The Eight Miracle Signs in John

The Eight Miracle Signs in John Jesus performed eight particular miracles in the Gospel of John that revealed His deity. These miracles are unique to study because they all serve towards showing us that Jesus is Divine. They also show different aspects of Jesus’ divinity. Seemingly these miracles were purposeful in their intent towards showing those present with Jesus, and millions that have followed, aspects of Jesus’ power and mission. These miracles serve as a witness to all of us of Jesus’ authority. They also provide comfort when we reflect on the fact that nature, spirit and life all are in His control and hand.
Jesus turned the water into wine in John 2:1-11. This was the first visible manifestation of God in Christ. It is interesting that it happened at a wedding. Jesus shows that life with Him happens in our normal day to day activities. It was not performed in a temple or tabernacle, but rather among friends. It was Mary the mother of Jesus who encouraged the miracle to happen. This might show us that God uses our relationships to pull out of us the treasures God puts in us. This miracle shows us that Jesus has power over creation. He takes water and makes it wine. It obeys Him.
The water itself is under the control of Christ. One can not help but reflect in the fact that Jesus was present in creation. [1] This miracle is reminiscent of the creation story. In the beginning God moved over the deep. He created out of water. Jesus now initiates His ministry with a miracle with water. The second sign miracle was the healing of the nobleman’s son in John 4:46-54. A man came and called out to Jesus while He was in Cana of Galilee. The man had a son that was sick. This man obviously loved His son. The nobleman asked Jesus to speak a word of healing.

The nobleman had enough faith that he felt like a visit was unnecessary. This miracle proved Christ’s authority over space. Space did not limit Jesus. He has all power in heaven and earth. As it was on that day, it is now. Christ reaches anywhere. The third sign miracle concerns the healing of a lame man in John 5:1-9. The lame man had been unable to pursue healing or help for years. Jesus came by on the Sabbath and asked if the man wanted to made whole. Jesus then told the man to rise and pick his bed up and walk. Under the healing authority of Jesus, the man did.
The religious people were furious. The Sabbath had been violated by this lame man picking up his bed! This miracle might represent Jesus divine authority in a few way. Maybe it hints that Jesus is primary over religion and tradition. It definitely shows that Jesus has power over time. Christ knows when and what to do. God knows when to move. The fourth sign in the feeding of the five-thousand in John 6:1-14. A massive group traveled to hear Jesus speak. They walked just to hear Him. The problem is that there was no food for all of these people.
The disciple Andrew found a young boy’s lunch and brought it to Jesus. Jesus blessed it and broke it and started to pass it out. Everyone ate. There were even leftovers. This miracle shows that Jesus has power to provide. Even in the food arena. Dr. Towns mentions that it shows that God uses what we give Him and does His work to provide. [2] God has all power and He can provide anything we need. This miracle speaks deeper to the events to come when Christ will be blessed, broken and then passed out to feed the souls of men. The fifth sign comes when Jesus walks on the water in John 6:15-21.
There had been a wonderful day of miracles and words from Jesus, but now it is night and Christ has told His disciples to go to the other side of the lake by boat. Huge winds and waves came against the boat in the middle of the night. Jesus, however was walking on the water when the disciples spotted Him. Jesus calmed everything and took them immediately to the other side. This miracle shows God’s power of natural laws. The winds and storms obey His voice. The water held Jesus like a sidewalk holds us. All because He has all power. He also caused the entire ship to be transported to the other side.
Jesus has all power over natural laws. The sixth miracle sign is the healing of the blind man in John 9:1-12. Jesus and the disciples were walking and passed a blind man. This man, the writer tells us, was blind from birth. In fact, there is some perplexing on behalf of the disciples on wether this is the man’s fault or his parent’s due to sin. Jesus makes clay and tells the man to wash his eyes and the man is healed. This miracle shows God’s power over physical laws. Jesus has all power over physical laws. He heals the blind man’s old eyes much like He made the first man’s eyes.
Adam was made from the dust and now Christ makes this man’s eyes “new” by using dust, spit and authority with power. It shows Christ’s power then and now. The seventh sign miracle was Lazarus being raised from the dead in John 11:1-44. Lazarus was a friend and had been dead for four days. Jesus seemed to purposefully wait until the time of Lazarus’ death and burial. Many of Jesus friends are there. Mary and Martha have partial faith. One believes Jesus could have changed it if He had arrived earlier, and the other believes Jesus can perform it at the Resurrection.
Jesus, however, shows that He has power now. All things are under His control. He shows them that He is able, presently, to perform what they wish He could have done in the past and hope He can do in the future. This miracle shows the power of Christ over death. He has power over death itself and the grave. This sign shows that Jesus has the power to give life as a gift. [3] The eighth sign miracle was the amazing catch of fish in John 21:1-11. After Jesus’ resurrection He visited the shore while the disciples were fishing. They had been having trouble all night and had not been able to catch anything.
Jesus advised the disciples to try the other side of the boat. The result was a miraculous catch of fish. This miracle showed complete power. It showed that all of the other miracles were fulfilled and found in Jesus. This miracle showed that He was over all things. This is also the miracle that follows the resurrection of Jesus. This miracle was proof, then and now, that Jesus had risen with full power. He shows power over death and nature. He is truly the Son of God. All of these show that Christ has all power. He holds all things and all things are for Him.
Jesus deity is proven by the resurrection, but these sign miracles reveal different aspects of His deity. Because of this He can identify with us and provide for us. When we trust in Him it is not our life but His life through us. [4] These precious truths and stories bolster our faith in Christ. Jesus has power over creation. We serve a God that calms storms with His voice. Sicknesses and diseases listen to His will. Time can not change Him or stop Him. Jesus is not limited by space. He can provide anything we need. And the final enemy death was overcome by our Savior. All things are His and we are in His hand.
Bibliography John 1:3 Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. (Ed. Mel and Ed Hindson Couch. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers), 2002. Morris, Leon. Jesus is the Christ. (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, 1989). 40 Towns, Elmer. Theology for Today. (Cengage Learning: 2008). 244 ———————– [1] John 1:3 [2] Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. (Ed. Mel and Ed Hindson Couch. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers), 2002. [3] Morris, Leon. Jesus is the Christ. (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, 1989). 40 [4] Towns, Elmer. Theology for Today. (Cengage Learning: 2008). 244