Introduction: We are starting a new series of studies on the
Gospel of John! GoBible.org has a study on the Gospel of
John that I wrote twenty years ago. Our study this quarter
is different. Instead of going chapter by chapter, we are
going to study the themes we find in John’s gospel. Why
would we do that? In John 20:30-31 John explains why he
included in his book only some material. His purpose is to
encourage the reader to believe that Jesus is “the Son of
God,” the Messiah, so that by this belief the reader could
“have life in His name.” In this first lesson we turn our
attention to the “signs,” the miracles that point us to the
conclusion that Jesus is God. Let’s plunge into our study!
I. A Wedding Miracle
A. Read John 2:1-3. Is Jesus’ mother gossiping to
Jesus? Is she telling him the parents of the
children getting married are ill-prepared? Or too
poor?
B. Read John 2:4. What does this exchange between
Jesus and His mother suggest is the reason she
told Jesus about the wine problem? (She believes
that Jesus can fix the problem. Jesus knows
exactly what she is asking. His response it that
His career has not reached the point where He
should be performing miracles.)
C. Read John 2:5-7. Who is in charge here?
(Apparently Jesus’ mother overrides Jesus’ concern
over timing.)
1. Is there a lesson in this for us? (Your godly
parents should be honored. This also shows
that Jesus listens to the needs of humans.)
2. Why would Jesus’ mother care? She is not the
parent of the bridal couple.
D. Read John 2:7-9. Jesus has converted between 120
and 180 gallons of water into wine. What is the
theme here? What sign do we learn about Jesus as
God? (This miracle is completely unnecessary
unless love for your parents, love for others, and
helping others to avoid embarrassment are
important necessities in life.)
E. This is Jesus’ first miracle. Read about another
first in Exodus 7:14-17. This is the first plague
on Egypt. What point is being made to Pharaoh by
turning water into blood? (Verse 17 reveals that
by this Pharaoh will know who is God.)
1. Is Jesus proving to us that He is God by the
wedding miracle?
F. Read John 2:10. Why does John include this
assessment of the wine? (God does everything with
excellence, and so should we.)
1. How many times have you seen a Sabbath
presentation that looks like it has been
thrown together at the last moment?
G. Read John 2:11-12. What does John tell us is the
actual impact of Jesus’ first miracle? (Jesus’
disciples “believed in Him.” Jesus manifested
“His glory.”)
II. A Healing Miracle
A. Read John 4:46-47. News spread of the wedding
miracle. Is this more complicated than changing
water to wine?
B. Read John 4:48. Why would Jesus say something like
this? Hasn’t the father come to Jesus for healing?
(Jesus is speaking about one of the themes of the
book of John. The belief in question is whether
Jesus is the Messiah. This father comes to Jesus
for healing, not as a follower of Jesus.)
1. Has anyone asked you to do something not
because you are their friend, but because you
have something they want? (Decades ago, long
distance calls were expensive. “Friends” who
never called just to talk, would leave a voice
message asking me to call them long-distance
to give them free legal advice. I think this
is the motivation issue Jesus raises.)
C. Read John 4:49-50. Has Jesus done more than the
father requested? (Jesus shows that He does not
need to see the son to heal him. Jesus merely
speaks the healing word.)
D. Read John 4:51-53. What does John want us to
conclude?
1. What motivated Jesus to do this miracle? (Once
again, Jesus is showing compassion on someone
who is not yet a believer. The miracle
converted the father’s entire household.)
E. Read John 4:54. When John refers to this “second
sign,” this is a sign of what? (This statement is
logically connected to our discussion of the
healing of the son. The “sign” is not that Jesus
is a healer, but rather that He is the Son of
God.)
III. A Pool Miracle
A. Read John 5:1-3. Try to imagine being there.
According to the Life Application Commentary
excavation reveals that there were two pools and
five covered porches. This sounds like a
beautiful place, but I picture this like a modern
park with homeless people all over. How do you see
it? (John 5:4 is not in the original text. Someone
copying John wanted the reader to know why all
these invalids were gathered here – it was the
belief that they could be healed when the water
moved.)
B. Read John 5:5-6. Why did Jesus ask this question?
Isn’t the answer obvious? (Jesus does not force
Himself on us.)
C. Read John 5:7. Is this an answer to Jesus’
question? (No. Jesus did not ask him what
prevented him from getting in the water first. The
invalid gave Jesus a practical answer. It assumed
he wanted to be healed, but told of the obstacles
to healing.)
D. Read John 5:8-9. Did this man have any faith in
Jesus before Jesus told him to “Get up?” (He did
not know anything about Jesus or he would not have
spoken about the practical problems.)
1. Did the man exercise faith? (Yes. He had to
try to get up – and he did.)
2. Could Jesus have healed everyone at these
pools? (The answer is, “yes.”)
a. Why didn’t Jesus heal them all?
E. Read Isaiah 35:4-6. Why has Jesus healed this man?
(To show that He fulfills at least one Messianic
prophecy. He is the Son of God.)
1. Now the tough question. Is this why Jesus did
not heal everyone? (Jesus is healing for His
glory. See John 9:1-3.)
2. Is this the only reason Jesus healed? (Turning
water into wine does not fit that picture.
Jesus has compassion on the people.)
F. Read John 5:10-11. Is the former invalid an
ungrateful person? He now blames Jesus?
(Unlikely. If a man could heal him after 38 years
of illness, then that man had authority.)
1. Jesus knew that telling the man to carry his
bed on Sabbath would create a problem. Why did
He do it? (The man’s days as an invalid were
over. Jesus’ order wiped away his past.)
G. Read John 5:12-15. Is the former invalid now
trying to get Jesus in trouble? (The former
invalid thought they should know about Jesus.
Plus, this shows the former invalid to be
completely honest. When he could tell the leaders
who it was who healed him, he did.)
H. Look again at John 5:14. Wait a minute! Didn’t
Jesus just have him sin by carrying his bed on
Sabbath? (Jesus obviously did not consider it a
sin.)
1. Is Jesus teaching us that sin causes sickness?
(Let’s revisit John 9:1-3. In the case of the
blind man Jesus disconnects sickness from sin.
After all, he was blind from birth. But we
need to be honest that many people are sick
because of their sins.)
I. Read John 5:16-18. Put yourself in the place of
the Jewish leaders. Would you want to kill someone
for Sabbath breaking who had the power to heal?
IV. The Miracles and Signs of Divinity
A. Read John 5:19-21. What claim is Jesus making? (He
says that He is the Son of God and that He has
power to raise the dead to life.)
1. Again, put yourself in the place of the Jewish
leaders. Would this statement cause you to
reconsider wanting to kill Jesus? (Certainly,
something very special is going on. A
reasonable person would take Jesus’ statements
seriously.)
B. Read John 5:22-23. Is this a warning to the Jewish
leaders? (They are judging Jesus. They judge Him
worthy of death. Jesus warns that He is the one
who will execute judgment.)
C. Read John 5:24. What promise does Jesus give us in
the context of healing a guy who was an invalid
for 38 years? (He has the power of life. If we
believe that God sent Jesus we will not suffer
judgment. Rather, we will pass from death to
life.)
D. Friend, would you like, right now, to pass from
eternal death to eternal life? You can do that by
believing Jesus is the Son of God who was sent by
God to save us from eternal death.
V. Next week: Signs of Divinity.
Copr. 2024, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
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Holy Spirit as you study.
