1. Identify and name the signs that occur in the Gospel of John 1-12?

Sign 1. Changing water into wine at the marriage at Cana (John 2: 8&9) Sign 2. The healing of the nobleman's son (John 4: 50&51) Sign 3. The healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda John (John 5: 8&9) Sign 4. The feeding of the great crowd (John 6: 11) Sign 5. Jesus walking on the lake (John 6: 19-21) Sign 6. The healing of the man born blind (John 9: 6&7) Sign 7. The raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11: 42-44)

The references includes only the specific verses that describe the sign, not the entire sign narration.

Sign 1. After he changed water into wine at the marriage in Cana (John 2:1-10), the evangelist comments "Jesus did this, the first of his signs in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)" John the Baptist makes illusions to this wedding feast (was he also there?). In John 3:28&29, he explains that Jesus is the bridegroom, but that he is only the friend of the bridegroom.

Sign 2. After healing of the nobleman's son, the evangelist comments "So he himself believed, along with his whole household. Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee (John 4: 53-54)" .

Sign 3. After Jesus heals the man at the pool in Bethesda (John 5: 1-9), the evangelist comments further about Jesus accused to be a Sabbath breaker. (John 5: 16-30) There is comment throughout the gospel that one of Jesus' major "crimes" is breaking the Sabbath.

Sign 4. After Jesus feeds the great crowd with miraculous bread (John 6: 1-14), the evangelist interrupts further discussion of the "Bread of life" until after sign #5. The bread of life discourse takes place in John 6: 25-71. Of course in the upper room Jesus again refers to his blood as drink and his body as bread.

Sign 5. Jesus walking on the lake (John 6: 16-21) is sandwiched between the sign of miraculous bread and the bread teaching. Didactic teaching about the lake-walking is confined to verses about the sign.

Sign 6. After healing of the man born blind (John 9: 1-12) Jesus speaks about spiritual blindness in John 9: 35-41. In the prologue he speaks of darkness not overtaking the light. There is further discussion in chapter eight about Jesus as the light of the world.

Sign 7. Before he raises Lazarus from the dead, he tells Martha "I am the resurrection and the life". After he raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11: 43&44), the evangelist reports about the plot to kill Jesus in John 11: 45-57. The resurrection of Lazarus also foreshadows his own resurrection in Chapter 20.

I think that a key to interpreting the seven signs is found in the purpose statement, John 20: 30&31: "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of this disciples, which are not recorded in this book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name". The seven signs recorded in the first eleven chapters of John appear to be the signs which "are recorded in this book". If so, the purpose of presenting these signs is to encourage belief in Jesus. The evangelist includes each sign in order to either (1) increases belief or (2) winnow believers from non-believers.

Sign 1. Changing water into wine at the marriage at Cana (John 2: 1-10) increases belief by his disciples.

Sign 2. The healing of the nobleman's son (John 4: 43-54) increases belief in a particular family, a family that is wealthy.

Sign 3. The healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda John (John 5: 1-15) brings out unbelief in the lame man and provokes the Jews to pick sides, either for or against Jesus.

Sign 4. The feeding of the great crowd (John 6: 1-15) caused many to believe that Jesus was the messiah. They desired to make him king. Interestingly, the subsequent teaching about the bread of life caused many to desert him. This sign itself increased belief, but the teaching "Eat my flesh / drink my blood" winnowed believers from unbelievers. The teaching also caused Peter to make his great profession of faith.

Sign 5. Jesus walking on the lake (John 6: 16-21) is more difficult to peg. The sign increases belief in his disciples as parallel accounts in Matthew (14: 22-33) and Mark (6: 47-51) point out.

Sign 6. The healing of the man born blind (John 9: 1-12) causes the blind man and his parents to believe. The sign also splits the Pharisees into believers and unbelievers.

Sign 7. The raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11: 1-44) increases the faith of Lazarus' family. The sign again splits the leaders into two groups: those who believe vs. those who go and report to the Sanhedrin.

These are called "signs" by the evangelist, because they are regarded as symbols of Jesus' teaching or as a revelation of this glory. Their purpose is to evoke faith on the part of those who witness them, beginning with the disciples.

Drawing from the prologue (John 1:1-18), the key verse (John 3:16) and the purpose statement (John 20: 30&31), the distinctive message of John's Gospel seems to be threefold: "Jesus is God incarnate", "Jesus was sent by his loving father to save the world", and "believers will have eternal life through Jesus". This gospel also focuses more upon what Jesus said versus what He did. Maybe the evangelist was familiar with the synoptic tradition and wanted to emphasize the words of Jesus. This gospel seems to tilt toward Jesus as the Son of God rather than the son of Man. Perhaps his was to combat nascent Gnosticism. The evangelist also takes us uniquely behind the scenes of Jesus life, especially in the personal glimpse of the last supper.

The purpose statement in John 20: 30 & 31 indicates the approach of this gospel. John was written that "you might believe that Jesus is the Christ". The gospel writer employs more freely his own modes of thought and language in reporting and interpreting the teaching of Jesus. As the seven miraculous signs show, the fourth evangelist incorporated broad themes and mysteries into his story of Jesus. This approach contrasts to the purpose statement in the synoptic gospels as stated in Luke 1:3 - "to write an orderly account for you". The synoptics, seeing through the same eye, present an orderly account of events. Matthew, Mark and Luke are more chronological in nature, preserving more completely the actions and sayings of Jesus. The three synoptic accounts differ in content and detail, but all three present an orderly chronology of events, with considerable overlap of material.

The content of John is also different from the synoptics. To point out a few differences: John emphasizes a ministry in Judea, the synoptics in Galilee. John does not name the twelve disciples, but does mention Nicodemus and Lazarus. The fourth gospel excludes parables and the sermon on the mount, but includes the cosmic prologue emphasizing the eternal nature of Jesus as creator. John provides extensive detail of Jesus in the upper room, but omits narratives of Jesus as a child. John provides a micro view of fewer events. The synoptics provide a macro view of more events. To me it makes sense that John was written after the synoptics as a parallel, complementary and more personal account his master's life. Without the first three gospels, our portrait of Jesus would be grossly incomplete. Without the fourth gospel, our portrait of Jesus would be greatly impoverished.