The Importance of Signs in the Fourth Gospel

There are several important implications to be drawn from this statement. (a) John’s account of the signs which Jesus did is intentionally selective. He mentions many other signs (poll¦ shme‹a) of which he must have had detailed knowledge. In fact, he is specifically referring to those performed in the presence of the disciples. They were observable phenomena which evidently possessed particular significance. Some indication of what that significance was is contained in the concluding half of the statement (verse 31). (b) The purpose of the selection was theological. The signs were designed to produce faith of a particular kind. The verb ‘believe’ (pisteÚw) is frequent in John, although the noun p...stij is lacking. It is important to note how often in this gospel believing is connected with seeing as well as hearing and this will be brought out in the course of our enquiry. (c) The theological purpose is stated in a twofold form―(i) that Jesus is the Christ and (ii) that He is the Son of God. It is essential for an adequate appreciation of John’s use of signs to examine to what extent the description of the various signs would serve this purpose. It is not without considerable importance that the Messianic identity of Jesus is stated first. This is essentially a Jewish concept and does not support the view that this gospel is wholly Hellenic in purpose. The connection of Messianic claims with signs is not surprising, for it was generally expected that the Messiah, when he came, would authenticate his claims by means of signs. The absence of signs would have been unthinkable for a claimant to the Messianic office. In further support of the special emphasis given to Messianic claims is the fact that only in this gospel is the Hebrew form of the word ‘Messiah’ found, once on the lips of Andrew (i. 41) and once on the lips of the Samaritan woman (iv. 25).