The Purpose of John's Signs Were to Show How Christianity Superseded Judaism - Explain this Statement and Assess the View that this was the Main Purpose of John's Signs.

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Gabriela Belmar-Valencia 13CA                                           1st October 2003

The Purpose of John’s Signs Were to Show How Christianity Superseded Judaism. Explain this Statement and Assess the View that this was the Main Purpose of John’s Signs.

The use of Semeion, literally meaning “signpost”, as opposed to Dunamis, “power”, used in the synoptic Gospels, shows that the signs were supposed to point towards a deep, spiritual truth, often involving the theme of Replacement Theology. For example, Jesus turns Jewish purification water (representing Judaism) to wine (representing Christianity); 6 water jars are present one short of 7, the perfect number; wedding ceremony, Israel is the unfaithful bride, Jesus is the true bridegroom Isaiah 54:5 “For you Maker is your Husband”. In the Healing of the Official’s Son there are echoes of the Genesis in the Old Testament “on the third day” and in the power of Jesus’ word “Go, your son will live”; the son’s fever left him “at the seventh hour”, 7, the traditional Jewish number of perfection.

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There are miraculous signs called “Oth” in the Old Testament that were proof of divinity for example in 1 Kings Elijah heals a sick child rather like the Healing of the Official’s Son. Glasson points out that “Exodus motifs abound” in John’s signs. In the Healing at the Pool the paralytic has been ill for 38 years, the time the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness. There are also 5 colonnades symbolising the Jewish Pentatuch; again the water in the pool is inadequate, Jesus is necessary to help the paralytic. The paralysed man is outside the temple, rejected by Judaism ...

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