Jesus' Signs: Written So You May Believe and Have Life

"The Disbelief of St. Thomas" by James Tissot 

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“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30–31).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

St. John did not write his account of Jesus’ life to be an accurate history—although it is accurate and historical. St. John did not just write his account because he was moved by the Holy Spirit—although he was moved by the Holy Spirit to write of persons, actions, and events he witnessed. John wrote with a purpose. John wrote so people would have faith in Jesus, so that you would believe in Jesus, and that by believing, you would have life in His name.

As Lutherans, we’re hesitant to put much stock in personal testimonies. Far too often, the person testifying becomes the focus of attention, the hero of the story, or the one who has overcome and moved beyond whatever brokenness used to be in their life. This is not good. Jesus is the center of our faith. Jesus is the hero of the story. Jesus has overcome sin, death, and the Devil, even when we are still mired in sin, buried in the ground, or daily assaulted by our ancient foe.

But the fact that some people or faith communities share their experiences of faith in unhelpful ways does not mean that recounting one’s journey of faith is inherently wrong. On the contrary, there is great value in finding helpful ways to share how God works in real time, in real lives, to save real sinners.

The Gospel of John testifies to Jesus. It was written so people could believe in Jesus. Throughout the Gospel of John, we are given glimpses into various ways people encounter Jesus and express their personal faith in Him. Our Gospel lesson for today is a prime example, but it is not the only one.

Thomas' declaration of faith is a significant moment in the upper room scene. But like many of our spiritual advancements, it didn’t happen quickly or without a struggle. You will recall that Thomas is the one who missed out on seeing the risen Jesus the evening of that first Easter Sunday. Even with all the other disciples testifying, “We have seen the Lord,” Thomas replies, “Unless I see in His hands the marks of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.”

The following week, all the disciples are gathered inside again, with the doors locked. Jesus comes and stands among them and says, “Peace be with you.” Then the Lord singles out Thomas, instructing him to examine His risen body. “Do not disbelieve, but believe,” Jesus instructs. Having heard Jesus’ words and seen with his own eyes, Thomas declares, “My Lord and my God!”

On the heels of this confession of faith, John tells us what this whole book is about: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30–31).

For Thomas, a significant sign was literally seeing the physical body of the resurrected Jesus, the marks of the nails in His hands and the spear-pierced side. No small sign! But that sign was not disconnected from God’s Word, either. This is not the first sign we come across in John’s Gospel, nor is Thomas’ response the only possible one. The Greek word translated as “signs” here is semeia. Signs are events with special meaning. They could be unusual, even miraculous, types of occurrences and, in a number of contexts, may be rendered as “miracles.” For the Gospel of John, however, a “sign” is not simply a miraculous event but something that points to a reality with even greater significance. Signs reveal God’s mind and work. They demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah.

Let’s go through some of the signs in John’s Gospel and celebrate the various ways God works through Jesus to lead multiple people to faith.

In John 2:1-11, we have the account of Jesus at the wedding in Cana, where He turns the six large jars of water into about 150 gallons of high-quality wine. John sums up this account: “This, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory. And His disciples believed in Him” (John 2:11).

On a list of humanity’s greatest needs, wine for a small-town wedding celebration doesn’t rise anywhere close to the top, but that doesn’t mean the Lord is unconcerned. He provides many benefits that are not strictly necessary but add joy to our lives. Sometimes, an earthly blessing points us towards belief in Jesus, as it does in this case.

 In John 2:13-24, Jesus had driven out the merchants and moneychangers from the temple. When asked by the Jews, “What sign do you show us for doing these things? Jesus tells them He will raise the destroyed Temple in three days. John tells us with the benefits of 20-20 hindsight, “He was speaking about the Temple of His body.” But it doesn’t appear the disciples understand or believe at the time, since it isn’t until Jesus is raised that “His disciples remember He had said this and they believe the Scripture and the Word that Jesus has spoken” (John 2:21–22). Sometimes, the Lord gives us a sign, but we don’t get it at the time. Only much later do we see what God was doing or saying.

In John 4:46, an official from Capernaum comes to ask Jesus for a personal request. He is not on some spiritual quest or looking for a Savior but wants Jesus to come to heal his son, who is at the point of death. Jesus tells him, “Unless you [Galileans] see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The man persists, “Sir, come down, before my son dies. Jesus speaks a word of promise, “Go, your son will live.” The man believes the word that Jesus speaks to him. Sometimes, Jesus meets our immediate needs even before we know our greatest needs.

 In John 5:1-17, Jesus goes to a pool called Bethesda. He sees a man who has been an invalid for thirty-eight years. “When Jesus sees him lying there and knowing that he has already been there a long time, he says to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?” A simple question with a simple answer: Jesus does not quote Moses or any other great teacher. He does not talk about the Last Day or the forgiveness of sins. He asks the man what he wants and calls him to healed life, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” The man is healed at once, and he takes up his bed and walks. When asked about the episode, the formerly lame man doesn’t even know who Jesus is! The man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn” (John 5:11). Sometimes, the sign only shows part of the picture, and it may be much later (if ever) that we see the hand of God behind it.

 In John 6:1-15, Jesus is by the Sea of Galilee. “A large crowd was following Him because they saw the signs that He was doing on the sick” (v 3). From five barley loaves and two fish, Jesus feeds thousands of people, and when everyone has eaten their fill, His disciples gather twelve baskets of leftovers.  

We do not know what each of the people among the thousands believed about Jesus after they were miraculously fed. They certainly did not have a fully articulated faith like we have in the Second Article of the Nicene Creed. A pastor today probably would not accept their answer on a confirmation exam. “Who is Jesus?” “The Prophet who is to come into the world!” Sometimes, God is at work even when people have an insufficient understanding.

That seems to be the case with these people. After Jesus feeds them, they come and take Him by force to make Him king. Jesus, perceiving their intentions, goes to the other side of the lake. The crowd meets Him there. Jesus chastises them for seeking Him not because they saw signs but because they filled their bellies with food. Jesus admonishes them, “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”

Having been taught by the scribes and Pharisees, their next question seems obvious: "What must we do to be doing the works of God?” But they have it backward. “This is the work of God,” Jesus says, “that you believe in Him who He has sent.” That gets them back to thinking about signs and bread while Jesus talks about coming down from heaven for us and our salvation. By this time, many took offense and left. “This is a hard saying: who can listen to it?”  

John 9 is all about Jesus, but it focuses on a single blind man’s experience of Jesus. As this man keeps talking about his encounter with Jesus, his confession of faith grows. At first, he identifies Jesus as a “man” (John 9:11). But after talking it through more, he recognizes Jesus is a “prophet” (John 9:17). Finally, he sees most clearly and confesses, “Lord, I believe” (John 9:38). Sometimes, we have to talk through things, even inadequately, to come to a fuller faith.

 In John 11:17-27, Martha is grieving the death of Lazarus. Her brother is dead and buried. But with only the words of Jesus to cling to, believing without seeing, she has hope. “I believe you are the Christ.” Sometimes, we believe in the midst of pain and grief, even when we cannot see what God might be up to.

At Jesus’ command, the stone was removed from Lazarus’ tomb. Jesus prayed and cried out in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out. “Many of the Jews who had seen what He did, believed in Him,” but Jesus’ enemies were concerned, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.” From that day, they made plans to kill Him.

Jesus’ signs bring mixed reactions. Some refuse to see the signs with faith, seeing the signs as only wonders of a miracle worker, or believing in Jesus because of the miracles and thus misunderstanding His relationship to the Father. That some will believe in Jesus without seeing any signs seems to suggest that faith not based on miracles is a superior kind of faith. However, this is not a criticism of miracle-based faith in itself but a caution that such faith may involve a misunderstanding of who Jesus is. Some people will never believe without seeing miracles. Some see Jesus’ signs without knowing who He is, which shows that someone can experience a miracle without believing in Jesus before the event. And so, by God’s grace, come to faith.

The aim of John’s Gospel is faith in Jesus as the Christ, God’s Son (John 20:31). The signs establish faith, but God is the content of this faith, not the signs. The signs are the Son’s revelation of the Father and the Father’s confession of the Son. As such, they are a basis of faith in God. Encountering the person of Jesus in the signs leads to seeing or knowing. The added words of revelation confer on the signs an enduring power to establish faith so that they become a permanent part of the divine message. They are signs that take precedence over the Word so long as Jesus is in the flesh (John 1:14; 7:39). After Easter, the Church has the Word, and new signs are not essential.

The people who encountered Jesus in the first century were real people with real experiences. God met them where they were, worked in their lives, and gave them faith; through that faith, they received life through Jesus.

God’s truth about Jesus Christ is made known in the Bible and is its central message. We call this truth the Gospel, namely, the promise of the forgiveness of sins for Jesus’ sake. Through this Gospel, God works in real time, in real lives, to save real sinners. Jesus sends His Holy Spirit, who calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies us, and keeps us in the true faith. As we confess in the Apology to the Augsburg Confession:

This faith is nourished in a variety of ways: through the declarations of the Gospel and the use of the Sacraments. For these are signs of the New Testament, that is, signs of the forgiveness of sins. They offer the forgiveness of sins as the words of the Lord’s Supper clearly testify, “This is My body, which is given for you. This is the cup of the New Testament,” and so on. (See Matthew 26:26, 28.) So faith is conceived and strengthened through Absolution, through the hearing of the Gospel, through the use of the Sacraments.[i]

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30–31).

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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[i] Paul Timothy McCain, ed., Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2005), 162–163.