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Semeion in the Gospel of John


Semeion in the Gospel of John

John 3:2

Excerpt


In the Gospel there is general reference to the σημεῖα of Jesus (2:23; 3:2; 6:2,26; 9:16) and sometimes there is summary mention of their great number (11:47; 12:37; 20:30). But a few are emphasized. In general, they are the kind of miracles expected with the dawn of the Messianic age, cf. the saying in Is. 35:5 (Mt. 11:5/Lk. 7:22).309 No matter how one computes the number of σημεῖα of Jesus which were particularly important for the Evangelist,310 those miracles which he records bear Messianic features and are thus in some sense Messianic epiphany-miracles. The miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee in Jn. 2:11, the second miracle at Cana (the healing of the son of the βασιλικός) in 4:54, the feeding of the multitude in 6:14 and the raising of Lazarus in 12:18 are all explicitly called σημεῖα. In relation to theσημεῖα mentioned in 9:16 the healing of the man born blind (9:1ff.) is to the fore, while the healing of the lame man on the Sabbath (5:1ff.) is adduced more as an example in 6:2.311 Raising the dead and healings are typical wonders of the Messianic age. The feeding of the multitude and the miracle at Cana fit into this pattern inasmuch as they correspond to the expectation that the Messianic age will put an end to hunger and thirst.


Kittel, Gerhard, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, eds. Theological dictionary of the New Testament 1964– : 245. Print.

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