Study Focus: John 2:1–11, John 5:1–9, John 5:10–16
As we embark this quarter on our study, Themes in the Gospel of John, let us keep in mind a few biographical facts that set John apart from the other three Gospel writers. John was the youngest of the three writers, lived the longest, and wrote his account later than the other authors wrote theirs. John introduces himself modestly and indirectly as “this disciple” (John 21:23, NKJV). He was known among his fellow disciples as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:20). This reference may be rendered as “the disciple whom Jesus kept on loving,” which is even stronger than the past tense “loved.”
With this background before us, we would also do well to consider the significance of John’s name. John literally and fittingly means “the Lord is gracious.” To be gracious may also mean “to be loving.” John, the apostle of love, wrote much about this virtue in both his Gospel and his epistles, referring to himself as the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). Does this verse, and others like it from John’s Gospel, suggest that Jesus was partial toward John, loving him more than the other disciples? Not at all! Divine love is abundant and available to everyone. It wasn’t that Jesus loved John the most but rather that John’s heart was more open and receptive to Jesus and His love.
John desired for all others to open their hearts wide to Christ and to believe in Him as the true Messiah and the divine Son of God. So, right after his introductory comments, John starts with the first miracle, in which Jesus changes water into wine at Cana. Have you ever witnessed an authentic miracle (notwithstanding the so-called miracles that are portrayed in religious media)? Why was it so important for Jesus to perform miracles? Is He as willing to perform such mighty miracles through the ministry of His followers today? This week, we will seek answers to these last two questions.
Part II: Commentary
John shows that Christ, by means of performing many signs and miracles, possessed divine power. These miracles point the way to the only Way that leads to eternal life. John alludes to only a few of these miracles—ideally, enough to convince his audience to accept the true assurance of salvation and live according to it. One cannot help but wonder what kinds of countless miracles John had witnessed but did not record. John testifies to the truth that “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30, 31, NKJV).
One may do well to ask, What is a “sign”? And what is the difference between a sign and a “miracle”? The word “miracle” comes from the Latin miraculum, which literally means something “divine in origin,” “to marvel about,” or “to be astonished at.”
There are two Greek terms in the New Testament that are used to describe what we refer to as miracles. Dunamis is the first term, which is literally interpreted to mean “power,” from which we get the words dynamite, dynamic, and dynamism—all referring to something powerful. Essentially, dunamis characterizes a miracle as a demonstration of Christ’s divine power in this world. Truly Christ possesses the power to utter His Word, and it is accomplished.
On the other hand, the second word, semeion, or a sign, refers to Christ’s authority. This term helps us to understand the miraculous work of Christ as a display of His divine authority in the world, particularly in subduing the powers of evil forces. Indeed, Christ has the authority to command demons to depart, and they do.
Why did Jesus perform so many miracles? First of all, they were done to fulfill certain human needs, which always included a spiritual dimension of forgiveness and restoration. Second, unlike a great deal of so-called miracles today, Jesus never performed miracles to satisfy human curiosity but to help those in need. “Neither here [when tempted by Satan] nor at any subsequent time in His earthly life did He work a miracle in His own behalf. His wonderful works were all for the good of others.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 119.
Third, Christ’s miracles served to give clear evidence of the veracity of His divine message and mission to lost humanity. When Jesus raised the widow’s son from the dead, the people proclaimed that “God has visited His people” (Luke 7:16, NKJV). That was explicit evidence of His true Messiahship. Fourth, His miracles served as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, corresponding to what God’s patriarchs and prophets had foretold about Him.
The Miracle at Cana (John 2:1–11)
It is interesting to note that the first miracle of Jesus (John 2:1–11) was performed in the context of marriage, which He first ordained in the Garden of Eden. Why do you think Jesus’ first miracle was about marriage? Marriage impacts all aspects of our existence. The devil knows how crucial marriage is, so he endeavors to bring about dysfunction and confusion to our homes, churches, schools, and society at large. Marriage, and how it is viewed in our society, is not always biblical or according to God’s plan. Today, on average, marriages in the United States last about six years.
Undoubtedly, through the miracle at Cana, Jesus highlighted the crucial importance of marriage and blessed it by His presence. By thus endorsing marriage, Jesus teaches us that He must be the center of every wedding in order to ensure marital success, for when we place Him first and foremost in our lives, He causes His love to overflow to our spouses and to others as well. So, this first miracle is very applicable to our postmodern culture and should encourage all to go back to the example of the One who designed it and blessed it. Let us then invite our Creator and Redeemer to order and bless all aspects of dating, courtship, and marriage to result in the utmost blessing to humanity and to bring glory to His name.
For His first miracle, Jesus could have chosen to perform a spectacular resurrection from the dead before a big crowd of Jewish leaders and dignitaries. But, instead, He chose a simple gathering in a small town and met its humble people where they were, in their everyday activities.
Jesus, our prime example, interacted with others to uplift and bless, as salt mingles with all types of food to transform it into something palatable. “He [Jesus] reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired their good. . . . He met them at their daily vocations, and manifested an interest in their secular affairs.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 151. Moreover, “we are not to renounce social communion. We should not seclude ourselves from others. In order to reach all classes, we must meet them where they are.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 152.
We see Christ’s method for reaching people—to uplift and bless them—evident even in the changing of water into wine. The water could be seen as representing our baptism into Christ, and the pure, unfermented grape juice His shed blood for our redemption. Moreover, Jesus replaced the fermented wine, which dulled people’s senses, with the fresh and invigorating grape juice that helped bring them back to their senses.
The Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–9)
Often physical sickness involves the violation of spiritual laws. Our human mechanism is an integrated and interrelated creation. Whatever impacts one dimension affects the other. But we must be careful not to judge or condemn others in attributing all physical ailments to the willful violation of God’s law, because all human beings, at one time or another, have succumbed to sin. It is hurtful and disheartening to the sufferers of sin to be told that they deserve what is plaguing them. Like Jesus, our tender and sympathetic attitude should surmount our impulse to set everything straight before we help. Jesus demonstrates this principle in action in the story of the miraculous healing of the crippled man by the pool at Bethesda.
How encouraging, and instructive, that Jesus does not engage in a critical analysis of the causes of the man’s crippled condition. Hasn’t he suffered for 38 long years with this disabling disease? Why add more to his guilt and suffering? As followers of Christ, we must focus on solutions to problems, not merely on the problems. This man seemed to be the most miserable and hopeless around the pool of Bethesda, so Jesus chose him to show that He desired to use His divine power to help the most helpless.
Notice that, on this particular occasion, Jesus did not ask the man whether he believed or not, only if he desired to be well. Then Jesus commanded the man to get up, carry his bed, and walk. The man did not doubt or wait to be made well; he immediately acted on Jesus’ command. Likewise, we, too, regardless of the misfortunes of our seemingly hopeless physical and spiritual challenges, need to look up to Jesus and live. No matter how long and hard we may have looked for the answer in other places, the answer is standing right next to us in the form of our lovely Savior.
Consider, and take to heart, God’s answer to all kinds of crippling ailments: “Do not wait to feel that you are made whole. Believe His word, and it will be fulfilled. . . . Whatever may be the evil practice, the master passion which through long indulgence binds both soul and body, Christ is able and longs to deliver.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 203.
Hard Hearts (John 5:10–16)
Hard hearts, if long cherished, lead to hardened hearts. The hearts of the Pharisees were set against Jesus from the beginning, simply because He did not fit into their religious mold and adhere to the rigor and minutiae of their rituals and traditions. In so doing, they purposely ignored the bigger issues of salvation. Standing before the walking miracle of the once hopeless and helpless man who for decades could not walk and whom Jesus had just healed by the pool of Bethesda, the leaders callously overlooked the obvious cause of jubilation. Instead, their concern was with the proper keeping of the Sabbath.
The leaders who witnessed the healing of the crippled man were totally obsessed with Sabbath regulations. That is why they harshly questioned him about carrying his mattress on the Sabbath, as Jesus had instructed him to do. They were upset that the man carried his bed; yet, they did not think about the suffering or the well-being of this man, who could not move for many years and who was now carrying himself with the vigor of youth. But Jesus, the Designer and Lord of the Sabbath, intentionally performed many miracles on the Sabbath to make abundantly clear that this special day was meant to be a blessing for humanity, and not a burden or a curse on it.
Part III: Life Application
Think about and answer the following questions:
How do we balance being in the world but not of it?
Regarding our discussion of miracles, how do we understand the difference and similarity between dunamis and semeion? What examples do we find in each of Christ’s miracles? Does the miracle of casting out demons fit in the category of semeion? Explain.
What are some of the dangers of becoming immovable and thus intolerant in our own opinions? How do we guard ourselves from the folly of trusting in our self-serving ideas and ignoring the spirit of the law, which is the bigger picture? How would you react to the following sayings: “My way or the highway,” or “I’ve made up my mind; don’t confuse me with facts”?
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Study Focus: John 2:1–11, John 5:1–9, John 5:10–16
As we embark this quarter on our study, Themes in the Gospel of John, let us keep in mind a few biographical facts that set John apart from the other three Gospel writers. John was the youngest of the three writers, lived the longest, and wrote his account later than the other authors wrote theirs. John introduces himself modestly and indirectly as “this disciple” (John 21:23, NKJV). He was known among his fellow disciples as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:20). This reference may be rendered as “the disciple whom Jesus kept on loving,” which is even stronger than the past tense “loved.”
With this background before us, we would also do well to consider the significance of John’s name. John literally and fittingly means “the Lord is gracious.” To be gracious may also mean “to be loving.” John, the apostle of love, wrote much about this virtue in both his Gospel and his epistles, referring to himself as the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). Does this verse, and others like it from John’s Gospel, suggest that Jesus was partial toward John, loving him more than the other disciples? Not at all! Divine love is abundant and available to everyone. It wasn’t that Jesus loved John the most but rather that John’s heart was more open and receptive to Jesus and His love.
John desired for all others to open their hearts wide to Christ and to believe in Him as the true Messiah and the divine Son of God. So, right after his introductory comments, John starts with the first miracle, in which Jesus changes water into wine at Cana. Have you ever witnessed an authentic miracle (notwithstanding the so-called miracles that are portrayed in religious media)? Why was it so important for Jesus to perform miracles? Is He as willing to perform such mighty miracles through the ministry of His followers today? This week, we will seek answers to these last two questions.
Part II: Commentary
John shows that Christ, by means of performing many signs and miracles, possessed divine power. These miracles point the way to the only Way that leads to eternal life. John alludes to only a few of these miracles—ideally, enough to convince his audience to accept the true assurance of salvation and live according to it. One cannot help but wonder what kinds of countless miracles John had witnessed but did not record. John testifies to the truth that “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30, 31, NKJV).
One may do well to ask, What is a “sign”? And what is the difference between a sign and a “miracle”? The word “miracle” comes from the Latin miraculum, which literally means something “divine in origin,” “to marvel about,” or “to be astonished at.”
There are two Greek terms in the New Testament that are used to describe what we refer to as miracles. Dunamis is the first term, which is literally interpreted to mean “power,” from which we get the words dynamite, dynamic, and dynamism—all referring to something powerful. Essentially, dunamis characterizes a miracle as a demonstration of Christ’s divine power in this world. Truly Christ possesses the power to utter His Word, and it is accomplished.
On the other hand, the second word, semeion, or a sign, refers to Christ’s authority. This term helps us to understand the miraculous work of Christ as a display of His divine authority in the world, particularly in subduing the powers of evil forces. Indeed, Christ has the authority to command demons to depart, and they do.
Why did Jesus perform so many miracles? First of all, they were done to fulfill certain human needs, which always included a spiritual dimension of forgiveness and restoration. Second, unlike a great deal of so-called miracles today, Jesus never performed miracles to satisfy human curiosity but to help those in need. “Neither here [when tempted by Satan] nor at any subsequent time in His earthly life did He work a miracle in His own behalf. His wonderful works were all for the good of others.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 119.
Third, Christ’s miracles served to give clear evidence of the veracity of His divine message and mission to lost humanity. When Jesus raised the widow’s son from the dead, the people proclaimed that “God has visited His people” (Luke 7:16, NKJV). That was explicit evidence of His true Messiahship. Fourth, His miracles served as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, corresponding to what God’s patriarchs and prophets had foretold about Him.
The Miracle at Cana (John 2:1–11)
It is interesting to note that the first miracle of Jesus (John 2:1–11) was performed in the context of marriage, which He first ordained in the Garden of Eden. Why do you think Jesus’ first miracle was about marriage? Marriage impacts all aspects of our existence. The devil knows how crucial marriage is, so he endeavors to bring about dysfunction and confusion to our homes, churches, schools, and society at large. Marriage, and how it is viewed in our society, is not always biblical or according to God’s plan. Today, on average, marriages in the United States last about six years.
Undoubtedly, through the miracle at Cana, Jesus highlighted the crucial importance of marriage and blessed it by His presence. By thus endorsing marriage, Jesus teaches us that He must be the center of every wedding in order to ensure marital success, for when we place Him first and foremost in our lives, He causes His love to overflow to our spouses and to others as well. So, this first miracle is very applicable to our postmodern culture and should encourage all to go back to the example of the One who designed it and blessed it. Let us then invite our Creator and Redeemer to order and bless all aspects of dating, courtship, and marriage to result in the utmost blessing to humanity and to bring glory to His name.
For His first miracle, Jesus could have chosen to perform a spectacular resurrection from the dead before a big crowd of Jewish leaders and dignitaries. But, instead, He chose a simple gathering in a small town and met its humble people where they were, in their everyday activities.
Jesus, our prime example, interacted with others to uplift and bless, as salt mingles with all types of food to transform it into something palatable. “He [Jesus] reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired their good. . . . He met them at their daily vocations, and manifested an interest in their secular affairs.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 151. Moreover, “we are not to renounce social communion. We should not seclude ourselves from others. In order to reach all classes, we must meet them where they are.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 152.
We see Christ’s method for reaching people—to uplift and bless them—evident even in the changing of water into wine. The water could be seen as representing our baptism into Christ, and the pure, unfermented grape juice His shed blood for our redemption. Moreover, Jesus replaced the fermented wine, which dulled people’s senses, with the fresh and invigorating grape juice that helped bring them back to their senses.
The Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–9)
Often physical sickness involves the violation of spiritual laws. Our human mechanism is an integrated and interrelated creation. Whatever impacts one dimension affects the other. But we must be careful not to judge or condemn others in attributing all physical ailments to the willful violation of God’s law, because all human beings, at one time or another, have succumbed to sin. It is hurtful and disheartening to the sufferers of sin to be told that they deserve what is plaguing them. Like Jesus, our tender and sympathetic attitude should surmount our impulse to set everything straight before we help. Jesus demonstrates this principle in action in the story of the miraculous healing of the crippled man by the pool at Bethesda.
How encouraging, and instructive, that Jesus does not engage in a critical analysis of the causes of the man’s crippled condition. Hasn’t he suffered for 38 long years with this disabling disease? Why add more to his guilt and suffering? As followers of Christ, we must focus on solutions to problems, not merely on the problems. This man seemed to be the most miserable and hopeless around the pool of Bethesda, so Jesus chose him to show that He desired to use His divine power to help the most helpless.
Notice that, on this particular occasion, Jesus did not ask the man whether he believed or not, only if he desired to be well. Then Jesus commanded the man to get up, carry his bed, and walk. The man did not doubt or wait to be made well; he immediately acted on Jesus’ command. Likewise, we, too, regardless of the misfortunes of our seemingly hopeless physical and spiritual challenges, need to look up to Jesus and live. No matter how long and hard we may have looked for the answer in other places, the answer is standing right next to us in the form of our lovely Savior.
Consider, and take to heart, God’s answer to all kinds of crippling ailments: “Do not wait to feel that you are made whole. Believe His word, and it will be fulfilled. . . . Whatever may be the evil practice, the master passion which through long indulgence binds both soul and body, Christ is able and longs to deliver.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 203.
Hard Hearts (John 5:10–16)
Hard hearts, if long cherished, lead to hardened hearts. The hearts of the Pharisees were set against Jesus from the beginning, simply because He did not fit into their religious mold and adhere to the rigor and minutiae of their rituals and traditions. In so doing, they purposely ignored the bigger issues of salvation. Standing before the walking miracle of the once hopeless and helpless man who for decades could not walk and whom Jesus had just healed by the pool of Bethesda, the leaders callously overlooked the obvious cause of jubilation. Instead, their concern was with the proper keeping of the Sabbath.
The leaders who witnessed the healing of the crippled man were totally obsessed with Sabbath regulations. That is why they harshly questioned him about carrying his mattress on the Sabbath, as Jesus had instructed him to do. They were upset that the man carried his bed; yet, they did not think about the suffering or the well-being of this man, who could not move for many years and who was now carrying himself with the vigor of youth. But Jesus, the Designer and Lord of the Sabbath, intentionally performed many miracles on the Sabbath to make abundantly clear that this special day was meant to be a blessing for humanity, and not a burden or a curse on it.
Part III: Life Application
Think about and answer the following questions:
How do we balance being in the world but not of it?
Regarding our discussion of miracles, how do we understand the difference and similarity between dunamis and semeion? What examples do we find in each of Christ’s miracles? Does the miracle of casting out demons fit in the category of semeion? Explain.
What are some of the dangers of becoming immovable and thus intolerant in our own opinions? How do we guard ourselves from the folly of trusting in our self-serving ideas and ignoring the spirit of the law, which is the bigger picture? How would you react to the following sayings: “My way or the highway,” or “I’ve made up my mind; don’t confuse me with facts”?