That You May Believe - 7

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
The Father's Testimony Through Signs
In our last lesson, we considered the human testimony recorded in John's gospel, such as that offered by John the Baptist, the early disciples and others who believed. But also the testimony by the masses, including many who did not believe. As noted, human testimony alone does not prove Jesus to be the Son of God. Jesus Himself did not depend upon human testimony alone as evidence - cf. Jn 5:33-37 "You sent messengers to John, and he told them the truth. I don't depend on what people say about me, but I tell you these things so that you may be saved. John was a lamp that gave a lot of light, and you were glad to enjoy his light for a while. But something more important than John speaks for me. I mean the things that the Father has given me to do! All of these speak for me and prove that the Father sent me. The Father who sent me also speaks for me, but you have never heard his voice or seen him face to face.". He recognized human testimony, such as that offered by John the Baptist. Yet He appealed to a "greater witness", that of His Father's testimony! -- Jesus encouraged people to consider the Father's testimony as evidenced by the works which He did. In this lesson we shall define the purpose of the works or "signs" Jesus did, and note how they serve as evidence to sustain the claims Jesus made.

The definition "sign" is a Greek word, semeion. It is used "of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men sent by Him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God's." - Thayer. This word is used by John almost exclusively in his gospel (as opposed to miracle or wonder). Jesus claimed that the works, miracles or wonders He performed "bear witness of Me" - Jn 5:36 The Father bore witness through these "signs" to the validity of His claims (such as the claim "the Father has sent Me"). What were these "signs" in which the Father bore testimony concerning Jesus? John says there were many (Jn 20:30), too many to record them all (Jn 21:25). In his gospel, John records at least seven.
Turning water to wine is the first sign and was done in Cana of Galilee - Jn 2:1-11. Jesus demonstrated His power over creation, proving the claim made in the prologue ("All things came into being by Him") - Jn 1:3. For example, He is the Creator! The next sign we read of is the healing of the nobleman’s son which was also done in Cana of Galilee - Jn 4:46-54. Jesus demonstrated His power over physical disease, supporting His claim to provide salvation from spiritual disease - cf. Jn 8:34-36 for example, He is the Savior! In Jn 5:1-9 we read of the healing of the lame man done in Jerusalem, at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus demonstrated His power over birth defects used to show His equality with God - Jn 5:17-21. For example, He is Deity, and capable of giving life! In Jn 6:1-14 we find the feeding of the five thousand done near Bethsaida of Galilee. Jesus showed His power over food supply proving His claim to provide man with his spiritual needs - Jn 6:35 "Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty.", He is the Bread of Life! In walking on the water on the Sea of Galilee Jesus showed His power over nature - Jn 6:16-21 Once again this confirms the claim made by John in the prologue - Jn 1:3, He is the Creator! F. In healing the blind man in Jerusalem who was blind from birth - Jn 9:1-12, Jesus showed His power over blindness confirming His claim to be "the light of the world" - Jn 8:12, He is the Light! When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead as He done at Bethany - Jn 11:39-44, Jesus shows His power over death, proving His claim to be "the resurrection and the life" - Jn 11:25, He is the Life! Through such signs as these seven, the Father bore testimony concerning Jesus of Nazareth they were designed to impact those who saw them and indeed they did.

We have the testimony by witness such as Nicodemus saying to Jesus, "You are a teacher come from God" - Jn 3:2a, "No one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him" - Jn 3:2b There is also the testimony of the multitude, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?", prompting many to believe in Him - Jn 7:31 We also have the testimony of His enemies. "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs." - Jn 11:47. They could not deny the signs, though they refused to accept their implications. John stated his purpose in recording these "signs" of Jesus, including the one in which He showed Himself alive to doubting Thomas (cf. Jn 20:26-29), That we might believe in Jesus as the Son of God, and that we have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31. Jesus said these "signs" served as testimony from the Father - Jn 5:36. That the Father sent Him and that He is everything He claimed to be. The question we face is this: Do we ignore these signs, attested to even by the enemies of Jesus? Or do we accept them as testimony from the Father, that the claims of Jesus are true? The blessing of eternal life hangs in the balance.