fully human as well as fully God (see also 11:35; 19:28). The sixth hour was noon. It would have been hot and time to rest. Travelers would be thirsty. Normally, women would come to draw water in the morning or evening when it was cooler (Gen. 24:11). This woman comes when no one else would be at the well.
John 4:7 Jesus took the initiative in speaking to a Samaritan woman—an astonishing break with his culture.
John 4:10 Jesus’ words about living water again involve double meaning (see notes on 3:14; 8:24; 19:19). Literally, the phrase refers to fresh spring water (Gen. 26:19). John 7:38–39 identifies this “living water” as the Holy Spirit dwelling within a believer (compare Jer. 2:13).
John 4:11 The well today is still more than 100 feet (31 m) deep and was probably deeper at that time.
John 4:12 our father Jacob. The Samaritans still thought of themselves as true descendants of Jacob.
John 4:14 The water that I will give him is the “living water” of v. 10 (see note). Will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life recalls Isa. 12:3 (see also Isa. 44:3; 55:1–3).
Fact: Living water
Fresh water that flows from a spring or stream was known as living water in Palestine (2:12–13). It was the best and purest water. Jesus says that he is the source of true living water (John 4:10–14; 7:38).
John 4:18 the one you now have is not your husband. Merely living together does not constitute marriage. Marriage requires official sanction and public ceremony at which a man and woman commit to the marriage. The community then recognizes their marriage (see 2:1; also Song 3:11; Mal. 2:14; Matt. 9:15).
John 4:20–21 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain. From Mount Gerizim (Deut. 11:29; 27:12), the blessings for keeping the covenant were announced. The Samaritans’ version of Deut. 27:4 (see note on John 4:4) named Mount Gerizim (rather than Ebal) as the place for the altar. “Fathers” may have included Abraham (Gen. 12:7) and Jacob (Gen. 33:18–20), who built altars in that region.
John 4:21 neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. Jesus opens a new age in which God’s people everywhere will be the new temple where he dwells (see 1 Cor. 3:16–17; Eph. 2:19–22).
John 4:22 You is plural, implying “You Samaritans.” In saying we worship what we know Jesus identifies himself as a Jew. salvation is from the Jews. The whole OT, which taught about salvation, was from the Jewish people, and the Messiah himself came from the Jews.
John 4:24 God is spirit. God is not made of physical matter. He is present everywhere. He is not seen (see 3:6, 8), yet he is so powerful he brought the universe into existence (see 1:1–3, 10; 17:5).
John 4:25–26 I . . . am he. Jesus does not identify himself directly among Jews as the Messiah (see note on 1:41) since most would then think he had come to bring instant political deliverance.
Fact: The Samaritans
The Samaritans. When Israel fell to Assyria in 722 B.C., many of the people were taken into exile but others remained in the land. Assyria brought people from other nations to repopulate Israel, and many of the remaining Israelites intermarried with these Gentiles. In NT times, their descendants were despised, but Jesus brought them the good news of salvation (4:1–30).
John 4:32–34 food to eat. See Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4. work. See note on John 14:12.
Physical Items Used by Jesus to Teach Spiritual Truths
Though often misunderstood by Jesus’ hearers, these tangible metaphors explain the gospel.
| Physical Item | Spiritual Truth | References |
|---|---|---|
| Light | true knowledge and presence of God; moral purity | 1:4–5, 7–9; 3:19–21; 8:12; 9:5; 11:9–10; 12:35–36, 46; see 1 John 2:8–10 |
| Jerusalem temple | Christ’s physical body | 2:19–22 |
| Physical birth | spiritual birth: being “born again” | 1:13; 3:3–8; see 6:63; 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 18 |
| Wind | the Holy Spirit | 3:8 |
| Water | the Holy Spirit within believers | 4:7–15; 7:37–39; see 1 John 5:6, 8 |
| Food | doing the will of God | 4:31–34 |
| Bread | Jesus himself, his life and death | 6:32–51, 58 |
| Flesh and blood | Jesus’ death | 6:53–56; see 1 John 1:7; 5:6, 8 |
| Door | path to eternal life in Jesus | 10:1–9 |
| Shepherd | Jesus’ self-sacrifice and care for his people | 10:11–18, 26–28; 21:15–17 |
| Vine | Jesus in relationship to his followers | 15:1–11 |
| Cup | God’s wrath toward sin | 18:11 |
| Breath | the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples | 20:22 |
The Work of the Trinity
Though the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, by presenting the Father, Son, and Spirit together, all doing what no one else ever does, the Gospel of John gives us the foundation on which this doctrine is based. Observing what God says and does helps us to know him, and observing which actions are done by which members of the Godhead helps us to see which roles they play.
| Action | Father | Son | Spirit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Give life | 5:21, 26; (6:33); 17:3 | 5:21, 25–26, 40; 6:33; 17:3 | 3:6, 8; 6:63 |
| Proclaim future | 1:33 | 13:19, 26, 36–38; 14:3, 29; 16:1–4, 16–28, 32; 20:18 | 16:13 |
| Indwell believers | 14:23 | 14:20, 23; (15:4–7); 17:23, 26 | 14:17 |
| Teach | 6:45; 7:16, 17; 8:28 | 7:14; (8:2); 8:20; 13:13–14 | 14:26 |
| Testify to Jesus | 5:32, 37; 6:27; 8:18 | 8:12–14, 18 | 15:26 |
| Glorify Jesus | 5:22–23; 8:50, 54; 13:31–32; 17:1, 22 | (1:14); 2:11; 13:31–32; 17:5, 24 | 16:14 |
Actions Common to Father and Son
| Action | Father | Son |
|---|---|---|
| Glorify the Father | 4:23; 12:28; 13:31–32 | (2:16); (9:3–4); 11:40; 12:28; 13:31–32; 14:13; 17:1, 4–5 |
| Give the Spirit | 3:34; 14:16 | (4:10–14); (7:37–39); 20:22 |
| Send the Spirit | 14:26 | 15:26; 16:7 |
Actions Common to Son and Spirit
| Action | Son | Spirit |
|---|---|---|
| Be given by the Father | 3:16 | (4:10–14); 14:16 |
| Be sent by the Father | 3:17; 4:34; 5:23–24, 36; 6:29, 57; 7:28–29, 33; 8:16, 26, 29, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:42; 12:44–45; 13:20; 15:21; 17:3, 8, 18, 23, 25; 20:21 | 14:26; 15:26 |
| Speak not from himself | (5:19); 5:30; (6:38); 7:16; 12:49–50 | 16:13 |
| Speak only what he hears | 3:32; (3:34); (5:30); 8:26, 40; 12:50; 15:15 | 16:13 |
| Convict | 3:19–20; 4:16, 18; (5:27); (8:7); 8:34, 40; 11:40; 12:7–8; 13:8 | 16:7–11 |
| Be received | 1:12 (see 1:10–11) | 7:39 (see 14:17) |
| Disclose what belongs to God | 1:18 | 16:13–14 |
John 4:37–38 The others who have labored are Jesus and his predecessors, especially John the Baptist and his followers. In a broader sense this includes all the OT writers and prophets. Jesus’ followers benefit from their work and will bring in the harvest.
John 4:41–42 Savior of the world. The Samaritans’ response to Jesus marks the first indication of the universal scope of his saving mission (compare 10:16; 11:51–52; Acts 1:8).
John 4:44 For . . . a prophet has no honor. The wording of the proverb is different in Matt. 13:57, Mark 6:4, and Luke 4:24, and the application there is also different.
John 4:46 The official was probably a Gentile centurion (see note on Matt. 8:5–7). Jesus brings the gospel to a respected Jewish teacher (John 3:1–21), an outcast Samaritan woman (4:1–42), and now an official working for the Roman government (4:46–54). The gospel is meant for everyone in the world.
John 4:48 Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe does not mean one should view “signs” negatively. To the contrary, Jesus’ miracles are one of the primary means God uses to bring people to faith in him (2:11, 23; 3:2; 4:53–54; 6:2, 14; 7:31; 11:47–48; 12:11, 18; 20:31).
John 4:43–54 The healing of the official’s son resembles the healing of the Gentile centurion’s servant in Matt. 8:5–13 and Luke 7:2–10, but it is not the same incident.
John 4:54 second sign. That is, in John’s series. See v. 46; 2:11. Jesus had also performed signs in Jerusalem (see 2:23; 3:2; 4:45).
John 5:1 It is not known what feast of the Jews refers to.
John 5:2 Bethesda means “house of mercy.”
John 5:3 See ESV footnote. The material about an angel of the Lord stirring the water and bringing healing appears in some early manuscripts, but not the earliest. Thus v. 4 should not be considered part of Scripture. Still, v. 7 (which is in all manuscripts) shows that people believed something like what v. 4 reports.
John 5:5 He had been an invalid for thirty-eight years, longer than many people lived at that time.
John 5:6 Knew probably indicates Jesus’ divine knowledge of the man’s situation (compare 1:48; 4:18).
John 5:7 When the water is stirred up indicates that people thought that at least the first person entering the water would be healed.
John 5:10 It is the Sabbath. Nothing in the OT specifically prohibited carrying one’s bedroll on the Sabbath day (see Ex. 20:8–11). The man violated later Jewish traditions.
Seven Signs Pointing to Jesus as the Messiah
The first half of John’s Gospel shows that Jesus is the Messiah by way of seven signs (see 20:30–31):
| Changing water into wine | 2:1–11 |
| Healing the official’s son | 4:46–54 |
| Healing the invalid | 5:1–15 |
| Feeding the multitude | 6:5–13 |
| Walking on the water* | 6:16–21 |
| Healing the man born blind | 9:1–7 |
| Raising Lazarus | 11:1–44 |
*John does not explicitly identify this event as a sign.
John 5:16 Jesus’ Jewish opponents put their merely human religious tradition above genuine love and compassion for others (contrast Lev. 19:18 and Jesus’ example).
John 5:17 My Father suggests a closer relationship with God than other people had (see 20:17). “My Father is working until now, and I am working” is clearly a claim to deity, as Jesus’ hearers understood (5:18). Genesis 2:2–3 teaches that God rested on the seventh day of creation. Jewish rabbis agreed that God continually upholds the universe, yet without breaking the Sabbath. (See also John 7:22–23.)
John 5:19 the Son can do nothing of his own accord. God the Father and God the Son have different roles. The Son is subject to the Father in everything he does, yet this does not deny their equality. See notes on vv. 21, 22, 23. Only what he sees the Father doing may mean that Jesus had a unique ability to see the Father’s work in everyday events.
John 5:21 Jesus’ statement that the Son also gives life to whom he will is another claim to deity. It shows that Jesus does what only God can do: raise the dead and give life. This “life” is both the new “life” now given to believers (v. 24; 11:25–26; 2 Cor. 5:17) and the resurrection of the body at Christ’s second coming (1 Cor. 15:42–57; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; see Dan. 12:2).
John 5:22 The Father . . . has given all judgment to the Son. Another claim to deity, since only God has the right to render final judgment (e.g., Gen. 18:25; Judg. 11:27).
John 5:23 The statement that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father establishes Jesus’ right to be worshiped. It is a claim to deity. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Religions that consider Jesus merely a great prophet do not represent the truth about God.
John 5:25 now here. Jesus emphasizes the present reality of eternal life. the dead. The spiritually dead who hear and believe.
John 5:26 God the Father was never created and was never given his life by anyone else. He has life in himself, so he can give that life to others. The Son also has life in himself and can call the dead to life. See 1:4; see also 3:15–16; 11:25; and note on 14:6.
John 5:28–29 Jesus reaffirms the resurrection on the last day. Compare Dan. 12:2. Those who have done good . . . those who have done evil does not imply that people’s deeds in this life are the basis on which judgment is decided (see John 3:16; 5:24–25). Instead, good works flow from true faith (see Eph. 2:9–10).
John 5:31 Compare Deut. 19:15.
John 5:33 Salvation can be found only in Christ (see note on 3:18). Jesus as the truth fulfills the teaching of the OT (1:17) and reveals the true God (see 1:14, 17; 5:33; 18:37; also 8:40, 45–46; 14:9).
John 5:35 Jesus’ description of John the Baptist as a burning and shining lamp echoes Ps. 132:17. The past tense may mean that John is now dead or at least in prison.
John 5:37 The Father . . . has himself borne witness refers to the whole of God the Father’s witness. This includes all of Jesus’ miracles and teaching as directed by the Father (3:2; 5:19–20) and all of God’s witness to the Messiah in Scripture (see vv. 45–47; Luke 24:27, 44; Acts 13:27; 1 John 5:9).
John 5:39 Studying the Bible ought to result in genuine faith in Jesus. it is they that bear witness about me. See Overview of the Bible.
Overview of the Bible
How does the Bible as a whole fit together? The events recorded in the Bible took place over a span of thousands of years and in several different cultural settings. What is their unifying thread?
One unifying thread in the Bible is its divine authorship. Every book of the Bible is God’s word. The events recorded in the Bible are there because God wanted them to be recorded, and he had them recorded with his people and their instruction in mind: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
God’s Plan for History
God also has a unified plan for history (Eph. 1:10, 12). The work of Christ on earth, especially his crucifixion and resurrection, is the climax of history. It is the great turning point. The present era looks back on Christ’s completed work but also forward to the consummation of his work when he will come again in the new heavens and earth.
God’s Promises and Predictions
The Old Testament directly points forward to Christ through promises of God’s salvation. God gave some specific promises in the Old Testament relating to the coming of Christ as the Messiah, the Savior in the line of David. But God often gives more general promises concerning a future great day of salvation, without spelling out all the details of how he will accomplish it. Sometimes the promises take explicit form (e.g., the coming of the Messiah), and sometimes they take symbolic form (e.g., the animal sacrifices). All of the Old Testament promises find their “yes” in Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20).
God’s Warnings and Curses
God’s relation to people also includes warnings, threatenings, and cursings, which anticipate and point forward to Christ in two distinct ways. First, Christ is the Lamb of God who bore the curse of sin on the cross (John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24). Every instance of the wrath of God against sin, and his punishment of sin, looks forward to the wrath that was poured out on Christ on the cross. Second, Christ will wage war against sin and exterminate it at his second coming. All earlier judgments against sin anticipate the final judgment.
God’s Covenant Commitment and Instruction
The promises of God in the Old Testament come in the context not only of God’s commitment to his people but also of instruction about the people’s commitment and obligations to God. When God makes a covenant with man, God is the sovereign, so he specifies the obligations on both sides. “I will be their God” is the fundamental obligation on God’s side, while “they shall be my people” is the fundamental obligation on the human side.
For example, in the first call of Abram (Gen. 12:1–2) God’s commitment takes the form of promises, blessings, and curses. The promises and blessings point forward to Christ, who is the fulfillment of the promises and the source of final blessings. The curses point forward to Christ both in his bearing the curse and in his execution of judgment and curse against sin, especially at the second coming.
Christ fulfilled the obligations of God’s covenants through perfect obedience (Heb. 5:8), receiving the reward of obedience in his resurrection and ascension (Phil. 2:9–10). By dealing with God’s wrath against sin, Christ reconciled believers to God, bringing about the intimacy with God that all of the Old Testament covenants anticipated.
Christ Is the Offspring of Abraham and the Last Adam
God’s promises to Abraham were the foundation for the nation of Israel. Abraham was obligated to walk blamelessly before God (Gen. 17:1). But only Christ is without sin (Heb. 4:15), making him the ultimate offspring to whom the other offspring all point (Gal. 3:16). Through Christ, believers are united to him and thereby themselves become “Abraham’s offspring” (Gal. 3:29). Believers, Jews and Gentiles alike, become heirs to the promises of God made to Abraham and his offspring (Gal. 3:28–29).
Christ is not only the offspring of Abraham, but—reaching back farther in time to an earlier promise of God—the offspring of the woman: “I will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15). The conquest over the serpent, and therefore the conquest of evil and the reversal of its effects, is to take place through the offspring of the woman. One can trace this offspring down from Eve through Seth and his godly descendants, through Noah, and down to Abraham, where God’s promise takes the specific form of offspring for Abraham. Thus Christ is not only the offspring of Abraham but the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45–49). Like Adam, he represents all who belong to him. And he reverses the effects of Adam’s fall.
Shadows, Prefigures, and “Types” of Christ
The Old Testament anticipates Christ the Savior by “shadows” and “types”—examples, symbols, pictures—of the things that were to come (see 1 Cor. 10:6, 11; Heb. 8:5). Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament prefigure the final sacrifice of Christ. The temple, as a dwelling place for God, prefigured Christ, who is the final “dwelling place” of God, and through whom God is with his people (Matt. 1:23; John 2:21). The Old Testament priests were types of Christ, the final high priest (Heb. 7:11–8:7).
The fulfillment of all these Old Testament shadows and types takes place preeminently in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20; Eph. 1:10). But in the New Testament those people who are “in Christ,” who place their trust in him and experience fellowship with his person and his blessings, receive the benefits of what he has accomplished. Therefore one can also find anticipations or “types” in the Old Testament that point forward to the New Testament church, the people in the New Testament who belong to Christ.
Some Old Testament symbols also may point forward especially to the consummation of salvation that takes place in the new heaven and the new earth yet to come (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1–22:5). Old Testament Jerusalem prefigured the new Jerusalem that will come “down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21:2).
Christ Is the Mediator
Sinful man needs a mediator who will approach God on his behalf. Jesus Christ, who is both God and man, and who is innocent of sin, is the only one who can mediate (1 Tim. 2:5–6) and the only one who can save (Acts 4:12).
All the instances of salvation and mediation in the Old Testament prefigure Christ. Prophets bring God’s word to his people. Godly kings bring God’s rule to bear on the people. Priests represent the people in coming before God’s presence. Christ is the prophet, king, and priest who fulfills all three functions in a final way (Heb. 1:1–3).
We can also look at wise men, who bring God’s wisdom to others; warriors, who bring God’s deliverance from enemies; and singers, who bring praise to God on behalf of the people and speak of God to the people. Covenants bring God’s word to the people. The temple brings God’s presence to the people. Animal sacrifices bring God’s forgiveness to the people. In reading the Bible, we should look for ways in which God brings his word and his presence to people through the means he establishes. All these means perform a mediatorial role, and because there is only one mediator, clearly they all point to Christ.
The Work of the Trinity
Though the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, by presenting the Father, Son, and Spirit together, all doing what no one else ever does, the Gospel of John gives us the foundation on which this doctrine is based. Observing what God says and does helps us to know him, and observing which actions are done by which members of the Godhead helps us to see which roles they play.
| Action | Father | Son | Spirit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Give life | 5:21, 26; (6:33); 17:3 | 5:21, 25–26, 40; 6:33; 17:3 | 3:6, 8; 6:63 |
| Proclaim future | 1:33 | 13:19, 26, 36–38; 14:3, 29; 16:1–4, 16–28, 32; 20:18 | 16:13 |
| Indwell believers | 14:23 | 14:20, 23; (15:4–7); 17:23, 26 | 14:17 |
| Teach | 6:45; 7:16, 17; 8:28 | 7:14; (8:2); 8:20; 13:13–14 | 14:26 |
| Testify to Jesus | 5:32, 37; 6:27; 8:18 | 8:12–14, 18 | 15:26 |
| Glorify Jesus | 5:22–23; 8:50, 54; 13:31–32; 17:1, 22 | (1:14); 2:11; 13:31–32; 17:5, 24 | 16:14 |
Actions Common to Father and Son
| Action | Father | Son |
|---|---|---|
| Glorify the Father | 4:23; 12:28; 13:31–32 | (2:16); (9:3–4); 11:40; 12:28; 13:31–32; 14:13; 17:1, 4–5 |
| Give the Spirit | 3:34; 14:16 | (4:10–14); (7:37–39); 20:22 |
| Send the Spirit | 14:26 | 15:26; 16:7 |
Actions Common to Son and Spirit
| Action | Son | Spirit |
|---|---|---|
| Be given by the Father | 3:16 | (4:10–14); 14:16 |
| Be sent by the Father | 3:17; 4:34; 5:23–24, 36; 6:29, 57; 7:28–29, 33; 8:16, 26, 29, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:42; 12:44–45; 13:20; 15:21; 17:3, 8, 18, 23, 25; 20:21 | 14:26; 15:26 |
| Speak not from himself | (5:19); 5:30; (6:38); 7:16; 12:49–50 | 16:13 |
| Speak only what he hears | 3:32; (3:34); (5:30); 8:26, 40; 12:50; 15:15 | 16:13 |
| Convict | 3:19–20; 4:16, 18; (5:27); (8:7); 8:34, 40; 11:40; 12:7–8; 13:8 | 16:7–11 |
| Be received | 1:12 (see 1:10–11) | 7:39 (see 14:17) |
| Disclose what belongs to God | 1:18 | 16:13–14 |
John 5:43 I have come in my Father’s name. Jesus came with God the Father’s authority and represented the Father’s entire character. If another comes. Jesus predicted the appearing of false messiahs (Matt. 24:24 and parallels) as a sign of the end times (Matt. 24:5 and parallels).
John 5:46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me assumes that true believers are eager to accept all the words of God, including those written by Moses (that is, Genesis–Deuteronomy). For he wrote of me applies to specific predictions like Deut. 18:15 and to all the ways these writings pointed to Christ (e.g., Luke 24:27, 44; John 1:45; 3:14; 8:56; Acts 26:22–23; 28:23; 1 Pet. 1:10–12; see Overview of the Bible).
Overview of the Bible
How does the Bible as a whole fit together? The events recorded in the Bible took place over a span of thousands of years and in several different cultural settings. What is their unifying thread?
One unifying thread in the Bible is its divine authorship. Every book of the Bible is God’s word. The events recorded in the Bible are there because God wanted them to be recorded, and he had them recorded with his people and their instruction in mind: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
God’s Plan for History
God also has a unified plan for history (Eph. 1:10, 12). The work of Christ on earth, especially his crucifixion and resurrection, is the climax of history. It is the great turning point. The present era looks back on Christ’s completed work but also forward to the consummation of his work when he will come again in the new heavens and earth.
God’s Promises and Predictions
The Old Testament directly points forward to Christ through promises of God’s salvation. God gave some specific promises in the Old Testament relating to the coming of Christ as the Messiah, the Savior in the line of David. But God often gives more general promises concerning a future great day of salvation, without spelling out all the details of how he will accomplish it. Sometimes the promises take explicit form (e.g., the coming of the Messiah), and sometimes they take symbolic form (e.g., the animal sacrifices). All of the Old Testament promises find their “yes” in Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20).
God’s Warnings and Curses
God’s relation to people also includes warnings, threatenings, and cursings, which anticipate and point forward to Christ in two distinct ways. First, Christ is the Lamb of God who bore the curse of sin on the cross (John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24). Every instance of the wrath of God against sin, and his punishment of sin, looks forward to the wrath that was poured out on Christ on the cross. Second, Christ will wage war against sin and exterminate it at his second coming. All earlier judgments against sin anticipate the final judgment.
God’s Covenant Commitment and Instruction
The promises of God in the Old Testament come in the context not only of God’s commitment to his people but also of instruction about the people’s commitment and obligations to God. When God makes a covenant with man, God is the sovereign, so he specifies the obligations on both sides. “I will be their God” is the fundamental obligation on God’s side, while “they shall be my people” is the fundamental obligation on the human side.
For example, in the first call of Abram (Gen. 12:1–2) God’s commitment takes the form of promises, blessings, and curses. The promises and blessings point forward to Christ, who is the fulfillment of the promises and the source of final blessings. The curses point forward to Christ both in his bearing the curse and in his execution of judgment and curse against sin, especially at the second coming.
Christ fulfilled the obligations of God’s covenants through perfect obedience (Heb. 5:8), receiving the reward of obedience in his resurrection and ascension (Phil. 2:9–10). By dealing with God’s wrath against sin, Christ reconciled believers to God, bringing about the intimacy with God that all of the Old Testament covenants anticipated.
Christ Is the Offspring of Abraham and the Last Adam
God’s promises to Abraham were the foundation for the nation of Israel. Abraham was obligated to walk blamelessly before God (Gen. 17:1). But only Christ is without sin (Heb. 4:15), making him the ultimate offspring to whom the other offspring all point (Gal. 3:16). Through Christ, believers are united to him and thereby themselves become “Abraham’s offspring” (Gal. 3:29). Believers, Jews and Gentiles alike, become heirs to the promises of God made to Abraham and his offspring (Gal. 3:28–29).
Christ is not only the offspring of Abraham, but—reaching back farther in time to an earlier promise of God—the offspring of the woman: “I will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15). The conquest over the serpent, and therefore the conquest of evil and the reversal of its effects, is to take place through the offspring of the woman. One can trace this offspring down from Eve through Seth and his godly descendants, through Noah, and down to Abraham, where God’s promise takes the specific form of offspring for Abraham. Thus Christ is not only the offspring of Abraham but the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45–49). Like Adam, he represents all who belong to him. And he reverses the effects of Adam’s fall.
Shadows, Prefigures, and “Types” of Christ
The Old Testament anticipates Christ the Savior by “shadows” and “types”—examples, symbols, pictures—of the things that were to come (see 1 Cor. 10:6, 11; Heb. 8:5). Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament prefigure the final sacrifice of Christ. The temple, as a dwelling place for God, prefigured Christ, who is the final “dwelling place” of God, and through whom God is with his people (Matt. 1:23; John 2:21). The Old Testament priests were types of Christ, the final high priest (Heb. 7:11–8:7).
The fulfillment of all these Old Testament shadows and types takes place preeminently in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20; Eph. 1:10). But in the New Testament those people who are “in Christ,” who place their trust in him and experience fellowship with his person and his blessings, receive the benefits of what he has accomplished. Therefore one can also find anticipations or “types” in the Old Testament that point forward to the New Testament church, the people in the New Testament who belong to Christ.
Some Old Testament symbols also may point forward especially to the consummation of salvation that takes place in the new heaven and the new earth yet to come (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1–22:5). Old Testament Jerusalem prefigured the new Jerusalem that will come “down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21:2).
Christ Is the Mediator
Sinful man needs a mediator who will approach God on his behalf. Jesus Christ, who is both God and man, and who is innocent of sin, is the only one who can mediate (1 Tim. 2:5–6) and the only one who can save (Acts 4:12).
All the instances of salvation and mediation in the Old Testament prefigure Christ. Prophets bring God’s word to his people. Godly kings bring God’s rule to bear on the people. Priests represent the people in coming before God’s presence. Christ is the prophet, king, and priest who fulfills all three functions in a final way (Heb. 1:1–3).
We can also look at wise men, who bring God’s wisdom to others; warriors, who bring God’s deliverance from enemies; and singers, who bring praise to God on behalf of the people and speak of God to the people. Covenants bring God’s word to the people. The temple brings God’s presence to the people. Animal sacrifices bring God’s forgiveness to the people. In reading the Bible, we should look for ways in which God brings his word and his presence to people through the means he establishes. All these means perform a mediatorial role, and because there is only one mediator, clearly they all point to Christ.
John 5:31–47 Jesus speaks of several witnesses who bear testimony concerning him (see chart).
Witnesses to Jesus
| 1. John the Baptist | 5:32–36; see 1:7–8, 15, 19, 32–34; 3:26 |
| 2. Jesus’ own works | 5:36; see 10:25, 32, 37–38; 15:24 |
| 3. God the Father | 5:37–38; 8:18 |
| 4. The Scriptures, especially by Moses | 5:39, 45–47 |
| 5. Jesus himself | 3:11, 32; 8:14, 18; 18:37 |
| 6. The Spirit | 14:26; 15:26; 16:8–11, 13–14 |
| 7. The disciples, especially John | 15:27; 19:35; 21:24 |
Witnesses to Jesus
| 1. John the Baptist | 5:32–36; see 1:7–8, 15, 19, 32–34; 3:26 |
| 2. Jesus’ own works | 5:36; see 10:25, 32, 37–38; 15:24 |
| 3. God the Father | 5:37–38; 8:18 |
| 4. The Scriptures, especially by Moses | 5:39, 45–47 |
| 5. Jesus himself | 3:11, 32; 8:14, 18; 18:37 |
| 6. The Spirit | 14:26; 15:26; 16:8–11, 13–14 |
| 7. The disciples, especially John | 15:27; 19:35; 21:24 |
John 6:1 After this. As much as six months may have passed since the previous event. Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. This lake is fed from the Jordan to the north and spills out to the Jordan in the south. Today it measures 7 miles (11 km) wide and 13 miles (21 km) long.
John 6:3 Mountain probably refers to the hill country east of the lake, known today as the Golan Heights (compare Matt. 14:23; Mark 6:46).
John 6:7 two hundred denarii. About eight months’ wages.
John 6:10–11 The men numbered about five thousand, plus women and children (compare Matt. 14:21), totaling perhaps as many as 20,000 people.
John 6:14 the Prophet. The people think Jesus fulfills the prediction of the prophet like Moses, promised in Deut. 18:15, 18. (See note on John 1:20–21; compare Acts 3:22–23.) In Acts 3:22–23 Peter identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of this prophecy; compare Acts 7:37. However, “prophet” is not a common title for Jesus; it is used primarily by those who know little about him (e.g., Matt. 16:14; John 4:19).
John 6:1–15 The feeding of the 5,000 is another of Jesus’ messianic “signs” (see note on 2:11). It shows that Jesus can provide food in the wilderness, like God did for Israel in Moses’ day. Compare Matt. 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17.
John 6:17 A boat, from the first century A.D. or earlier, was found in the Sea of Galilee in 1986. Approximately 26.5 feet long and 7.5 feet wide (8 m by 2.3 m), it could hold about 15 people.
John 6:19 They had rowed about three or four miles. If the feeding of the multitude took place at the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, the shortest distance to Capernaum would be 5–6 miles (8–10 km). Walking on the sea is a powerful demonstration of Jesus’ control over the world that he created.
John 6:21 immediately the boat was at the land. A real-life example of God’s protection as described in Ps. 107:23–32.
Seven Signs Pointing to Jesus as the Messiah
The first half of John’s Gospel shows that Jesus is the Messiah by way of seven signs (see 20:30–31):
| Changing water into wine | 2:1–11 |
| Healing the official’s son | 4:46–54 |
| Healing the invalid | 5:1–15 |
| Feeding the multitude | 6:5–13 |
| Walking on the water* | 6:16–21 |
| Healing the man born blind | 9:1–7 |
| Raising Lazarus | 11:1–44 |
*John does not explicitly identify this event as a sign.
John 6:23–24 Capernaum is on the northwest edge of the Sea of Galilee. Several miles to the south is Tiberias, the largest city on the Sea.
John 6:26 But because you ate your fill of the loaves implies that the people sought Jesus only for physical or material benefit. They should have sought him because they saw signs that pointed to his being the Messiah.
John 6:27 set his seal. A seal made of wax, clay, or soft metal. It could be used to signify ownership or to validate a document. The second meaning is probably intended here.
John 6:31 The OT reference seems to involve several passages, with Ps. 78:23–24 being the most prominent (see also Ex. 16:4, 15; Neh. 9:15; Ps. 105:40).
John 6:32 The true bread from heaven gives eternal spiritual nourishment. It is infinitely superior to the manna provided in Moses’ day, which met only physical needs.
John 6:35 Jesus’ claim, “I am the bread of life,” is the first of seven “I am” sayings in John (see chart). See also the other places in John where Jesus refers to himself as “I am” (see v. 20; 8:24, 58; 18:5; and notes); compare the references to God as “I AM” in Ex. 3:14 and in Isaiah (e.g., Isa. 41:4; 43:10, 25).
The “I Am” Statements of Jesus
| Absolute “I am” statements | 6:20; 8:24, 28, 58; 18:5 |
| Metaphorical “I am” statements | |
| 1. I am the bread of life | 6:35, 48, 51 |
| 2. I am the light of the world | 8:12; 9:5 |
| 3. I am the door of the sheep | 10:7, 9 |
| 4. I am the good shepherd | 10:11, 14 |
| 5. I am the resurrection and the life | 11:25 |
| 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life | 14:6 |
| 7. I am the true vine | 15:1 |
John 6:37 whoever comes to me I will never cast out. No one who responds to the gospel should ever fear being rejected by God.
John 6:39 All that he has given me implies that everyone who has been “given” by the Father to the Son for salvation will in fact be saved.
John 6:40 everyone who . . . believes in him. This verse implies that no true believer will ever lose his or her salvation. the last day. The final judgment.
John 6:43 The grumbling is like the grumbling against God in the OT (e.g., Ex. 16:8; Num. 14:27).
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless. No human being has the ability to come to Christ unless God the Father draws him, that is, gives him the desire to do so.
John 6:51 living bread. Jesus satisfies the spiritual hunger of those who believe in him.
The “I Am” Statements of Jesus
| Absolute “I am” statements | 6:20; 8:24, 28, 58; 18:5 |
| Metaphorical “I am” statements | |
| 1. I am the bread of life | 6:35, 48, 51 |
| 2. I am the light of the world | 8:12; 9:5 |
| 3. I am the door of the sheep | 10:7, 9 |
| 4. I am the good shepherd | 10:11, 14 |
| 5. I am the resurrection and the life | 11:25 |
| 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life | 14:6 |
| 7. I am the true vine | 15:1 |
Fact: Abide in Jesus
To abide in Jesus means living in a daily, close relationship with him, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy. The Holy Spirit’s presence and activity within Christians gives evidence that they are abiding in Christ (John 8:31, 6:56, 15:4; 1 John 2:6, 27–28; 3:6).
Fact: Manna for Christians today?
Manna for Christians today? The manna that appeared each morning with the dew foreshadowed Jesus Christ, who is the true Bread from heaven (John 6:30–58).
John 6:60 It was a hard saying because they wrongly interpreted Jesus’ statements in a literal way.
John 6:63 The flesh (that is, human nature) is completely incapable of producing genuine spiritual life (see Rom. 7:14–25). Only the Spirit can do this. But the Holy Spirit works powerfully in and through the words that Jesus speaks. Those words are spirit and life; they work in the unseen spiritual realm and awaken genuine spiritual life.
Physical Items Used by Jesus to Teach Spiritual Truths
Though often misunderstood by Jesus’ hearers, these tangible metaphors explain the gospel.
| Physical Item | Spiritual Truth | References |
|---|---|---|
| Light | true knowledge and presence of God; moral purity | 1:4–5, 7–9; 3:19–21; 8:12; 9:5; 11:9–10; 12:35–36, 46; see 1 John 2:8–10 |
| Jerusalem temple | Christ’s physical body | 2:19–22 |
| Physical birth | spiritual birth: being “born again” | 1:13; 3:3–8; see 6:63; 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 18 |
| Wind | the Holy Spirit | 3:8 |
| Water | the Holy Spirit within believers | 4:7–15; 7:37–39; see 1 John 5:6, 8 |
| Food | doing the will of God | 4:31–34 |
| Bread | Jesus himself, his life and death | 6:32–51, 58 |
| Flesh and blood | Jesus’ death | 6:53–56; see 1 John 1:7; 5:6, 8 |
| Door | path to eternal life in Jesus | 10:1–9 |
| Shepherd | Jesus’ self-sacrifice and care for his people | 10:11–18, 26–28; 21:15–17 |
| Vine | Jesus in relationship to his followers | 15:1–11 |
| Cup | God’s wrath toward sin | 18:11 |
| Breath | the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples | 20:22 |
The Work of the Trinity
Though the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, by presenting the Father, Son, and Spirit together, all doing what no one else ever does, the Gospel of John gives us the foundation on which this doctrine is based. Observing what God says and does helps us to know him, and observing which actions are done by which members of the Godhead helps us to see which roles they play.
| Action | Father | Son | Spirit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Give life | 5:21, 26; (6:33); 17:3 | 5:21, 25–26, 40; 6:33; 17:3 | 3:6, 8; 6:63 |
| Proclaim future | 1:33 | 13:19, 26, 36–38; 14:3, 29; 16:1–4, 16–28, 32; 20:18 | 16:13 |
| Indwell believers | 14:23 | 14:20, 23; (15:4–7); 17:23, 26 | 14:17 |
| Teach | 6:45; 7:16, 17; 8:28 | 7:14; (8:2); 8:20; 13:13–14 | 14:26 |
| Testify to Jesus | 5:32, 37; 6:27; 8:18 | 8:12–14, 18 | 15:26 |
| Glorify Jesus | 5:22–23; 8:50, 54; 13:31–32; 17:1, 22 | (1:14); 2:11; 13:31–32; 17:5, 24 | 16:14 |
Actions Common to Father and Son
| Action | Father | Son |
|---|---|---|
| Glorify the Father | 4:23; 12:28; 13:31–32 | (2:16); (9:3–4); 11:40; 12:28; 13:31–32; 14:13; 17:1, 4–5 |
| Give the Spirit | 3:34; 14:16 | (4:10–14); (7:37–39); 20:22 |
| Send the Spirit | 14:26 | 15:26; 16:7 |
Actions Common to Son and Spirit
| Action | Son | Spirit |
|---|---|---|
| Be given by the Father | 3:16 | (4:10–14); 14:16 |
| Be sent by the Father | 3:17; 4:34; 5:23–24, 36; 6:29, 57; 7:28–29, 33; 8:16, 26, 29, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:42; 12:44–45; 13:20; 15:21; 17:3, 8, 18, 23, 25; 20:21 | 14:26; 15:26 |
| Speak not from himself | (5:19); 5:30; (6:38); 7:16; 12:49–50 | 16:13 |
| Speak only what he hears | 3:32; (3:34); (5:30); 8:26, 40; 12:50; 15:15 | 16:13 |
| Convict | 3:19–20; 4:16, 18; (5:27); (8:7); 8:34, 40; 11:40; 12:7–8; 13:8 | 16:7–11 |
| Be received | 1:12 (see 1:10–11) | 7:39 (see 14:17) |
| Disclose what belongs to God | 1:18 | 16:13–14 |
John 6:64 Jesus’ divine nature is proven by his knowledge of people’s hearts and their future actions.
John 6:67 This is John’s first mention of the twelve, the apostles.
John 6:69 Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Holy One of God prepares the reader for later references to Jesus being set apart for service to God (10:36; 17:19).
The Twelve Apostles*
| Matthew 10:2–4 | Mark 3:16–19 | Luke 6:14–16 | John (various verses) | Acts 1:13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Simon, who is called Peter | 1. Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter) | 1. Simon, whom he named Peter | Simon Peter (1:40–42) | 1. Peter |
| 2. Andrew his [Simon Peter’s] brother | 4. Andrew | 2. Andrew his [Simon Peter’s] brother | Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother (1:40) | 4. Andrew |
| 3. James the son of Zebedee | 2. James the son of Zebedee | 3. James | unnamed son of Zebedee (21:2) | 3. James |
| 4. John his [James’s] brother | 3. John the brother of James | 4. John | unnamed son of Zebedee (21:2) | 2. John |
| 5. Philip | 5. Philip | 5. Philip | Philip of Bethsaida (1:43–44) | 5. Philip |
| 6. Bartholomew | 6. Bartholomew | 6. Bartholomew | Nathanael of Cana (1:45–49; 21:2)** | 7. Bartholomew |
| 7. Thomas | 8. Thomas | 8. Thomas | Thomas called the Twin (11:16) | 6. Thomas |
| 8. Matthew the tax collector | 7. Matthew (Levi, son of Alphaeus, a tax collector, 2:14) | 7. Matthew (Levi, tax collector, 5:27) | 8. Matthew | |
| 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | |
| 10. Thaddaeus | 10. Thaddaeus | 11. Judas the son of James | Judas (not Iscariot) (14:22) | 11. Judas the son of James |
| 11. Simon the Zealot | 11. Simon the Zealot | 10. Simon who was called the Zealot | 10. Simon the Zealot | |
| 12. Judas Iscariot | 12. Judas Iscariot | 12. Judas Iscariot | Judas the son of Simon Iscariot (6:71) | 12. Matthias replaces Judas [who had died] (Acts 1:26) |
*Others in the NT are regarded as apostles besides the Twelve, notably James the brother of Jesus (Acts 15:12–21; 1 Cor. 15:7; Gal. 1:19), Paul (Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8–9), and Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14).
**Nathanael is probably Bartholomew, since he is closely associated with Philip. He is certainly not Levi/Matthew, who already has two names and who was from Capernaum. It is possible but unlikely that he is Thaddeus/Judas or Simon the Zealot.
Fact: The feeding of the 5,000
Each of the four Gospels records the feeding of the 5,000. In John, this is Jesus’ fourth sign showing that he is the Son of God (6:1–15). Just as God provided manna for Israel, Jesus provided food (see Numbers 11). Jesus wanted people to see that he is the bread of life (John 6:35).
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | John 4-6
"Prove it." Have you ever said that to someone? What about to God? Maybe that's part of your story—asking God to prove himself and he graciously accommodating. But what about after becoming a believer? Have you ever asked God to "prove it" with a sign before trusting his testimony?
John 4-6 records three encounters at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. On digging deeper, we see the picture John is painting. Jesus leaves for Galilee a Gentile region and goes through Samaria. One would think that the opposition to Jesus is going to be greater in those non-Jewish territories. But what actually happens? Jesus gives the Samaritan woman his word: He is the Messiah. And she believes him. Not only that, she spreads the word and the townspeople believe, too. No signs needed. No, "Prove it."
Next, we run into an official who initially wants a wonder from Jesus—healing the official's child. But instead of coming on his terms, Jesus offers only his word. And what happens? The man believes him. No "prove it." He came to Jesus the wonder-worker as an official and left a humbled father trusting in Jesus, the Sovereign Savior.
When Jesus returns to Jerusalem and performs wonders, one would expect the Jews to respond similarly. But what happens? They want his signs, but reject his salvation. Ironically, the further Jesus moves away from his own people, the less opposition he faces. The fewer signs are demanded of him.
This highlights a serious pitfall: is our familiarity with God breeding contempt? Are we so accustomed to his Word, that we no longer find it sufficient? Do we keep asking for more confirmation? Or do we just want wonders? While "signs and wonders" may be how we came to Christ, they are not how we continue in him. Jesus is not our genie in a bottle; he is the savior of the world whose word is sufficient in every situation even when we are tempted to doubt. May we as believers walk in this blessed assurance rather than demanding our Risen Savior "prove it."
This month's memory verse
"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
– John 15:5
Discussion Questions
1. In what circumstances have you found yourself asking God for "signs and wonders" instead of relying on his already revealed Word?
2. If you were to list your three most frequent motivations for approaching God, what would they reveal about how you perceive him?
3. Despite our shortcomings, God graciously accommodates our self-centered requests at times. How have you seen his faithfulness displayed in your life through answered prayer?